Mayo Ladies pushed all the way by Leitrim in Championship opener

CONNACHT LGFA SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1

Mayo 2-11

Leitrim 1–11

In Swinford

Leitrim’s determination to win was not enough to yield a famous victory after a late rally that came too late in today's championship battle.

In the end, Mayo, having been nine points up, overcame the All-Ireland Intermediate champions who gave the home side a huge scare.

Mayo mixed the good, the bad, and the really good in a game that ebbed and flowed in the blustery elements.

With the breeze, Mayo kicked 1-8 in the first half while Leitrim kicked seven wides.

Liam McHale’s side, which included four senior championship debutantes in the forwards, had six different scorers in the first half. The most important scorer was Saoirse Lally, whose 27th-minute goal opened a nine-point gap between the sides.

Leitrim persisted and struck the last two scores from Ailbhe Clancy to trail 1-8 to 0-4 at the break.

The underdogs opened the half with three points on the spin before Sinéad Walsh’s goal appeared to put Mayo in the driving seat.

Mayo spurned goal chances but scored enough to hold Leitrim at arm’s length. That was until Muireann Devaney went on a piercing run before rattling the Mayo net to make it a four-point game in injury time.

Leitrim missed another goal chance before cutting the gap to three from a Devaney free.

The visitors pinned Mayo in before Lucy Wallace won a free out that unlocked Mayo’s path to victory seconds before the full-time whistle.

A full report and reaction will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.