Mayo girls denied All-Ireland place by talented and powerful Cork team

LGFA ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINAL

Cork 5-8

Mayo 1-7

In Birr

MAKE no mistake about it – the Mayo players gave it everything on Saturday. The girls in green and red represented the county with pride, passion and determination. However, Cork were the better team on this occasion and deservedly qualified for the All-Ireland final.

A big wind blew straight down the middle of St Brendan's Park for this meeting of two very talented teams and Mayo faced into it in the first half. However, they started well and were two points up early on after points from Aoife Morrin and Rheanna Hoban. However, Cork soon hit back and the scores were balanced when Nell Kinsella and Mia Comerford found the range.

The girls in red thought they had a goal soon after but Mayo goalkeeper Aoife Commons pulled off a stunning save.

The opening goal of the game arrived at the other end in the 14^th minute when Saoirse Raynolds sent a long ball into the Cork square and Hoban plucked it out of the air before sending a rocket to the roof of the net. It was a superb strike but Cork hit back quickly and made the wind advantage pay with a stream of scores.

READ MORE: Mayo manager in hospital after falling ill at training session

Full-forward Lauren O'Mullane blasted home two goals and as half-time approached the Munster champions were leading 2-6 to 1-3 but Hoban, Mayo's best forward, ran through to kick a fine point just before the break.

That left just five between the sides at the interval and with wind advantage to come, things looked good for Tom Carney's team. However, Cork had other ideas. Hoban did not emerge for the second half and her absence hit the Mayo attack hard. They found it difficult to work the ball into scoring areas and Cork absorbed pressure and countered with great precision.

READ MORE: Mayo LGFA star Saoirse Lally: 'I always wanted to get out of the full-back line'

Mayo did get the opening two points of the second half when Morrin and Rhea Gostick closed the gap to a goal, but that was as good as it got. Cork took over and goals arrived from Kate O'Connell and two from Michaela Moynihan.

Brilliant saves from Commons kept Mayo in contention all through and the girls in green and red never stopped trying, but there was no stopping the Munster champions who were deserving winners in the end.

A match report and reaction from team manager Tom Carney will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.