Mayo's brave effort comes up just short as Cork advance to LGFA quarter-finals

TG4 ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cork 3-8

Mayo 1-10

In Castlebar

A rip-roaring contest in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park ended with Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-finals and Mayo facing into a relegation play-off. The home side produced arguably their best performance of the season to push the Munster women all the way on a day when fortune rarely smiled on the Green and Red.

Liam McHale's women were in contention until the very last minute and if a late goal hadn't been ruled out by tyhe officials the result might well have been different.

Mayo did a lot of things right in the first half, but went to the dressingroom three points behind. The concession of two goals, one after just 12 seconds were hammer-blows to the Green and Red who played with the aid of a strong wind in the first 30 minutes.

Sinead Walsh was the main scoring threat for the home side and she kicked three points from frees, while impressive substitute Ava McDonnell, who replaced Erin Murray after just four minutes, raised two white flags.

Westport wing-back Sherin El Masry also came forward to kick a fine point but the two Cork goals were crucial. The first arrived moments after the throw-in when midfielder Máire Ó Callaghan powered through and sent a bullet to the roof of the net. The second came 22 minutes later when Katie Quirke's point effort from the right dipped into the top corner of Julia Gawalkiewicz's net despite the very best efforts of the Charlestown net-minder.

The match was held up for quite some time near the end of the half when Cork defenders Shauna Cronin and Shauna Kelly collided as they threw their bodies in front of Sinead Walsh's goal-bound shot. The scoring opportunity arose when a short Cork kick-out was smothered and Clodagh Keane sent Walsh through on goal. However, a combination of Cronin, Kelly and goalkeeper Sarah Murphy kept the ball out.

The match was held up for some time as the two Cork defenders were treated by medical personel before Kelly was stretchered off. There was no further addition to the scoreboard before the break and the Munster women were three in front, 2-3 to 0-6, and well set to win the game with the wind on their backs in the second period.

Mayo showed renewed energy early in the second half with Lucy Wallace, Danielle Caldwell, Saoirse Lally and Aoife Geraghty prominent. The home side had a sniff of goal after 40 minuites when Geraghty found space but her shot was bravely blocked by Cronin. Moments later, Cronin was again central when she pulled down Walsh as the MacHale Rovers woman ran through the middle. The Cork defnder was sin-binned and Mayo sensed a revival.

However, corner-forward Aine O'Sullivan was in great form for the guests and two classy points kept Cork three clear as the match entered the final ten minutes. Mayo were dicing with death at that strage as they chased the scores to get back into contention. Defensive cover was absent as scores were sought and the Cork women made them pay after 53 minutes.

A long ball found Aine O'Sullivan in an advanced position and when she picked out Katie Quirke bursting through the middle, the Bride Rovers woman found the net to put her side six clear.

But the excitement was only starting. Mayo refused to buckle and were given a lifeline four minutes from the end when Annie Gough sent a shot to the net.

Suddenly there was huge noise and excitement around the stadium as a goal would send Mayo through to the quarter-finals ahead of the Cork women. They seemed to have got it three minutes from the end when Annie Gough's high ball was flicked to the net by Clodagh Keane, but referee Gus Chapman ruled it out for a square-ball infringement.

That was the end of the affair and a point at the other end put Cork four clear and into the last eight, while Mayo must face into a relegation play-off against Leitrim.

A full match report and after-macth reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.