History made as Claremorris win first ever Mayo intermediate crown

MAYO LGFA INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Claremorris 1-16

MacHale Rovers 2-10

In Castlebar

They had reached the Promised Land. Claremorris captain Eilis Higgins was visibly moved, when she came up the steps in MacHale Park, to receive the trophy.

A force had announced itself in Mayo Ladies football after a few short years of steady progression. Claremorris won the junior title in 2022. Last year they were stopped in the intermediate semi-final, and now they are a senior team for the first time in the club's history.

It didn't start well though. MacHale Rovers got off to a flying start as Sinead Walsh basically ran half the pitch and buried the ball in the net after 12 seconds. Moments later Kayla Doherty added a free and MacHale Rovers were four points up. 

But spurred on by Bree Hession, Laura Keane, Amy Cummins and Ashleagh Salmon pulling the strings, Claremorris responded strongly.

Keane's goal only after five minutes was the team's first score and steadied the nerves.

They took the lead just before half-time with a beautiful point from Alana Fitzpatrick, and the woman in blue and white would retain the lead for the remainder of the match.

In the second half, Claremorris put on a fantastic defensive performance. They put their bodies on the line on numerous occasions and managed to stop inter-county sharpshooter Sinead Walsh in her tracks.

Walsh scored 1-3 in the entire game, which is still a good haul for any player in a county final but in some situations, she simply wasn't allowed to pass through the blue wall. 

MacHale Rovers were down five points in injury-time, when Annie Gough scored a magnificent goal from distance. She had no right to hammer the ball home from outside the square, but she backed herself and smashed the net.

Her strike raised the roof and cut the deficit to only two points and it looked like Claremorris were in big trouble. 

MacHale Rovers got the ball back immediately, but Bree Hession, who was a stand-out player all afternoon for Claremorris, heroically blocked an effort that could have cut the gap to a single point.

Claremorris swept up the field in the following moments and Laura Kelly knocked the ball over the bar before the final whistle unleashed scenes of wild delight for the women in blue.

Minutes later, in her speech on the steps of MacHale Park, winning captain Eilis Higgins said "Hopefully our journey isn't over yet." This team means business and great adventures await.

A full match report and reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News