Mayo edged out by Galway in wind-swept Connacht decider

LGFA CONNACHT U-14 CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Galway 3-5

Mayo 2-5

In Connacht Centre of Excellence

MAYO will forever wonder how they failed to take this golden opportunity to win the provincial title. 

Level at 2-5 apiece with 17 minutes to play and a gale-force wind and driving rain behind them, they failed to score again and Galway broke out to score a goal and win the match.

The horrible weather conditions were the big factor in this one. Galway had the wind, rain and sleet behind them in the first half and built an eleven-point lead by the half-way mark. Mayo soon wiped that out, but the Green and Red never took the lead and somehow failed to overhaul the girls in maroon.

It took Galway some time to get the scoreboard moving in the opening half, but eventually goals from Sadbh Ní Raghallaigh and the excellent Aoibhe Daly powered them forward. Lola Mangan and Emily Hession also got their names on the score-sheet as Mayo worked tirelessly to keep the tally manageable. 

Faye Naughton led the way with some spectacular blocks while goalkeeper Shona Gibbons pulled off a spectacular save to deny Daly at a crucial moment in the half. In truth, the entire Mayo defensive block which included Sadhbh Dillon, Darcey Ní Dhufaigh, Enya McGarry, Lauren Lyons, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Saoirse Ruane and Ruby McNamara were courageous and relentless.

Their efforts left Mayo in a great position at half-time as the eleven-point deficit was very recoverable with the wind on their backs in the second half. That certainly looked possible in the moments after half-time when Carnacon's Maddie Loftus kicked a goal and a point from frees and Lexi Murphy also pointed.

Ten minutes into the half, Riona Corrigan found the net to close the gap to three as Mayo poured forward and pinned Galway into their own goalmouth. The leaders were on the ropes and it seemed only a matter of time before the knock-out blow would be delivered.

Two more pointed frees from Loftus and a single from Faye Tierney had the scores level after 43 minutes and Mayo were about to hit the front, or so we thought.

Galway found their feet and gradually stemmed the tide. Midfielder Grace Halvey, wing-back Laura McHugh and attacker Elise Day led the revival and they drew a line in the sand. They fought for every inch of ground and when Mangan sent a close-range free to the net they were back in front.

However, there was no reason for Mayo to panic as they had a lot of time and the elements on their side, but they never found a response. They failed to change tactics or try a different approach and Galway gobbled up every effort the Green and Red made to equalise and then take charge.

In truth, Mayo rarely looked like getting the scores required and Galway survived and won the title despite the huge wind and driving rain their faces.

A full report will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.