Ladies taught a lesson

Mayo’s Emma Mullin lets the ball slip from her grasp under pressure from Galway’s Marie O’Connell

Ladies taught a lesson


FINAL
Galway 3-17
Mayo  2-8

Rob Murphy
Charlestown

MAYO manager Kevin Reidy and his team must now look to the back door route after Mayo lost Sunday’s Connacht final in Charlestown.
“We just have to get things going right for the qualifiers now and hopefully get a bit of luck,” he said. “The girls are born winners, good girls who are proud of the jersey they wear, and I have no doubt they’ll bounce back.”
Galway laid down a marker ahead of the All-Ireland series, capturing the provincial title for the first time in three years after a hugely impressive victory. The Tribeswomen had an answer for everything the green and red threw at them. All six Galway forwards got on the scoresheet, and the visitors always had the edge in this contest.
The scores came at a rapid rate in the opening half and Galway held a five-point advantage, 2-10 to 2-5, at the interval. Mayo chipped away at that lead early in the second half, but they were never within striking distance. The reigning provincial champions saw their challenge disintegrate with a succession of sin-binnings midway through the second period. Reidy felt those yellow cards were important but not pivotal.
“Galway were hungrier and quicker to the ball throughout and they were deserving winners,” he said afterwards. “We can have no complaints. The sin binnings were a turning point, it was 15 players against 13 for almost ten minutes. But at the same time, we were chasing the game even at that point, and Galway played very very well. I think we have to give credit to them for that, they didn’t let us play.”
A frantic start saw Mayo strike first through the impressive Emma Mullin who rifled her first shot to the net after Triona McNicholas had created the opening. Galway bounced back with Sinéad Burke winning a penalty which their scorer-in-chief Una Carroll dispatched to the net.
The early drama continued as within a minute, Cora Staunton had unlocked the Galway defence and scored Mayo’s second goal. Staunton and Edel Concannon then exchanged points before Galway began to take control. Carroll added two frees while Lorna Joyce opened her account with a fine point from play.
Mayo were very much in the hunt, however, and Staunton slotted a close-range free on 14 minutes before Ann Marie McDonagh landed a superb point on the turn and under pressure. Carroll followed that with a free to edge her side one clear before Fiona McHale levelled matters.
With nine minutes left in the half, the nip-and-tuck flow changed, and momentum swung firmly Galway’s way. Ann Marie McDonagh took a pass from the excellent Burke and, from a tight angle, fired home for Galway’s second goal.
Then Una Carroll was hauled down for a penalty but Galway missed the chance to go six clear as Carroll’s kick lacked power and Yvonne Byrne saved well. Galway held their composure, though, and points from Joyce, Ger Conneally and Annette Clarke saw them pull six clear within five minutes.
Cora Staunton scored twice before half time to keep Mayo in touch, but Galway corner forward Lorna Joyce was in superb form, and answered with a well-taken score to keep the gap at five at the break.
Galway scored the opening two points after half time through Burke and Carroll. And although Mayo’s main scoring threats – Mullin and Staunton – answered in kind, the home side were edging most duels. Soon they had two extra players into the bargain after Triona McNicholas and Mullin quickly and needlessly saw yellow.
The sin-binnings heralded the end for Mayo, as Concannon and Joyce confirmed with well-taken points in the lead-up to Carroll’s clinching goal with six minutes remaining.

Galway
T Hughes; A Seoighe, E Flaherty, M O’Connell; N Lohan, A Daly, R McPhilbin; P Gleeson, A Clarke (0-1); AM McDonagh (1-2), S Burke (0-1), G Conneally (0-1); L Joyce (0-5), U Carroll (2-4), E Concannon (0-2).
Subs: N Duggan (0-1 for Conneally, L Cohill for Lohan.
Mayo
Y Byrne; N Tierney, N Hurst, C McGing; K Sullivan (0-1), M Carter, A Loftus; F McHale (0-1), C Egan; N Beegan, C Staunton (1-5), T McNicholas; S Cafferkey, E Mullin (1-1), L Cafferkey.
Sub used: S Murphy for Mullin.

Referee: L McDonagh (Sligo)