Mighty Mayo girls reach All-Ireland decider

Semi-Final
Wexford 0
Mayo 1
C Carley (OG) 25

Eoin Horkan
Bunclody AFC

THE Mayo Under-16 girls narrowly defeated Wexford in the sunny southeast on Sunday afternoon to qualify for the All-Ireland Inter-League Cup Final against Kerry or near-neighbours Sligo/ Leitrim next month.
An own goal from the unfortunate Caoimhe Carley before half-time proved to be the only goal of a very evenly-matched encounter.
The homeside produced the opening chance when Izzy Walsh collected the ball on the edge of the Mayo box before firing her effort wide of the upright.
The Mayo defence stood strong any time they made inroads into the final third while they also created a few chances through good work from Kate Brennan and Christina Mc Evilly on the flanks, and Wexford goalkeeper Bea Clancy had to clear the danger.
Wexford then had a chance to take the lead when a corner landed at the feet of Farrin Wolohan, but her goalbound effort went over the crossbar.
The homeside kept pilling on the pressure as the half went on, but the deadlock was broken against the run of play.
On the half-hour mark a free kick from the quick-thinking Mayo captain Maura Hughes found Isobel Phillips who saw her cross diverted into her own goal by Wexford’s Caoimhe Carley.
That goal left Ryan Merchant and Sinead Mulhern’s side ahead 1-0 at the break.
After the break Mayo started to control possession in the middle as Kayla Doherty, along with Muireann Nolan, managed to gain a foothold.
It was this control that resulted in a Doherty effort that was saved by Clancy.
Wexford almost levelled the tie fifteen minutes into the half as Lucia Donohue broke through the Mayo rearguard but, as she was about to pull the trigger, Isobel Phillips expertly dispossessed her and came away with the ball.
In the next attack Wolohan controlled a ball from a corner but her angled effort flew wide of the far post.
The homeside also created another gilt-edged chance as Walsh broke through again, but as Naoise Heffernan advanced to challenge, the pressure paid off as Walsh’s effort narrowly missed the top of the net.
This was the last goalbound effort in the tie as the westerners held firm, and the winners expertly managed the final ten minutes.
They also were denied a goalscoring chance when a through ball from Brennan released Ashleagh Salmon, who was denied by an excellent last-ditch tackle.
In the closing stages Mayo had one last chance to seal the win, when a corner from Maura Hughes was floated to the edge of the box but Emily Jennings’ well-timed volley crashed against the crossbar.

Mayo
Sarah Heaney, Isobel Phillips, Emma Walsh, Emily Jennings, Rebecca Moran, Muireann Nolan, Maura Hughes, Kayla Doherty, Ashleagh Salmon, Kate Brennan, Christina McEvilly.
Subs used: Naoise Heffernan, Alyssa Murphy, Róisín Horkan, Helen Murphy.

Wexford
B Clancy, C Carley, A Gaffney, F Wolohan, J Hennell, L Stafford, L Donohue, E O’Gorman, E Harris Burke, I Walsh, K Barron.
Subs used: L McCarthy, A Wallace.

Referee: G Morris