Mayo minors lose out in Connacht ladies football final

Connacht Ladies Gaelic Football Minor 'A' Championship Final

Mayo 0-4 Galway 1-11

Oisín McGovern in the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence

THE Galway Minor ladies football team have retained their Connacht Minor 'A' title in a defensive encounter where their lead was never seriously threatened.

Mayo could only manage a point from play against a Galway defensive system that ran like a machine and worked to perfection.

The Tribeswomen led by six at half-time and continued to repel attack after attack from Mayo. 

The first half was tough going for neutrals, but even tougher for Mayo supporters

With Niamh Divilly – sister of Galway seniors Siobhan and Olivia – operating as sweeper, Mayo failed to score from play before half-time.

Galway, who were missing their injured forward Lauren O’Donnell, were 1-2 to 0-0 ahead after 20 minutes.

During this time, Mayo racked up five wides and had six wides by half-time.

A seventh-minute point attempt by Katie Slattery which sailed into the top corner of the net put a huge wedge between the two sides.

The impressive Kate Thompson added three points before half time while Siun McGovern kicked a lovely long-range effort.

A tricky Niamh Mooney free was all Mayo had to show for their first-half efforts.

The second half was the exact same story.

May ran themselves into the ground but were turned over on nearly every single occasion as Galway stretch their lead with through McGovern and Thompson.

A fine long-range effort from Alan Fitzpatrick was Mayo’s only score from play in a second half where they fended off the scraps of two Bree Hession frees.

Galway continued to add to their tally, with McGovern and Thompson hitting all but one of their scores. 

A ten-point win saw the visitors crowned Connacht champions with their second win over Mayo in ten weeks. 

Read the full report plus reaction from Mayo Minor manager Des Phillips in Tuesday’s Mayo News.

Mayo: Charlie Benson (MacHale Rovers); Ciara Durkan (Knockmore), Aisling Flanagan (Breaffy), Siomha McNulty (Claremorris); Riona Jordan (Balla), Beth Hoban (Carnacon), Caitlin Henry (Swinford Killasser); Ava Kelly (Burrishoole), Sarah Mulroy (Westport); Hannah Prendergast (Carnacon), Meabh Callinan (Kilmoremoy), Hannah Sheehy (Burrishoole); Niamh Mooney (Aghamore) (0-1, 1f) Alana Fitzpatrick (Claremorris) (0-1), Bree Hession (Claremorris) (0-2, 2f)

Subs: Cara Hession (Kiltimagh) for Prendergast (h-t), Saoirse Byrne (Westport) for Jordan (h-t), Rachel O'Malley (Louisburgh for Callinan (36 mins), Suzanne Touhy (Castlebar Mitchels) for Hoban (53 mins), Alannah Devereux for Sheehy (53 mins)

Galway: Leah O’Halloran; Shíofra Ní Scanlain; Maryanne Jordan, Zoe Duggan; Brendan Naughton, Aoibhinn Eilan, Roisin Reddington; Katie Slattery (1-0), Klara Banek; Eabha Smith (0-1), Eabha Baird, Aisling Madden; Siun McGovern (0-5, 4f), Niamh Divilly, Kate Thompson (0-5, 1f)

Subs: Neasa Daly for Duggan (43 mins), Emily Brogan for Reddington (46 mins), Alisha O'Malley for Baird (49 mins), Grainne Molloy for Slattery (60 mins), Sadhb Farthing for Naughton (60 mins) 

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo)