Howley the hero as Mayo beat Galway

All-Ireland LGFA Senior Championship Quarter-Final

Mayo 0-10 
Galway 1-6 

SUPER SUB Shauna Howley was the hero as Mayo booked their place in the TG4 All-Ireland SFC semi-final in dramatic fashion at Pearse Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
There were just 20 seconds left when the Knockmore star fisted the winning score after Ciara Needham’s lung-bursting run up the field.
Galway had been pushing for the winning score themselves just moments earlier, but Needham’s interception saw her turn defence into attack brilliantly before setting up Howley for the decisive score.
It was no less than Mayo deserved after playing a very measured, controlled and disciplined game against a gale in the second half.
But Galway will also have regrets after missing a string of scoreable chances in the closing stages when they seemed to be getting on top.
Wind-assisted Mayo had led at half-time by 0-6 to 1-2 despite Lynsey Noone’s goal on six minutes.
Down at the other end, early points from Deirdre Doherty (free) and Sinead Cafferky had seen Mayo hit the front before Noone’s goal turned the tables.
The homeside also created a number of other goalscoring chances but Mayo goalkeeper Laura Brennan made a fine save to deny the aforementioned Lynsey Noone while Shauna Brennan also saw her shot strike the Mayo crossbar.
There was very little between the sides all the way to half-time, with the Leonards (Tracey and Roisin) trading scores with Ciara Needham and Deirdre Doherty as the wind played havoc with both team’s game-plans.
Mayo hit the front though on the stroke of half-time when player of the match, Aoife Geraghty forced a turnover and set up Tara Needham to nudge the Connacht champions ahead.
Galway suffered a setback just after the restart when goalscorer Lynsey Noone was sent to the sin-bin for an overzealous challenge on the outstanding Aoife Geraghty.
But Mayo were unable to make their numerical advantage count as the Tribeswomen outscored their guests by three points to one while Noone was off the field.
Mayo also saw an Aoife Geraghty goal chalked off for a square ball on 39 minutes.
It was anyone’s game in the last 20 minutes as Shauna Howley’s free to equalise was followed soon after by scores at either end from Aoife Molloy and Maria Cannon. 
Galway enjoyed plenty of possession in the closing stages but shot wides when scores looked likely, and Mayo made them pay in the dying moments when All Star forward Shauna Howley put herself in the right place at the right time to grab the winning score.
Mayo will now face Meath or Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final in two weeks’ time.
  
Mayo
L Brennan; S Lally, C McManamon, D Caldwell; K Sullivan, C Needham (0-1), E Ronayne; A Geraghty, S Walsh; S Mulvihill, F McHale, S Cafferky (0-1); D Doherty (0-3, 3fs), R Kearns, T Needham (0-1). 
Subs: S Howley (0-3, 2fs) for Doherty (HT), M Cannon (0-1, 1f) for Mulvihill (43), L Wallace for Sullivan (51), L Cafferky for McHale (55), T O’Connor for Geraghty (60). 
  
Galway
L Murphy; K Geraghty, A Ni Cheallaigh, S Ni Loingsigh; A Molloy (0-1), L Ward, S Brennan; N Ward, L Coen; L Noone (1-0), H Noone, O Divilly;  T Leonard (0-2, 1f), A Davoren, R Leonard (0-3,3fs).
Subs used: C Trill for Brennan (HT), S Divilly for L Noone (43), K Slevin for R Leonard (46), B Quinn for Ní Cheallaigh (50), E Noone for H Noone (53).
  
Referee: S Mulvihill (Kerry)