Much-improved Mayo continue to make strides in defeat
Mayo FC and Peamount United lineup before their match in Umbro Park, Milebush. Picture: Mayo FC
A spirited performance from the Mayo U17 girls was not enough for them to avoid a second successive Group B defeat at the hands of Peamount United in Umbro Park.
In spite of that, the management team of James Johnson, Ryan Merchant and Michelle Ruane will be very pleased with the overall display, especially in the second half after a slow start to the first.
“The second half, we played really well. We created a lot of chances and we’re extremely proud of the second half performance,” said Merchant after the game.
“There’s a big learning curve. A lot of lessons were put right. It’s a long season but hopefully we’ll keep improving.”
Inside four minutes, Peamount broke the deadlock through Kayla Moore. Mayo responded will after the setback but were caught against the run of play on 18 minutes when a cross from Sarah Reynolds sailed into the back of the net.
Five minutes later, Peamount added a third when Lily Loftus slid in Eva Loftus, who nutmegged one defender before poking it past Sarah Heaney.
Mayo struggled to create any real chance in the first half, not registering an effort until the 28th minutes through Emily Jennings, but fortunes would change come the second half.
Five minutes after the restart, the lively Clodagh Breslin will feel she should have scored after being picked out by Kate Brennan but she was unable to make a clean contact with the ball. The pace, power and direct running of Emily Jennings was proving to be a real weapon for Mayo and she was almost in on the hour mark but she failed to find the target. At the other end, Chloe Doyle was unfortunate to see her free-kick for Peamount come crashing off the crossbar.
Seven minutes before the end of normal time, Mayo got the goal their efforts deserved as Emily Jennings ran through the Peamount defence before releasing her Ballinrobe Town teammate Kate Brennan to slot into the corner.
“Emily was up and down the pitch. She’ll run all day for you. It was a great assist and a great finish by Kate.”
It proved little more than a consolation in the end but Mayo responded well after a heavy defeat away to Galway United the previous week and they will look to build on the performance when they travel to Limerick to take on Treaty United next weekend.
