Castlebar girls go to town in race for provincial prize

Connacht Women’s Senior Cup – Round 1 

S&F United 5 

Castlebar Town 2 

Daragh Coyle at Green Road 

Castlebar Town, impressive from set-pieces, weathered a sprightly first-half performance from their hosts to book their place in the net round of the Connacht Cup with a convincing victory in Foxford on Sunday afternoon.

Mary Kate Tyrell, Ava Keane and their supporting cast ran the show and improved as the game went on, despite the best efforts of Orla McHale, Rebecca Conlon and Fiona Roache of S&F United.

The Moysiders had looked well up for the fight early on, especially through Orla McHale who attacked down the right to help create the game’s opening goal inside five minutes. It was McHale’s through-ball that saw striker Fiona Roache’s first touch bring her away from the defender and through on goal against the goalkeeper. Unselfishly though, she squared the chance to Natasha Gaughan who rolled the ball into the empty net to give the hosts the lead.

Chloe Morley had Castlebar’s first real chance and while that shot flew over, the visitors would level proceedings through a Morley free-kick, awarded for Rebecca Conlon’s foul on Danielle Caldwell. Central midfielder Morley lifted her free-kick from the left over the wall and the ball nestled into the bottom left corner past goalkeeper Emma Galligan.

The game lulled for a period but Orla McHale continued to be the most prominent United player, with her cross from the right wing just missing the outstretched foot of Fiona Roache for what would have been a tap in goal in the 25th-minute. Instead, Town would take the lead for the first time through one of Mary Kate Tyrell’s several left-footed deliveries from right-sided corners that had been causing havoc. One eventually fell all the way to the back post for an unmarked Morley to double her tally, nine minutes before half-time.

Misery was then compiled for the home side two minutes later, as a Morley corner from the left was met by the head of Ava Keane whose bullet of a header flew into the net from the penalty spot. Tyrell would drag another shot wide right after cutting in, so the score remained 3-1 to Castlebar at the break.

Mayo GAA star Danielle Caldwell began the second-half right where Castlebar had left off, slotting home a fizzed cross along the deck from Tyrell and pushing the lead out to three. Tyrell continued to be a handful as she took on Kailey O’Hagan and carved out a shooting chance before hitting the ball straight at Galligan, signaling a bright start to the second period.

A Stephanie Loughney corner-kick did create a rare chance for S&F United, but Ava Gaughan’s shot was blocked among a crowd of black jerseys. A long enough dry period in the second-half meant that not until the game entered the 70th minute would there be another chance.

A Michelle Ruane free-kick from inside her own half turned into a perfect delivery for left-winger Siobhan Wilson, who skipped one challenge into the penalty area but was dispossessed. Recovering it, Ava Gaughan played a one-two with Fiona Roache, but Gaughan’s attempt on goal was blocked. Luckily for her S&F team, Erin Mulroy was on hand to poach home the rebound, cutting the lead to two.

Less than 10 minutes from the full-time whistle however, an audacious lob from Castlebar substitute Joanna Malone caught out Galligan and secured safe passage to the second round for Castlebar.

S&F United: Emma Galigan, Kailey O’Hagan, Emily Roache, Michelle Ruane, Lisa Doherty, Orla McHale, Siobhan Wilson, Stephanie Loughney, Natasha Gaughan, Rebecca Conlon, Fiona Roache. Subs: Erin Mulroy, Hannah Davidson and Ava Gaughan (for McHale, E Roache and F Roache ht), F Roache (for N Gaughan 70), E Roache (for Doherty 73), McHale (for Conlon 87).

Castlebar Town: Emma Sheeran, Chantelle Gibbons, Amy Dowling, Roisin Kelly, Chloe Morley, Shauna Redmond, Emma Lavelle, Ava Keane, Louise Dowling, Danielle Caldwell, Mary Kate Tyrell. Subs: Belinda Patterson (for Keane ht), Joanna Malone (for Caldwell 60), Caldwell (for Tyrell 78), Tyrell (for A Dowling 90+1).