Five Mayo girls squads in Inter-League action
The Mayo U16s defeated Clare 4-2.
Sunday, November 30 last was a red-letter day for the Mayo Schoolboys/girls and Youths AFL as it had a most impressive five girls’ squads all taking part in the SFAI Inter-League group stages. The venues were as diverse as Clara in Offaly, to Letterkenny in Donegal, with Castlebar also featuring.
The Mayo under-12s made their debut in the competition with an away trip to the Midlands League in Clara. The girls started well against useful opponents who already had a victory over Galway under their belts. Despite Mayo dominating in the first half, it was the home side who made the breakthrough with a goal very much against the run of play. Mayo fought back and Brianna Glynn equalised with a brilliant effort to leave the game one a piece at half-time.
The Midlands came out in the second half with more of an attacking edge and a well delivered free kick from the right, ended with a close-range finish, to see them regain their lead. Mayo never gave up though, and despite being denied what looked like a clear-cut penalty, duly equalised ten minutes from time with an expert finish by Emily Ryan. The game finished 2-2 in what was a very entertaining game of football and sets Mayo up nicely for an important fixture with Galway in two weeks’ time.
The Mayo under-13s were at the Letterkenny Community Centre facing Donegal. The young Mayo girls were very impressive in the opening 25 minutes but couldn’t make their territorial advantage count in goals. Captain on the day Anna Holmes was desperately unlucky in the 18th minute when she beat the home goalkeeper in a foot race to the edge of the box and her final effort shaved the wrong side of the post. Out of nowhere the home side hit a brace of goals in the 26th and 28th minutes – both very poor from a Mayo point of view. Laoise Heneghan halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time with a brilliant left footed effort from the edge of the box. Mayo were very much second best in the second half and Donegal added two further strikes to run out comfortable 4-1 winners.
In the early match at Umbro Park, Castlebar, early goals for Karla Gibbons and Lexi Murphy put the Mayo under-14s into a deserved lead against Longford. The visitors pulled a goal back in the first half ensuring that the game remained competitive going into the second half. Mayo continued to maintain possession after the break and endured a period of frustration with their attempts on goal. After several attempts, Ailis Harte found the back of the net, quickly followed by another goal from Lexi Murphy. The result was further sealed when Ailis secured her brace with Mayo running out comprehensive 5-1 winners.
The under-15s were also in Clara facing the Midlands League. Mayo started well and within three minutes good build-up play by Roxanne Ginty saw Kate McGing bring a smart save from the home ‘keeper with Maya Benson reacting quickest to the rebound to give Mayo the lead. Aoife Commins in the Mayo goal made an excellent stop to prevent an equaliser before a fiercely hit free kick from Saoirse Reynolds was just too high. Reynolds and McGing then combined to set up Isabelle Hanrahan, but her shot was just too high.
A Mayo defensive mix-up wasn’t punished. Cummins, Benson and McGing combined to release Reynolds one on one with the defender and she eased by her and scored. Aoife Cummins, Sarah Cunnigham and Hanrahan did the build-up play and Maya Benson rounded the goalkeeper to score her second of the game. Midlands had the final chance of the half, but it was well saved leaving it 3-0 to Mayo at the interval. Both sides made a number of changes and the Midlands pulled a goal back. Saoirse Reynolds restored Mayo’s three goal advantage with the Midlands grabbing the final goal of the game leaving the final score 4-2 to Mayo in their first group game.
A Leja Kosmakova hat-trick and a further goal from Emma Sheridan saw the Mayo under-16s ease past Clare on a 4-2 scoreline at Umbro Park, Castlebar thus topping their group. They will have a Cup quarter-final to look forward to in January.
Speaking afterwards, Head Coach of the Mayo Schoolgirls Emerging Talent Programme, John Flanagan, was effusive in his words. “What a day for girls’ football in this county. We continue to thrive and compete and to be able to field five squads with a combined total of over 100 players all out on the one day is absolutely phenomenal.
“This only happens with the calibre of people that we have working in the female game here in Mayo, some well into their second decade and who have turned down LOI Academy jobs to stay where they are. I look forward to the rest of the campaigns.”
