Diane laments ones that got away and targets improvement

Mayo manager Diane O’Hora was left to rue her side’s inability to take their chances as they fell to defeat last Sunday in their All-Ireland Championship group opener against Dublin.

As well as two great goal opportunities that fell the way of Sinead Cafferky in the first-half, Sinead Walsh also had an early chance when she found a way through but the full-forward’s effort went over the bar. Where Mayo failed, the All-Ireland champions succeeded and Ballina native O’Hora rued what might have been.

“A lot could have looked different if we had put that chance away in the first few minutes. Goals win games. Our own players, myself and everyone here that knows football has been hearing that since they were four years of age. That’s the reality. Those opportunities have got to be nailed and if they’re not, it’s something we need to work on.” 

The losses of Fiona McHale (calf) and Ella Brennan (knee) to injury in the first-half forced a reshuffle of Mayo’s deck. While replacements Meabh Delaney and Fiona Collins coped admirably, Mayo were turned over far too easily across the field and it allowed Dublin to break quickly.

“I think a lot of things went against us today in terms of the injuries that really unsettled the group, even though we had players who stepped up and did very well. Just the amount of ball that we were turning over in our own attacking half of the field, attacking third even. It was just bouncing back really quick. Dublin were attacking so quickly. It just put us on the back foot,” said O’Hora.

Mayo had their own chances in front of the posts also, but the likes of Sinead Walsh, and Maria Reilly were uncharacteristically off-colour.

“We had opportunities, we’d free opportunities, we were kicking them wide today that wouldn't normally go wide.

“Every single one of them is a little bit of a blow and it really shouldn't be a blow. You should try and make it up for it. If you hit one wide then let's make up for it now and the next ball on the kick out, let's take the ball back,” said the Mayo manager.

“I think all of those things just kind of deflated the group. You could see the lack of energy there as well at times today and it wasn't that they're not trying but, you know, it’s all swings and roundabouts and if the momentum had been with us in terms of those goal opportunities in the first number of minutes, that could have changed a lot of things for the feeling within the team.

“It would have given them a lot more energy where it wasn't really coming to them as easy today because we weren't getting those chances. Dublin were getting all the goals today and we couldn't put ours away.” 

Mayo must now wait and see how the All-Ireland champions fare against Donegal this Saturday. Should Dublin win, it would mean a shootout between Mayo and Donegal in a fortnight to see who goes through to the All-Ireland quarter final.

The nine-point defeat does Mayo no favours on score difference however, and means Mayo will, in all likelihood, need to defeat a side they were beaten by in the league earlier this year to avoid a relegation playoff, and O’Hora admitted that much improvement is required for this squad to avoid another flirtation with a drop to intermediate.

“We’ll be watching that game and see what the result is like. Unfortunately, with Dublin getting the three goals, that will help their scoring difference as well. This week, they’ll have to try and rest. We have to move on and get ready for Donegal, and we need to improve a lot,” concluded O’Hora.