Kerry inflict more All-Ireland final heartache on Mayo
Mayo goalkeeper Meabh Lavin in action against Lily Riordan of Kerry during the LGFA All-Ireland U16 A Championship final match between Kerry and Mayo at MacDonagh Park in Nenagh, Tipperary. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
It is back-to-back All-Ireland final defeats for the Mayo U16 girls as they were comprehensively beaten by a slick Kerry side 4-17 to 0-5 in Nenagh.
Francis Regan’s side battled until the bitter end, but the Munster champions were the better side all over the field as they claimed a first All-Ireland title at this grade since 2016, while the Green and Red’s wait for another title goes into its fiftieth year.
Memories of last year’s decider where Cavan blitzed Mayo early doors must have reared its ugly head at the break as Kerry led 2-8 to 0-4. The Kingdom got their first goal from throw-in as the ball was worked to Lily Riordan, and she buried her shot past Meabh Lavin.
Mayo offset the early nerves with three of the next four points though Katie Hughes, Emily Duffy and Aoibhinn McNamara but Kerry fired back with three on the spin thanks to two Jessie Lynch frees and one from Leah Griffin.
A second point from Katie Hughes brought the gap back to three but a devastating second quarter by Kerry saw them hit 1-4 without reply, the goal coming from Kelsey Cummins on 25 minutes despite the best efforts of Meabh Lavin to keep it out.
Mayo needed scores on the board quickly in the second half if they were to have any chance, but their hopes were extinguished by Kerry inside ten minutes thanks to another free by Jessie Lynch, a point from Seoladh Flynn and captain Leah Griffin scoring Kerry’s third goal after a stunning run that started inside her own 45’.
Kerry added a fourth goal on 46 minutes through Julie O’Connor and while Katie Hughes finally added to Mayo’s tally on 52 minutes, it would be their only point of the half. Kerry kicked another seven points in the closing stages, while Mayo’s luck was summed up late on when a Katie Hughes penalty was saved, with the follow-up coming off the post.
Scorers – Kerry: Jessie Lynch 0-7 (6f), Leah Griffin and Julie O’Connor (0-1f) 1-2 each, Lily Riordan and Kelsey Cummins 1-1 each, Seoladh Flynn, Sadbh O’Halloran, Tara O’Sullivan and Doireann O’Neill 0-1 each.
Mayo: Katie Hughes 0-3 (1f), Emily Duffy and Aoibhinn McNamara 0-1 each.
Kerry: Caoimhe O’Mahony; Naoise O’Connor, Annie Brosnan, Sinead Lyons; Avril Doyle, Eimear Dillane, Seoladh Flynn; Leah Griffin, Evie O’Sullivan; Jessie Lynch, Julie O’Connor, Iona Wynton; Norma Murphy, Lily Riordan, Kelsey Cummins. Subs: Sadbh O’Halloran (for Murphy 46), Tara O’Sullivan (for Wynton 48), Megan O’Reilly (for Flynn 54), Doireann O’Neill (for Cummins 57), Saoirse Kennedy (for Doyle 60+5).
Mayo: Meabh Lavin; Isabelle Basquille, Leah McNamara, Sophie Tiernan; Amy Doherty, Grace Bailey, Síofra McGuinness; Chloe Fahey, Ailbhe Ferguson; Aoibhinn McNamara, Saerlaith Dillon, Katie Corcoran; Emily Duffy, Katie Hughes, Mikayla McLoughlin. Subs: Erin Higgins (for Corcoran 36), Anna Burton (for McNamara 39), Clodagh Breslin (for Fahey 44), Sophie Moran and Niamh Curran (for Ferguson and Dillon 50).
REF: Eoghan O’Neill (Kildare).
