Late Mayo fightback in vain as Green and Red face relegation playoff
21 June 2025; Rosie Corkery of Cork in action against Saoirse Lally of Mayo during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Group 2 match between Mayo and Cork at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Goals in each half from Katie Quirke sent Cork into the All-Ireland quarter-finals as they held off a late Mayo fightback in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.
The Rebels got off to the perfect start when Máire O’Callaghan ran through the heart of the Mayo defence and fired into the net just seconds after the throw-in.
With a strong wind at their backs, Mayo’s go-to sharpshooter Sinead Walsh struck over two frees before Hannah Looney fisted over Cork’s first point after evading the Mayo defence on the end line.
Mayo were back level by the end of the first quarter thanks to a third Walsh free and a splendid point from play by substitute Ava McDonnell, who came on in the fourth minute for the injured Erin Murray.
Sherin El Massry nudged Mayo ahead before Looney restored parity and Cork went back in front after Katie Quirke’s point attempt from 20 metres out sailed over the head of Julia Gawalkiewicz and into the net on 21 minutes.
Quirke, a free, and Ava McDonnell traded scores before Mayo were denied a goal themselves after a short Cork kickout was intercepted by Clodagh Keane. The full-forward fed Walsh but Cork goalkeeper Sarah Murphy got back to block, before the game was heavily delayed after Shauna Kelly suffered a serious injury after being caught by the Cork goalkeeper when Murphy blocked Walsh’s effort.
Leading 2-3 to 0-6 at half-time, Cork kept Mayo at arms’ length in the third quarter as a point from Aoife Geraghty and two Walsh frees were matched by a trio of Aine O’Sullivan points.
Cork appeared home and hosed after Quirke’s second goal on 52 minutes but Mayo were back to within three after substitute Annie Gough found the net. Mayo thought they had levelled it, with a draw enough to send them through at Cork’s expense, when Clodagh Keane got on the end of Gough’s pass a minute later but it was ruled out for a square ball, and Laura O’Mahony’s point made sure of Cork’s passage to the last eight late on, while Mayo play Leitrim in the relegation playoff in two weeks time.
Scorers – Cork: K Quirke 2-1 (0-1f), Máire O’Callaghan 1-0, Aine O’Sullivan 0-3, Hannah Looney and Laura O’Mahony 0-2 each.
Mayo: Sinead Walsh 0-6 (5f), Annie Gough 1-0, Ava McDonnell 0-2, Aoife Geraghty and Sherin El Massry 0-1 each.
Cork: Sarah Murphy; Shauna Kelly, Sarah Leahy, Melissa Duggan; Aimee Corcoran, Shauna Cronin, Rosie Corkery; Máire O’Callaghan, Aoife Healy; Abbie O’Mahony, Laura O’Mahony, Katie Horgan; Aine O’Sullivan, Hannah Looney, Katie Quirke. Subs: Emma Cleary (for Kelly 25 inj), Abigail Ring (for Corkery 45), Sadbh McGoldrick (for Horgan 50), Leah Hallihan (for A O’Mahony 53).
Mayo: Julia Gawalkiewicz; L Wallace, Nicola O’Malley, Ciara Durkin; Danielle Caldwell, Ella Brennan, Sherin El Massry; Hannah Reape, Saoirse Lally; Lynda Hanley, Sinead Walsh, Aoife Geraghty; Erin Murray, Clodagh Keane, Kathryn Sullivan. Subs: Ava McDonnell (for Murray 4 inj), Annie Gough (for Sullivan 42), Ciara Whyte (for Hanley 50), Bree Hession (for Brennan 52).
REF: Gus Chapman (Sligo)
