MacHale Rovers come out on top in a classic
Lahardane MacHales’ Bronwyn McAndrew chases after Ashleagh Salmon of Claremorris during the Mayo LGFA Division 2 Cup final in Bekan last Sunday. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
Five goals, 28 points, five yellow cards, the lead bouncing back and forth between MacHale Rovers and Claremorris like a hot potato, and the game being in the balance until the final kick of the ball. Sunday’s Division 2 Cup final had it all for all of those in attendance in Bekan.
Not even a minute was on the clock when Claremorris found the net. Ashleagh Salmon rattled the ball into the top right corner of the MacHale Rovers net after being found with a super pass over the North Mayo side’s defence., and Salmon soon added her first point.
After struggling to find the target early in the contest, Sinead Walsh opened MacHale Rovers account from a free before adding their second from play and Kayla Doherty fired over their third. Rovers took the lead on 18 minutes played as Caoimhe Walsh found Doherty and her effort squeezed under the crossbar. This was quickly followed by Walsh’s third, extending the lead to three.
Claremorris ended a fourteen-minute scoreless period as Hession judged the tricky wind, that was blowing right across the pitch, to perfection curling the ball over from a free. With ten left in the half Walsh and Doherty stretched Rovers lead out to four. The sides exchanged points as half-time loomed, Marina Cawley set up Salmon for her second and Eilis Keane played provider for Walsh at the far end.
Hession had the final say of the half as her second free reduced the deficit to three, while Rovers would return to the field a player down as Laoise Coyne was shown a yellow for the aforementioned free.
The second half began in similar style to the first with Ashleagh Salmon finding the back of the net inside the opening minute. The dangerous corner forward played a one-two with the freshly introduced Laura Kelly before finding the back of the net for the second time.
Kelly quickly added a single to edge Claremorris back in front but Walsh regained the lead for Rovers with a couple of points in as many minutes. Hession converted another free to level the contest and Kelly added her second, again pushing Claremorris back ahead.
This lead lasted only a minute as MacHale Rovers found the net for a second time as Doherty made no mistake in finding the top corner of the Claremorris net to take her personal tally of 2-2. The sides went blow for blow during the longest period of the second half where the lead didn’t exchange hands. Walsh, a free and a point from play, and Eilis Keane with a strong solo run and point fired for MacHale Rovers while Hession converted a free kick and Salmon also applied a finish to a fine solo effort.
Clarmorris hit the next four points unanswered in a three minute period to put themselves back in the driving seat. Two from Hession, a super point from wing-back Amy Cummins and Rebecca Keane from play edged Claremorris ahead by a point with ten to play.
Walsh again levelled the game, while Claremorris would soon have to see out the remainder of the contest with fourteen as Síle Hughes was shown a yellow card for a footblock on Amy Murphy, conceding a penalty in the process. Claire Keane was up to the challenge however as she saved Doherty’s penalty.
Laura Kelly fired Claremorris ahead with four minutes remaining with a powerful point from distance, but the lead would change hands one final time. Sinead Walsh played a one-two with Emily Murray and punched the ball home from close range, leaving the girls from North Mayo two points to the good. Hession added her seventh to reduce the deficit to one as both sides were reduced to 13 players, with Salmon for Claremorris and Doherty and Keane for MacHale Rovers all seeing yellow.
The girls from MacHale Rovers weren’t to be bet however as they held firm to claim the Division 2 title.
