Mayo dream unravelled by quick start from champs

LGFA All-Ireland U16 Football Championship – ‘A’ Final 

Cavan 3-11 

Mayo 2-5 

Tom Byrne in Duggan Park, Ballinasloe 

A sea of green and red arrived at Ballinasloe’s Duggan Park on Saturday, full of anticipation and hope that Mayo could claim their first U16 ‘A’ title since 1976. However, from minute one, the reality of the Cavan challenge hit home.

It was always going to be a tough ask for Mayo to win against last year’s champions, in what was their first U16 ‘A’ final appearance in 28 years, as Cavan’s experience and talent prevailed on a sunny afternoon in Galway.

From the get-go, Cavan captain Emilia Mussi demonstrated her running ability, which Mayo struggled to deal with throughout the encounter.

Mussi benefitted from the throw-in, marched up the pitch, and unleashed a shot on goal which hit the crossbar.

Katie McGahern was the quickest to react to the rebound and dispatched the ball into the back of the net to give the Breffni County a perfect start to proceedings.

The next 10 minutes would be an exhibition of scoring, which sealed the outcome of the game.

With Francis Regan’s side unable to deal with the powerful and clinical Cavan play, they found themselves 12 points down in the 11th minute, as Mussi, player-of-the-match Caitlin Crowe, Abby Reilly, and Niamh McCaffrey all contributed early scores to send the Ulster girls well on their way to retaining the All-Ireland title.

Mayo’s first score came courtesy of Hollymount’s Emma Stagg, from a free, in the 12th minute.

However, three minutes later, Cavan would once again exhibit their eye for goal as centre-forward Reilly got her second of the afternoon, when she cannoned the ball into the roof of Kayla Hughes’ net.

A word of mention for The Neale shot-stopper who had plenty of action to deal with in the 60-plus minutes — making four stunning stops, including a penalty save, to keep additional goals from going in.

The Mayo girls did grow into the contest as they started to find a few gaps in a well-organised Cavan backline.

Westport’s Katie Hughes was among the Mayo scorers as she hit the team’s second point of the game in the 24th minute, following some good work by Kate Byrne of Moy Davitts.

With a few minutes to go before the break, Hollymount’s Lily Hession added to Mayo’s tally from a free, before a lively McCaffrey replied down the other end of the pitch.

Stagg, who looked a threat throughout when she gathered possession, would get her first of two goals of the day when she produced an emphatic finish just before the interval.

Westport wing-forward Aoibhinn McNamara also put herself on the scoresheet as she kicked the ball between the posts to make it a nine-point game at half-time.

The second-half was much more balanced as Mayo looked for openings, but a strong Cavan defence — with Crowe and Mussi continuing to display their talent — were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Cavan’s quality was too much for a side that had a valiant journey in this year’s championship — defeating Galway in the Connacht final before beating Kerry in the All-Ireland semis.

Cavan, who came through Dublin in their last four tie, worked the ball well to produce the next three scores.

Reilly put over the first point of the second-half, and her ninth in total of the overall Cavan tally, in the 40th minute before Sarah McAvinney struck two peaches to put a dozen points between the teams with 15 minutes to go.

To be fair to Mayo, they did not give up, and Stagg showed her finishing skills once more when she unleashed a venomous strike which arrowed into the top of the net in the 48th minute — leaving Cavan goalkeeper Fainche Higgins with no chance.

The goal was unable to inspire an unlikely comeback, however, as Cavan replied with a point through Jane Hetherton before Mayo substitute Emily Duffy, of Aghamore, put over the last score of the match. 

The Mayo faithful maintained their passionate support until the final whistle, but it was a final that turned out to be a step too far for a hardworking and talented group of young players.

Scorers – Cavan: Abby Reilly 2-3, Katie McGahern 1-0, Niamh McCaffrey 0-3 (1f), Sarah McAvinney 0-2, Emilia Mussi, June Hetherton and Caitlin Crowe 0-1 each.

Mayo: Emma Stagg 2-1 (0-1f), Aoibhinn McNamara, Katie Hughes, Lily Hession (f) and Emily Duffy 0-1 each.

CAVAN: Fainche Higgins; Kate McSeain, Annie Crowe, Holly Forde Peat; Kyra Comaskey, Caitlin Crowe, Gia McCabe; Emilia Mussi (c), Eimear Gannon; Brianna Quaile, Abby Reilly, Sarah McAvinney; Niamh McCaffrey, Molly Smith, Katie McGahern.

Subs: June Hetherton (for Smith 27), Ciara Brennan (for Comaskey 39), Sorcha Farrelly (for Quaile 58), Kayla O’Reilly (for McCaffrey 58), Lola Matthews (for Gannon 62).

MAYO: Kayla Hughes; Cliodhna Dowling, Isabelle Basquille, Cliona Cullen; Amy Doherty, Emma Higgins (c), Sophie Tiernan; Sarah Dempsey, Lily Hession; Aoibhinn McNamara, Lauren McHale, Siofra McGuinness; Kate Byrne, Emma Stagg, Katie Hughes.

Subs: Emily Duffy (for McHale 39), Grace Bailey (for McNamara 39), Doireann Guilfoyle (for Tiernan 50), Ailbhe Ferguson (for Dempsey 52), Aine Lynn (for Katie Hughes 52).

Referee: Anthony Marren (Monaghan)