Mayo finish league with win over Déise
Mayo captain Aoife Geraghty has her path blocked by Waterford’s Aoife Murray during the Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 tie at James Stephens Park, Ballina, last Sunday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Mayo have successfully retained their spot in Division 1 after seeing off a stubborn Waterford in Ballina last weekend.
As long as Liam McHale’s side avoided defeat, Mayo were safe and while they made harder work of it than it should have been, victory was secured in the end.
It appeared that all in attendance in James Stephens Park were set for a thriller as both team plundered in goals seconds after throw-in. Waterford caught the Mayo defence napping Molly Comerford played a quick free across to Lauren McGregor and the corner-forward finished superbly into the top corner.
Mayo’s response was instant as they quickly moved down the field. After a driving run by Kathryn Sullivan, she played it to Fionnuala MacLaughlin who used her trademark pace to cut through the Déise backline and toe-poke past Evelyn O’Brien.
Yet there would be only three more points over the next 20 minutes but would all come Mayo’s way through captain Aoife Geraghty and two quickfire points by Ciara Needham, the first coming after Waterford giving the ball way inside their own 20-metre line and the second a fine score from distance.
The good would come with the bad as Mayo were guilty of giving away possession too cheaply through some wayward passing while they also gave fouls too cheaply inside their own half. Fortunately, from a Mayo perspective, Waterford failed to make any inroads.
As like the start, the end of the first would make up for the lacklustre showing as Waterford hit 1-2 inside three minutes. McGregor sent over a free before another quick free set up McGregor for a stunning second goal.
Waterford almost got a third after Mairead O’Brien raced through only for Brennan to tip her effort over the bar instead.
Mayo ended the half with 1-2 of their own to take a 2-5 to 2-2 lead into the break. Points from Aoife Geraghty and Maria Cannon, a free, levelled it before patient play by Mayo saw a chance open up. Twenty metres out, Geraghty could have added another point but gambled as she picked out Fionnuala McLaughlin on the edge of the square and the young Westport star tucked away her second goal.
Lisa Cafferky and Waterford skipper Kellyann Hogan traded points early in the second half before Kathryn Sullivan ended a 19-minute wait for the next score in the second half, which came on 51 minutes with a fine point from 30 metres out after some patient play from the hosts.
Substitute Aoife Staunton’s split the posts seconds after to extend Mayo’s lead to five. Waterford cam back late on with three unanswered points through Katie Murray and Kellyann Hogan, two frees, to make it a two-point game. They began launching high balls into the square but Laura Brennan dealt with any incoming missiles with little fuss before Maria Cannon’s sent over her second free of the afternoon from distance to make of the win and a solid debut league campaign under Liam McHale.
