McHale highlights the good and the bad after key win

He may not have been happy with how the second-half played out but Mayo manager Liam McHale was delighted to see his side pick up their first league win of 2025 and keep their slim survival hopes alive.

Five points ahead at half-time and with the wind at their backs, Mayo looked in a strong position to run away with victory in Saturday’s LGFA National League Division 1 game. But similar to their game against Tyrone, they allowed the opposition a way back in while only scoring a point in the entire second-half. The fit-again Sinead Walsh scored 2-4 of their total.

Liam McHale felt the overall inexperience of the team showed but paid credit to the veterans of the team, in particular captain Danielle Caldwell, who was celebrating her birthday last Saturday.

“We were in a great position, playing really well against the breeze, and then panicked,” admitted McHale afterwards. “We only scored one-point in the second-half and that’s disappointing, but it’s great to get the win. It’s Dani’s birthday today and she was inspirational. She’s doing a great job as a leader and captain of our team. She’s been very positive through difficult times with the results we’re getting. Her and Sully (Kathryn Sullivan), who’s been injured and Nicola (O’Malley), who’s had issues with injury and illness, they’ve been great.

“We had a good first-half against Kerry. There was a lot of panicking, forcing the ball. Five up, four up, we’re forcing the issue instead of taking our time and we’re playing like we’re two points down.

“[The win] will help morale and give us a big boost going into the next game.” 

On the second-half, McHale offered: “We couldn’t get Sinead on the ball second-half. I thought we forced six or seven plays and every time you do that, it gives a good team like Tyrone or Kildare life, and that’s what we did.

“Really disappointed as a coach in the second-half, but again we know what’s wrong. We’re just rushing things.” 

The return of Sinead Walsh was crucial, scoring 2-4 despite her four-week layoff from injury and being ‘rusty’.

“They were very defensive minded but we kicked the ball into the full-forward line and we got goals out of it. We could have got another goal, [Sinead] won’t mind me saying that. Just move the ball better, spacing was good, we kept the D open.

“In the second-half, when we had the breeze, we couldn’t take advantage.” When Kildare began throwing caution to the wind (quite literally), Mayo struggled to keep them at bay and Liam McHale wished he could have used a tactic from his basketball days.

“I’d love if it was like basketball where you could call a time out when you’re three up with ten minutes to go and say this is what we’re going to do. Maybe Mayo senior men’s team would have four or five All-Irelands if we could do that also!” 

The other goal came from Walsh’s club and county teammate Annie Gough. The Mayo manager knows both forwards well from his days coaching them in Gortnor Abbey and he had no doubts that she would finish off the penalty.

“Annie is a top-class soccer player. She’s had an injury that’s hindered her for a few years. She was the best soccer player, a great basketball player, she was doing track. We got big minutes in her today.

“She’s way better than what she’s shown us. If she got a good run, she’d be a key player in this team. I was very confident she’d kick that ball in the back of the net.”