Moy Davitts ladies shine to claim intermediate title
Susan Gallagher, AbbVie, sponsors, presenting the player of the match award to Moy Davitts Emma Galligan, after the Mayo LGFA AbbVie Intermediate football championship final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park this afternoon. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Moy Davitts were crowned AbbVie Mayo intermediate ladies champions after an excellent all-round display saw them defeat Aghamore 2-7 to 1-6 this afternoon.
It was a slow start for both in front of the posts, with the sides locked at 0-2 apiece at the end of the first quarter. Orla McHale put Moy Davitts in front with the opening score, Emily Duffy then nudged Aghamore ahead with a pair of well-taken efforts before Sarah Carney levelled matters again on 14 minutes.
The game then sprung to life in the second quarter. Kasey Ruane was unfortunate not to have found the net when Cassie Niland kept out Sarah Carney’s point attempt, which bounced off Ruane and then off the upright. But when Kate Byrne then put Moy Davitts back in front, Ruane netted her first major of the day with a thunderous shot into the top corner on 20 minutes.
A Natasha Gaughan free extended their lead before Emily Duffy rifled home a goal on 24 minutes for Aghamore. Louise Cassidy’s free outside the arc fell kindly to Siobhan Mooney, who offloaded it to Duffy to finish. But Moy Davitts would hit back with their second goal almost instantly when Ruane’s deflected shot gave Niland no chance to make it 2-4 to 1-2 at the break.
Aghamore started the second half brightly, with points from Niamh Moomey and Aoife Lilly but the wides were also racking up for them, while Moy Davitts goalkeeper Emma Galligan did well to deny Rachel Lyons after shot took an awkward bounce on the way. At the other end, Kasey Ruane was denied a third goal thanks to a superb stop by Cassie Niland.
Moy Davitts got their first score of the second half on 43 minutes through Gaughan. Emily Duffy and Tracey Hall soon exchanged scores before player of the match Emma Galligan pulled off a remarkable double save, denying Saoirse Delaney and Niamh Mooney.
Mooney did pull the game back to free but Orla McHale finished the game as she started it with a point to secure the intermediate title and a return to senior football for Moy Davitts.
