Vital Rebel County victory for the Mayo Ladies moves them clear of relegation
Lisa Cafferky got Mayo up and running against Cork. Pictuire: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
The Mayo Ladies returned to winning ways with victory against Cork in their NFL Division 1 clash at the 4G Pitch at Supervalu Páirc Ui Chaoimh.
The result moves Mayo well away from the danger of a relegation dogfight; defeat would have seen Cork pull level with Mayo in Division 1 and leave both teams just two points away from the relegation zone but Mayo pulled away late in this game to leave Cork with the points in the bag.
The game was moved to the 4G Pitch behind Páirc Ui Chaoimh at the last minute after the original venue in Mallow was deemed unplayable.
Four minutes into the game taking place three hours after the time it was originally fixed for, Lisa Cafferky got Mayo up and firing with the game’s opening score, a lovely effort off her left boot.
Daire Kiely levelled from a free for Cork but Mayo used the wind advantage to get back in front. Sinead Walsh booted one over from long distance. Libby Coppinger put in a great tackle and won back possession for Cork and she played in Abigail Ring to level it up once more. There was an exchange of points again. Walsh put her side back in front but Ring restored parity between the sides.
Maria Cannon and Sinead Cafferky fired over to put the visiting team in front but the hosts finished the half strongly, bringing the game to 0-5 each at the break with a point from play and another from a free for Daire Kiely.
Sinead Cafferky scored her second point to put Mayo back in front and then they were awarded a penalty. Sarah Leahy was deemed to have fouled Aoife Geraghty but Lisa Cafferky put her effort. Geraghty then put two points between the sides and Cork found it difficult to find a path through the Mayo defensive ranks.
It took Cork 20 minutes to score after the restart when Ellie Jack made it a one-point game but further points from Aoife Geraghty and Maria Cannon put Mayo three points up with only minutes remaining.
Cork needed a goal but could not find a way to breach the Mayo defence. Melissa Duggan pulled a point back for the Rebels but it was too little, too late for Cork, who now face a tussle with relegation in the final weeks of the league.
Mayo have two home games to bring their Division 1 campaign to an end. Top of the table Armagh travel to Mayo on St Patrick’s Day and relegation-threatened Waterford visit on the weekend of March 23/24.
Scorers - Cork: Daire Kiely 0-3 (1f), Abigail Ring 0-2, Ellie Jack, Melissa Duggan 0-1 each.
Mayo: Aoife Geraghty, Sinead Cafferky, Sinead Walsh and Maria Cannon (1f) 0-2 each, Lisa Cafferky 0-1.
Cork: Caoimhe Richmond; Melissa Duggan, Sarah Leahy, Ellen Twomey; Katie O’Driscoll, Aoife Healy, Laura O’Mahony; Maire O’Callaghan, Amy McDonagh; Kate Redmond, Daire Kiely, Emma Cleary; Libby Coppinger, Lydia McDonagh, Abigail Ring. Subs: Rosie Corkery (for K Redmond 12), Ellie Jack and Sadhbh O’Leary (for Corkery and L McDonagh 41), Hannah Looney (for A Ring 45), Emma Hurley (for Kiely 55), Anna Ryan (for A McDonagh 60).
Mayo: Laura Brennan; Alanna Fitzpatrick, Nicola O’Malley, Saoirse Lally; Kathryn Sullivan, Erin Murray, Jenna Mortimer; Aoife Geraghty, Hannah Reape; Fionnuala McLaughlin, Lisa Cafferky, Maria Cannon; Tara Needham, Sinead Cafferky, Sinead Walsh. Subs: Chelsea Doherty (for T Needham 24), Ciara Durkin (for K Sullivan H/T), Emma Needham (for L Cafferky 47).
REF: Patrick Smith (Waterford).
