It's the life of O'Reilly for Mitchels in emphatic final win
Kathryn Sullivan of Castlebar Mitchels clearing her lines as she is chased by Louisburgh's Deirdre McNally of Louisburgh in the Mayo LGFA Intermediate County Championship Final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park Castlebar. Picture: Michael Donnelly
A scintillating and ruthless performance in front of goal propelled the ladies of Castlebar Mitchels to the county Intermediate title against Louisburgh on Saturday afternoon in MacHale Park.
Aisling O’Reilly grabbed the headlines with a hat-trick of goals, wrapping up this feat just four minutes into the second-half, but the forward was very much joined in the spotlight by Niamh Hughes, scorer of 2-2, and Suzanne Tuohy who scored 1-2.
It was a brave effort by the Black and Amber but never conjured the sort of goal chances they would have needed from the early stages of the game. They did score the game's opening point through Ciara Needham but the Mitchels response was quick and to the point.
Twice they rattled the net inside the next two minutes. Aisling O’Reilly and Niamh Hughes both netted their opening goals and both came as a result of Louisburgh failing to clear their lines after sustained pressure from the county town side.
The next three scores went Louisburgh’s way as Aine O’Reilly, Mary Power and Deirdre McNally all pointed, McNally from a free.
Hughes and O’Reilly scored back to back points for Castlebar before McNally fired over another free to keep the gap at three points. Mitchels hit a purple patch before half-time however, and that put the game more or less beyond doubt. Lucy Molloy and Orla Conlon both fired over before Aisling O’Reilly hit the back of the net for a third time. Suzanne Tuohy then scored her first point of the afternoon to send Mitchels to half-time with a sizeable nine-point lead.
Just as they had in the first five minutes of the first-half, Mitchels scored two goals at the start of the second-half. Tuohy was fouled when she was barreling towards goal and Niamh Hughes dispatched the resulting penalty with ease. Anyone in MacHale Park wondering why Aisling O’Reilly didn’t take the spot-kick whilst she was on a hat-trick had their thoughts quickly quelled when just 60 seconds later, the lethal forward palmed the ball in at the back post following an excellent pass.
Mary Power scored a free for Louisburgh to stop the rot but Niamh Hughes then added a point. Louisburgh tacked on a couple of scores through Power, Ciara Needham and Deirdre McNally but never looked as though they might threaten the Mitchels lead. In the closing minutes, Suzanne Tuohy scored a further 1-1, taking her goal extremely well and substitute Anna Tuohy brought the scoring for the day to a close with a well-struck point.
Scorers - Castlebar Mitchels: Aisling O’Reilly 3-1, Niamh Hughes 2-2 (1pen), Suzanne Tuohy 1-2, Lucy Molloy, Orla Conlon and Anna Tuohy 0-1 each.
Louisburgh: Mary Power (2f) and Deirdre McNally 0-3 (2f) each, Ciara Needham 0-2, Aine O’Reilly 0-1.
Castlebar Mitchels: Ava Scully; Karagh Neary, Sinead O’Boyle, Rebecca Lawless; Belinda Patterson, Danielle Caldwell, Grace Filan; Kathryn Sullivan, Orla Conlon; Lucy Molloy, Suzanne Tuohy, Maia Ludden; Niamh Hughes, Grainne Flynn, Aisling O’Reilly. Subs: Aimee Wilson (for Ludden 47), Anna Tuohy, Saoirse MacCabe and Megan Pattinson (for Flynn, Hughes and Neary 51), Sarah Conlon (for O’Reilly 59).
Louisburgh: Roisin Dyar; Anna Duffy, Sarah O’Malley, Laurna O’Malley; Kate Morrison, Rachel O’Malley, Emma Lyons; Grainne Gavin, Ciara Needham; Elaine Needham, Katelyn O’Malley, Aine O’Reilly; Deirdre McNally, Tara Needham, Mary Power. Subs: Emma Needham (for L O’Malley ht), Alesha Gill (for K O’Malley 49), Siobhan Fadden (for Emma Needham 60+2)
REF: Jarlath O’Connor (The Neale)
