Mayo U14 girls win national title
Mayo SFAI Inter-League U14 Shield champions.
The Mayo Schoolboys/Girls and Youths AFL had its U14 Girls squad in SFAI Inter-League Final action in University of Limerick on Saturday evening.
Facing Wexford in the Shield decider saw Mayo manager John Hennelly in his third successive Inter League decider having won one and lost one.
Mayo began the game very nervy and unsure of themselves and really struggled to get a foothold in the opening half. Wexford, on the other hand, settled much more quickly and got into the tempo of the game and it was no great surprise when Wexford led 1-0 at the half-time whistle.
Mayo made three introductions at the interval in Anna Burton, Katie Flynn and Lucy McDermott and all immediately settled into their individual roles, bringing more cohesion to the units and setting the standard for a much-improved team performance with much more intensity on display from the Mayo girls.
Several goal chances came and went for Mayo, but captain supreme Emily Coleman tied the game up at 1-1 with a great volleyed finish from the edge of the box with Anna Meaney having done the spadework. Mayo went desperately close to adding a second goal in normal time -they were the much more superior side now- but Wexford made it to extra-time after the 1-1 draw in normal time.
Mayo scored the must-sought after “next goal” when an Anna Meaney throw-in found Ava Mitchell who squared for the supremely gifted Caoimhe O’Donnell to finish well. Mayo comfortably held on to finish on a 2-1 scoreline to lift the National title and spark wild Mayo celebrations. Despite all Mayo players who featured all doing well, Emily Coleman was a worthy winner of the player of the match award.
Speaking afterwards Mayo manager John Hennelly lauded his young squad for how they had recovered from a poor first half to seize control of the game and, ultimately the Inter League Shield. John was fulsome in his praise for his management team of coaches Susanne Cunnane, Amy Dunleavy and Melissa Devaney and Goalkeeper coach Martin McGreal.
Mayo Schoolgirls League Emerging Talent Head Coach John Flanagan was quick to point out that John has now guided teams to two Inter-League national titles in three years underlining the wonderful work being done in Mayo by the clubs, the girls themselves and the Emerging Talent coaches. John added that Mayo still have two of its girls sides still involved in Inter-League knockout football with the U12s and the U15s.
An interesting footnote here is to point out that both John Hennelly and Susanne Cunnane were back out on a pitch with their Manulla club U17 girls some nine hours after returning from UL. Real Club grassroots people at their best.
This Mayo squad has the prestigious Gaynor Cup to look forward to, again in UL, in June.
Mayo U14 squad: Aoibheann McGreal, Beth Murrihy, Anna Meaney, Grace Mulroy, Sive Flanagan, Grace Cunnigham, Emma Sheridan, Caoimhe O’Donnell, Emily Coleman (captain), Ava Mitchell, Kayla Helly, Anna Burton, Leah Kilcullen, Katie Flynn, Saoirse McGing, Rylee Burke, Caoimhe Kitching, Lucy Mc Dermott, Kaja Jelinska.
