Mulroy hits quickfire hat-trick on day of mixed results

Last Saturday afternoon saw two of the Mayo schoolgirls teams in action at Umbro Park, Milebush in their latest SFAI Inter-League clashes. First up at midday was the Mayo U15s who faced Donegal and that was followed by the U13 clash of Mayo and Clare.

In the opening game, it was the visitors, Donegal, who employed what’s in vogue at the moment – long throw-ins in the opposition’s half, with their tall centre-back Emily Doogan certainly finding distance. The Mayo defence, however, dealt well with the threat.

Lola Hanley executed a terrific block on the attacking player in the 11th minute but Donegal took the lead a minute later via a header from the very impressive centre-forward Tara McDaid.

Cora Moynihan was showing up well for Mayo on the left flank and she brought a lot of threat. But the visitors were playing some good football and went very close through Aishling McGinley before they doubled their lead on 19 minutes. A fast counterattack down the right by Teaghan Doherty ended with her sublime cross into the box which was headed home emphatically by Tara McDaid for her second of the game.

Mayo sights of goal were well restricted by a concentrated hardworking Donegal defence, although Leja Kosmakova escaped their lurches in the 34th minute but saw her well-hit effort superbly saved by Irish under 15 schoolgirls goalkeeper Megan McGinley.

The second-half continued in a similar vein to the first, with Donegal proving difficult to break down and still very dangerous in attack. They added another goal to run out impressive 3-0 winners on the day. Mayo now dust themselves down and go into the knock-out stages next month.

Kicking off two hours later also in Milebush, were the John Hennelly-managed Mayo under-13s who were facing Clare in a SFAI Inter-League Trophy quarter-final. Mayo started the game at an excellent tempo with their midfield trio of Roisin Lavelle, Ali Clarke and Lucy Cunnigham getting on top of their direct opponents early doors and supplying a copious amount of good quality ball to their front three. Eadoin Mulroy at centre forward was benefitting most and she was just wide in the fifth minute.

A sublime through-ball from Lucy Cunnigham released Mulroy again in the 12th minute and she fired Mayo ahead. A momentary switch-off in the Mayo defence a few minutes later however, ended with a Clare headed goal past keeper Ellen O’Flaherty.

Lucy Murphy then went close for Mayo before a fantastic left-footed strike from Laoise Heneghan came back off the post. Eadoin Mulroy got her second goal in the 22nd minute after good groundwork by captain on the day, Alice Burrows, and Sadhbh McDonagh. More good interplay down the Mayo right, this time by Katie Rava and Emma O’Toole, presented Eadoin Mulroy with another chance which she struck away with aplomb to seal her hat-trick with only 28 minutes on the clock.

The second-half saw Mayo continue to take the game to their opponents with Lauren Hanrahan and Lucy Duffy being especially impressive up Mayo’s left flank. So many of Duffy’s crosses from the left were of the highest standard and Mayo should have taken advantage of them, although both Sadhbh McGauley and Laoise Heneghan were unlucky with efforts at the back post.

Katelyn Moore got her first goal for Mayo after a good through-ball from Aine Hughes but back came Clare in the 50th minute of this really entertaining game to pull another goal back.

Mayo’s attacking game again paid dividends a minute later when Amy Joyce set up Lucy Duffy for her third goal in two games.

Abbie Dockeray brought a good save from the Clare goalkeeper with almost the final action of the game as Mayo ran out 5-2 winners. Mayo now have a semi-final to look forward to next month.