Mayo get championship campaign off to flying start

Mayo ..... 1-18

Cavan ..... 0-15

TG4 LADIES SFC GROUP A (ROUND 1)

by Aiden Henry

MAYO got their All-Ireland championship campaign off to a flying start following their deserved six-point win over Cavan played in Markievicz Park, Sligo, this afternoon.

Mayo laid the foundations for this victory in the opening half where they built up a comfortable seven-point half time lead.

After landing some magnificent points from play the score of this half arrived on 25 minutes when Rachel Kearns found the back of the Cavan net.

In the second half the Ulster side came a lot more into the game and traded scores with Mayo on several occasions.

However, Mayo just always seemed to have that extra bit of team play and were able to close out the Cavan forwards from getting any goal chances.

In the end, Mayo who welcomed back Sarah Rowe and Lisa Cafferkey in the second half and can now look forward to their next Saturday when they meet Monaghan (well beaten by Armagh in their first -round game) next Saturday.

Although Cavan who were assisted raced into an early two-point lead, Mayo once they settled hit back with five unanswered points from Shauna Howley (three), and Grace Kelly and Sinead Cafferkey to lead by two at the first water break, 0-5 to 0-3.

On the resumption following this first break Mayo continued to drive forward and after Tara Needham, Rachel Kearns and Howley fired over delightful points from play before the crucial score of the half of the half arrived in the 25th minute, a Mayo goal.

It came after a long drive kick into the Cavan was won by Rachel Kearns who in turn beat two defenders before firing a powerful low drive to the corner of the net.

Grace Kelly added a further point to leave Mayo leading by 1-9 to 0-5 at the interval.

The second half was a lot more even as Cavan came a lot more into the game and made Mayo pull out all the stops.

However, Mayo were unlucky not to score two more goals, never allowing their opponents to eat into their big lead.

Any time Cavan got a score Mayo went straight back upfield and cancelled it out with one of their own.

Shauna Howley added three more points to her tally, with Sarah Rowe (two), Fiona Doherty, Sinead Cafferkey, Ciara Whyte and Rachel Kearns all finding the target.

Mayo: A. Tarpey, S. Lally, Clodagh McManamon, E. Brennan, T. O’Connor, É. Ronayne, K. Sullivan, C. Needham, S. Cafferky (0-2), F. Doherty (0-1), R. Kearns (1-2), M. McHale, G. Kelly (0-2), S. Howley (0-7), T. Needham (0-1).

Subs used: S. Rowe (0-2), C. White (0-1), L. Cafferkey, S. Walsh, O. Conlon,

Cavan: E. Walsh, R. Doonan, S. Lynch, M. Smith, S. Greene, L. Fitzpatrick (0-1), M. Sheridan, C. Dolan, N. Byrd, A. Kiernan, C. Finnegan, N. Keenaghan (0-1), G. Sheridan (0-2), A. Sheridan (0-2), A. Gilsenan (0-2).

Subs used: A. Rooney (0-6), Z. Fay, K. McIntyre, S. McKenna, N. Halton (0-1).

Referee: G. Chapman (Sligo).