Kerry turn on style to blow Mayo away

Mayo’s All-Ireland championship ended at the semi-final stage for the second year in a row following a 4-10 to 0-13 defeat at the hands of Kerry in Croke Park.

After Shauna Howley’s opening free for Mayo, a great pass from Niamh Carmody found Aishling O’Donnell and her strike on goal deflected off Fiona McHale and into the net.

Mayo’s defending was far too loose in the opening quarter and Cáít Lynch ran through the Mayo defence before passing it off to Síofra O’Shea to palm it in for Kerry's second goal in the 11th minute.

Despite the poor start, Mayo got back to within three through Howley, Tara Needham, Lisa Cafferky and Sarah Mulvihill but the Green and Red would then concede a third goal as O’Shea twisted and turn before firing under Aisling Tarpey to raise her second green flag of the half.

Danielle O’Leary and Cáít Lynch tagged on points for Kerry, with Mayo having the final score of the half through Sinead Cafferky to trail 3-6 to 0-8 at the break.

Mayo started the second half brightly, outscoring Kerry 0-4 to 0-2, but the Kingdom, inspired by Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (who became the ladies championship all-time leading scorer), restored their seven point gap before a mix up in the Mayo defence allowed Paris McCarthy to score Kerry’s fourth goal of the afternoon and end Mayo’s faint hopes of a comeback.

Mayo: A. Tarpey; E. Ronayne, R. Flynn, D. Caldwell; T. O’Connor, F. McHale, K. Sullivan; S. Cafferky (0-2), A. Geraghty (0-2); S. Howley (0-4, 0-2f), S. Walsh, S. Mulvihill (0-1; L. Cafferky (0-1), C. Whyte (0-1), T. Needham (0-2).

Subs used: C. Nyland, L. Wallace, S. McCarney, J. Mortimer, S. El Massry.

Kerry: C. Butler; J. O’Sullivan, K. Cronin, E. Lynch; A. O’Connell (1-1), E. Costello (0-1), C. Murphy; L. Scanlon, C. Lynch (0-1); N. Carmody (0-1), S. O’Shea (2-0), A. Galvin; P. McCarthy (1-0), D. O’Leary (0-1), L. Ní Mhuircheartaigh (0-5).

Subs used: A. Dillane, E. McGlynn, N. Ní Chonchúir, N. Broderick, C. Evans.

Ref: J. Murphy (Carlow).

*Full match report and reaction in Tuesday’s print edition.