Excellent performance on the road by Mayo Under 12 girls team
THE Mayo Under 12 girls squad were in Ballisodare on Saturday afternoon facing Sligo/Leitrim in their latest Inter-League group match.
Mayo have a very healthy rivalry across all age groups with Sligo-Leitrim and certainly do not suffer from any inferiority complexes, and this highly competitive game, in extremely challenging conditions, certainly reinforced that point.
The visitors were certainly the better side in the opening half but had to wait until late in the half for the breakthrough goal. A fine dribbling run by Molly Sheridan saw her end product being a fantastic, flicked ball across the goal for the ever dangerous Karolina Filak to pounce on and rifle home.
Playing with the ever-increasing elements in the second half, the home side were now dominant and equalised midway through.
Despite continued pressure from Sligo/Leitrim, the Mayo girls defended brilliantly as individuals, as a unit and as a team to reach the final whistle at parity and a 1-1 scoreline.
SFAI rules for this competition dictate that all drawn games at full-time go straight to 'stand by penalties' (which will be used only in the event that other means cannot separate teams at the conclusion of the group stage). Leaving that aside, it is also the perfect match-day scenario to practise penalties, and all involved with the Mayo sides really like this opportunity.
Mayo ran out 4-2 winners on the spot kicks thanks to the excellence of the Mayo ‘keeper, Jane Moran, and the ice cool nerves of the takers.
Speaking afterwards, Mayo manager Edel Mullin lauded this outstanding team effort from this young crew and the way they battled against the elements.
This result leaves Mayo sitting clear at the top of the group on a healthy seven points from three games (two of which were away). They go into their final group game in early February at home to Donegal, where a point will probably be good enough to top the group.
Mayo squad: Robyn Butler, Ella Connell, Aoife Cummins, Sarah Cunnigham, Amelia Duffy, Karolina Filak, Eva Harte, Lola Hanley, Rianna Hoban, Ciara Kelly, Jane Moran, Sophia Place, Saoirse Reynolds, Molly Sheridan, Chloe Stagg, Bonnie Walsh.