Testing weekend for Mayo teams in Inter-League competitions

THE Mayo Schoolboys/Girls & Youths League had three of its girls sides in action at the weekend.

First up, kicking off at midday on Saturday at Solar 21 Park, Milebush, were the Under 12s facing Donegal. The Mayo side took the game to their Ulster opponents creating lots of chances but a combination of stout Donegal defending, and good goalkeeping kept the game scoreless in the first half.

The second half saw the skilful Donegal side continue to make it an enthralling, competitive game which was very entertaining to watch. Both sides should be commended on their sporting attitude.

Donegal got the only goal of the game when a long-range effort took a deflection off a Mayo defender to cruelly wrong foot the Mayo ‘keeper.

Despite their best efforts, the young Mayo side could not get back in the game and went down to their first defeat in this, their final group game.

There are still a number of matches to play in this group, which will decide Mayo’s fate in the knockout stages. They can still finish in any of the top three positions in what has been a very competitive group. Both sides were full of praise for referee Ann Sweeney's handling of the game.

DOMINANT

Up next, kicking off at 2 p.m., also at Solar 21 Park, was the Mayo Under 15 team against Longford.

Mayo made a very positive start here and Ruby Jennings went desperately close on four minutes when her venomous shot from the edge of the box came back off the bar.

Emma Dowling worked the visiting ‘keeper a minute later following her own corner, while Ursula Shaughnessy was next to be denied by the ‘keeper before an excellent move involving Aoife Collins, Aoibhin McGarry and Alana Kelly ended with Kelly seeing her effort well saved.

Mayo continued on the front foot and Shaughnessy worked the ‘keeper again on 11 minutes before a Jennings corner saw Aine Monaghan connect only to see the over-worked Longford ‘keeper thwart her.

The visitors had their first sight of goal on 15 minutes, but it was wide. Another excellent Mayo move involving Monaghan, Jennings and Kelly ended with Shaughnessy just being off target.

Despite Mayo nearly totally dominating the play, it was the visitors who went ahead on 22 minutes courtesy of a most unfortunate own-goal. This rattled the Mayo girls for a time and Longford suddenly had two more good chances to go further ahead.

The home side regained their composure as the half ended and were out of luck again when the ‘keeper made a superb save from Kelly after good work by the impressive Sadbh O'Donnell.

Kate Guilfoyle in the Mayo goal made a super stop early in the second half before Mayo at long last got the breakthrough their approach play deserved on 51 minutes. Good passing play through the units saw the ball at Shaughnessy’s feet and she played in the overlapping Jennings to power home a well struck shot to draw the game level.

Longford went ahead again on 61 minutes with another poor goal from Mayo’s perspective, and it was all hands to the pump again chasing the equaliser. Emma Higgins went close a couple of times and both Alanna Jordan and Cliodhna Dowling saw efforts blocked by the a Longford centre-back who was probably the joint player of the match along with her goalkeeper.

Referee Ann Sweeney sounded the final whistle and the result was a 2-1 victory for Longford. It was a strange game as Mayo played some scintillating football in the first half, only missing a bit of ruthlessness in front of goal, and gave away two poor goals. Longford rode their luck and had a couple of excellent midfielders in addition to the two players already mentioned. This concludes the group stage, with Mayo next out in a knockout tie.

TERRIFIC

The last Mayo team out was the John Hennelly-managed Under 13s, who were in Cootehill for a 12 midday kick-off facing Cavan-Monaghan.

Mayo dominated the opening 15 minutes and came closest to scoring when Emily Coleman hit the post but five minutes later, she was quickest to react to a goalkeeper rebound to put Mayo one up. The home side came more into the game and levelled matters with a terrific long-range strike. Back came Mayo, and a wonderful ball through the middle from Caoimhe O'Donnell released Coleman one-on-one with the ‘keeper, and she finished well to leave Mayo leading 2-1 at the break.

Cavan-Monaghan made a whirlwind start to the second half and equalised for the second time inside three minutes.

Both sides had chances thereafter but we had to wait for the final 15 minutes for a glut of goals. O'Donnell again assisted Coleman as she grabbed her hat trick and almost immediately it was the same again as the combination got another Mayo goal.

Cavan-Monaghan showed they were not finished by pulling another goal back to make it 4-3 and the talented Aoibheann McGreal in the Mayo goal pulled off several superb saves to prevent further damage before Kayla Helly popped up with a fine individual goal to seal a fantastic 5-3 win for Mayo, who now go into the draw for the knockout stages in rude health.

The Mayo management were very complimentary of the hospitality showed to them in Cootehill.

Finally, the Mayo Under 16s play their final group match next weekend away to Limerick County.