Mayo edged out in seven-goal Gaynor Cup thriller
By Michael Collins
MAYO were on pitch 3 for a 10 a.m. kick off today in their second Gaynor Cup group game versus Limerick District (LD).
The pacy LD forwards had already led to a fine Sive Flanagan interception in the opening minute before the Treaty girls opened the scoring a minute later. Niamh Curran prevented further damage with a fine block in the sixth minute before Mayo tied the game up on 10 minutes when Grace Carroll reacted quickest to Rachel Gallagher's cross.
The same combination almost had another goal a few minutes later and the reality of tournament football played out in a 60 second spell in the 13th minute. The LD 'keeper made a stunning save from an Emily Coleman piledriver before LD counter attacked and got their second goal.
A Carroll cross was headed just over by the impressive Coleman while Aoibhinn McGreal in the Mayo goal made a smart save on 21 minutes. LD increased their lead on 24 minutes as Mayo continued to struggle to get up to the pace and intensity of the game.
Into the second half and Emily Coleman was very unlucky to have a goal chalked off for an infringement on the 'keeper but Mayo did reduce the arrears with a superb Grace Carroll strike from wide on the right across the 'keeper and in off the far post. Caoimhe O'Donnell had played her in with a super ball.
A Riona Moynihan run ended with Coleman firing wide but the LD girls' danger on the counter showed again on 42 minutes when they made it 4-2.
Back came the spirited Mayo girls inspired by another tour de force showing at left-back by Lola Tiernan and they were out of luck when a fantastic Ciara Kearney corner went a-begging.
Emily Coleman reduced the lead to the bare minimum with a superb goal in the 51st minute after great work by Ava Mitchell. Coleman was denied by the save of the match two minutes later and, try as they could, the Mayo girls could not muster the equaliser, going down 4-3 in one of the games of the tournament.
Mayo are back out again this (Tuesday) afternoon against group leaders Carlow and District.