Mayo inflict heavy defeat on Laois to reach last eight

Mayo reached the last eight of the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland senior championship with an emphatic 2-15 to 0-8 victory over Laois at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, this afternoon.

With Sinéad Cafferky and Sinéad Walsh on song up front (they scored 2-9 between them), Mayo were always in control, and they put the disappointment of last week's last-gasp defeat to Armagh behind them in some style.

Laois, who themselves could have qualified for the quarterfinals with a win in Castlebar, were under pressure from the start and they simply couldn't get sufficient quality ball into Mo Nerney or Sarah Anne Fitzgerald to keep the Mayo defence under pressure.

The home side, with wind assistance, started in whirlwind fashion, scoring seven points without reply, and by half-time they were 1-9 to 0-4 ahead, the goal emphatically finished by Walsh five minutes before the break after a superb pass by Deirdre Doherty.

Cafferky, who scored four first-half points, put the game beyond any doubt early in the second half with Mayo's second goal.

Despite giving up a bit more possession in the second period, Mayo managed the game well to ultimately win by 13 points and safely secure their place in the last eight.

Mayo: L. Brennan; É. Ronayne (0-1), C. McManamon, D. Caldwell; S. Lally, C. Needham (0-1), K. Sullivan; A. Geraghty, F. McHale; M. Cannon, S. Cafferky (1-4), S. Delaney; S. Howley (0-3, 1f), D. Doherty (0-1f), S. Walsh (1-5).

Subs used: M. Reilly, S. Tierney, R. Durkan, E. Murray.

Laois: N. Luttrell; S. Farrelly, C. Dunne, A. Kelly; S. Havill, E. Healy (0-1), L. Nerney; A. Healy (0-1), O. Hennessy; E. Galvin (0-1), L.M. Maher, A. Moran; S.A. Fitzgerald (0-2f), M. Nerney (0-3, 2f), K. Donoghue.

Subs used: A. Kirrane, G. Moran.

Referee: M. Farrelly (Cavan).