Mayo defeated by Dublin as TG4 All-Ireland series gets underway

Mayo were defeated by defending champions Dublin in Parnell Park as the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Senior Championship got underway, the Dubs winning by 1-10 to 0-5, writes Daire Walsh.

Despite Lisa Cafferky chipping in with three points, Mayo ultimately came up short in the capital and will now face into a crunch group stage encounter at home to Kildare next weekend.

Playing with the aid of a breeze in the first half, Dublin edged in front when full-forward Hannah Tyrrell knocked over a free less than two minutes into the action.

Mayo levelled matters with a score on the run from midfielder Erin Murray and Liam McHale’s westerners subsequently squeezed ahead after Cafferky split the uprights on 10 minutes.

While Carla Rowe restored parity moments later, a strong defensive effort from their opponents ensured attacking opportunities weren’t easy to come by for Dublin. Nevertheless, the champions regained their slender advantage with a Lauren Magee point that shook the woodwork before floating over the bar.

Having found the range earlier on in the contest off her trusty left boot, Tyrrell registered a point from play with her right foot, and Rowe was also on hand to convert a close-range free that propelled Dublin into a 0-5 to 0-2 cushion at the end of a low-scoring and cagey opening period.

Whereas Mayo enjoyed the majority of possession prior to the interval, Dublin established a foothold in the early stages of the second half. The Mayo defence did initially hold firm, but Dublin eventually opened them up and Rowe palmed to the net on 40 minutes via a pass from industrious half-forward Caoimhe O’Connor.

Despite now dealing with a tricky wind, Dublin added points through Tyrrell and Olwen Carey to open up an eight-point buffer inside the final-quarter.

A successful Maria Cannon free ended a 38-minute scoring drought for Mayo, but Dublin immediately responded with a Sinead Goldrick point following a superb team move by the hosts.

The experienced Cafferky added a brace of scores for the visitors as the final whistle approached, but with Magee and Carey contributing their second points of the game, Dublin eased towards victory.

*See Tuesday's print edition for a full report on the game