Ten out of 10 for Manulla in Mayo Women's Cup quarter-final

By Patrick Hennelly

Manulla 10 Westport United 0

IT was certainly a 10 out of 10 performance by Manulla on Friday evening at Carramore as the locals’ produced a spellbinding display to advance to the last four of the McHale Agri, Forest & Garden Mayo Women’s Cup.

The blue and white displayed plenty of ingenuity throughout this tie, with their dynamic duo of Lauren McLellan and Aoife Brennan netting a hat-trick apiece.

Manulla started the game with just 10 players, with Ella Vahey not entering the fray until the 20th minute. However, by that stage Robert Fletcher’s outfit had the luxury of a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals by Niamh Flannery and Lauren McLellan.

Westport United could well have pulled a goal back on 15 minutes, when Leila O’Malley pounced on a defensive lapse, but her effort flashed inches wide.

The link-up play between Manulla’s Katie Gibbons, Hannah Prendergast and McLellan on the right wing was impressive and caused United plenty of problems.

McLellan had an outstanding game and the winger curled home a gem of a free-kick on 34 minutes, before completing her incredible first half hat-trick on 40 minutes, when her daisy-cutter of a strike nestled in the bottom corner of Aoishe Macken’s net.

Late first half goals from Aoife Brennan and Ella Vahey ensured an unassailable 6-0 half-time lead for the hosts.

A rampant Manulla didn’t rest on their laurels, and they notched two goals during the opening five minutes of the second half courtesy of Brennan and Flannery.

Westport tried to find consolation goals, with Rachel Browne and O’Malley both going close to finding the back of the net.

However, Manulla upped the tempo once again and Prendergast added a ninth on 63 minutes, before Brennan recorded her hat-trick by guiding home a sublime chipped effort.

Meanwhile, down the road at CMS Park, Kiltimagh Knock United and Ballina Town played out a right good tussle of a cup game, with KK progressing on a 1-0 scoreline, Erika Ryan with her first goal for the club, having joined this season.

In the Shield, Crossmolina defeated Achill Rovers, who put up a great effort, by the bare minimum, 1-0 - Joanna O'Malley with the goal on 52 minutes.

Straide & Foxford enjoyed a convincing 9-0 win over Glenhest Rovers.