Majestic Mayo book All-Ireland final ticket against the Kingdom

Mayo’s penchant for goals proved decisive as the green and red recorded a marvellous 5-10 to 0-14 victory against Kildare in the LGFA Under-16 All-Ireland (A) Championship semi-final, played at Longford Slashers GAA Club.

The opening exchanges of this clash were keenly contested, and Katie Corcoran’s point for Mayo on six minutes restored parity at 0-2 apiece.

The aforementioned Corcoran then played an important role in Mayo’s opening goal of the joust on nine minutes, as the Hollymount wing-forward teed-up Mikayla McLoughlin and the latter finished with panache.

Kildare responded with points from Sinead Shine (free) and Aibigéal Corcoran, but a second Mayo major, this time from Aghamore’s Emily Duffy, shunted the green and red into a 2-3 to 0-5 lead after 19 minutes.

The Mayo custodian, Meabh Lavin, dealt comfortably with any goal threat that Kildare posed during the first half and the Kilmovee shot-stopper was alert to a long-range effort from Castlemitchell’s Amy Wall on 25 minutes.

Francis Regan’s Mayo troops ended the half in a strong fashion and a brace of white-flagged efforts from Westport’s Katie Hughes ensured a 2-6 to 0-7 interval lead for the green and red.

The heavy rain added an extra zip to the playing surface and the Lilywhites bombarded the Mayo goal during the opening segments of the second half, with points from Wall and Aisling Nolan almost boosted with a goal from Ciara Dempsey, but the latter’s angled drive flew wide.

Points from Mayo’s Hughes and McLoughlin helped settle their team-mates back into the game and the leaders were then awarded a spot-kick on 38 minutes, after Duffy was fouled inside the area. Aoibhinn McNamara’s subsequent penalty just about crossed the goal-line despite the Kildare ‘keeper getting the faintest of touches to the leather.

Mayo added a fourth goal on 48 minutes, courtesy of Hughes, and this effectively ended the tie as a contest as the leaders held an unassailable 4-9 to 0-10 lead.

The green and red kept searching for goals and their work-rate was once again rewarded on 56 minutes, when Duffy rustled the back of the net.

Mayo will now face Kerry in the Under-16 All-Ireland Final. A date and venue for that fixture will be confirmed over the coming days.