Three Mayo clubs still in contention heading into Under 18 girls Connacht semi-finals
THREE Mayo clubs are a step away from contesting provincial deciders after last weekend's Under 18 Girls Connacht Cup and Shield quarterfinals.
In the Under 18 Girls Connacht Cup, Westport United recorded a 5-2 victory over Athenry on Friday night, coming back from being two down at half-time.
Saoirse Reynolds proved to be a real impact substitute with a second-half hat-trick, and two goals from Katie McHugh completed a storming comeback.
In the Connacht Under 18 Girls Shield quarterfinals there was a tense finale in Manulla on Sunday where it took penalties to separate them from visiting Maree/Oranmore.
Trailing by a goal at half-time, John Hennelly's charges put two goals on the scoreboard in quick succession on 50 and 53 minutes through Lucy English and Amber Glavey. However, the game was to end 2-2 after the Galway side equalised in the 65th minute. And when extra-time failed to separate them, penalties it was.
Kate Guilfoyle saved twice in the Manulla goal, and with a miss apiece for both sides, Nicole Ryan put away the home team's deciding penalty after Glavey and Sophie O'Donnell were on target to see them progress 3-2.
Also in the shield, Killala, with 11 players available, lost out 4-0 away to Real Tubber, having kept their hosts to just a solitary goal in the first half.
The Under 18 provincial cup and shield semi-finals are down for decision next weekend, with Ballyglass FC (who received a W/O last weekend) away to Arrow Harps and Westport United hosting Dunmore Town in the cup. Manulla host Real Tubber in the shield. Dates and times TBC.
CONNACHT WOMEN'S CUP
Meanwhile, Swinford FC eased past Colemanstown United in the Connacht Women's Cup second round on Sunday, enjoying a 5-1 away win.
Conceding after just four minutes, Swinford quickly regained their composure and reset the game to all-square just five minutes later through Ciara Forkan.
Two Aoife Barrett goals on 16 and 53 minutes saw them hold a comfortable 3-1 lead at half-time, and Forkan, again, nudged them further ahead immediately after the restart.
Melissa Devaney wrapped matters up in the 82nd minute on what was a comfortable day's work for the east Mayo side.
COMING UP
Castlebar Town and Westport United will go head to head next weekend in the Connacht Women's Cup. And the following weekend, attention turns to the Connacht Women's Shield where Ballina Town host S&F, with Ballyglass away to Corrib Rangers.
FIXTURES
Saturday/Sunday, February 7/8 (dates/times TBC) - Connacht Under 18 Girls Cup semi-finals: Arrow Harps v Ballyglass FC; Westport United v Dunmore Town. Connacht Under 18 Girls Shield semi-final: Manulla v Real Tubber.
Sunday, February 8, 12.30 p.m. - Connacht Women's Cup: Castlebar Town v Westport United.
Sunday, February 15, 2 p.m. - Connacht Women's Shield: Ballina Town v Straide & Foxford United; Corrib Rangers v Ballyglass.