Galway 0-13
Mayo 2-6
By Darren Kelly
ROISIN LEONARD SCORED 0-5 and Galway advanced to the Lidl NFL Division 1 Final after a one-point victory over Connacht rivals Mayo in MacHale Park, Castlebar.
Four unanswered points through two Kate Slevin frees, Eva Noone and Ailbhe Davoren proved decisive after Mayo struck two goals from Tara Needham and Rachel Kearns.
The heavy conditions made settling difficult as both teams tried to orchestrate scoring positions by gradually moving up the field. However, it led to dropped chances and wides, especially on a Galway side that kicked four in the opening quarter.
A pin-point ball on 13 minutes delivered the opening point as the hosts made the breakthrough. Lisa Cafferky held play before Fiona McHale sent the ball towards goal.
Kearns’ involvement forced a defender to collide with Galway keeper Karen Connolly and Needham stroked the ball home
However, Galway reacted efficiently and were back on level terms within five minutes. Despite earlier misses, Leonard got off the mark on the quarter-hour and added another placed ball within 60 seconds.
A third opportunity on 18 minutes levelled affairs and with the radar in full flow now, a fourth free on 22 minutes put Galway ahead for the first time.
However, it would be three minutes later before the Tribeswomen got their first from play and growing in confidence; Louise Ward supplied Olivia Divilly to register another point.
Mayo sensed the urgency and Needham replied three minutes later, before Eva Noone put Galway 0-6 to 1-1 up on 40 minutes.
The pace was picking up even if the weather wasn’t improving. Substitute Deirdre Doherty converted a Mayo free in added-time before Kearns set up Needham to equalise.
But Leonard’s fifth free gave the visitors a 0-7 to 1-3 interval advantage.
Eva Noone’s free and Aoife Molloy stretched the advantage to three after the restart but on 36 minutes, Mayo got a lifeline when Kearns reacted quickly to take a delivery from the right before slotting in a second goal.
It was the equaliser and five minutes after, Shauna Howley played a one-two with Sinead Cafferky to put the hosts in front.
Mayo needed a result to secure their top flight status but Galway then kicked their four late points to go three ahead. Kearns landed a late Mayo double, leaving one between them.
But the draw they needed didn’t happen setting them up for a relegation showdown with Donegal next week. For Galway, they’ll have a dress rehearsal with Kerry in Round 7 before the two teams meet in the league decider next month.
Scorers for Galway: R Leonard 0-5 (5f), E Noone 0-3 (2f), K Slevin 0-2 (2f), O Divilly 0-1, A Molloy 0-1, A Davoren 0-1.
Scorers for Mayo: T Needham 1-2, R Kearns 1-2 (1f), D Doherty 0-1 (1f), S Howley 0-1.
GALWAY: K Connolly; K Geraghty, S Ni Loingsigh, E Gavin; C Cooney, N Ward, A Molloy; A Davoren, O Divilly; L Coen, E Noone, L Noone; R Leonard, L Ward, K Slevin.
Subs: S Divilly for Leonard (HT), H Noone for Cooney (45), S Brennan for Molloy (45), A Ni Cheallaigh for Geraghty (47), A O’Rourke for Coen (55).
MAYO: L Brennan; E Ronayne, S Lally, D Caldwell; C Needham, F McHale, K Sullivan; A Geraghty, S Cafferky; S Walsh, S Howley, T O’Connor; L Cafferky, R Kearns, T Needham.
Subs: D Doherty for Walsh (21), M Cannon for McHale (47), M Reilly for Howley (54), S Mulvihill for L Cafferky (54), H Reape for O’Connor (60).
Referee: G Chapman (Sligo).
***
Waterford 1-9
Meath 2-5
By Aisling Clery
Lauren McGregor’s late strike was crucial as Waterford defeated reigning Lidl NFL Division 1 champions, Meath, in a rain-sodden Ballinlough.
Kellyann Hogan added six points over the hour as Pat Sullivan’s charges claimed their third win of the campaign.
Meath had been six points clear at the break but a rejuvenated Waterford performance in the second half kept the Royals to just a single second half point, while laying siege to their defence at the other end. McGregor found the net on 54 minutes for the Déise and they hung on to claim an important win.
The holders did get off to a good start dominating possession with Stacey Grimes and Niamh O’Sullivan putting them into a two-point lead after nine minutes. However, Hogan levelled matters with a super long distance strike midway through the half.
The Royals were working hard and were rewarded when O’Sullivan found the net and added a point a minute later to push them into a four-point advantage. For all their hard work though, retaining possession proved to be a challenge and the Deise were quick to attack the loose ball.
Hogan and McGregor both found their range, sandwiching an excellent high curling effort from Aoibhín Cleary. Cleary’s darting runs into the defence were causing problems and just before the half-time whistle it paid off as her initial effort rebounded and Amy O’Leary was on hand to tap home a second goal for the home side to leave them 2-4 to 0-4 to the good at the break.
Scores were more difficult to come by after the interval but Lauren McGregor and Bríd McMaugh converted to leave just four between the teams.
Waterford’s relentless pressure on the Royal defence began to take its toll and Hogan’s free alongside a point from play made it a two-point game with 10 minutes left to play.
While Meath did bring on Emma Duggan and Vikki Wall, Waterford were in control and McGregor was on hand to finish to the net when a mix up in the Meath defence left them vulnerable.
Hogan added a further point to ensure a two-point cushion and while Duggan did get a point from a free right at the end, the result was never in doubt.
Scorers for Waterford: K Hogan 0-6 (4f), L McGregor 1-2, B McMaugh 0-1.
Scorers for Meath: N O’Sullivan 1-2, A O’Leary 1-0, A Cleary 0-1, S Grimes 0-1, E Duggan 0-1 (1f).
WATERFORD: E O’Brien; C Murray, M Dunford, A Murray; E Power, E Murray, Kate McGrath; K Hogan, A Waring; A O’Neill, A Fitzgerald, C McCarthy; Karen McGrath, B McMaugh, L McGregor.
Subs: C Hynes for Fitzgerald (36), N Power for McCarthy (36), N Whelan for Waring (48), K Murray for O’Neill (48).
MEATH: R Murray; A Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; N Gallogly, S Ennis, A Cleary; M O’Shaughnessy, A Minogue; M Thynne, A Sherlock, C Smyth; A O’Leary, S Grimes, N O’Sullivan.
Subs: A O’Dowd for Smyth (30), E Duggan for O’Leary (40), S Melia for Ennis (42), A McCabe for Minogue (48), V Wall for Sherlock (48).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).
