Kerry hit Mayo with three second goals but are made to sweat for nervous one-point win

LIDL LADIES NFL DIVISION 1 ROUND 2

Mayo 0-13

Kerry 3-5

Three rapid-fire goals in a nine-minute second half spell from Siofra O’Shea, Lorraine Scanlon and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh propelled Kerry to a nervy but deserved win over a Mayo team that scored the last five points of an entertaining game and gave the Kingdom some very anxious moments at the end of a tightly fought battle.

Having taken a 0-5 to 0-4 lead in at the half time break at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan, Kerry were first to strike early in the second half when Hannah O’Donoghue was quickest to react to a Siofra O’Shea effort that hit the post, and she passed into O’Shea who slotted easily past goalkeeper Laura Brennan.

Goal number two came a couple of minutes later when after Niamh Carmody appeared to be bottled up but somehow was able to find Lorraine Scanlon ghosting behind the Mayo cover, and the Castleisland Desmonds star, who covered every inch of the pitch, blasted to the back of the net for a fine goal.

Pressed into action, Mayo popped over four quick points from Shana Howley, with three frees, and impressive substitute Sinead Walsh (with Mayo’s first point from play), to bring it to a three-point game, but Kerry struck for goal number three in the 45th minute and what a beauty it was.

Niamh Ní Chonchúir, having a fine game, found Siofra O’Shea moving into space with a raking forty metre foot pass. O’Shea caught the ball brilliantly and passed to Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh who was coming off the shoulder like a steam train, and the Gaeltacht Express smashed the ball past Laura Brennan. Skilful, decisive, deadly. A goal that was the very definition of Kerry football.

The only thing was that this was Kerry’s very last score of the game as Mayo took over the show and left the visitors clinging on for victory at the finish. The signs were there when Emma Costello had to make a great block to prevent a Mayo goal before Maria Cannon slotted over a point from a free to leave the score at 3-5 to 0-9 with ten left to play.

It was then Eilis Lynch’s turn to defend brilliantly as Lisa Cafferky bore down on goal but Walsh with her second, and Rachel Kearns ,weren’t to be denied as the Kerry defence lived dangerously. A turnover led to a foul and the accurate Shauna Howley made no mistake once more from the free. Sinead Walsh then slotted her third point of the day to leave just one between the sides and Kerry were like a punch drunk boxer as the game entered the final three minutes.

In any top flight game you need a bit of luck to win and Kerry had their rub of the green when after Eilis Ronayne was fouled twenty five metres from goal the corner back inexplicably tried to find a colleague instead of leaving the kick to her free takers, and Maria Cannon who was deadly accurate from placed balls it must be said, kicked a very bad wide. Mayo’s chance was lost, and Kerry, with experienced heads like Cáit Lynch, Emma Costello, and Lorraine Scanlon playing keep ball, held on for the win.

The first half was a tepid enough affair with lots of huffing and puffing from both sides but with a lack of quality play overall. The flow of the game certainly wasn’t helped by a fussy enough referee who was a little bit whistle happy at times much to the confusion of both sets of players.

Kerry started in flying fashion and owned possession for the first three minutes of the contest. They had a tremendous chance of a goal after two minutes when some fantastic harrying and hassling from Siofra O’Shea led to a Mayo turnover, she found Cáit Lynch making a brilliant angle off the shoulder, the ball was transferred to Niamh Carmody and then Erica McGlynn, but Laura Brennan in the Mayo goal made a brilliant point blank save from the Fossa full forward.

The Kingdom got off the mark after five minutes when marauding wing back Aishling O’Connell got at the end of a flowing move to punch over what is increasingly becoming a trade mark score for the Cork based Garda. The home side replied immediately when Maria Cannon pointed following a soft enough free awarded to Lucy Wallace but soon afterwards Niamh Ní Chonchúir took on the responsibility to take on the Mayo defence and shot a fine point.

Kerry then raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead thanks to scores from Siofra O’Shea (free), Hannah O’Donoghue, and Erica McGlynn but Mayo popped over a couple of frees from Shauna Howley and Maria Cannon to see them trail by just the minimum at half time.

There is no doubt that Kerry deserved their win on the day although they will be concerned with their failure to score for the last quarter of the game. When all is said and done though it’s two very good wins on the road for the Kingdom and they’ll have no fear of an under pressure Donegal who in contrast have lost their first two games to Galway by 0-11 to 0-6, and Meath on a 1-7 to 0-5 score.

KERRY: Mary Ellen Bolger; Ciara O’Brien, Eilis Lynch, Ciara Murphy; Aishling O’Connell (0-1), Emma Costello; Niamh Broderick; Lorraine Scanlon (1-0), Cáit Lynch; Niamh Carmody, Caoimhe Evans, Siofra O’Shea 1-1 (0-1f); Niamh Ní Chonchúir (0-1), Hannah O’Donoghue (0-1), Erica McGlynn (0-1). Subs: Kayleigh Cronin for N Broderick (33 mins), Anna Galvin for Erica McGlynn (38 mins), Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh (1-0) for H O’Donoghue, Fiadhna Tangney for C Evans (44 mins), Mary O’Connell for N Carmody (51 mins), Louise Galvin for E Costello (54 mins), Rachel Dwyer for S O’Shea (57 mins).

MAYO: Laura Brennan; Eilis Roynane, Roisin Flynn, Danielle Caldwell; Lucy Wallace, Sarah Tierney, Kathryn Sullivan; Clodagh McManamon, Sinead Cafferky; Hannah Reape, Shauna Howley (0-5f), Tara Needham; Lisa Cafferky, Rachel Kearns (0-1), Maria Cannon (0-4f). Subs: Sinead Walsh (0-3) for H Reape (40 mins), Ciara Needham for K Sullivan (51 mins), Fiona McHale for R Kearns (55 mins), Erin Murray for T Needham (55 mins).

Referee: Siobhan Coyle (Donegal).