The Mayo LGFA team lost out by three points to Dublin this afternoon in the opening round of this year’s Lidl National Football League Division One at Parnell Park. Level at half-time, a goal for the home side within seconds of the resumption proved the difference between the teams.
This was a much-changed Mayo team from last year, with another exodus of players forcing Liam McHale to go with a largely inexperienced line-up. That said, Dublin fielded an experimental team as well for this League opener where the exchanges were lively throughout.
Dublin came out of the traps fastest and had two points on the board before we opened our account by way of a free from Sinéad Walsh. The McHale Rovers player would go on to account for all of our scores in the first half.
Dublin got the next two scores before Sinéad pointed her second free. Then Dublin bagged a goal that had looked coming for a while, Rebecca McDonnell rattling the net to push the home side five in front.
The westerners battled back well from that setback. Sinéad knocked over two frees in succession and was then on hand to profit from a misplaced pass in the Dublin backline, rifling the ball to the net to haul her side level.
Dublin’s second goal came as many punters at the Donnycarney venue were settling themselves into their seats after the half-time break. A defence-splitting pass into Chloe Darby opened us up completely and the Croabh Chiaráin player made no mistake, to put Dublin back a goal in front.
Two further points for the home team restored their five-point advantage and, although we kept battling away, a few wides from scoreable positions didn’t help our cause.
When centre-back Sherin El Massry fired over a nice long-range score not much more than ten minutes from the end it was our first point from play in the game. This sparked a bit of a mini-revival as Mayo, despite losing Ella Brennan to a yellow card (Dublin’s Grace Kós had earlier been sent to the bin for one barge too many), went back on the offensive.
Sinéad Walsh’s fifth free of the afternoon, after a searing run from substitute Saoirse Delaney ended in a foul on the Aghamore player as she bore down on goal, cut the gap to three. A nice effort from play by Aoife Geraghty set up what was starting to look like a grandstand finish.
In the final few frantic moments we lost a second player – Lucy Wallace – to a yellow card and, from the resultant free, Dublin tacked on a final point to push the lead out to three.
We had a late, late opportunity to burgle a share of the spoils, as a cracking pass inside by another sub, Alannagh Fitzpatrick, found Erin Murray in a great central position close to goal. The Ballyhaunis player was unable, though, to claim clean possession and the chance was gone, with Dublin holding for a hard-fought win.
Next up for Liam McHale’s charges is a trip to Meath where they face the Royal County on Bank Holiday Monday.
Mayo: Róisín Dyar; Ella Brennan, Saoirse Lally, Ciara Durkin; Kathryn Sullivan, Sherin El Massry (0-1), Hannah Reape; Erin Murray, Aoife Geraghty (0-1); Lucy Wallace, Annie Gough, Milly Sheridan; Maria Cannon, Sinéad Walsh (1-5, five frees), Ciara Whyte. Subs: Bree Hession for Whyte, Kayla Doherty for Sheridan, Alannagh Fitzpatrick for Sullivan, Saoirse Delaney for Cannon, Jenna Mortimer for Reape.