Dublin finish league with loss to Mayo
- Apr 08,2013
Dublin's involvement in the 2013 TESCO Home Grown NFL came to a halt yesterday following the home sides five point defeat to Mayo. Before a large home crowd, Dublin gave a much improved performance against the Westerners, having received a 19 point mauling from reigning league champions Monaghan, the previous Sunday.
Without the services of seasoned performers, Sinead Goldrick and Sinead Aherne Dublin's task was always going to be an uphill struggle. Mayo managed by former Dublin boss, Peter Clarke will now play Monaghan in this year's semi-final with a place in the final against either Cork or Laois up for grabs. Clarke will no doubt have his chargers well prepared for their next test, Clarkes knowledge of the Farney County may prove invaluable as he was part of the Monaghan management set up back in 2011.
Dublin completed well with Mayo throughout the first half of this entertaining tussle taking the narrowest of leads into the dressing room at half time, Dublin 0-06 Mayo 0-05.
However, on the resumption it was Mayo with the wind at their backs that took the game to Dublin firing over four unanswered points with Mayo veterans Egan, Carter and McHale inserting their influence over the contest. The turning point in the match came when a speculative kick from Staunton hung up high in the air, Dublin keeper O'Connor appeared to have the ball under her control when Mayo corner forward Niamh Kelly, challenged the big Dublin number one knocking the ball from her possession into the back of the Dublin net.
Mayo had turned a one point half time deficit into a commanding six point lead.
Dublin tried to up the ante by introducing substitutes, Siobhan Woods, Orlagh Egan and Niamh McEvoy into the game but Mayo were never going to surrender their lead even despite centre forward Deirdre Doherty, receiving a sin binning in the 62nd min.
Dublin's day of anguish was summed up, when having been awarded a late penalty Natalia Hyland blasted her kick over Yvonne Byrne's cross bar, the woe continued for Dublin when corner back, Siobhan McGrath received a yellow card late into injury time.
Dublin's next competitive game is not until the 30th of June, when they face Kildare in the semi-final of the TG4 Senior Leinster championship.
Dublin: Cliodhna O'Connor, Deirdre Murphy, Rachel Ruddy, Siobhan McGrath, Leah Caffrey, Sinead Finnegan (Captain), Fiona Hudson, Denise Masterson, Noelle Healy, Amy McGuinness, Elaine Kelly, Emma McDonagh, Natalia Hyland, Denise McKenna, Lyndsey Davey.
Subs: Siobhan Woods for McKenna, Orlagh Egan for McDonagh, Niamh McEvoy for McGuinness
Scorers: Noelle Healy 0-03, Denise McKenna 0-2 (2F), Natalia Hyland 0-01 (F), Lyndsey Davey, Leah Caffrey 0-01 each
Mayo: Yvonne Byrne, Marie Corbett, Martha Carter, Kathryn Sullivan, Grace Kelly, Clare Egan, Ciara McManamon, Clodagh McManamon, Fiona McHale (Captain), Aileen Gilroy, Deirdre Doherty, Caoilfhionn Connolly, Niamh Kelly, Cora Staunton, Doireann Hughes.
Subs: Aoife Brennan for G Kelly, Amy Roddy for Hughes, Aimee Bell for Corbett.
Scorers: Cora Staunton 0-04 (1F), Niamh Kelly 1-00, Deirdre Doherty 0-2, Aileen Gilroy 0-2, Fiona McHale, Kathryn Sullivan 0-1 each
Half time score Dublin 0-6 Mayo 0-05
Sin binned: Mayo, Deirdre Doherty (62min), Dublin, Siobhan McGrath (Injury time)
Referee: Des McEnery (Westmeath)
Images available to view on GAApics.com