Mayo 0-9
Cork 0-7
MAYO PICKED UP vital points in this Lidl NFL Division 1 clash with Cork at the 4G pitch at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh.
The game was originally scheduled for Mallow but that pitch was unplayable so had to be moved to the 4G pitch to ensure it went ahead.
The win now puts Mayo on seven points and should be enough to secure their status in the top flight next season. Cork are now in relegation dogfight and they have to win their final games to have a chance of staying up.
Lisa Cafferky opened the scoring for Mayo four minutes in, with Daire Kiely levelling from a free for Cork.
Using the wind to its full advantage, Mayo went back in front when Sinead Walsh scored a magnificent point from long distance to make it 0-2 to 0-1.
A great tackle by Libby Coppinger won the ball back for Cork and she played Abigail Ring in to see the sides level again.
Another quality point from Walsh put her side back in front before Ring had them level for the third time.
Maire Cannon and Sinead Cafferky put the visitors two up, but Cork finished the half strongly.
Coppinger was unlucky not to get a goal with her effort going across the line and the danger was cleared. But two late points from Kiely — one from a free — saw the sides level at half time and all to play for.
Sinead Cafferky put Mayo back in front at the start of the second half and with 38 minutes gone, they were awarded a penalty.
Sarah Leahy was deemed to have fouled Aoife Geraghty but Lisa Cafferky put her effort wide to keep Cork in contention.
Geraghty put two between the sides as Cork were finding it difficult to break down the Mayo defence.
It took Cork 20 minutes to score after the restart when Ellie Jack made it 0-7 to 0-6.
But points from Geraghty and Cannon put Mayo three up with only minutes remaining. Cork drove forward in search of the goal they needed but the Mayo defence kept them at bay.
Melissa Duggan pulled a point back for Cork with time running out and it proved to be the last score of the tie as Mayo took the points in a vital win for them.
Scorers for Mayo: A Geraghty, S Cafferky, S Walsh, M Cannon (1f) 0-2 each, L Cafferky 0-1.
Scorers for Cork: D Kiely 0-3 (1f), A Ring 0-2, E Jack, M Duggan 0-1 each.
MAYO: L Brennan; A Fitzpatrick, N O’Malley, S Lally; K Sullivan, D Caldwell, J Mortimer; A Geraghty, H Reape; F McLaughlin, L Cafferky, M Cannon; T Needham, F McHale, S Walsh. Subs: C Doherty for T Needham (24), C Durkin for K Sullivan (ht), E Needham for L Cafferky (47).
CORK: C Richmond; M Duggan, S Leahy, E Twomey; K O’Driscoll, A Healy, L O’Mahony; M O’Callaghan, A McDonagh; K Redmond, D Kiely, E Cleary; L Coppinger, L McDonagh, A Ring. Subs: R Corkery for K Redmond (12), E Jack for R Corkery, S O’Leary for L McDonagh (both 41), H Looney for A Ring (45), E Hurley for D Kiely (55), A Ryan for A McDonagh (60).
Referee: Patrick Smith (Waterford).
The league here needs to grow so that it provides a credible alternative to jumping to English league football at the first opportunity. I think we should follow the Dutch model and continue to emphasise technical ability, that for instance summer football does promote, onwards and upwards and hopefully we can hold onto and develop the Towell’s further. Nothing wrong with going over when the bucks are big obviously
@An_Beal_Bocht: you can never hold to the good players in the league when they don’t have decent contract or long term contracts.. A lot of players don’t get 12 month contracts only 9 can’t blame players for leaving to secure there future
@Irishoversea: couldn’t agree more, Irish. And by not giving the players longer contracts they’re also losing out on potential transfer fees. As for the players leaving LOI for the UK, it’s always going to happen because players will look at the Championship, League 1, etc. as stepping stones to the Premier League. It’s very rare for somebody to go straight there from the LOI and actually make it.
@Irishoversea: I agree with you fully, that’s why the league needs to be developed and supported. However it was interesting to read Trevor Molloy the other day and how he found the lower English leagues to be more about physicality and athleticism and less technical when compared to LOI and he was more than happy to play football in his hometown close to his family and friends
I think he will do very well if he goes out on loan to a championship team next season if he stays fit. He has been very unlucky with injuries this season
@Jordan Callaghan: He needs pick a team suit his style of football
Honeymoon over, Richie
Being honest I don’t think he was near to being Dundalks best player at the time. He scored a lot of goals but you wouldn’t see him for must of the game. In saying that he went over injured so he never had a chance at a good run of games. Plenty of talented players in the loi. Horgan is flying at Preston, all’s you need is a bit of luck.
@prop joe: The English scouts obviously saw something in him you didn’t Joe.
@prop joe: flying me whole. He started ,what two games? He should get into the team more starting next season though. On that note. Maybe preston would be the fit for towel
@William Motley: I’m pretty sure Horgan played around 20 league games from January, with over half being starts. He’s made a fairly big impact in a short space of time.
He’s made 12