CORA STAUNTON PROVED the difference as Mayo had to work desperately hard for victory over Westmeath in Saturday afternoon’s TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship round 2 qualifier.
Staunton’s late free, a contentious award that was hotly-disputed by Westmeath, settled an absorbing tie at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford.
Westmeath, who trailed by nine points during the first half, fought back to level matters with a brilliant goal by Sarah Dolan four minutes from time.
But with less than two minutes remaining, Johanna Maher was adjudged to have committed a foul and Staunton tapped over the winning point, taking her match tally to 2-6.
Mayo hung on grimly for the win in the final minute and are now safely through to the TG4 All-Ireland quarter-finals.
This was a super effort from Westmeath, who had beaten Clare in their previous outing, but ultimately Mayo held on to atone for their Connacht final defeat to Galway.
At half-time, Mayo were 2-6 to 0-7 clear but a strong final ten minutes from Westmeath reduced the interval deficit to five points, after Mayo had been 2-6 to 0-3 in front by the 18th minute.
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And Westmeath, rank outsiders before throw-in, were unlucky to see early efforts from Laura Brennan and Fiona Leavy crash back to safety off the Mayo crossbar.
Mayo, despite registering a total of eleven wides, took the big chances that came their way and in Staunton, they had a proven matchwinner.
The Carnacon star netted in the seventh minute at the second attempt, after Sarah Keegan had saved her initial effort.
And Sarah Rowe struck for Mayo’s second goal in the 14th minute, as the Westerners took control.
But Westmeath were clinging to Mayo’s coattails, due in main to the free-taking of Maud Annie Foley and Fiona Claffey’s class in attack.
And as the second half elapsed, a major upset became a distinct possibility.
Westmeath were dealt a blow in the 43rd minute when full-back Rebecca Dunne was sinbinned for hauling down Staunton.
And when Staunton netted her second goal three minutes later, to put Mayo seven points clear (3-7 to 0-9), the Lake County looked doomed.
But after Claffey sparked the Lake County revival with a point, Mayo lost full-back Helena Lohan and midfielder Sarah Tierney down the home straight to yellow cards.
And when Dolan collected a quick Claffey free to score a quite sensational goal from an acute angle, the sides were level.
But there was still time for Staunton to settle the tie with that late free, as Westmeath argued that Maher had not fouled the lethal Mayo forward.
Referee Farrelly was then forced to blow the full-time whistle to signal the end of the game, after the electronic time clock malfunctioned with over a minute to go.
Scorers for Mayo: C Staunton 2-6 (0-4f), S Rowe 1-1, K Sullivan 0-1.
Scorers for Westmeath: M.A. Foley 0-5f, F Claffey 0-4, S Dolan 1-0, L Kiernan, J Maher, C Blundell & F Leavy 0-1 each.
MAYO: Y Byrne; M Corbett, H Lohan, A Bell; M Naughton, C Connolly, M Carter; N Kelly, S Tierney; K Sullivan, F McHale, D Hughes; A Herbert, S uaRowe, C Staunton.
Subs: D Doherty for Herbert (26), F Doherty for Kelly (40), A Tuohy for Connolly (54).
WESTMEATH: S Keegan; A Martin, R Dunne, T Durkan; L Kiernan, J Rogers, L Brennan; M.A. Foley, R Kearney; L Duncan, J Maher, C Blundell; F Leavy, F Claffey, K Somers.
Subs: K Hegarty for Leavy (43), S Dolan for Somers (50), A Brady for Blundell (52).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC Round 2 Qualifier
Laois 3-10
Cavan 0-10
MARTINA Dunne scored four important points from play, as Laois got their campaign on track, with a nine-point victory over Cavan in the TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship Round 2 qualifier on Saturday afternoon at St. Peregrines.
Reigning All-Ireland Intermediate Champions Cavan handed the O’Moore’s a tough game in the opening half, but once Laura Marie Maher claimed Laois’s third goal in the 34th minute, it provided the platform for victory.
A brace of first quarter goals laid an early foundation for Laois, with Martha Kirwan and Meaghan Dunne on target in the fifth and 16th minutes respectively, but Cavan never gave up.
Finian Farrelly and Gerry Sheridan’s charges cut the gap to two points by injury-time, withthree unanswered points, with Geraldine Sheridan, Claragh O’Reilly and Ciara Farrell on target between the 22nd and 31st minute.
However, Meaghan Dunne brought her tally to 1-2 by the break, with the final score of the half, following a well-worked move in front of the Cavan goalmouth.
Laois led by 2-3 to 0-6 at the interval, and kicked on in the second half with Cavan rueing six wides by the full-time whistle.
Cavan introduced Aishling Sheridan in placed of Beth Farrelly Magee at half-time, and they began the second half in determined mood, with Farrell firing her third point.
But Laois hit their third goal, after a powerful shot from Anne Marie Maher in the 35th minute, and never looked back.
O’Reilly and team captain Roisin O’Keefe endeavoured to keep Cavan in touch, but with Martina Dunne claiming some outstanding points from play, and Tracey Lawlor and Eimear McWey on target, Laois held out for victory.
The O’Moore’s had defender Grainne Dunne sin-binned in the closing eight minutes, but stood firm, with substitute Anna Moore claiming their final score late on to insure a nine-point win.
Scorers for Laois: Meaghan Dunne 1-2; Martina Dunne 0-4; M Kirwan, LM Maher 1-0 each; R Williams, E McWey, T Lawlor (1f), A Moore 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cavan: C O’Reilly (4f) 0-4; C Farrell 0-3; G Sheridan 0-2; R O’Keefe 0-1.
LAOIS: C Dollard; C Dunne, G Dunne, M Nerney; M Murphy, F Dooley, M Kirwan; J Dunne, T Lawlor; A Kehoe, Martina Dunne, E McWey; R Williams, LM Maher, Meaghan Dunne. Subs: A Moore for Kehoe (15); L Nerney for J Dunne (56).
CAVAN: C Fay; E McDermott, G McGlade, J Moore; S Reilly, A Cornyn, L Fitzpatrick; R Crowe, M Sheridan; C O’Reilly, R O’Keeffe, S King; B Farrelly-Magee, G Sheridan, C Farrell. Subs: E Walsh for Fay (25); A Sheridan for Farrelly-Magee (HT); E Mulligan for King (57).
Staunton inspires Mayo to victory despite battling comeback from Westmeath
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC round 2 qualifier
Mayo 3-8
Westmeath 1-13
CORA STAUNTON PROVED the difference as Mayo had to work desperately hard for victory over Westmeath in Saturday afternoon’s TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship round 2 qualifier.
Staunton’s late free, a contentious award that was hotly-disputed by Westmeath, settled an absorbing tie at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford.
Westmeath, who trailed by nine points during the first half, fought back to level matters with a brilliant goal by Sarah Dolan four minutes from time.
But with less than two minutes remaining, Johanna Maher was adjudged to have committed a foul and Staunton tapped over the winning point, taking her match tally to 2-6.
Mayo hung on grimly for the win in the final minute and are now safely through to the TG4 All-Ireland quarter-finals.
This was a super effort from Westmeath, who had beaten Clare in their previous outing, but ultimately Mayo held on to atone for their Connacht final defeat to Galway.
At half-time, Mayo were 2-6 to 0-7 clear but a strong final ten minutes from Westmeath reduced the interval deficit to five points, after Mayo had been 2-6 to 0-3 in front by the 18th minute.
And Westmeath, rank outsiders before throw-in, were unlucky to see early efforts from Laura Brennan and Fiona Leavy crash back to safety off the Mayo crossbar.
Mayo, despite registering a total of eleven wides, took the big chances that came their way and in Staunton, they had a proven matchwinner.
The Carnacon star netted in the seventh minute at the second attempt, after Sarah Keegan had saved her initial effort.
And Sarah Rowe struck for Mayo’s second goal in the 14th minute, as the Westerners took control.
But Westmeath were clinging to Mayo’s coattails, due in main to the free-taking of Maud Annie Foley and Fiona Claffey’s class in attack.
And as the second half elapsed, a major upset became a distinct possibility.
Westmeath were dealt a blow in the 43rd minute when full-back Rebecca Dunne was sinbinned for hauling down Staunton.
And when Staunton netted her second goal three minutes later, to put Mayo seven points clear (3-7 to 0-9), the Lake County looked doomed.
But after Claffey sparked the Lake County revival with a point, Mayo lost full-back Helena Lohan and midfielder Sarah Tierney down the home straight to yellow cards.
And when Dolan collected a quick Claffey free to score a quite sensational goal from an acute angle, the sides were level.
But there was still time for Staunton to settle the tie with that late free, as Westmeath argued that Maher had not fouled the lethal Mayo forward.
Referee Farrelly was then forced to blow the full-time whistle to signal the end of the game, after the electronic time clock malfunctioned with over a minute to go.
Scorers for Mayo: C Staunton 2-6 (0-4f), S Rowe 1-1, K Sullivan 0-1.
Scorers for Westmeath: M.A. Foley 0-5f, F Claffey 0-4, S Dolan 1-0, L Kiernan, J Maher, C Blundell & F Leavy 0-1 each.
MAYO: Y Byrne; M Corbett, H Lohan, A Bell; M Naughton, C Connolly, M Carter; N Kelly, S Tierney; K Sullivan, F McHale, D Hughes; A Herbert, S uaRowe, C Staunton.
Subs: D Doherty for Herbert (26), F Doherty for Kelly (40), A Tuohy for Connolly (54).
WESTMEATH: S Keegan; A Martin, R Dunne, T Durkan; L Kiernan, J Rogers, L Brennan; M.A. Foley, R Kearney; L Duncan, J Maher, C Blundell; F Leavy, F Claffey, K Somers.
Subs: K Hegarty for Leavy (43), S Dolan for Somers (50), A Brady for Blundell (52).
Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan).
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC Round 2 Qualifier
Laois 3-10
Cavan 0-10
MARTINA Dunne scored four important points from play, as Laois got their campaign on track, with a nine-point victory over Cavan in the TG4 Ladies Senior Football Championship Round 2 qualifier on Saturday afternoon at St. Peregrines.
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Cora Staunton GAA Ladies Football Qualified success