LADIES NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE S/F

MAYO 3-10 LAOIS 0-13

WHAT happened? Most Laois people left the field in Aughamore wondering, what happened Laois? After a great first half performance it was disappointing to watch a league final spot slip away.

Laois led for most of the game, they built up a lead of four points at one stage in the first half and went in a point up at half-time but Mayo came down on Laois like a ton of bricks in the second half and Emma Mullins scored two goals in the space of just two minutes to complete a hat trick and leave Laois stunned.

It had all the makings of an exciting game. A hat trick scorer, an injured star player, a red card and a beautiful day of sunshine, if only Laois had have been able to bring home a victory.

Laois were dealt a huge blow in the 25th minute, when star player, Tracey Lawlor, was carried off of the field with an ankle injury. Martha Kirwan was also sent off in the second half with six minutes to go and Laois not having scored since the 44th minute of play.

Mayo opened the scoring in the second minute with a point from Mullins. Laois responded two minutes later with a point from a free from Mary Kirwan. An unlucky Tracey Lawlor hit the crossbar and Martina Dunne managed to win back the ball and send over a point.

A well won ball by Emma McEvoy off Clare Egan’s free kick finished with a point from Nóirín Kirwan and her sister, Mary, followed suite. Laois were lucky as they gave away frees and sharp shooter, Cora Staunton, happened not to be on the top of her form in the first half, which is a very rare occurrence.

Nóirín Kirwan and Aisling Quigley sent over points, putting Laois five points in front. This was not to last for long though as Mullins struck the top of the net in the 22nd minute. This was the Laois defence’s only real slip up.

Tracey had been called upon a few times in the half but other than that Lorraine Muckian showed great strength in breaking out of defence and marking Cora Staunton. Lawlor then left the field with an ankle injury. Martina Dunne converted a free to lift Laois a bit. Nóirín Kirwan pointed either side of three Mayo points leaving the score at half-time Laois 0-9 Mayo 1-5.

The second half didn’t go Laois’ way. Mary Kirwan opened the scoring with a point and Mayo went through a spout of wides from the first minute of the half. Lorraine Muckian managed to stand up to Cora Staunton like a solid wall, the full forward fell to the ground but referee, Séamus O’Neill awarded a free out to Laois.

Mary Kirwan, Nóirín Kirwan and Aileen O’Loughlin all pointed for Laois leaving the O’Moore ladies final tally at 0-13 in the 44th minute.

The 50th minute saw Emma Mullin’s hit to the left bottom corner of the net, the goal had been coming a while and Laois were beginning to lose their shape. The wing forward then made it a hat trick, when she tapped the ball down into the left bottom corner of the net again after Tracey Fallon saved in the Laois goals.

In the 54th minute the build up of scraps around the field and rough play developed into a silly fight and resulted in Laois going down to 14 players, when Martha Kirwan was shown a straight red card.

Cora Staunton fisted over a point and in the 57th minute and converted a free to stretch the lead to two goals.

LAOIS: Tracey Fallon; Mags McEvoy, Lorraine Muckian, Marion O’Grady; Grace Weston, Patricia Fogarty, Angela Casey; Emma McEvoy, Aileen O’Loughlin (.-.); Martha Kirwan, Aisling Quigley ( Nóirín Kirwan (.-.); Martina Dunne (.-., .f), Martha Kirwan ( Mary Kirwan (.-., .f). Subs: Anna Moore for Lawlor (..mins, inj), Alice Malone for M. McEvoy (h/t), Kathleen O’Reilly for Mary Kirwan (..mins), Mary Kirwan for Dunne (..mins).

MAYO: Yvonne Byrne; Marie Corbett, Nicola Hurst, Noelle Tierney; Tríona McNicholas, Caroline McGing, Sinéad Hughes; Claire Egan (.-.), Martha Carter; Catherine Sullivan, Fiona McHale, Emma Mullins (.-.); Lisa Cafferky (.-.), Cora Staunton (.-., .F), Sinéad Cafferky. Subs: Claire O’Hara for Hurst (h/t), Natasha Beegan for McNicholas (..mins), Emer Tansey for L. Cafferky (..mins).

REFEREE: Séamus O’Neill (Armagh)

- Laois Nationalist

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