Ladies light up the night

Ladies light up the night and title remains in sight

Mayo         1-12 

Monaghan 1-7

Mike Finnerty

THERE is seldom a dull moment when you’re on the road with the Mayo ladies.

Try this for starters; an All-Ireland quarter-final in mid-August starts in late evening and is lashed by rain, buffeted by wind, and ends with players hardly able to see one another in the semi-darkness. And have we mentioned the thunder?

Nothing it seems will stop the relentless march of the team Frank Browne has built. A National League and Connacht championship have already been plundered and this hard-fought victory will have galvanised this intrepid bunch ahead of a semi-final later this month.

The match itself was reduced to a lottery by the heavy pitch, greasy ball and atrocious weather. It was an evening for rolling up the sleeves, knuckling down and dispensing with the niceties.

Monaghan also asked Mayo questions they hadn’t heard since the provincial final and, to their credit, they had all the answers.

First to raise her hand all evening was the imperious Helena Lohan who gave an exhibition at full-back, sweeping, tidying and intercepting. Not far behind were the McGings, Sharon and Caroline, who were still flying at the final hooter.

In fact Mayo’s physical conditioning was one of the most striking features of this victory. They outscored Monaghan by 0-6 to 0-1 during the last 25 minutes and the likes of Claire Egan, Ciara McDermott, Chris Heffernan, Fiona McHale and Aoife Herbert finished the match looking like they were only getting started.

Heffernan, in particular, rolled back the years with an assured display and her work-rate, use of the ball, and leadership meant that the captain led by example all through.

And then there was Cora. Mayo’s very own ‘wonder woman’ was one of four Mayo players who flew home from UEFA Cup soccer duty in Austria for the game, and it proved a wise decision.

Despite having a limited role in open play, the Carnacon star still weighed in with 1-9, the goal from a third minute penalty and eight points from frees.

Mayo led at half-time by 1-6 to 1-5 with Staunton’s well-struck penalty (after Ciara McDermott had been fouled) setting them on their way.

But Monaghan never lost touch, mainly through the prompting and free-taking of the talented Niamh Kindlon who landed four points (three frees).

Still, with Staunton clipping her fair share of scores at the other end and Chris Heffernan nipping in for a trademark score too, Mayo led by 1-5 to 0-5 after 24 minutes.

Yvonne Byrne hadn’t conceded a goal for over three hours but when Grainne McNally netted from close-range to level the match, Mayo knew they were in a battle.

Predictably, Cora Staunton did convert a free just before the break to send her team in soaked, but in front, at half-time.

The second half started with Monaghan in the ascendancy and the influential Niamh Kindlon levelled the match for the first time in the 34th minute.

Mayo’s rapid response was established by their ability to move the ball at pace, despite the soggy underfoot conditions.

Caroline McGing, Michelle Kelly, Claire Egan, Ciara McDermott and Fiona McHale all came pouring forward, and Monaghan’s defence were unable to cope.

A couple of frees were coughed up and Cora popped over both of them to ease Mayo back into a 1-8 to 1-6 lead.

A ten minute scoreless period then drifted by as both defences circled the wagons but the fleet-footed Aoife Herbert (also back from Austria) found a way through in the 48th minute.

Her brilliantly-taken point was the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom and her balance, poise and accuracy brought the small, hardy band of Mayo supporters to their feet.

Behind by 1-9 to 1-6, Monaghan sensed the game slipping away. Their goalkeeper, Linda Martin, had pulled off a string of saves to thwart Mayo so it seemed only fair that her forwards should try and mount a rescue mission.

Their glorious opportunity came and went in the 51st minute when Therese McNally’s shot cracked off the post and with it went Monaghan’s hopes of an upset.

The fact that Niamh Kindlon was forced off with an injury (sustained in that passage of play) merely added to their impending disappointment and the sin-binning of Fiona Courtney was the final straw.

With an extra player, Mayo finished in style. Diane O’Hora came off the bench and set up two scores as Cora Staunton (two frees) and Ciara McDermott added the signature points.

There is a sense of real momentum about this Mayo team now and who knows where it all will end.

Mayo

Y Byrne; S McGing, H Lohan, N O’Shea; C McGing, M Carter, C O’Hara; C Egan, C McDermott (0-1); C Heffernan (0-1), C Staunton (1-9, 1-0pen, 8fs), F McHale; L Cafferkey, J Moran, A Herbert (0-1). Subs used: M Kelly for O’Hara (inj); C Burke for O’Shea; D O’Hora for Cafferkey.

Monaghan

L Martin; S Courtney, M Grimes, L Connolly; F Courtney, O McKeown, C Reilly; A Casey, U McNally; C McConnell (0-1, 1f), N Kindlon (0-5, 3fs), H Hughes; G McNally (1-0), T McNally (0-1, 1f), C McAnespie. Subs used: N Fahy for McKeown; A McAnespie for McConnell; N Lynch for Kindlon.

Referee: K Tigue (Dublin)