Tyrone Ladies show character to overcome Mayo

Mayo 2-11 Tyrone 1-15

TRUE character and tenacity combined with an ability to take their scores at crucial times helped an improved Tyrone Ladies to secure a first win in Division One with this victory over Mayo at Swinford on Sunday afternoon

The reintroduction of Sorcha Gormley, Aoife McGahan and influential attacker Niamh O’Neill changed the complexion of the game with all three scoring while the accuracy of top scorer Chloe McCaffrey helped steer them over the line.

Tyrone trailed 8-3 at one stage and 1-9 to 0-5 at the break but unlike their previous two encounters they really stepped up on the restart. Showing real belief in the second period Tyrone came back with O’Neill marking her return after two years with four points.

Mayo made the best possible start when after a trio of early wides they made better use of a strong breeze with Sinead Walsh’s first free and a point from play by Milly Sheridan getting them on the scoreboard.

McCaffrey got Tyrone up and running from a placed ball on ten minutes but Mayo responded quickly through Ciara Durkin and another free from Walsh.

A second McCaffrey free and a terrific score by a fit again Aoife McGahan from the tightest of angles brought the Red Hands back to within one only for Walsh to tag on four points without reply.

Credit to St Macartan’s ace McCaffrey, she added a third point and Clarke’s Meabh Mallon pulled them back with another score  but on her debut Clodagh Keane slid the ball under Amelia Coyle for a goal to drive Mayo ahead by seven.

Tyrone started the second half with purpose with four points without reply, McCaffrey, Slaine McCarroll and McGahan among the scores while Mayo were reduced to 14 after Geraghty was shown a yellow card.

Against the run of play, Sinead Walsh scored Mayo’s second goal on forty four minutes after a wayward shot by Hannah Reape fell into her hands and she thundered a strike past Coyle.

Yet a second yellow card followed when Danielle Caldwell was carded too. Another two McCaffrey frees and a point by substitute Niamh O’Neill kept Tyrone within reach of Mayo.

Maria Cannon popped over a fine free under pressure to bring the gap back to four but Tyrone were level moments later after a point by O’Neill and a goal by another replacement Sorcha Gormley.

As the seconds ticked away Erin Murray put Mayo back ahead but O’Neill fired over two late points to put Tyrone ahead for the first time.

Kayla Doherty had a chance in the final seconds to win it for Mayo but her shot was brilliantly saved by Coyle as Darren McCann’s side left Swinford with a valuable win.

Scorers

Mayo – Sinead Walsh 1-7 (4f), C Keane 1-0, M Sheridan 0-1, C Durkin 0-1, M Cannon 0-1 (1f), E Murray 0-1.

Tyrone – Chloe McCaffrey 0-7, Niamh O’Neill 0-4, Sorcha Gormley 1-0, Aoife McGahan 0-2, Slaine McCarroll and Meabh Mallon 0-1 each

Teams

Mayo – C Reilly Benson; L Wallace, S El Massry, D Caldwell; A Gough, S Lally, H Reape; E Murray, A Geraghty; S Delaney, C Whyte, C Durkin; M Sheridan, S Walsh, C Keane. Subs: K Doherty for Whyte, R Jordan for Gough, M Cannon for Durkin , C Doherty for Keane, E Brennan for Lally.

Tyrone –  Amelia Coyle; Jayne Lyons, Joanne Barrett, Eimear Quinn; Michaela Moore, Meabh Corrigan, Aoife Quinn; Aoibheann McHugh, Meabh Mallon; Slaine McCarroll, Caitlin Campbell, Ellie McNamee; Chloe McCaffrey, Aoife McGahan, Aoife Horisk. Subs: Sorcha Gormley for Barrett  Cara McCrossan for Quinn, Niamh O’Neill for McNamee.