It wasn’t to be for Manulla in the Connacht Women’s Cup final, losing out to Salthill Devon 4-3 in Headford on Sunday afternoon.
Jess Nolan opened the scoring early on but the Galway side held a 3-1 lead going in at half-time.
Tracy Hall reduced the deficit for Manulla on 70 minutes but despite a huge effort, it just wasn’t to be their day and Salthill ran out 4-3 winners in the end.
In other action this weekend, Crossmolina got their first points on the board in the Mayo Women’s Football League with a well-deserved draw at home to Kiltimagh Knock United on Friday evening.
They responded well having fallen behind to an Ellen Boyle goal and, indeed, it took a Boyle strike from the penalty box to earn KK a point as she equalised matters and completed her hat-trick.
Danielle Kelly, Sarah Kelly and Cathriona Flynn all hit the net for Crossmolina in the first half as they led 3-2 at the break.
Swinford and Castlebar Town both continued their unbeaten runs in the league, with Town still top of the table on 21 points, with an extra game played over their nearest rivals.
The county town side were on tour to the Erris peninsula on a lovely summer’s evening where they put nine past Kilmore. Louise Dowling had a first-half hat-trick after Mary Tyrell opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Tyrell went on to also net herself a hat-trick, with Roisin Kelly, Chloe Morley and substitute Sophie Keavney also getting on the scoresheet on what turned out to be a tough evening for the north Mayo side.
Swinford enjoyed a 3-0 win at home over Straide & Foxford. They led 2-0 at half-time through Beth Roache and Melissa Devaney, and Kaitlyn Jordan rounded off the scoring in the 64th minute.
Conn Rangers returned home with full points on their visit to Killala in a seven-goal thriller.
They led 3-0 at the break through Leah McHugh and Ciara Armstrong (2), with McHugh tapping in an early second-half goal to make it 4-0.
Laura Bilbow pulled one back for Killala on 53 minutes before substitute Alva Munnelly was introduced 10 minutes later and she made life a little uncomfortable for Conn with two goals, the first on 73 minutes and a second eight minutes from full-time.
Fixtures
Mayo Women’s League (Round 8)
Friday, May 19, 7.30pm.
Kiltimagh Knock United v Straide & Foxford
Ballinrobe Town v Swinford
Castlebar Town v Manulla
Conn Rangers v Kilmore
Crossmolina v Killala
Ava is Player of the Month
Ava Keane has been named Player of the Month for April by the Mayo Women’s Football League.
Ava Keane has been named Player of the Month for April by the Mayo Women’s Football League.
Castlebar Town currently sit top of the league, albeit it with a game more played than their closest rivals, with a full 21 points in the bag.
Twenty-year-old Keane has been one of the leaders on the pitch for Town with 10 of their goals to date coming from her boot.
McHale Agri, Forest and Garden, Castlebar, are sponsors of the monthly award.
Under 17 Girls Cup and Shield final places down for decision
THE pairings for the finals of the Mayo Under 17 Girls Cup and Shield will be decided tomorrow evening (Tuesday).
The draw following last Tuesday’s quarterfinals has pitted Manulla against Ballinrobe Town in the first cup semi-final, with Castlebar Town hosting Kiltimagh Knock United in the second.
The shield semi-finals feature Ballina Town v Snugboro United and Killala v Claremorris.
In the cup quarter-finals, Castlebar Celtic from Division 2 were at home to Division 1 side Manulla, with Manulla edging a seven-goal thriller.
Ballinrobe from the Premier Division got the better of Division 2 champions Westport United on a 3-1 scoreline.
Premier Division league leaders Kiltimagh Knock United hosted Division 1 league leaders Swinford. It’s always a tight encounter between these sides and so it proved yet again, with a seven-goal thriller where extra time was needed to separate the teams. KK emerged 4-3 winners.
The last quarter-final saw Premier Division side Conn Rangers travel to Division 1 side Castlebar Town and in the end it was penalties that were to decide the outcome, with the hosts prevailing 5-3.
In the shield quarter-finals, Claremorris had a 5-0 win over Ballyvary Blue Bombers and Snugboro were 2-0 winners over visitors Fahy Rovers. Killala and Ballina Town both had byes.