O’Connor goal turns tide for dogged Dubs
Overwhelmed Mayo fail to keep hold of commanding first-half lead as...
AREMARKABLE second-half comeback propelled All-Ireland champions Dublin to their first victory of the Lidl National League Divisions 1 campaign at a windswept James Stephens Park in Ballina.
Mick Bohan’s team had trailed at half-time by nine points after playing against the gale in the opening half, but took complete control after the restart and turned the game on its head to win on a 2-15 to 2-8 scoreline.
The visitors outscored Liam McHale’s charges by 2-11 to 0-1 during a one-sided second period with goals from Caoimhe O’Connor and Kate Sullivan among the many Dublin highlights after the previous weekend’s defeat to Meath.
Mayo had seemed to be in a commanding position at halftime, leading 2-7 to 0-4.
The star of the show in that period was Lisa Cafferky, who helped herself to 2-6 and terrorised the Dublin defence.
It took the Kilmovee star just three minutes to open her account, and seconds later she had the ball in the Dublin net after Rachael Fleming’s short kick-out was intercepted.
Sinéad Walsh topped up Mayo’s lead before Cafferky tucked away a penalty in the ninth minute after she had been fouled.
Dublin finally opened their account in the 12th minute through a Kate Sullivan free, but that score was quickly cancelled out by a brace of brilliant efforts from Cafferky.
Scores from Orlagh Nolan, Annabelle Timothy and Kate Sullivan kept Dublin in the hunt, but Mayo also kept the scoreboard ticking at the other end through the prolific Cafferky, who tapped over a free and clipped a superb point from play. Mayo went to the dressing-rooms with a spring in their step but everything changed very quickly after the restart.
Dublin responded with early points from Timothy, Sullivan, Ellen Gribben and Orlagh Nolan, but the tide really turned when O’Connor goaled in the 42nd minute.
Dublin went ahead for the first time in the 47th minute through Timothy and Mayo’s sole score of the second half didn’t arrive until the 59th minute — a free from Cafferky.
The winners shot 1-3 in additional time to seal victory.
Armagh continued their winning start in Division 1 with a 0-8 to 0-6 victory over Galway at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, the hosts coping better with the windy conditions.
In a low scoring encounter, Armagh’s first-half return kept them ahead as Galway mounted a comeback in the second period but ultimately came up short.
Armagh were the dominant force in the opening period while keeping Daniel Moynihan’s side scoreless for the first 30 minutes.
Galway’s uphill challenge got steeper on 40 minutes when Linda Booth received a red card for a high challenge on Emily Druse. By that stage Armagh had already opened their account, with Kelly Mallon slotting over from a free.
A second pointed free by Mallon was quickly followed, as Aimee Mackin got off the mark through a close range free while corner back Róisín Mulligan extended the advantage with a superbly taken score.
Galway had a chance to get back into the game with a rare attack but Mairéad Glynn’s pass across the face of the goal towards Shauna Hynes, who was under pressure from Grace Ferguson, was punched wide.
Mallon had the final say of the first half when she added to her tally, stroking over a third free to leave her side six points ahead when the teams changed sides at 0-6 to 0-0.
The second half was just two minutes old when a more determined Galway got their end of the scoreboard up and running as Ailbhe Davoren split the posts before Róisín Leonard tapped over a free.
Leonard then turned provider, setting up a Leanne Coen score to cut the deficit to three. Mallon and Lauren McConville traded scores with Leonard before Armagh lost Mackin to a yellow card for the final few minutes.
Although Leonard kicked over a late score as Galway searched for a goal, it wasn’t enough for the visiting side to get something from the game as they fell to a third defeat.