Kearns’ goal the key as Westerners see off spirited Cavan
RACHEL KEARNS’ first-half goal meant Mayo were able to hold off a brave Cavan, winning on a scoreline of 1-18 to 0-15 to pick up the points in this Group 1 first round TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship encounter at Markievicz Park in Sligo.
Michael Moyles’ side did the hard work in the first half and held a comfortable sevenpoint interval lead. They were then able to keep the gap between themselves and the Breffni side up to the final whistle, with the free-taking of Shauna Howley a major component in this victory.
Mayo led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the first water break, after Cavan had raced into an early two-point lead thanks to two frees from Aisling Gilsenan inside three minutes.
The Westerners rallied though, reeling off the next five points on the bounce, with Howley kicking three of them, including two good efforts from play, while Grace Kelly and Sinéad Cafferkey also found their range.
However, the final say of the quarter went to Cavan full-forward Aisling Sheridan who landed a fine effort to cut the gap to two.
Mayo stretched their legs though, and went in at half-time leading 1-9 to 0-5, with Kearns’ goal after 24 minutes coming after she picked the ball 21 metres out and rifled it past Elaine Walsh in the Cavan goal.
Aisling Sheridan got Cavan going early after the restart with a fine point as the sides went score for score in the third quarter. Cavan’s Amy Rooney kicked three points in the minutes after being introduced shortly after the resumption, and she went on to add another trio in the final quarter.
Cavan kept pushing Mayo all the way through the final 15 minutes, but Mayo were always able to keep themselves that bit in front down the home straight. Moyles’ side also welcomed back Sarah Rowe, who made her first appearance of the season as a second-half substitute, while she also kicked a couple of impressive late scores.
Mayo will go on to their meeting with Monaghan in the next round in confident form, while Cavan take on Armagh as they look to get their first points on the board in this fourteam group.
Elsewhere, a three-goal blitz in as many second-half minutes gave Armagh an emphatic victory and killed off the dogged Monaghan challenge in a cracking tussle, the other Group 1 clash.
Played in the Athletic Grounds, this was an entertaining contest with little to choose between the teams, except for Armagh’s ruthlessness in front of goal, which saw them run out worthy winners on a 4-17 to 1-12 scoreline.