BLUES IN QUARTER AS MAYO BOW OUT

CHAMPIONS Dublin will face Kerry in the last eight of the All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship.

The Sky Blues beat Mayo 3-11 to 1-8 at Dr Hyde Park yesterday and the Dublin-Kerry tie is a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, which Mick Bohan’s outfit won in Thurles.

Last year’s runners-up Mayo face Galway in a mouth-watering repeat of the Connacht final, one the back of another agonising defeat to Dublin.

Cork, the 11-time champions, have been handed a showdown with Westmeath, after a 1-19 to 1-7 comfortable win over Armagh in Ballinasloe.

And Donegal, the reigning Ulster champions and one of the favourites for Brendan Martin Cup glory on September 16, will tackle local rivals Armagh in the other quarter-final which will take place next weekend.

Dublin looked awesome in their victory over a depleted Mayo where Noelle Healy scored 1-2, while Nicole Owens also found the net.

Clodagh McManamon scored an own-goal in the first-half that ensured Dublin were 1-5 to 0-4 up at half-time.

When Fiona Doherty hit the net Mayo only trailed by 2-5 to 1-7 with six minutes of the second half played but Dublin closed the game out like champions.

Mayo must now face an in-form Galway for the second time in the championship.

The Tribe beat them 0-17 to 1-12 in the Connacht final and were red hot in a 6-17 to 1-6 win over Westmeath. Leanne Coen (two), Sarah Conneally, Roisin Leonard, Emma Reaney and Louise Ward scored their goals.

Westmeath’s Aoife Connolly hit 1-2. They now take on Cork in the quarterfinals. Ephie Fitzgerald’s side brushed past Armagh. Eimear Scally scored

1-4 for the Munster champions.

Armagh must re-group fast but their opponents Donegal could only notch a narrow 1-13 to 3-6 win over Kerry. Geraldine McLaughlin was the hero with 0-8, while Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh starred for the losers.