Hero Leonard stands up to pressure with winning free

Mayo 2-9

THIS Galway ladies football team’s maiden voyage to Croke Park saw them weather a fierce Mayo storm in Sunday’s titanic All-Ireland senior semi-final.

Tim Rabbitt’s squad had to call on all their reserves of grit to edge out their arch Connacht rivals as the Tribeswomen secured a passage to a first All-Ireland final since 2005.

Making their debut at GAA headquarters, Galway displayed no traces of stage fright with two brilliantly created and finished first-half goals from dynamic wing forward Mairéad Seoighe critical to a narrow but deserved victory.

Ultimately, the result hinged on the outstanding Roisín Leonard standing up to the pressure in converting a 40-yards free in the 58th minute to swing a gripping battle back in Galway’s direction.

For the past couple of seasons, the women in maroon have had the better of Mayo – a scenario influenced by the unavailability of the Carnacon contingent due to ‘welfare’ issues with manager Peter Leahy – but this year’s Connacht final went to a replay and the gap was closing again.

Given Galway were also complete strangers to Croke Park and hit by the absence of the injured Cooney sisters, Fabienne and Charlotte, there were enough straws in the wind to suggest Sunday’s semi-final had danger written all over it for them despite being tagged as hot favourites by the bookmakers.

On the balance of the 60-plus minutes, there was little between the teams but Galway were that little more incisive going forward while their support lines of running caused Mayo no ends of difficulty, particularly in the first-half.

In tireless midfielder Louise Ward, the excellent Megan Glynn and the fleet-footed Olivia Divilly, Galway possessed three dynamic ball carriers who were at the heart of their most penetrative attacks over the opening 30 minutes and, approaching the break, they had forged into a 2-5 to 1-3 lead.

Initially, it had been Mayo who enjoyed a marked territorial advantage but inaccurate shooting was to haunt them for much of the hour – they had 13 wides to Galway’s seven – and, overall, they didn’t possess as many game-breakers as the Connacht champions.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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