by John O’Dowd

Kerry 4-17
Mayo 0-5

An unanswered scoring burst of 1-4 in the last five minutes of the first half created the perfect platform for Kerry to deservedly overcome Mayo in comprehensive style in the All-Ireland ladies football U-16 A football championship final at McDonagh Park in Nenagh.

Playing an entertaining fast and direct style, the Kingdom youngsters got off off to an absolutely dream start, winning the throw-in and putting a fine move together that resulted in full-forward Lily Riordan supplying a cool finish to the Mayo net after only 25 seconds.

Despite that hammer blow, the Connacht champions settled into the contest and, with wind assistance in the opening 30 minutes, they supplied three of the next four points – Katie Hughes, Emily Duffy and Aoibhinn McNamara all on the mark.

Kerry kept their noses in front, through the reliable free-taking of Jessie Lynch and an inspirational point from captain Leah Griffin. However, when accurate full-forward Hughes fired over in the 23rd minute, Mayo were within three of their opponents at 1-4 to 0-4.

Kick-started by a Julie O’Connor white flag, Kerry won the resultant Mayo kick-out and Kelsey Cummins found the net from the ensuing attack, despite the best efforts of Mayo netminder Meabh Lavin to keep the ball out.

That was a real kick in the teeth for Francis Regan’s charges, who then found themselves ten points adrift at the half-time break — 2-8 to 0-4 — as the Kingdom used their foot-passing skills to good effect with Riordan, Lynch (free) and Cummins all adding late first half points.

Realistically, there was no way back on the resumption, when facing into the elements. Indeed, they were restricted to just a single point in the entire second half, and they also had a late, late penalty kick by top scorer Hughes brilliantly saved by Kerry ‘keeper Caoimhe O’Mahony.

For a superb Kingdom outfit, in a sublime display masterminded by Tom O’Connor, a fifth title, and first since 2016, was sealed by two more green flags. Skipper Griffin rocketed home a majestic individual effort in the 41st minute, and Julie O’Connor supplied the coup de gras six minutes later.

Scorers – Kerry: J Lynch 0-7(0-6fs), L Griffin, J O’Connor 1-2 each, L Riordan, K Cummins 1-1 each, S Flynn, S O’Halloran, T O’Sullivan, D O’Neill 0-1 each. 

Mayo: K Hughes 0-3 (0-1f), E Duffy, A McNamara 0-1 each.

KERRY: C O’Mahony; N O’Connor, A Brosnan, S Lyons; A Doyle, E Dillane, S Flynn; L Griffin, E O’Sullivan; J Lynch, J O’Connor, I Wynton; N Murphy, L Riordan, K Cummins. Subs: S O’Halloran for Murphy (48), T O’Sullivan for Wynton (49), M O’Reilly for Flynn, inj (55), D O’Neill for Cummins (58), S Kennedy for Doyle (60+5).

MAYO: M Lavin; I Basquille, L McNamara, S Tiernan; A Doherty, G Bailey, S McGuinness; C Fahey, A Ferguson; A McNamara, S Dillon, K Corcoran; E Duffy, K Hughes, M McLoughlin. Subs: E Higgins for Corcoran (37), A Burton for McNamara (40), C Breslin for Fahey (45), S Moran for Ferguson (50), N Curran for Dillon (50).

Referee: E O’Neill (Kildare).

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