Galway Ladies Football u-14 team have been crowned Connacht champions.
The Galway youngsters defeated their Mayo rivals by the slimmest of margins in glorious sunshine at Garrymore on Sunday.
In a see-saw battle, it was Galway who prevailed by one point (Galway 4-10 Mayo 5-6 ), achieving a piece of history at this grade having won five Connacht titles in a row.
The game started in a nervous fashion with both sides trying to find their feet. Galway were first to score with Orla Kemple finding the range, quickly followed by Anna Lane and Michelle Dunleavy getting on the scoreboard. Mayo then made a sweeping move down the field which resulted in a goal. Mayo took the initatitve by adding a couple of scores. However, Galway struck back with a goal from the boot of Aislinn Newell. At half time the score was Galway 1-6 to Mayo's 2-5. Mayo's second goal was scored from the penalty spot by Aislinn Henry.
Within the first minute of the second half Mayo’s Chloe Morley grabbed a goal, and Galway looked in trouble. However the midfield pairing of Cora Creavan and Haley Sommers took hold of the game. Captain Nicola Ward ran the length of the pitch and passed to her twin sister Louise who ran through the Mayo defence and scored an unstoppable goal.
A goal from Galway's Michelle Dunleavy quickly followed and these goals were then in turn followed up by two more goals for Mayo from Eileen Dolan and Aine Reilly.
Michelle Dunleavy was in accurate kicking form, shooting many frees throughout the match with a final point being scored after losing her boot.
Galway: S Burke, N O'Connor, S Ni Shuilleabhain, S Gormally, N Conway, A Crowley, N Ward (capt ), C Creavin, H Sommers, M Ni Loingsigh (1-1 ), L Ward (1-2 ), A Newell (1-0 ), A Lane (0-1 ), O Kemple (0-1 ), M Dunleavy (1-6 four frees ), E Carey and K Malone.
• The Connacht u-14 Blitz takes places in Sligo on Saturday (June 6 ) with teams from Galway, Sligo, and Leitrim participating.
