Jackies poised for Mayo test after seeing off Donegal
THE Dublin ladies footballers will face Mayo in the semi-final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship following their 2-12 to 2-7 victory over Donegal in Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada on Monday.
Having finished top of Group C with consecutive wins at the expense of Tyrone and Monaghan, Mick Bohan’s five-in-a-row chasing outfit set up a quarter-final date with the Ulster side in the home of Leitrim GAA.
After their own success over provincial rivals Galway on Monday, it is Mayo who now stand between Dublin and another final appearance in the battle for the Brendan Martin Cup.
Coincidentally, this game is set to take place on the same day (August 14) their male counterparts also clash in an All-Ireland senior football semi-final.
For the match against Donegal, Dublin were significantly backboned by a plethora of local talent.
Thomas Davis pair Olwen Carey and Siobhán McGrath were joined in defence by Ballinteer St John’s star Orlagh Nolan, while Clondalkin native Hannah Tyrrell was selected at full-forward.
Building on her impressive displays to date, Tyrrell – currently lining out for northside club Na Fianna – contributed four points over the course of the contest, including a brace of efforts from open play.
Included amongst the substitutes for the game was Lucan Sarsfields teenager Abby Shiels, who deputised for regular netminder Ciara Trant throughout Dublin’s successful National Football League campaign.
Carey, McGrath and Nolan came under considerable pressure during the early exchanges of their latest contest, with Geraldine McLaughlin’s 1-2 salvo handing Donegal a five-point cushion.
The crossbar then came to the rescue of the Blues off an attacking move, before a Tyrrell point finally opened Dublin’s account.
Carla Rowe found the net during a dominant spell for the reigning All-Ireland champions, but a Katy Herron major left Donegal a single point adrift at the interval (1-6 to 2-2).
However, Bohan’s all-conquering side maintained their composure on the resumption and with a two-point Tyrrell salvo supplementing Rowe’s second goal, Dublin emerged deserved winners.
