Donegal will play Division Two football next season after they were easily disposed of by a rampant Mayo in O’Donnell Park.
Donegal . . . 3-02, Mayo . . . 5-09
Not for the first time in this league campaign, Donegal found themselves dominated by their opponents – Mayo kicking four goals in a one-sided first half to set up the win.
The visitors knew that they only had to avoid defeat in this game to ensure survival in Division One.
But they set the tone for the afternoon with a goal inside the opening minute and while Donegal battled gamely throughout, Mayo were clinical when chances came their way.
By half-time the game was over as a contest as Mayo led by 4-05 to 0-01.
Credit to Donegal, they were much better in the second half and raised a green flag of their own when Katie Long found the net after being set up by substitute Aoibhinn O’Connell.
They followed that up with two more goals right at the death through Niamh McLaughlin and Codie Walsh.
But by that stage, Mayo were well out of sight and they can look forward to playing Division One football again next season.
Rachel Kearns scored the game’s opening goal with less than a minute played. Mayo won a close-in free and as the Donegal players switched off, Deirdre Doherty went short to Kearns who squeezed the ball home after her initial effort came back off the post.
Donegal, who included Niamh McLaughlin from the start at midfield, responded with a good score from Ciara McGarvey.
They then missed two relatively easy frees when scores would have been just rewards for a good opening spell.
And in contrast, when chances came their way, Mayo were clinical. Shortly after the midway point of the half they were 2-3 to 0-1 in front – their second goal coming from Sinead Walsh.
Two more goals followed before the break with Lisa Cafferky and Doherty both scoring and by half-time the lead was out to 16, 4-05 to 0-1.
Mayo ran their bench through the second half as they eased to victory.
For Donegal it was a disappointing day all round and to compound their misery, defenders Nicole McLaughlin and Emer Gallagher both picked up what appeared to be worrying injuries in the closing stages.
Scorers:
Donegal: Katie Long 1-0, Niamh McLaughlin 1-0, Codie Walsh 1-0, Ciara McGarvey 0-2 (1f)
Mayo: Lisa Cafferky 1-3, Deirdre Doherty 1-1 (1f), Rachel Kearns 1-0, Sinead Cafferky 1-0, Sinead Walsh (1-0), Maria Cannon 0-2 (1f), Shauna Howley 0-1 (f), Ella Brennan 0-1, Erin Murray (0-01).
Donegal: Aoife McColgan; Caoimhe Keon, Emer Gallagher, Nicole McLaughlin; Roisin Rodgers, Amy Boyle Carr, Tara Hegarty; Shelly Twohig, Niamh McLaughlin; Niamh Carr, Katie Long, Katie Dowds; Susanne White, Katy Herron, Ciara McGarvey.
Subs: Saskia Boyle for White (35), Aoibhinn O’Connell for Rodgers (39), Abigail Temple Asokuh for Twohig (46), Catherine Boyle for Carr (50), Claire Friel for McColgan (50), Shauna Higgins for Nicole McLaughlin (52), Laoise Ryan for Dowds (54), Cait Gillespie for Long (54), Katie O’Donnell for Gallagher (55), Codie Walsh for Herron (55), Sophie McFeely for Keon (55).
Mayo: Laura Brennan; Ellis Ronayne, Danielle Caldwell, Saoirse Lally; Tamara O’Connor, Ciara Needham, Kathryn Sullivan; Aoife Geraghty, Sinead Cafferky; Deirdre Doherty, Shauna Howley, Fiona Mchale; Lisa Cafferky, Rachel Kearns, Maria Relly.
Subs: Sinead Walsh for Kearns (6), Sarah Mulvihill for Reilly (12), Roisin Flynn for Needham (13), Sarah Tierney for Caldwell (28), Ella Brennan for Sullivan (29), Maria Cannon for Howley (39), Lucy Wallace for O’Connot (39), Hannah Reape for McHale (39), Ciara Durcan for Tierney (42), Jenna Mortimer for Ronayne (42), Lisa Reid for Bennan (45), Emily Reape for L Cafferky (50), Erin Murray for Lally (50), Roisin Durcan for S Cafferky.
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
