Women's NFL: Mayo earn last-gasp draw away to Kerry

Sinead Walsh was Mayo's saviour at Fitzgerald Stadium when she struck a point at the death to secure a draw in the fourth round of the Lidl National Football League Division 1.

Mayo trailed Kerry by 0-8 to 0-5 with ten minutes remaining but the visitors stormed back to hit three points in a row, to secure a brilliant draw and bring Kerry’s winning start to the campaign to an end.

Mayo suffered a loss before the game when All Star Danielle Caldwell was ruled out with an injury but she was replaced by the very effective Sinead Cafferky who went on to have a fine game.

Kerry, playing with the aid of the breeze, started the first half in flying fashion and soon found themselves 0-3 to no score ahead with seven minutes gone.

Anna Galvin was very much to the fore in that opening salvo popping over two fine scores, the first after a pass from Amy Harrington and the second assisted by Mary O’Connell.

When Níamh Ní Chonchúir pointed a possible goal chance to put Kerry three ahead after a 40 metre pass from Danielle O’Leary, the signs looked ominous for Mayo but they dusted themselves down to come right back at Kerry for the remainder of the half.

Pressure on the Kerry kickout saw Maria Cannon point a placed ball in the ninth minute and although they kicked a couple of wides, Cafferky and a brilliant individual effort from Cannon saw the visitors level matters by the 20th minute.

Kerry were wasteful, kicking six wides in the first half as their forward division was well held by some strong cover in the Mayo backline.

Cafferky hit a fine individual score to put the Connacht side one ahead once more in the 21st minute but that was to be their final score of the half before Amy Harrington got a welcome score for the home side in the final