Ladies football wrap: Champions Dublin open up defence with emphatic win over Tyrone

Rachel Kearns’ first-half goal meant Mayo were able to hold off a brave Cavan showing to pick up the points in Group 1

Dublin goal-scorer Jennifer Dunne in action earlier this season. Picture: Sportsfile

First-half goals from Jennifer Dunne and Siobhan Killeen proved crucial as Dublin opened their TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship defence with a convincing 2-18 to 1-11 win against Tyrone in Cavan.

Hannah Tyrrell continued her good scoring form for the reigning champions as she kicked seven points over the hour, while Niamh O’Neill was in scintillating form for Tyrone, registering nine scores of her own in defeat.

Tyrone delivered a very impressive opening quarter and deservedly led Mick Bohan’s side, but Dublin upped the gears after the water break and didn’t look back as they eased to victory.

Chloe McCaffrey rattled the net in the first quarter, burying the ball in the left corner past the outstretched arm of Ciara Trant, as the Ulster side took charge of this clash.

But Dublin finished the half with aplomb. Dunne levelled the game, smashing the ball to the net after a terrific set up by O’Connor, while O’Neill and Tyrrell swapped scores before a Tyrrell free edged the Dubs in front.

As half time approached, Dublin bagged their second goal. O’Connor won a kickout and quick exchanges in the Dublin attack were finished to the net by Killeen. However, O’Neill converted a free on the stroke of half time to leave just three between the sides at the break.

Dublin emerged after half time and dominated the third quarter and despite Niamh Hughes and Niamh O’Neill adding to Tyrone’s tally, the final moments were all Dublin as they eased to a facile victory.

Meanwhile, Rachel Kearns’ first-half goal meant Mayo were able to hold off a brave Cavan showing to pick up the points in this Group 1 first round TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship encounter at Markievicz Park, coming out 1-18 to 0-15 winners.

Michael Moyles side did the hard work in the first half and held a seven-point interval lead, and they were able to keep the gap between themselves and the Breffni side up to the final whistle, with the free taking of Shauna Howley a key component in this victory.

Mayo led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the first water break, but Cavan had raced into an early two-point lead thanks to two frees from Aisling Gilsenan inside the opening three minutes.

The Westerners rallied though, reeling off the next five points on the bounce, with Howley kicking three of them while Grace Kelly and Sinead Cafferkey also found their range.

However, the final say of the quarter went to Cavan full-forward Aisling Sheridan who landed a fine effort to cut the gap to two.

Mayo stretched their legs though, and went in at the half time leading 1-9 to 0-5, with Kearns’ goal after 24 minutes coming after she picked the ball 21 meters out and rifled it past Elaine Walsh in the Cavan goal.

Cavan kept pushing Mayo all the way to through the final 15 minutes, but Mayo were always able to keep themselves that bit in front down the home straight.

Mayo also welcomed back Sarah Rowe, who made her first appearance of the season as a second half substitute, while she also kicked a couple of impressive late scores.

Elsewhere, Armagh were big 4-17 to 1-12 winners over Monaghan.

Kelly Mallon, Eve Lavery, Caroline O’Hanlon and Alex Clarke got the goals for the winners.