Mayo Women's Football League Explained

Country: Republic of Ireland
Confed:UEFA
Founded:2000[1]
Divisions:Super League
Premier Division
Under 16
Under 14
Under 12
Domest Cup:WFAI Intermediate Cup
Connaught Cup
League Cup:Mayo Cup
Mary Walsh Cup
Mayo Shield[2]
Website: Mayo Women's Football League

The Mayo Women's Football League is a women's association football league featuring teams from County Mayo. It is the sister league of the Mayo Association Football League. It has previously been known as the Mayo Ladies League. The league is a summer league, beginning in March and ending in September. In 2015 the league was sponsored by Artec Facilities Management, a company based in Belmullet. Teams from the league also compete for the Mayo Cup, the Mary Walsh Cup and the Mayo Shield. They also enter the Connaught Cup and the WFAI Intermediate Cup. The league's representative team won the 2006 FAI Women's Cup and then represented the Republic of Ireland in the 2007–08 UEFA Women's Cup.[3]

2015 teams

Castlebar Celtic had planned to enter a team for the 2015 season but withdrew due to a lack of players.

List of recent winners

SeasonWinnerRunners-up
2016
2015
2014 ManullaCastlebar Town
2013 ManullaCastlebar Town
2012 Kilmore
2011 Castlebar Celtic
2010
2009 Castlebar Celtic
2008 Ballinrobe Knock/Kiltimagh

Representative team

FAI Women's Cup

In 2004 the Mayo Ladies League entered a representative team in the FAI Women's Cup for the first time. In 2005 they reached the semi-finals but lost 2–1 to Peamount United. In 2006 Mayo went one stage further and reached the final after defeating the Limerick Ladies League, Wilton United and Lifford Ladies. In the final at Richmond Park they played a UCD team featuring Nicola Sinnott and Sylvia Gee. Mayo won the cup after defeating UCD 1–0, with Aoife Herbert scoring the winning goal after just thirteen minutes. In 2007 Mayo were quarter finalists, losing 2–1 to Lifford Ladies.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

2007–08 UEFA Women's Cup

As a result of winning the 2006 FAI Women's Cup, the Mayo Ladies League qualified to represent the Republic of Ireland in the 2007–08 UEFA Women's Cup. They were drawn in Group A3 along with Neulengbach, Hibernian Ladies and Gol Częstochowa. The competition format saw Mayo travel to Austria in August 2007 to play in a mini-tournament to decide who would progress to the next round. In addition to playing association football, several members of the Mayo squad including Yvonne Byrne, Aoife Herbert, Cora Staunton and Michelle Ruane also played Gaelic football and were prominent members of Mayo senior ladies' football team during the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship. The UEFA Women's Cup tournament clashed with a quarter-final game against Monaghan. Byrne, Herbert and Staunton all returned to Ireland during the tournament to play for the Mayo Gaelic football team and as a result were not available for all three games. Byrne, Herbert and Staunton all went on to represent the Mayo GAA team in the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship final.[9] [10] [11] [12]

Matches and final table

9 August 2007
Gol Czestochowa4–1Mayo Ladies League
Staunton
11 August 2007
Neulengbach3–0Mayo Ladies League
14 August 2007
Hibernian8–0Mayo Ladies League

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mayo Women for Europe!. www.castlebar.ie. 12 March 2016. 19 July 2007.
  2. Web site: Mayo women's league season gets ready for kickoff. www.con-telegraph.ie. 14 March 2016. 22 March 2015.
  3. Web site: Mayo Women's League History. inform.fai.ie. 12 March 2016.
  4. Web site: Ireland (Women) 2005. RSSSF. 12 March 2016.
  5. Web site: Ireland (Women) 2006. RSSSF. 12 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Mayo ladies make glorious history. www.mayonews.ie. 12 March 2016. 5 December 2006.
  7. Web site: Herbert Secures Cup For Mayo. www.irishtimes.com. 12 March 2016. 4 December 2006.
  8. Web site: UCD v Mayo League - Women's FAI Senior Cup Final Photos. 12 March 2016.
  9. Web site: Mayo Women's Soccer 2012. mayoladies.webs.com. 12 March 2016.
  10. Web site: Women aim for glory. www.mayonews.ie. 12 March 2016. 7 August 2007.
  11. Web site: Ladies ready to go. www.mayonews.ie. 12 March 2016. 7 August 2007.
  12. Web site: Cork v Mayo - TG4 All-Ireland LSFC Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 12 March 2016. 7 August 2007.