Women's Football: Cora Staunton scored 2-9 as Mayo beat reigning TG4 All-Ireland women's football champions Galway in the first game of the new championship, 2-12 to 0-10, at McHale Park yesterday.

Any thoughts that Mayo wouldn't be in the reckoning for silverware this year after a tumultuous period involving their management set-up were firmly cast aside with a scintillating second-half performance in Castlebar.

The Galway girls entered the game on the back of last week's National League final defeat to Cork, but started brightly and led at the break, 0-6 to 0-4.

Mayo held them to only four points in the second period though as Staunton ran riot at the other end of the pitch - her two goals proving decisive.

CAMOGIE: The National League Division One final on May 22nd will be between Galway and Cork and will be the curtain-raiser to the Dublin v Laois Leinster SHC match at Nowlan Park.

Galway overcame Kilkenny 1-14 to 1-4 in the opening semi-final at McDonagh Park, Nenagh, yesterday.

Despite a Kilkenny goal 13 minutes into the game from Catherine Doherty, Galway led 0-9 to 1-2 at the break - a lead that would have been far greater if not for the great goalkeeping of Caitríona Ryan.

Brenda Kerins fired home Galway's only goal three minutes from the final whistle.

Galway's opponents in the final will be Cork, who were made fight all the way against a gallant Wexford side - it ended 2-6 to 1-11 - in the second semi-final.

Cork, who suffered defeat at this stage last year to Wexford, recovered after trailing 0-6 to 1-4 at the break.

MINOR HURLING: A strong second-half display saw Dublin defeat Offaly, 0-14 to 1-5, in the Leinster quarter-final at Birr on Saturday. The sides were level at half-time, 1-4 to 0-7.

The Carlow minors gave hurling in the county a boost at the St Loman's grounds in Mullingar, with a 10-point (2-11 to 0-7) victory over Westmeath in the final of the preliminary group of the Leinster championship. They trailed at half-time by 0-5 to 2-4.

NHL: Longford won the Division Three Shield when they defeated Fermanagh, 0-15 to 1-5, in an entertaining final at Breffni Park on Saturday.

Longford held the edge throughout but were particularly grateful to their marksman Joe O'Brien, who scored nine points, eight from frees.