Roscommon head Mayo off at the Hyde
MAYO sent a strong army to Hyde Park but it wasn’t mobile enough to deny a very experienced Roscommon team who featured 13 of their championship side, while Mayo had just four of the team who lost to Dublin in the All-Ireland final.
The win puts Roscommon into the FBD League final even before they meet Galway, while Mayo, who have one point from their three games, face Sligo in their final game on Sunday next.
It was a game Roscommon could ill afford to lose given the strength of the side but having played with 14 men for most of the second half following the sending off of Ian Kilbride on a second yellow card, they will be encouraged to have done so well with 14 men.
They were also denied a chance to add the only goal of the match at the death when Robbie Hennelly saved brilliantly from Ciaran Murtagh’s spot-kick.
Mayo looked leaden-footed on a heavy pitch but all of the forwards scored, Ciaran Treacy from Ballina impressing with two good points, while Fionn McDonagh from Westport was another to catch the eye.
Mayo came from being behind by three points on two occasions in the first half to level at 0-7 apiece before a late point from Ciaran Murtagh from a free nudged Roscommon ahead at the break - 0-8 to 0-7.
Fionn McDonagh scored three of those Mayo points, including two from play, while Paddy Durcan - the engine driving Mayo from the back - Diarmuid O’Conor, Jason Doherty (free) and Ciaran Treacy were all on target from play.
Conor Daly, Sean Mullooly, Ciaran Murtagh, Nial Daly, Nial Kilroy and Diarmuid Murtagh all scored from play for Roscommon, Ciaran Murtagh also adding two frees to his tally of 0-4.
Final score: Roscommon 0-14, Mayo 0-11
Mayo: R. Hennelly, E. O’Donoghue, G. Cafferkey, C. Crowe, C. Boyle, P. Durcan (0-1), J. Stretton, S. Coen, D. Kirby, F. McDonagh (0-4, 2f), D. O’Connor (0-1), C. O’Shea (0-1), N. Douglas (0-1), J. Doherty (0-1, 1f), C. Treacy (0-2).
Subs used: K. McLoughlin, S. Akram, J. Gibbons, P. Naughton, J. McCormack and J. Oates.
Roscommon: C. Lavin, D. Murray, J. McManus, N. McInerney, C. Daly (0-2), S. Mullooly (0-2), F. Lennon, E. Smith (0-1), I. Kilbride, N. Daly (0-1), N. Kilroy (0-1), C. Devaney, C. Murtagh (0-4,2 f), D. Murtagh (0-3, 1f), F. Cregg.
Subs used: P. Domican, S. McDermott, D. Smith, R. Daly, H. Walsh.
Referee: M. Flaherty (Galway).