Mayo weather the storm and the Rossies in MacHale Park
A wicked night of wind and rain made life difficult for both players and the 10,941 supporters who turned out at Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, tonight as the curtain went up on the Allianz National Football League.
In the end Mayo dug out a 1-8 to 1-7 win which gets James Horan's league campaign off to winning start (if only just), but in fairness this was not a night for the fancy dans of football as both sides tried to cope as best they good in the most testing of conditions.
There was one moment of sheer class amid all the mayhem as Brian Reape struck a gem of a goal to put Mayo in control of the contest five minutes from the end of normal time when they led by 1-8 to 0-6.
As it turned out, the goal proved to be the match-winning score as in the last of four minutes of injury time, Shane Killoran managed to fire home through a battalion of Mayo defenders to leave just a point in it at the end.
Mayo’s only score into the teeth of a strong wind and driving rain in that first half was an Evan Regan free while Roscommon picked off five points from distance, Colin Compton, Cathal Cregg, Donie Smith and Enda Smith all finding their range and Roscommon really getting stuck into the home side.
But a lead of 0-5 to 0-1 was never going to be enough and despite losing Colm Boyle to a black card for 10 minutes in the sin bin, Mayo gradually reeled their opponets back in, Jason Doherty with two monster frees, along with a point from play, Donal Vaughan, Diarmuid O’Connor and full-back Brendan Harrison getting Mayo back on track.
Paddy Durcan scored the point which had Mayo level on 0-6 apiece, Roscommon having scored their first point in the second half from Colin Compton.
Harrison and Diarmuid O’Conor kicked Mayo two clear before Reape hit the roof of the net with a rocket. The goal was badly needed too, Mayo holding on to win by a point but Roscommon leaving MacHale Park having put in their best performance against Mayo in recent years.
Mayo: R. Hennelly, E. O’Donoghue, B. Harrison (0-1), K. Higgins, L. Keegan, C. Boyle, P. Durcan (0-1), D. O’Connor (0-1), D. Vaughan (0-1), F. Boland, A. O’Shea, J. Doherty (0-3, 2f), E. Regan (0-1f), B. Reape (1-0), C. Diskin.
Subs used: A. Moran for Boland (ht), S. Coen for D. O’Connor (65), F. McDonagh for Diskin (66), J. McCormack for Boyle (inj, 70).
Roscommon: D. O’Malley, G. Patterson, C. Daly, E. McGrath, C. Hussey, N. Daly, R. Daly, T. O’Rourke, E. Smith (0-1f), N. Kilroy, C. Compton (0-2), S. Killoran (1-1), D. Smith (0-1), C. Lennon, C. Cregg (0-1).
Subs used: U. Harney (0-1) for Lennon, C. Fitzmaurice for O’Rourke,
Referee: B. Cassidy (Derry).