This defeat will hurt for some time to come

TYNAN’S TAKE: By Stuart Tynan

Leaving Castlebar on Saturday morning, I was hopeful that this would finally be the time.

Of course, you are always hopeful that Mayo will win. But this was different. Going down the N5 out of Mayo, through to Strokestown, Termonberry, Edgeworthstown, Ballinalack before getting on the motorway to Dublin, all the people flying Mayo flags on the side of the road across that stretch before hitting the M4, you felt Mayo had grown five times over.

The beeping at the tolls hours before throw-in, reminiscent of the viral videos after the Dublin win, you could sense that the belief was simply overwhelming that this streak of losing finals (I am not using the c-word, it’s guff) would come to an end.

As the teams were lead around Croke Park by the marching band, the noise was incredible. The roars got louder from Mayo fans when the team was announced. Oisin Mullin had recovered from his injury to start, and the belief grew even more.

Mayo tore into Tyrone in the opening exchanges and Conroy superbly used his pace and power to register Mayo’s first score. Niall Morgan scuffed his first kickout for Tyrone, and the northerners looked rattled.

But Mayo couldn’t build on it. Tyrone settled, and the wide count for Mayo began to grow. Three goal chances were spurned in the half. Brian Walsh’s effort was closed down before Conor Loftus’s follow-up attempt at placing his strike was blocked by Niall Sludden, when putting his foot through it was the better option.

Ryan O’Donoghue’s only point from play in the game could have been more had he noticed Michael Plunkett racing through. Aidan O’Shea, who grew into the half when further up the field, had the latest opportunity for a goal. But Ronan McNamee stopped his effort in his tracks.

At the other end, Rob Hennelly came to Mayo’s rescue when Darren McCurry was in through on goal. But for all the missed chances, Mayo only found themselves two points down at half-time. Sure, we’ve come back from much worse.

MOMENT

Three minutes into the second half, another huge goal chance arrived, but Conroy dragged wide. Then the game-changing moment arrived. Joe McQuillan awarded Mayo a penalty after Frank Burns picked it clean off the ground near the goal-line. O’Donoghue stepped up, with a little jink, and side-footed it off the post. Right then, the hope became fear.

When Cathal McShane peeled away from Mullin and flicked it into the net, we all thought it.

“Here we go again.”

Mayo battled but the attacks were now becoming ragged and desperate. When Darren McCurry got Tyrone’s second goal with 13 minutes to go, it was over.

No hard luck story this time. No bad refereeing decision. No running into an all-time great GAA team. Mayo had the chances. They didn’t take theirs. Tyrone did.

Mayo manager James Horan cut a forlorn figure in the Croke Park media centre. He knew it was a missed opportunity. We all did.

The journey home was long for us all. It will hurt for some time. But Mayo will go again, and so will we.