Mayo retain title with impressive win over Galway

Mayo were crowned Electric Ireland Connacht minor football champions following their impressive 2-13 to 1-10 victory over arch rivals Galway in the decider at Tuam Stadium tonight (Friday), writes Aiden Henry.

When the two sides met in the group stages some weeks back it was Galway who were the one-point victors.

However, on this occasion they were no match for Sean Deane’s charges and in the end Mayo were full value for their six-point victory.

Mayo now await the outcome of the Ulster minor final, which will be played on Sunday next at 6 p.m. between Derry and Monaghan. They will meet in the losers of this final in the quarterfinal on Saturday, June 10.

It took Mayo a long time to settle into this decider. By the time they had registered their first score, a point from a placed ball by Tom Lydon in the 14th minute, they had already registered four wides. Meanwhile, the home side had three points on the board at this stage.

Although Tiernan Egan and man of the match Darragh Beirne brought Mayo back on level terms following two delightful points from play, Mayo didn’t fully get going until the final 10 or 11 minutes of the half.

Yet despite points from Beirne (two), Senan Guilfoyle, Rio Mortimer and Fionan O’Reilly, Mayo found themselves one down at the interval, 0-8 to 0-7.

Whatever Deane said during the half-time break certainly had an immediate effect on the team on the resumption. Indeed, Mayo completely dominated most of this second 30 minutes, scoring 2-6 to just 1-2 in reply.

Darragh Beirne kicked two fine points from play before Mayo were awarded a penalty in the 40th minute after the Galway full-back pulled down substitute Gavin Forry in the big square. From the resulting spot kick, Tom Lydon gave the Galway ‘keeper no chance with his powerful drive to the back of the net.

Mayo were now all over Galway at this stage and after Forry extended their lead with a delightful point from play, Mayo struck for a second goal at the end of the third quarter. This it was another substitute, Thomas Tuffy, who rattled the back of the Galway net after he received an inch-perfect pass from midfielder Shane Cunningham.

But Galway never threw in the towel and on 48 minutes they were given a lifeline when substitute Fionan Ó Conghaile, after receiving a pass from Olan Kelly, hit a thundering drive past Mayo goalkeeper Conor Meaney.

However, Mayo hit back in brilliant style as they finished the game off with three unanswered points from Lydon (two) and Beirne to give them a deserved victory.

Mayo: C. Meaney; J. Lavelle, E. McGreal, Y. Coghill; J. Clarke, R. Mortimer (0-1), F. O’Reilly (0-1); T. Egan (0-1), S. Cunningham; C. Lynch, T. Lydon (1-3), D. Neary; D. Beirne (0-5), J. Carey, S. Guilfoyle (0-1).

Subs used: G. Forry (0-1), T. Tuffy (1-0), S. Walsh, C. Ryder, R. Gibbons.

Galway: C. Walsh; T. Proulx, C. McNally, V. Gill; B. O’Malley, R. Coen (0-1), S. Rhattigan; S. McGlinchey (0-2), O. Kelly (0-1); M. Mulryan, C. Mulhern (0-1), C. McDonagh (0-1); C. Cox (0-3), S. Walsh, D. Fitzmaurice (0-1).

Subs used: S. O’Grady, S. O’Flynn, R. Walkin, F Ó Conghaile (1-0), C. Gannon.

Referee: D. Lyons (Roscommon).