Gargantuan effort by Mayo falls just a little short

The Mayo League were defeated in their bid to win a first ever Oscar Traynor Cup title this afternoon – but the 4-2 defeat to Waterford & District Junior League followed a gargantuan effort by Joe Kelly's men.

Two goals either side of half-time gave Waterford a 3-1 cushion and while the hosts pulled one back with 16 minutes plus stoppage time left to play, the Munster men caught Mayo on the break late on to secure the title.

Waterford drew first blood with what was their first effort in anger. It came on 20 minutes after Mayo half-cleared a corner, allowing Darryl Walsh to gather possession on the edge of the area and, without hesitation, curl a wonderful shot into the top right corner of Gary Cunningham's goal.

In a game of few clear-cut chances, Mayo had been the slightly more threatening in front of goal before the opening strike. However, they didn't give the Waterford 'keeper, Craig Dunphy, too much to worry about.

Ben Edeh, following a great run, should have levelled on 27 minutes but after selling a wonderful dummy to a defender, he miscued his shot.

It always seemed as though set pieces were going to be key, and Oran Groarke certainly put the visitors' defence under pressure with his corner kicks.

Unsurprisingly, Mayo equalised from this route, Dylan McKee getting his head to a Groarke corner to find the top right corner of the goal with a glancing effort.

It was no more than Mayo deserved, but Waterford were ahead again by the break. There didn't appear to be too much danger when Waterford right-back and captain Adam Conway sent forward a long diagonal ball but some hesitation from the Mayo 'keeper was seized upon by Mark O'Keeffe, and he found the net with a side-footed effort.

Regix Madika, who was a handful for the Mayo defence all day, bundled in a corner just three minutes into the second half and in a flash, Waterford had a clear advantage.

Credit to Mayo, they kept plugging away. Darren Browne had three efforts, two of them forcing the Waterford 'keeper into saves, before Ben Edeh finally pulled a goal back 16 minutes from time, knocking the ball in with his knee after Craig Dunphy had come to collect a loose ball but failed to gather.

Try as they might, Mayo couldn't find the equaliser and deep into the five minutes of injury time, Waterford broke forward with a slick move finished off by Conor Whittle to the bottom left corner of the hosts' goal, ensuring the Oscar Traynor Cup would be heading down south this year.

Mayo League: G. Cunningham, C. McGlade, A. Shally, I. O'Reilly, M. Cunningham, O. Groarke, J. Hunt, C. White, J. Loftus, D. Browne, B. Edeh.

Subs used: R. Cretaro, J. O'Connor, H. Quinn, C. White, J. Cawley.

Waterford & District Junior League: C. Dunphy, A. Conway, D. Walsh, D. Reynolds, A. Masood, L. Walsh, D. Colley, M. Brennan, C. Whittle, M. O'Keeffe, R. Madika.

Subs used: T. Carney, C. Signorelli, C. Butler, J. Tamen, S. Sheppard.

Ref: B. Higgins (Limerick).