Mayo on the hunt for more national glory
The scene of last year's success for Mayo at Under 12 Inter-League level is the venue for this year's Under 13 final, which will hopefully be a good omen as they go in search of more silverware.
With virtually the same set of players, Mayo will be hopeful of back-to-back titles ahead of the next big test, when many of them will set off on an adventure in the inaugural SSE Airtricity Under 13 National League.
For now, of course, all focus is on the Under 13 SFAI Subway Inter-League final against Cavan-Monaghan at the home of Mullingar Athletic in Gainstown, Co. Westmeath, at 12.30 tomorrow afternoon (Sunday).
The venue evokes great memories for Mayo. Manager Walter Barrett and his team of coaches – Ollie King, Declan Leonard, Tom Dempsey and Cormac Henry – will no doubt remind the boys of the heights they reached that famous day in May last year when they beat a highly fancied DDSL side by two goals to one to be crowned national champions.
They didn't have too much time to dwell on that result, and a subsequent tournament in Salthill where they captured the Galway Plate title (beating Cavan/Monaghan in the process), before starting all over again with Under 13 trials in autumn.
There was a blip in this season's campaign when Galway visited Milebush and left with a 5-1 victory, but it was a game in which the result didn't reflect the nature of the play. Put simply, Galway were ruthless in terms of taking their chances, while Mayo had an off day in front of goal.
But new rules this year offered them a chance of redemption. Instead of going straight through to the knockout phase by virtue of finishing top of the group, Galway had to contest a Connaught regional final against the second-placed team. That gave Mayo a chance for revenge - and how they took it. Galway started well and took an early lead but once Mayo got a foothold in midfield, they recovered to win the game 2-1 and book a place in the national semi-final.
“If that defeat against Galway the first day hadn't happened I would have been worried about complacency in the final,” said Barrett in the lead-up to tomorrow. “It was great to get a second chance as well. That second game against Galway stands out as we played well for the full 60 minutes up there.”
In the semi-final, Carlow travelled west with a great reputation having beaten DDSL in the Leinster final. But on the day they were no match for Mayo, who won by two goals to nil at Solar 21 Park.
So that leaves the boys in another final, and Barrett is anticipating a good contest. “I'm really looking forward to it. It's great to be back in another final,” he said.
From last's year's meeting between the sides in Galway, Cavan/Monaghan have three new players and Mayo have four. For Barrett, new faces means there's competition for starting places in the team. “We've played six games up to now and I think we've never actually started the same 11 players. There are always one or two changes,” he explained.
Winning is nice, of course, but the real focus is on developing players, and to that extent Barrett and his fellow coaches have been very successful with this group as seven are attending Under 13 National Academy training in Dublin. “By all accounts they are doing very well – some exceptionally well,” he added. “It's great to see that from Mayo. Long may it last.”
The short-term focus is on tomorrow, however, and Barrett and the coaching crew know about Cavan/Monaghan's strengths – a strong midfield pairing, a very lively striker, and a commanding goalkeeper – but they have also identified some weaknesses that they will look to exploit.
It should be a fascinating encounter. The action starts at 12.30 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday, February 24) at Mullingar Athletic's grounds in Gainstown, Co. Westmeath.