We’re here to raise the curtain in Croke Park and witness the future of Tyrone and Mayo do battle for the All-Ireland minor crown.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the match. E-mail sean@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
We hope you’ve topped up the sunscreen and kept some cool liquids in the thermos, because it’s hot in the city today.
We’re in Croke Park awaiting the minor football final decider between Mayo and Tyrone.
Here are the young men chomping at the bit for shot at glory at HQ.
MAYO: Mark Mulligan (Claremorris); Eddie Doran (Achill), Seamus Cunniffe (Ballaghaderreen), David Kenny (Aghamore); Michael Hall (Breaffy), Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), Sean Conlon (Castlebar Mitchels); Val Roughneen (Balla), Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber); Conor Loftus (Crossmolina), Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber), Padraig Prendergast (Louisburgh); Darragh Doherty (Kilmaine), Liam Irwin (Breaffy), Tommy Conroy (Kiltane).
Subs: Matthew Flanagan (Balla), Hugh Cafferty (Crossmolina), Kevin Jordan (Mayo Gaels), Ronan Finn (Claremorris), Brian Walsh (Ballintubber), Matthew Ruane (Breaffy), Fionán Duffy (Crossmolina), James Langan (Knockmore), Conor Byrne (Moy Davitts).
TYRONE: Sean Fox (Ceapach); Colm Byrne (An Eaglais), Rhys Quinn (Cluain Eo), Cillian McCann (Fionntamhnach); Shea Hamill (Domhnach Mor), Christopher Morris (Gallbhaile), Padraig McGirr (Aireagal Chiarain), Ronan Nugent (Gallbhaile), Frank Burns (Cabhan a’Chaotainn), David Mulgrew (Ard Bo), Conor McKenna (An Eaglais), Ruairi McGlone (Achadh Lu), Lee Brennan (Tri Leac) Daire Gallagher (Tri Leac), Stephen McGrath (Doire Lochain).
SUBS: Ronan McGeary (Gallbhaile), Kevin Coney (Ard Bo), Philip Donnelly (Domhnach Mor), Tiarnan Donnelly (Achadh Lu), Sean Fox (An Caislean Glas), Michael Lynn (Ard Bo), Rian mcHugh (Breac an Bhile), Cathal McShane (E R Ui Neill), Che O’Donnell (Breac an Bhile).
There’s still plenty of time before throw-in, so let’s have your predictions, hopes, nightmares for both of today’s games.
We’re minutes away from throw-in at Croke Park. Even Darren Fletcher can’t wait for this one. Let’s get it on.
Enda Kenny is ready to greet his fellow Mayo-men, favourites to claim the minor crown today and bridge a gap to their last in 1985.
THROW IN:
Mayo come away with possession, they’ll attack Hill 16 this half, but they’re quickly dispossessed and Tyrone work a long-range chance for Frank Burns, but it’s high and drifts wide.
Mayo 0 -00 Tyrone 0 -01
Ronan Nugent opens the scoring for the Ulster as they come straight back after a short Mayo kick out.
Mayo battle their way up the right flank and Darragh O’Doherty wins a free, which Liam Irwin converts with ease.
Mayo 0 -01 Tyrone 0 -01
Pretty bad wide from McKenna after Tyrone do well to counter-attack after Frank Burns broke down a Mayo attack with a timely interception.
Again, though, Tyrone follow up a wide with a score as Lee Brennan opens his account with a free.
Mayo 0 -01 Tyrone 0 -02
Ruairi McGlone kicks Tyrone’s third wide of the day after a fluid move down the right, this time Mayo figure an escape route and quickly win a free directly in front of goal at the other end allowing Liam Irwin level matters again.
Mayo 0 -02 Tyrone 0 -02
Frank Burns has dropped into the full-back line and is sweeping to great effect. His latest interception, on his own end-line, kicks off a move which sets up Ronan Nugent for his second of the game, this one a skyscraper of a score into the Davin Stand.
Mayo again hit back straight away through Liam Irwin
Mayo 0 -03 Tyrone 0 -03
15 mins: Darragh Doherty kicks Mayo’s first wide of the day, it just curled wide of the near post and denied the green and red their first from play.
Another fine score from play from Tyrone, this time Mulgrew guiding the ball between the uprights.
Mayo 0 -03 Tyrone 0 -04
Mayo and Doherty are getting closer from play, this time HawkEye is called for, but the umpire is proved right.
GOAL CHANCE!
That’s the opening Mayo were looking for, but it’s another wide after Liam Irwin feeds Tommy ‘goal’ Conroy who blasts the ball straight as he stands left of the target.
23 minutes gone and Tyrone have scored another from play through McGlone after three consecutive Mayo wides.
Mayo 0 -03 Tyrone 0 -05
Yellow Card: McGlone goes in the referee’s book a second time, this time a yellow for talking back to referee Conor Lane.
Mayo 0 -04 Tyrone 0 -05
Approaching half time and Mayo are still in touch despite not having managed a score from play.
Just as we repeat Mayo’s lack of open play scores, Tommy Conroy comes up and fires a rasping shot on target.
Sean Fox should have kept it out. Despite getting two hands to the shot he could only push it into the corner of the net.
Tyrone respond through Conor McKenna with another brilliant move at the other end just before half time.
HALF TIME: Mayo 1 -04 Tyrone 0-06
This just in from the northside of Dublin: a man who looks like he’s made this trip in that suit for each and every one of those 62 years.
Throw-in:
We’re under way again and Mayo hit three quick-fire scores, the last two come from play through Doherty and Conroy.
Mayo 1 -07 Tyrone 0-06
That scoring burst has turned Tyrone’s gameplan on its head. After a tight first half where every inch was valuable, the Red Hand now trail by four points as Conor McKenna lines up a 45, but he’s thumped it wide.
Mayo 1 -07 Tyrone 0-06
From a tight angle, Doherty guides a beauty of a score over the bar with a deft touch of his left boot. That’s four in a row for the Connacht men.
Mayo 1 -08 Tyrone 0-06
Tyrone need a big moment. They almost get it, but the ball comes back off the bar.
Mayo take the ball up the other end and exploit the space by moving the ball quickly from right to left where Doherty is the goal-poacher awaiting his chance and he drills it home.
Mayo 2 -04 Tyrone 0-06
Mayo double their half time score in nine short minutes after the break, that’s why they were favourites, folks. A hige ask for Tyrone to come back into this game in sapping conditions.
Lee Brennan starts the trek up the mountain with a free.
Mayo 2 -08 Tyrone 0-07
Lee Brennan leans to right and bends over the score of the game with the outside of his left boot from under the Hogan Stand. Stunning score.
And it comes between scores from Gallagher and Donnelly to put Tyrone right back in this game..
Mayo 2 -08 Tyrone 0-10
Conor Loftus pops up at the other end to give Mayo some breathing space again, this could get tasty in the last 13 minutes.
Mayo 2 -09 Tyrone 0-10
Tyrone sub Cathal McShane exploits a massive gap in front of goal and hits another from Tyrone before Brennan compliments it with anotherclose-range free.
Mayo 2- 09 Tyrone 0- 12
Daire Gallagher edges Tyrone closer still. Credit the Ulster side for coming back into this game, but that life-long wait for a Mayo minor title will be feeling longer and longer for their players.
Mayo 2- 09 Tyrone 0- 12
Irwin misses a free, but hits the post and Conroy shows the kind of instinct and reaction that will mark him out as a senior to watch next year, he punces on the rebound and blasts over the bar.
Mayo 2- 10 Tyrone 0- 12
Conor Loftus has been sensational in this half, another score from his right boot comes with four minutes on the clock and it keeps Mayo a length clear.
Mayo 2- 11 Tyrone 0- 12
David Kenny is the TV3 man-of-the-match.
Conor McKenna rifles over the lates Tyrone effort, their first in over 10 minutes.
Conor Byrne and Tommy Conroy each hit lovely late scores from distance. Mayo are finishing with a flourish here.
Mayo 2- 13 Tyrone 0- 13
GOAL
Mayo 2- 10 Tyrone 1- 12
Conor McKenna gives Tyrone hope. Hold on to your hat, Mayo fans.
Mayo are the All-Ireland minor football champions.
That’s one long wait over, but you didn’t think a Myo side would cruise home without making you sweat a little, did you?
Mayo for the Double:-)
Mayo for nothing!
Come on man city … City City City. . 4pm today were the real football is played
Up mayo
I have no dog in this fight but after the way this Tyrone minor team disgraced themselves and the sport in the last 10 minutes of their Semi Final against Roscommon I cant shout for anyone but Mayo. COYBIGAR!
What an immature comment. Games go certain ways sometimes and events happen. Your judgement of a team on one game shows that you are not mentally old enough to be considered to play for the minors.
Up the Dubs!!!!!!
This is the minor match!
I know that thanks! Just getting in the mood for the senior match! :)) Am I not allowed to encourage my tean before the match??!!
Typical dub,thinks they’re centre of the universe
No
So mean, Michael! What sin have I committed against the GAA gods?!
Tir Eoghain Abu!! Come on lads…
I was watching the manors on tv3 but it’s it’s crap tv3 should be banned from showing sports
I wonder would young Doherthy have another 70mins in him.
Good enough for senior football.
The future looks bright for the mayo footballers.
We are!! Now did ye not know that?? ;)
Not being county specific in support but delighted to see good attacking football beating cynical, swarm defense..those Tyrone lads look like excellent footballers..pity the management is putting a tactical straightjacket on them. They’re playing far better just going for it..
The man of the match should be given to the referee. awsome display.
* team *
Ah Lads, what is the ref doing here. Mayo should have had a stonewall penalty. He took his shot off balance .
I wish the commentary was in English. Unwatchable as is.
3e has it in English! Ta athas orm!
Good man Ciaran