Connacht U-20 Championship semi-final
Mayo 1-24
Leitrim 1-3
Ger Flanagan reports from MacHale Park
MAYO OPENED THEIR EirGrid Connacht U-20 Championship campaign with 21-point trouncing of Leitrim in MacHale Park this afternoon.
Mike Solan’s side were utterly dominant from start to finish, with an inspired performance from Ross Egan at full forward who returned 12 points.
Both sides finished the game with 14-men after Leitrim – who failed to register a point from play – lost Sean Harkin to a straight red card after 36 minutes. Mayo lost Oisin McLaughlin to a second yellow after 48 minutes.
Mayo held a commanding 1-12 to 1-1 lead at the break.
Opting to play direct at every opportunity, Mayo raced into an early lead with points from Tommy Conroy and a brace of frees from Ross Egan.
Leitrim responded with a Jordan Reynold’s goal after 11 minutes but that was as good as it got for Joe Cox’s side as Mayo found another gear.
A stunning solo goal from Oisin McLaughlin after 18 minutes put Mayo into a 1-6 to 1-0 lead, with Egan (two) and Evan O’Brien raising white flags just before.
Mayo continued the onslaught with Egan, Ryan O’Donoghue, McLaughlin and Cathal Horan all getting on the scoreboard before the short whistle. Leitrim’s solitary point came from a Reynold’s dead ball.
The second half was more plain sailing for the Green and Red, as Conroy, Egan, John Gallagher, Colm Moran, Sean Óg Tigue and goalkeeper Patrick O’Malley (‘45) all registered points.
The gap could have been larger had Mayo been more clinical in front of goal, while Leitrim goalkeeper Darren Maxwell denied Ryan O’Donoghue from the penalty spot.
Next Sunday will be a much different test for Mayo.
Scorers for Mayo: Ross Egan 0-12 (0-6 frees), Oisin McLaughlin 1-1, Tommy Conroy 0-3, Colm Moran 0-2, Cathal Horan, Evan O’Brien, Ryan O’Donoghue, John Gallagher, Patrick O’Malley (‘45), Sean Óg Tigue 0-1 each.
Scorers for Leitrim: Jordan Reynolds 1-3 (0-3 frees)
MAYO
1. Patrick O’Malley (Westport)
2. Rory Brickenden (Westport)
3. Brian O’Malley (Westport)
4. John Cunnane (Ballyhaunis)
5. Paul Lambert (Westport)
6. Oisin Mullin (Kilmaine)
7. Cathal Horan (Kilmovee)
8. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina)
9. Evan O’Brien (Ballinrobe)
10. Nathan Moran (Hollymount/Carramore)
11. Ryan O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
12. Oisin McLoughlin (Westport)
13. John Gallagher (Mayo Gaels)
14. Ross Egan (Aghamore)
15. Tommy Conroy (The Neale)
Subs
17. Johnny Maughan (Castlebar Mitchels) for Brickenden (39 mins)
21. Colm Moran (Westport) for Gallagher (42 mins)
20. Sean Óg Tigue (Aghamore) for O’Brien (42 mins)
19. Joe Dawson (Louisburgh) for Mullin (45 mins)
24. Aaron Murphy (Lahardane) for Conroy (49 mins)
23. Donovan Cosgrove (Kiltimagh) for Horan (51 mins)
LEITRIM
1. Darren Maxwell (Beal an Atha Moir/Sean Ui Heislin)
2. David Mitchell (Maothail)
3. Evan Harkin (Maothail)
4. Fintan Gallogly (Achadh an Easa)
5. Sean Harkin (Maothail)
6. Matiss Polis (Carraig Álainn)
17. Shaun Chandler (Gaeil Liatroma)
8. Aaron Hoare (Achadh na Sileann)
9. Marc Dolan (Carraig Álainn)
25. Ethan Harkin (Maothail)
11. Jordan Reynolds (Maothail)
24. Eoin Kenny (Achadh Easa)
13. Mark Diffley (Naomh Muire Cill Tochairt)
14. Eoghan Keegan (Cluain)
15. Seamus Sweeney (Achadh Easa)
Subs
20. Matthew Morrison (Sean Ui Heislin) for Kenny (22 mins)
7. Donal Moreton (Gaeil Liatroma) for Harkin (half-time)
10. Kevin Mulligan (Barr na Cúille) for Polis (52 mins)
22. Alan Donnan (Fiodhnach Naomh Cailin) for Diffley (52 mins)
18. Stephen McDermott (Tochairt) for Hoare (55 mins)
21. Adam O’Hagan (Eannach Dubh) for Sweeney (60 mins)
Referee: Martin Flaherty (Galway)
Can’t criticise Mayo’s sporting qualities. If they were more streetwise they would have an All Ireland by now. Cork bit too nice at times as well.
Mayo streetwise, It is Mayo and not Germany!
Mayo for salad
They’re brilliant throughout the making of the salad but mess it up at the end.
Sounds like he’s making excuses already!
Trying to influence the referee more like and smacks of desperation
Not the first time this has been, rather unfairly, levelled at Mayo. Similar accusations were made before last years final though of course everybody conveniently forgets that Dublin spent the last ten minutes of that game hauling down Mayo men to scrape over the line. Mayo need to stand up to this rhetoric and take some control of the rhetoric, referees are only human after all.
Mayo did the exact same thing in the 2012 semi final against Dublin too, hauling down players and time wasting, just to clarify that Mayo are no saints either. But lets try to stick to Cork v Mayo this Sunday without trying to bring Dublin into it.
Semi-Final match-ups: Dublin vs Donegal, Mayo vs Kerry
All-Ireland Final: Mayo vs Dublin……..Mayo to end the Curse and beat Dublin by three points :)……..you heard it hear first
Since the new format was introduced, 11 times out of 13 the team that won the All-Ireland was either Kerry or the team that knocked them out.
Making excuses already! Hope mayo hammer them now.
Mind games! Mind games! You’re fooling no – one.
This is the funniest thing I’ve ever read. Where’s my violin?!
Cuthbert is right them Mayo shores are gettho hardened, look at Edna for example, a right gurrier
Why has Andrew osullivan left the panel? Played slot in the league and impressed to be honest. If we get with in an asses roar of mayo I’ll be happy enough. Don’t think cutbert is the man to take us forward tho.
Hahaha this has to be a joke, what happened to battle hardened cork teams. Mayo to make final again but expect same result as always
Final it’s there’s Sunday
We could sneak an unfancied win if we could sort out our Midfield
Midfield will be damage control for Cork, Mayo have the strongest midfield in the championship when it comes to fielding our own kickouts. Cork don’t have a Cluxton to nullify that.
Mayo 4 Sam 2014. This is our year. Mark my words.. !!!
Mayo have not peaked yet for a reason and never took the League serious, .. Learned from mistakes last year of showing they’re hand too early . Mark my words Mayo will bulldoze Dublin in this years final !!!!
http://youtu.be/2G_hmuU2PEc. Up the dubs you have no chance
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz