Mayo 2-14
Galway 2-8
AT HALF-TIME things were looking precarious for Mayo.
Last year’s All-Ireland finalists trailed their great rivals Galway by five points after a flat first-half display. Their attack was slow and laboured and defensively they were struggling to deal with the class of Shane Walsh and Damien Comer.
A goal from either forward left the Tribesmen in a commanding position at the break. Whatever James Horan said at half-time did the trick for Mayo.
He introduced speed merchant Eoghan McLaughlin and veteran Kevin McLoughlin, while Oisin Mullen moved onto Shane Walsh. He nullified the Galway star and Padraig O’Hora managed to shut down Comer. Matthew Ruane thundered into the game and his 67th minute goal sent the Westerners five clear and put the game beyond Galway.
He deservedly picked up man-of-the-match after finishing with 1-2 and winning Mayo’s penalty.
Aidan O’Shea moved into the edge of the square and Mayo got their running game going from deep. They were a different side after the break, they hunted in packs, turning over ball and won the breaks on kick-outs.
Horan’s men outscored Galway by 1-4 to no score during a clinical third quarter when they stepped things up a level or two. Mayo opened up in the closing stages and had what looked to be a legitimate Ryan O’Donoghue goal disallowed, while McLaughlin forced a stunning save from Gleeson and James Carr took a late point with the goal at his mercy.
Captain O’Shea lifted the Connacht title for the 48th time in the county’s history and they now progress to the All-Ireland semi-final where they’ll face the Leinster champions in three weeks.
Mayo started with Comer in a two-man full-forward line alongside Robert Finnerty, with Shane Walsh operating in a free role between the lines. He was picked up by Keegan, with Michael Plunkett dropping to protect the last line of defence.
Mayo withdrew O’Shea as a third midfielder and they looked sharper at the start. They led by 0-4 to 0-2 after 11 minutes before the Paul Conroy started to get himself on plenty of ball in the middle.
He clipped his second score in the 14th minute and a shot at the posts five minutes later led to Galway’s first goal. Conroy’s point effort bounced off the post and back into the danger zone.
Shane Walsh was almost 40 metres from goal but he came alive and reacted far quicker than Keegan. He smashed the ball home to send the Tribesmen 1-3 to 0-4 in front.
Great run by Shane Walsh here to set up Damien Comer with a class goal for @Galway_GAA in the Connacht Senior Football Championship Final! #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/WyvIBH2fSB
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 25, 2021
Galway had lost Finnerty and Sean Kelly to injury in the first-half, but they were controlling the game. All around the field their key men were winning their individual battles. Conroy, Peter Cooke, Walsh and Comer were exerting considerable influence on the proceedings.
Walsh burned O’Shea and Durcan to create Comer’s 27th minute goal, sending Galway five clear. Mayo went 22 minutes between their fourth and fifth scores of the day during an extremely flat period for Horan’s side.
Their attack wasn’t firing, with Conroy and O’Donoghue being well tracked by Silke and Sean Kelly (before his injury enforced withdrawal) inside. Mayo carried the ball to the 45 and went sideways, which made things very difficult for their forwards.
Walsh suffered a shoulder injury after being dumped to the ground by O’Hora who wasn’t punished for the incident. He had an injection at half-time but didn’t look the same player after the break.
Horan made a couple of half-time changes to spark Mayo back into life, introducing McLaughlin and McLoughlin fo Darren McHale and Bryan Walsh. More importantly they positioned O’Shea at full-forward and he man created Mayo’s opening goal within a minute of the restart.
The Breaffy man gathered high ball from Conroy and fed the run of Ruane, who was fouled by Tierney. O’Donoghue dispatched the penalty and Mayo reeled off the next six points to lead by 1-12 to 2-5 after 55 minutes.
Galway’s first score of the second period arrived with nine minutes left from a Tierney free. O’Donoghue rolled in a super goal that was disallowed by referee Conor Lane for a nudge on Jack Glynn. The decision looked to be very harsh on the Belmullet ace.
Mayo’s second goal arrived minutes later, however. Ruane burst past five or six Galway players and finished low past Connor Gleeson. Three frees from Tierney was all Galway could muster in the second-half as they Walsh was replaced in the 72nd minute.
Rob Hennelly clipped over a 45 and James Carr had mercy on Galway with the goal at his mercy when he tapped over.
By the end it was all Mayo and they coasted home.
Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Matthew Ruane 1-2, Tommy Conroy 0-3, Conor Loftus 0-2, Paddy Durcan, Kevin McLoughlin, Darren McHale and James Carr 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 1-1, Matthew Tierney 0-4 (0-3f), Damien Comer 1-0, Paul Conroy 0-2, Cathal Sweeney 0-1.
Mayo
1. Rob Hennelly (Breaffy)
3. Padraig O’Hora (Ballina Stephenites), 6. Oisin Mullen (Kilmaine),
2. Lee Keegan (Westport),
5. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels), 7. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), 4. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber)
8. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy), 9. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina)
10. Bryan Walsh (Ballintubber), 11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), 12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
13. Tommy Conroy (The Neale), 14. Darren McHale (Knockmore), 15. Ryan O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
Subs
18. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport) for McHale (ht)
25. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore) for Walsh (ht)
23. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina) for Loftus (45 – 51, temporary sub)
22. Rory Brickenden (Westport) for O’Hora (57, inj)
26. James Carr (Ardagh) for O’Shea (68)
20. Conor O’Shea (Breaffy) for O’Connor (75)
Galway
1. Connor Gleeson
1. Connor Gleeson (Dunmore MacHales)
3. Seán Mulkerrin (Aran Islands), 4. Liam Silke (Corofin), 2. Seán Kelly (Moycullen)
7. Johnny Heaney (Killanin), 6. Dylan McHugh (Corofin), 5. Kieran Molloy (Corofin)
8. Paul Conroy (St James), 9. Matthew Tierney (Oughterard)
12. Cathal Sweeney (Salthill/Knocknacarra) , 11. Peter Cooke (Moycullen), 15. Paul Kelly (Moycullen)
14. Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin/Clonberne)
13. Robert Finnerty (Salthill/Knocknacarra), 10. Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
Subs
22. Finnian O Laoi (Spidil) for Finnerty (17, inj)
18. Jack Glynn (Claregalway) for Sean Kelly (26, inj)
24. Michael Farragher (Corofin) for Sweeney (51)
23. Eamonn Brannigan (St Michael’s) for Paul Kelly (56)
17. Johnny Duane (St Joseph’s) for Walsh (75)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
Galway, the biggest shower of underachievers in both hurling and football.
@The Firestarter: With all the finals they’ve lost, would Mayo be the biggest underachievers? Galway have won in both codes since Mayo last lifted a senior all Ireland.
@Mike Keane: Would you believe Galway have lost more finals than Mayo have?
@Mike Keane: You could argue that Mayo overachieved to even get to some of those finals. 2004 and 2006 for sure.
@Rory Murphy: Probably have but the have won more as well.
@The Firestarter: I am in my forties and have seen my county lift six all Ireland titles in hurling and football, not to mention numerous under age titles, club titles and all Ireland’s in ladies football and camogie, I don’t know what county you are from but you should probably worry about your own county.
@Tom kenny: Galway have won 5 All Irelands in hurling and lost 21 which is a pretty horrific record by any standards. In football they have won 9 and lost 13 which is somewhat better, but overall they are perennial underachievers.
@The Firestarter: what is your own county’s record?
@Mike Keane: Yes they have won more… But your initial comment was about losing finals and being underachievers.
@Rory Murphy: Not in football they haven’t.
@The Firestarter: still waiting on your answer
@Rory Murphy: In football, if you haven’t won you haven’t achieved anything. Unless you count the ‘we put it up to the Dubs’ trophy. Hence the tag under achieving.
A great performance in the second half from Mayo. Powerful football and fitness from the Mayo team. Another rattle at Dublin in the offing, some day !! You’d never know.
Changes needed in Galway,
@Al Byrne: Davy fitz on the way to double job the hurlers and footballers,if wexford let him
@Al Byrne:
Not really
At least we are trying to play football… we have had about 15 years of defensive muck while our best club team was beating all with attacking football…
Galway might not win with attacking football but we sure as hell going to loose with defensive football.. there is also the embarrassment of watching real footballers becoming fitness monkeys… depressing seeing them wasting away
Am in the tunnel at half time and also O’Shea added to that with his work in the start of the second half. Unfortunate for Galway but when Mayo start putting it about off the ball they physically fell away.
@Scott Crossfield: I’ve no doubt that scuffle only spurred Mayo on aswell as the tactical changes. All stems from what Didi said post Portugal v Germany and Ronaldo showboating – don’t give your opponents a single grain of motivation. Mayo were fired up in the 2nd and Galway completely shrunk sadly.
@Ultan Corcoran: shrivelled
@Ultan Corcoran: True like sheedy clapping at half time last week.
Couldn’t even sell 18k tickets to the final. Speaks volumes for the competition and quality of teams playing in Connacht.
@A.B.: I think it’s more due to the fact the it’s being played the other side of the country. I was going to head to it today myself but min purchase was two tickets to form a pod. €70, no thanks.
@a: cop out,I followed limerick for years, happily pay anything to support them.Bad and good times.
@a: So you think €70 for 2 tickets is too expensive?
@Tom Leddy: I think the point is he only wanted one ticket but would have to buy 2. Add on the cost of travelling to Dublin and back.
@DK: That is exactly my point. No issue with paying for one ticket.
@Daniel Roche: No it’s not a cop out Daniel. I would be going to the game on my own. €70 to buy two tickets when I need only one, parking, a bag of chips. No change out of €100. In these Covid times where I’ve taken a large hit in income it’s too much for me to justify unfortunately. It’s what it would cost for a nice day out with the kids and wife. That’s the priority.
It’s puzzling for sure.
Given Galway have
The most All Ireland senior club hurling titles (12).
3rd most All Ireland senior club football titles (7).
4th most All Ireland minor hurling titles (14)
6th most All Ireland minor football titles (6)
3rd most All Ireland u20 football titles (6)
4th most All Ireland u20 titles (10) (Kilkenny have 11 for perspective)
9 All Ireland senior football titles is still the 3rd most in country but yes given the perennial All Ireland success at club, minor and u20 it does seem that something is wrong with the transition mechanisms or those involved (board and others) in the set up at senior level.
@Supes Kz: Congratulations to Mayo, its been a lousy weekend for Galway supporters.
@Supes Kz: And that is exactly my point, it’s not about having a go at Galway and kicking them when they’re down, but it’s an absolute mystery how they are unable to turn little or any of their incredible success at underage level (particularly in hurling) into success at senior level.
@The Firestarter: I know you weren’t having a go, I was just highlighting that given the success at various levels including senior club it is hard to see how some of the accusations (lack of desire and worse) thrown at Galway players can somehow only be relevant to these players when they pull on a senior inter county Galway shirt ( they are the same players who have had success at other levels) so something must be very wrong in the Galway inter county senior set up overall.
It’s Jones Road, or nowhere’
Mayo never perform on the big day
@trebloc01: wud u not class a provincial final a big day id say most football fans with half a brain wud
@trebloc01: Don’t know much if anything about football .. do you?