GETTING TO GRIPS?Mayo’s Kevin Filan is held up by Cavan’s Ciaran Fox during Saturday’s All-Ireland Masters Football Final
in Clonberne.?Pic: Martin McIntyre
Final
Mayo 0-18
Cavan 1-15
(After Extra-Time)
Ger Flanagan
Clonberne
WHEN not even extra-time can decide the winner, a draw is generally the fairest result – no matter how anti-climatic it may seem.
Although they left it until virtually the last kick of the game, Mayo got nothing less than they deserved in an extraordinary All-Ireland Masters final against Cavan at Clonberne on Saturday.
Both teams went at each other hammer and tongs from the off in a hugely physical encounter which produced some sublime football that had the large crowd in boisterous form.
Cavan thought they had stolen it after Tommy McGuire hit a late free that struck the upright, down onto the crossbar, then bounced over deep into injury time at the end of extra time. But from that resulting kick-out, Mayo got one last chance from a dead ball just over 21 metres from goal. Man of the match Kevin Filan slotted it over under huge pressure to register his 12th of the day and ensure his side another day out.
“Kevin [Filan] has been excellent for us all year and when you want a man to take a free in that situation, Kevin is the man and he did it for us again today,” manager Pat O’Neill told The Mayo News.
“I think both teams probably deserved a draw. It was a great game of football between two excellent teams.”
The finish represented a complete reversal of fortunes from normal time, given that it had looked as Mayo who would end their seven-year wait for another Masters title. As the game headed for the 60th minute, Knockmore native and Balla clubman Declan Sweeney rolled back the years with an excellent point.
But it wasn’t over yet. Cavan drove forward from the next play and were awarded a debatable free with only seconds remaining. Their own free-kick specialist, the aforementioned McGuire, made no mistake and sent the game into extra time.
Mayo dominated proceedings for large spells of the first half, but shot eight wides and found themselves a point behind at half-time, 1-6 to 0-8.
The westerners had raced into an early 5-1 lead after 12 minutes, points courtesy of Filan (three, including one free), Sweeney and Micheál McGarry.
‘Filo’ added three more frees before the break and Mayo led 8-6, until Cavan’s Christy Shiels slipped in behind the Mayo defensive line and finished to the top corner of Martin Conroy’s net to put the Ulstermen ahead by the slimmest of margins.
After 23 minutes of the second half, Noel Stagg linked with the dangerous Gerry Jennings to level things up (0-12 to 1-9), after points from Eddie Conroy, McGarry and Filan were cancelled out by Barney Brady (free), Barry McGovern (free) and Raphael Rogers.
A brace of frees from McGuire put Cavan in the driving seat with only three minutes of normal time remaining before Filan hit two in as many minutes to set up a nail-biting finish. Sweeney’s late point looked to have clinched victory, but it wasn’t to be.
As conditions underfoot began to get treacherous, Mayo edged in front at the halfway stage of extra-time from another brace of Filan dead balls left it 0-17 to 1-13, with Brady pointing for the northerners.
Cavan then leapfrogged Mayo with points from Raphael Rogers and Adrian O’Reilly, but Pat Clarke would draw it back level. From there, up stepped McGuire.
Not to be outdone, Filan rose from the substitute’s bench to respond.
“We never doubted the lads,” O’Neill said. “We always knew they would pull it back because there is quality footballers in this Mayo panel and it was just about getting the opportunity. We live to fight another day and we’ll take it in our stride.”
Mayo
M Conway; K Mortimer, F Kelly, K Hastings; B Hennelly, A Higgins, P Mulchrone; D Sweeney (0-2), D Tiernan; M McGarry (0-2), J Byrne, B Horan; R Gibbons, K Filan (0-12, 8f), P Clarke (0-1).
Subs used: E Conroy (0-1), G Jennings, D Doyle, A Forkan, N Stagg, K Lavelle.
Cavan
F Clarke; F Brady, B McGahan, O Costello; N McPhillips, M Rehill (0-1), C Fox; C Shiels (1-0), B Young; A O’Reilly, B McGovern (0-2, 2f), J McKiernan; T McGuire (0-6, 6f), M Ward, R Rogers (0-3).
Subs used: B Brady (0-3), P Brady, J Donnellan, M Clinch, B Doyle, C Briody.
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo)
60 second report
The game-changer
IN his first year playing Masters football, Kevin Filan displayed ice-cool nerves to slot over the free that forced the game to a replay, with what turned out to be the very last kick of the game.
Talk of the town
AS the PA announcer revealed that there would be extra-time after 60 minutes of hugely physical football in greasy conditions, many fans were calling for a replay, fearing for the effect it would have on the players. In any case, they’ll get to do it all again.
Did that just happen?
WITH less than a minute remaining in extra time, Cavan’s Tommy McGuire kicked a free that came crashing down off the upright, bounced straight back up off the crossbar and just crept over.
The main man
KEVIN Filan was Mayo’s main focal point of attack and played like someone of much younger years. He scored 12 points, including four from play and a number of crucial frees, including the effort that granted his side another day out.
Keep an eye on
IT will be interesting to see who will take more from this gruelling contest.
Mayo will be disappointed that they had such a high wide count, while Cavan will be furious to have given away a silly foul in the depths of extra time.
What’s next?
NO venue or date has been confirmed for the replay, but it’s understood that it may take place on Saturday, December 3.
