OUT OF LUCK Pictured are the Mayo squad before their game against the DDSL in the U-12 Inter League Cup last Sunday in Dublin. Pic: Mick O’Neill
Mayo boys suffer final heartbreak
FINAL
DDSL 2
Mayo 1
(AET)
John Fallon
Coolock
THE Mayo Schoolboys League U-12 team came within 30 seconds of claiming the national cup on Sunday against a top-class Dublin and District Schoolboys League side but ended up suffering heartbreak.
Colm Nevin’s neat finish gave Mayo the opening goal early in the second half of the final at the Oscar Traynor Road Complex in Dublin, but that lead was clawed back on the stroke of full-time by Glody Nsay’s late equaliser. A wonder strike in the first period of extra-time by Kalvin Jackson, the DDSL striker marked out the game by Diarmuid O’Connor and Pádraig Keane until that point, sealed the trophy for the Dubs.
The outcome was harsh on the Mayo youngsters, who dominated the game for large spells. Indeed, they were worthy of their lead, and if either of the teams seemed likely to score again late on, it was the lads from the west.
However, teams who represent the DDSL, the largest underage league in the country, have a tradition of perseverance, and the last-gasp leveller they found came about following a series of three corner kicks.
It was the only time during the contest that Mayo’s defence looked under threat and, ultimately, would result in the goal which handed the psychological upper hand to the boys from the capital.
A cagey first half saw few openings, but the best of them fell to DDSL midfielder Glody Nsay moments before the interval. He was given a free sight on goal but, with the goal at his mercy, the Cherry Orchard player angled his shot wide of the right post.
Mayo took the initiative from that point onwards and broke the deadlock seven minutes after the restart. Left winger Colm Nevin still had work to do when he ghosted into the box from the flank, but he showed excellent composure to round goalkeeper and tuck the ball home from an acute angle.
With captain and man of the match Noe Baba bossing the midfield battle, Mayo looked in control and capable of adding a second. The opportunities didn’t materialise, though, and instead the DDSL piled forward in numbers seeking the equaliser. Mayo’s name looked set to be on the trophy when Jackson flashed a shot past the the right post as the minutes ticked down, but there would be late drama. Evan Finnegan lofted a corner-kick to the far post and when the ball dropped on the six-yard line, Glody Nsay was first to react and poked the ball into the net to earn extra time.
Fatigue would set in during the additional period, and the only thing to separate the teams was a brilliant cameo by Kelvin Jackson five minutes in. As the striker held the ball up on the inside right position, the Mayo defence was set up to deal with a cross but Jackson’s audacious shot with the outside of his foot lofted high into the far corner to leave goalkeeper Adam Murphy helpless. That was the height of the action during the two added periods, and the DDSL held out for victory.
Mayo manager Paul Byrne admitted that his team had come close to thwarting the DDSL’s danger men but couldn’t close out the game in normal time.
“We knew where their threats would come from and we dealt was that very well up until the last kick of the game,” he said. “I think the DDSL had three shots in the entire match and scored from two of them. I’m very proud of the players. They have been a great bunch to manage all season and today, they came very close to defeating a superb DDSL team.”
The future is bright for Mayo Youth football, according to Byrne.
“This is a good foundation to build upon for next season’s SFAI Kennedy Cup at U-13 level,” he concluded.
DDSL
S Fagan, D Hayes, S Coyne, T Lahiff, D O’Reilly, C Norris, S Long, G Nsay, K Jackson, J Mahon, L Desmond. Subs: S Dixon, A Kelly, E Finnegan, B Heffernan, L Smith, J O’Hanlon, M Collier.
MAYO
A Murphy, C Treacy, R Carolan, D O’Connor, P Keane, N Baba, C Barrett, E Doran, J Loftus, C Brennan, C Nevin.
Subs: G Hunt, T Prendergast, J Corley, B Walkin, V Roughneen, S Walsh, A Smith.
