FINAL
Mayo 0-10
Roscommon 0-7
Austin Garvin
Castlebar
MAYO bridged a seven-year gap with a hard-earned if unconvincing win over a determined Roscommon to secure their first Connacht minor football title since 2001 at McHale Park on Sunday.
The game was always close and exciting, and what it lacked in real quality it more than compensated for with determination and effort from both teams. Mayo were outplayed for long periods but they just did enough to pull through in the end after recovering from a sticky period in the final quarter. During this spell of dominance Roscommon had a penalty saved by outstanding Mayo goalkeeper Robert Hennelly, who was coolness personified throughout the hour.
Roscommon had the better of the first half when wind-aided as they led by 0-5 to 0-1 after 24 minutes. In fact, it took Mayo a full five minutes before they entered the Roscommon half of the field, which gives an indication of the visitors’ dominance early on.
Roscommon carried the game to their opponents with the half-back line of Eamon Bannon, Niall Daly and Michael Higgins ably abetting a fine midfield combination of Eugene Stritch and Cathal Shine. Their lively interchanging attack were causing the Mayo rearguard many anxious moments, with Dara Lennon and Darren McDermott to the fore.
Two pointed frees by Lennon and a lovely effort from play by Daly had the Roscommon men three points to the good after 11 minutes. Daniel O’Hara finally opened Mayo’s account with a left-footed effort on 17 minutes. Roscommon continued to dictate terms in general play and on the scoreboard with Cathal Shine and Dara Lennon pointing frees on 20 and 24 minutes respectively.
But Mayo gradually came more into the game in the final quarter, and with Ray Geraghty picking up a lot of loose play around the midfield area, they enjoyed their most productive spell of the game. The result was unanswered points from Alex Corduff and Aidan Walsh (two). This left the score at 0-5 to 0-4 at half time, which hardly reflected Roscommon’s general dominance throughout the half.
Mayo could feel pleased as they trailed by a single point and could look forward to the aid of the stiff breeze in the second half. Their expected overall control never really materialised, however, as Roscommon’s close passing game proved very effective against the breeze. They carried the ball forward at every opportunity and matched Mayo score for score during the opening stages of the half.
Mayo had the first score on the resumption from Ray Geraghty, who pointed from play, but Roscommon edged ahead when Dara Lennon converted a free. An Aidan Walsh free and a great Cathal Freeman effort saw Mayo go ahead for the first time in the game, but when Lennon pointed another Roscommon free on 43 minutes, it proved to be their last score of the game.
This didn’t prevent the losers from enjoying a huge amount of possession, forcing Mayo manager Ray Dempsey to ring the changes. The home side went ahead for the second time on 45 minutes when James Cafferty scored a fine point after Roscommon had missed the target at the other end of the field.
At this juncture Aidan O’Shea was an influential figure at midfield for Mayo, but Roscommon never stopped trying. Their inaccuracy proving their undoing, however, as they registered 16 wides, the same number as Mayo registered against Sligo.
The final 12 minutes were full of incident. During a sustained spell of Roscommon pressure, Brian Murtagh was adjudged to have been fouled in the square. Dara Lennon opted for placement over power and was thwarted by Robert Hennelly, who brought off a fine save. The Breaffy custodian also saved a certain point minutes later when he plucked a high ball down from above the crossbar.
The men in green and red seemed to take inspiration from Hennelly’s performance and finished strongly with points from Ray Geraghty and Aidan O’Shea to give them a three-point winning margin.
Mayo has much room for improvement; they will have to upgrade their shot selection and teamwork in particular. For now though, they will cherish the first provincial success for the county in the grade for seven years and for that, all concerned deserve commendation.
Mayo
R Hennelly; S McHale, K Keane, D Dolan; C Freeman (0-1), E Reilly, S Nally; A Corduff (0-1), J Cafferty (0-1); U Crowe, A O’ Shea (0-1), D Drake; D O’Hara (0-1), A Walsh (0-3), R Geraghty (0-2). Subs used: D Gavin for Crowe; J Broderick for S McHale; G McDonagh for D Drake; L Cawley for D O’Hara.
Roscommon
D O’Malley; P Brogan, N Collins, C Dolphin; E Bannon, N Daly (0-1), M Higgins; E Stritch, C Shine (0-1); E Sheehy, B Murtagh, B Carthy; N Kilroy, D Lennon (0-5), D McDermott. Subs used: S Beirne for Sheehy; M Sweeney for B Murtagh.
Referee: E O’Grady (Leitrim)
THE MAIN MAN
ROBERT HENNELLY
THE Breaffy goalkeeper pulled off a crucial penalty save in the second half, and even prevented a point moments later!
