Mayo retain Connacht minor title

Football Connacht Minor Championship

Final
Mayo 2-13
Galway 1-10

Mike Finnerty
Tuam

SECOND HALF goals from Tom Lydon and Thomas Tuffy propelled defending champions Mayo to a deserved victory over Galway in Friday evening’s Connacht Under-17 football championship final at Tuam Stadium.
A clinically-taken penalty from Lydon in the 41st minute and a brilliantly-finished effort from substitute Tuffy four minutes later put Seán Deane’s Mayo in the driving seat, and despite Galway’s best efforts there was no way back for the homeside.
However, the young Tribesmen did give themselves every chance when substitute Fionan Ó Conghaile scored a superb goal with his first touch (around ten seconds after coming on) in the 48th minute.
But Mayo goalkeeper Conor Meaney denied Galway a second goal on 58 minutes when he spread himself well to smother a goalbound shot from Mikey Mulryan.
Galway led at the end of an entertaining and free-flowing first half by 0-8 to 0-7, and they doubled that lead when Ciaran McDonagh opened the second half scoring.
But the accuracy of Mayo’s prolific corner-forward Darragh Beirne was invaluable all evening and he clipped a couple of neat scores to keep his side in touch during the third quarter.
Then came the game’s first watershed moment when substitute Gavin Forry was brought down in the square by Galway full-back, Conor McNally, and The Neale's Tom Lydon stepped up to send goalkeeper Cillian Walsh the wrong way as he rifled the ball to the net.
Mayo led by 1-9 to 0-10 and never looked back.
The introduction of Gavin Forry five minutes into the new half had proved a masterstroke by the winners.
The Castlebar Mitchels attacker injected new life into the Mayo attack with his direct approach and he fired over a point to keep the pressure on Galway.
Then came Thomas Tuffy’s goal and, despite O Conghaile’s response for the locals, a couple of frees from Tom Lydon helped Mayo to stretch five points ahead and cement their position.
Galway were reduced to 14 men when defender Vinny Gill was booked for a second time in the 57th minute and their challenge faded away in the closing stages.
A free from man of the match, Darragh Beirne, in the 61st minute turned out to be the final score of the evening as Mayo defended their lead impressively until the final whistle.
The first half had been a very different story.
The homeside had hit the ground running and early points from Charlie Cox (free) and Shay McGlinchey (2 long-range boomers) eased them ahead by 0-3 to 0-0 after 11 minutes.
Mayo looked a little tentative early on and shot some uncharacteristic wides before Tom Lydon finally opened their account on 14 minutes from a free.
That score seemed to settle their nerves and four further points arrived in the space of eight minutes as Tiernan Egan, Darrgh Beirne and Senan Guilfoyle (with a terrific long-range effort) all finished off some easy-on-the-eye approach work.
That purple patch left Mayo ahead by 0-5 to 0-3 after 22 minutes.
Galway then took the initiative back again and proceeded to rattle off four unanswered points of their own in a five-minute spell with frees from Ciaran Mulhern and Charlie Cox supplemented by typically stylish efforts from Ross Coen and Daniel Fitzmaurice.
The young Tribesmen led by 0-7 to 0-5 when they paused for breath.
Mayo needed someone to take things on and Rio Mortimer didn’t need much encouragement, the team captain drilling a point from distance to get the scoreboard moving again.
The trend of the half continued in the closing stages as Galway midfielder Olan Kelly and Mayo’s flying wing-back Fionan O’Reilly traded points to maintain the status quo.
Galway headed down the tunnel under the stand ahead by 0-8 to 0-7 when the short whistle sounded.
But the second half (and the game) was defined by Mayo’s goals and Rio Mortimer lifted the Connacht championship cup to extend a long and proud family tradition.
Both teams march on to the All-Ireland quarter-finals but, for now, the local bragging rights rest with Mayo.

Mayo
Conor Meaney (Westport); James Lavelle (Belmullet), Eoin McGreal (Garrymore), Yousif Coghill (Breaffy); Jamie Clarke (Moy Davitts), Rio Mortimer (0-1, Claremorris), Fionan O’Reilly (0-1, Castlebar Mitchels); Tiernan Egan (0-1, Hollymount/Carramore), Shane Cunningham (Castlebar Mitchels); Colm Lynch (Parke), Tom Lydon (1-3, 1-0pen, 3fs, The Neale), Dara Neary (Parke); Darragh Beirne (0-5, 2fs, Claremorris), Josh Carey (Kiltane), Senan Guilfoyle (0-1, Eastern Gaels)
Subs used: Gavin Forry (0-1, Castlebar Mitchels) for Carey (35); Thomas Tuffy (1-0, Swinford) for Neary (41); Seán Walsh (Killala) for O’Reilly (43); Conor Ryder (Moy Davitts) for Egan (54); Ryan Gibbons (Castlebar Mitchels) for Lynch (61).

Galway
Cillian Walsh; Tiarnán Proulx, Conor McNally, Vincent Gill; Brian O’Malley, Ross Coen (0-1), Seán Rhattigan; Shay McGlinchey (0-2), Olan Kelly (0-1); Mikey Mulryan, Ciarán Mulhern (0-1, 1f), Ciarán McDonagh (0-1); Charlie Cox (0-3, 2fs), Seán Walsh, Daniel Fitzmaurice (0-1).
Subs used: Stephen O’Grady for Walsh (23, inj); Sean O’Flynn for Rhattigan (39); Ruairi Walkin for McDonagh (43); Fionan O Conghaile (1-0) for Fitzmaurice (48); Cillian Gannon for Cox (65).

Referee: D Lyons (Roscommon)