Mayo Minors well beaten by rampant Roscommon in Hyde Park

ELECTRIC IRELAND CONNACHT MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Roscommon 4-15

Mayo 3-9

HYDE PARK

SCOREBOARDS rarely lie and that was the case in Roscommon this evening when the home side eased past Mayo. The boys in Green and Red couldn't be faulted for effort but the home side were clear and deserving winners on an evening when some spectacular scores were kicked.

The football on view in the opening half certainly fought off the chill wind blowing through the stadium. Four goals and 13 points kept the supporters entertained and the umpires busy as first one team took control and then the other.

Roscommon started brilliantly and had 2-3 on the before the guests had a shot at the posts. Team captain Dara Curran and corner-forward Luke Shally shook the net within seconds of one another in the ninth minute.

Mayo needed to respond urgently and did so when reeling off 1-3 in the next five minutes. Kiltimagh's Conor Hession was the main man at that stage with a goal and two to his name.

However, Roscommon midfielder was majestic with the boot and kicked three two-pointers in the opening half. In fact, he seemed to have kicked another one as well, but the officials only deemed the effort worthy of a white flag.

Once again, Mayo needed a response and got it before half time when Hession slipped in for his second goal to leave the Green and Red well in touch at the break, trailing by three, 2-5 to 2-8.

However, that was as good as it got for Mayo as the Rossies took complete control; after the resumption despite playing into the breeze.

After 20 minutes of the second period Roscommon had scored another 2-5 while Mayo had only added a single point. Curran and wing-forward had added spectacular goals and points arrived from a selection of angles and difficulties.

To their credit, Mayo never stopped trying, but they were chasing shadows for long periods. Then, after 53 minutes wing-back Dara Flanagan burst through the middle to score a classy Mayo goal but it made little impression on a contest that was well and truly won by the much better team on the evening.

A full match report will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.