Shrule Glencorrib start championship bid by sinking Swinford

GAA - MAYO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Swinford 0-13

Shrule-Glencorrib 2-12

In Swinford

THE road to redemption is often long and winding, but Shrule Glencorrib have started well in their comprehensive win over Swinford in their Mayo Junior Championship opener.

Swinford weren’t at the races in this one, and a strong wind coupled with inaccurate shooting paved the way to a disappointing loss on their home patch.

However, that doesn’t take anything away from an impressive performance from Tom Flynn’s men, who put themselves in a good place to make it into the knock-out rounds.

Shrule-Glencorrib set about making the most of the hefty breeze at their backs, with Shane Mellett opening the scoring. Stephen Heneghan also evaded the black jerseys breathing down his neck to find the range.

Six minutes in, an Evan Cawley effort was somehow allowed to bounce before going over for a two-pointer.

Swinford found their shooting boots for the first time in the eighth minute via Dylan Toner, but they couldn’t manage to show any sort of efficiency when playing into the wind.

Liam Moran showed his propensity for finding the sticks with a two-point free from downtown to bring things back to the minimum, but Shrule-Glencorrib powered on.

Shane Mellett saw green grass in front of him and duly obliged, and Danny Molloy had a single from play.

The flame-haired Stephen Heneghan kept his Shrule Glencorrib soldiers plugging away with two from him, as well as efforts from Shane Mellett and Evan Cawley, leaving five between the pair.

A fine two-point free from Cawley had them purring, and had the chasm widened to seven by the close of business in the first half.

Swinford pushed up when they gained the wind advantage, and a pair of Colin Dempsey scores whittled away at the lead.

However, their aggressive offensive play was always going to leave gaps at the other end.

A Stephen Heneghan reverse pass around the back found Luke Lydon travelling at pace, and Niall Cassidy had to be at his best to deny the midfielder.

Evan Cawley and Liam Moran exchanged offensives before Lydon was denied a green flag once more with twelve minutes to go.

This time, it was the post that kept him out as he lost his footing at the crucial juncture.

Somehow, he was offered another chance to rattle the net, but was taken down, forcing referee Sean O’Neill to signal a penalty.

Up stepped Lydon, who produced a beautiful effort to send the keeper the wrong way and soar into the top right corner.

Kevin McDonagh tried to keep Brian Gallagher’s men motoring with a pair of frees, but to little fruit, and there will be plenty of questions asked by him and his backroom.

The cherry was put on the win in minute 53. The maroon and green menaces toyed with Swinford, playing back and forth before pouncing in a sweeping move where Lydon rounded off his brace.

A two-pointer from sub McDonagh was merely a footnote, and Swinford will have to regroup quickly if they’re to make it out of the group alive.

A full report, plus reaction, will be included in Tuesday's edition of The Mayo News.