Mayo must go back to basics as championship countdown begins

To be continued…


Mayo must go back to basics again as championship countdown begins

Division 1
Monaghan 1-18
Mayo 2-13

Mike Finnerty
Inniskeen

ON a day when the Mayo football bandwagon rolled into the picture-postcard setting of Inniskeen for the first time, and the sun shone to create the illusion of high summer, another new-look Mayo combination reminded James Horan that there is still plenty to be done before the season begins in earnest.
A carnival atmosphere, the balmy weather, and the fact that Mayo’s league status was already secure before a ball was kicked in anger last Sunday did little to soothe the Mayo manager’s frustration after a mediocre performance and a disappointing defeat.
Showing eight changes from the side that beat Cork, and without the likes of Aidan O’Shea, James Kilcullen and Alan Dillon, Mayo made the right noises early on, led at half-time, scored a couple of goals, but were found wanting when push came to shove.
Monaghan, on the other hand, were fighting for Division 1 survival — and it showed. They struck for 1-4 in the first quarter, nailed another seven points in the last twenty minutes, and with Paul Finlay and Tommy Freeman on song up front, were full value for their first victory over the visitors since 1986.
In between Monaghan’s purple patches, Mayo held their own and looked to have the measure of the homeside for long spells.
However, they had real issues winning primary possession and coping with the physical power and direct approach of Messrs Mone, Clerkin and Hughes who ran relentlessly at the heart of Mayo’s fragile defence.
Still, when Jason Doherty grabbed his seventh goal in five games on 51 minutes to catapult Mayo into a three-point lead, a third win of an eventful campaign seemed on the cards.
Instead, even with all five replacements on the field, Mayo faded out of contention alarmingly in the final quarter and Monaghan closed the game out impressively with Paul Finlay’s unerring accuracy from frees guiding them home.
The experienced marksman wasn’t even listed on the match programme but started at full-forward and posted 0-11, all but two from converted frees. Tommy Freeman was another surprise inclusion and bagged 1-3.
Ironically, Mayo started like they meant business and quick-fire points from Jason Doherty, Kevin McLoughlin and James Burke eased them into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after five minutes.
That good work was wiped out though when Tommy Freeman made the most of some slack marking on six minutes to drill in the first goal of the day.
The rest of the half was nip-and-tuck as Seamus O’Shea and Tom Parsons worked hard to link Mayo’s defence and attack but often found themselves outflanked and crowded out by the likes of Eoin Lennon, Neil McAdam, Dessie Mone, Darren Hughes and Dick Clerkin.
Alan Freeman, Jason Doherty (free) and Aidan Campbell kept Mayo ticking over with good scores but Paul Finlay clipped over four frees at the other end to ensure Monaghan led by 1-7 to 0-7 after 26 minutes.
Mayo played their best football of the day in the last ten minutes of the half as Enda Varley and company started to motor and 1-2 without reply was just reward for some honest endeavour.
The goal came from Mayo captain Andy Moran on 35 minutes, after a clever interception from Jason Doherty, and meant Mayo led by 1-9 to 1-7 at the halfway mark.
A frantic second half followed; the sides were level on three occasions during the third quarter before the prolific Jason Doherty pounced to spin past Dessie Mone, evade a couple of hapless defenders, lose the ball, regain his composure, before finishing emphatically past Mark Keogh.
The score came against the run of play but, ahead by 2-11 to 1-11, and with Monaghan forced to give chase, it seemed as if Mayo would have more than enough to see the game out.
Unfortunately, it was Monaghan that finished by far the stronger and, inspired by the powerful, direct running of Dessie Mone, Darren Hughes and Dick Clerkin, they refused to bend the knee.
The nerveless Paul Finlay landed five points (four from frees) in the last twenty minutes and Darren Hughes galloped through to fire over an inspirational score.
All Mayo managed in response were a couple of late eye-catching points from the industious James Burke but they did little to deter Monaghan from their task.

Monaghan
M Keogh; K Duffy, Darren Hughes (0-1), C Walshe; C Galligan, D Mone, M McNally; N McAdam, O Lennon; D Clerkin, C McManus (0-3, 2fs), M Downey; C McGuinness, P Finlay (0-11, 9fs), T Freeman (1-3).
Subs used: J Turley for Downey; S Gollogly for McGuinness; D McArdle for McNally; D Morgan for Walshe; O Duffy for D Clerkin.

Mayo
D Clarke; C Hallinan, A Feeney, K Higgins; P Gardiner, G Cafferkey, J Burke (0-3); S O'Shea, T Parsons; A Campbell (0-4, 2fs), A Moran (1-1), K McLoughlin (0-1); E Varley, A Freeman (0-1), J Doherty (1-3, 2fs).
Subs used: R O'Connor for Gardiner; R Rochford for Hallinan; A Kilcoyne for Campbell; B Moran for O'Shea; C O'Connor for Varley (inj).

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois)