Just desserts

Hurlers get what they deserve

Round 2
Mayo    0-18
Kerry    0-15

Mike Finnerty
Castlebar

GREAT days are few and far between for the Mayo senior hurlers so it was no surprise that the final whistle was greeted with unbridled delight last Saturday.
A wonderful three-point win over Kerry means that Martin Brennan’s team are now within touching distance of the knock-out stages. And deservedly so too after a second half performance that was full of character and no little skill which culminated with late points from Keith Higgins and Adrian Freeman (two) that won the day.
Mayo’s mental fortitude and physical well-being were well-tested after centre half-back Seamus Barrett was sent off in the 28th minute after being booked twice. However, Brennan and his right-hand man Pete Finnerty reorganised the troops excellently and their players did the rest.
The decision to drop Keith Higgins back in front of the full-back line was an inspired one. The dual star gave an exhibition of sweeping and, around him, the likes of Derek Walsh, Aidan Connolly and Stephen Coyne didn’t concede an inch.
Kerry failed to deal with the sending-off of their free-taker Michael Conway quite so well. The corner-forward received his second yellow card in the 52nd minute and was badly missed by the visitors in the final 20 minutes. He had shot eight points and was unerring from the placed ball.
Once Kerry had lost their numerical advantage, Mayo started to hurl with confidence and poise. Pearse Higgins was dynamic all through at midfield and led by example in the final quarter. His energy and competitive instinct were vital and he also landed an inspirational equaliser in the 50th minute.
Kerry, to their credit, went back in front through a free from James O’Brien but without Conway to aim at up front, they seemed to lose their way down the home stretch. They failed to score in the final quarter as Mayo’s conditioning and fitness came to the fore.
The free-scoring Adrian Freeman drilled his eighth point of the game from a placed ball to level the game before Keith Higgins smacked over a 100 metre free in the 63rd minute to nudge Mayo in front.
The tiny crowd did all they could to augment Mayo’s efforts and they were treated to some neat and tidy hurling in the final minutes as the Higgins brothers and substitute Eoghan Madigan pulled the strings.
Kerry looked leaden-footed and couldn’t dig out an equaliser. Instead, Adrian Freeman swept over a beautiful score from play and tacked on a free to injury-time to settle the issue.
It was a fitting end to an entertaining game. Mayo were asked no shortage of difficult questions throughout and found themselves down to 14 men and five points behind after 32 minutes. It would have been easy to fold up the tent at that stage but Martin Brennan and Pete Finnerty have instilled a never-say-die attitude in this group that became apparent as the game wore on.
An early string of scores from Keith Higgins (free), Derek McDonnell, Adrian Freeman (free) and Derek McConn had Mayo in front by 0-4 to 0-3 but Kerry came roaring back emphatically.
Over the next 20 minutes the visitors outscored their hosts by 0-8 to 0-2 as Kerry’s full-forward line of Michael Conway, Liam Boyle and Billy Brick nailed eight points between them.
Mayo seemed to be struggling for their second wind and the departure of Seamus Barrett, who had been hurling well at the heart of the defence, definitely had an impact.
But they finished the half with a flourish as Pearse Higgins smacked over a huge point from distance, Keith Higgins landed a crisp free, and the reliable Adrian Freeman also hit the target.
That purple patch meant Mayo trailed by just 0-12 to 0-9 at the break and they hit the ground running after the restart. Three frees from the stick of Freeman, allied to a well-taken point from Derek McConn, reeled Kerry back in and hinted at Mayo’s frame of mind.
They looked fresh and purposeful, and this was epitomised by the tireless Pearse Higgins, who swung over the levelling score that allowed Mayo to regroup and push on.
The only pity was that more people weren’t there to see the dramatic finish — and the sight of Seamus Barrett jumping into the arms of Martin Brennan when it was all over. This win meant a lot to the Mayo players and management and now it’s about continuing on an upward curve. Kerry play Meath next Saturday.

MAYO
M Walsh; D Walsh, A Connolly, S Coyne; P Barrett, S Barrett, C Ryan; P Higgins (0-2), S Broderick; K Higgins (0-4, 4f), D McDonnell (0-1), D McConn (0-2); K Healy, C Hynes, A Freeman (0-9, 7f).
Subs used: N Murphy for McDonnell; E Madigan for Healy.

KERRY
J Healy; J Godley, A Healy, J Fitzgerald; P O’Grady, J McCarthy, C Harris; J Griffin, P Cronin; G O’Brien, M Quilter (0-1), J O’Brien (0-1, 1f); M Conway (0-8, 5f, ’65), L Boyle (0-3), B Brick (0-2).
Subs used: A Cronin for P Cronin; S Young for O’Brien; B O’Donovan for Godley.

Referee: T Farrell (Offaly)