Tooreen overcome mudbath to clinch Minor title in extra time

Mayo Minor Hurling Championship Final

Tooreen 1-8 Castlebar Mitchels 1-6 AET

Oisín McGovern in Josie Munnelly Park

TOOREEN overcame a mudbath and a very determined Castlebar Mitchels team to clinch the Minor Championship title after 80 thrilling minutes of hurling this afternoon.

Despite leading from the 18th to the 57th minutes, Mitchels were unable to build on some dogged earlier play and ultimately Tooreen ground their way to victory.

An inspirational point from centre-back Matthew Delaney made it 1-5 apiece near the end and sent the game into extra time.

Two early scores from Dylan Grorke (a free) and centre-forward Sean Lynskey were key to the undoing of Castlebar Mitchels, who only managed one point in the two periods of extra time.

Tooreen looked bright at the start when the tricky David Delaney landed a good goal two minutes in.

However, the East Mayo giants would not score again until the 44th minute as they struggled against an airtight Castlebar Mitchels who were led from the half-back line.

Points from Colm Enright and Adam Murphy got them up and running until Connal Durkan got their opening goal in the 18th minute.

Enright scored Mitchels’ only point in the second half as Tooreen slowly crept back into contention with scores from Robbie Irvine, David Delaney and Dylan Grorke (2) before Matthew Delaney landed the leveller from out near McHale Park.

Tooreen mastered the wind, the rain and the opposition in extra-time and went on to win it out.

There will be a full report carried in Tuesday’s edition of The Mayo News.