Mayo soccer team’s Oscar Traynor Cup journey ends in defeat

Oscar Traynor Cup Final

Mayo 2

McKee 32, Edeh 74

Waterford 4

Walsh 20, O’Keefe 43, Madika 48, Whittle 90+5

In Milebush

Despite a magnificent effort, Mayo lost out to Waterford in the glorious sunshine of Umbro Milebush Park this afternoon.

The difference between the sides, as is often the case in matches like this, was that Waterford took the few chances they created, while Mayo didn’t, and went back to the south east with the Oscar Traynor Cup.

Mayo, on the other hand, will be disappointed tonight, but, with the benefit of time, will look back on the experience proud of their achievements.

Waterford started the brightest and were well on top for twelve minutes. Then Mayo settled into the game and began to dominate possession, and could have gone in front but the ball fell awkwardly to Ben Edeh, and the chance was gone.

Jordan Loftus could have scored too, but his tame shot was saved. Adam Conway took a shot from distance for Waterford, but it was off target.

Mayo’s pressure forced a footballing Waterford side into driving long balls forward to clear the danger.

Waterford won a corner from one of them, and to Mayo’s heartbreak, Darryl Walsh scored seconds later. 

Mayo piled the pressure back on and forced three corners in immediate succession but couldn’t make the breakthrough.

Chances fell to Loftus, Darren Browne and Ben Edeh. Eventually after half an hour Dylan McKee forced the ball into the Waterford net from Oran Groarke’s corner, for a well-deserved equaliser.

But two minutes before the break, a Conway ball over the top set Mark O’Keefe on his way and Waterford were back in front.

Regix Madika made it three immediately after the break making it extremely difficult for Mayo, but after the initial shock, they battled on and Ben Edeh finished Jordan Loftus’s cross to narrow the gap. As the sun moved behind the stand, Mayo pushed forward, and five minutes into stoppage time, Waterford added a fourth through Conor Whittle.

Full report, reaction and images will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.