Mayo U-21 soccer team put three past Connacht Cup finalists Maree-Oranmore

Mayo Football League Under-21 Development Squad 3

Conor McCarthy 34, 56, Evan Durkan 89

Maree/Oranmore 0

In Milebush 

A POLISHED performance by Joe Kelly’s Mayo League Under-21 Development Side saw the hosts record a comfortable victory, at a breezy Umbro Park, Milebush, on Saturday afternoon.

Conor McCarthy was a lively presence for Mayo and the Glenhest Rovers striker opened the scoring on 34 minutes when his diving header rustled the back of the net, following a peach of a delivery by Kevin Kitterick.

Brendan O’Connor’s Maree/Oranmore outfit could well have fashioned the equaliser three minutes later, however, Colm Whelan’s free-kick was aptly dealt with by Stefan Hester.

McCarthy almost scored a spectacular third for the hosts just two minutes into the new half, but his audacious long-range strike thudded against the top corner of the crossbar.

On 56 minutes, lively Mayo substitute Darragh Forde’s deft flick teed up the busting McCarthy, who duly added his second goal of the afternoon, much to the delight of the home bench.

Just one minute later, Maree/Oranmore missed out on a golden opportunity to get back into the game when Thomas Pierce crossed for Eoin Roche, but the latter’s close-range header flashed agonisingly over the crossbar.

As the game fizzled out, Joe Kelly’s outfit put the icing on the cake on 89 minutes. In what was one of the moves of the game, a marvellous cross from Cormac Caulfield was brilliantly kept in play by Jack Dawson, thus allowing Evan Durkan the opportunity to rifle the ball home.

A full report will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News Sport.