We’re starting to get used to this! Another final, another win, this one at HQ to boot. Huge congrats to the county’s hurlers for what was a really gutsy win.
I’m not going to get into any kind of match report on today’s Rackard Cup final – partly because the red wine is flowing freely here at the minute but also because I accept that I was very late hopping onto this particular bandwagon and don’t want to pretend that the hurlers’ journey is one that I’ve followed at close quarters – but I still want to mark the occasion with a few words.
The game itself: it was a well-contested affair, one that for long stretches looked as if it could have gone either way. Our lads were largely on top for most of the first half but then fell behind shortly before the break only to level the match just before the short whistle.
Then Armagh goaled right at the start of the second half and they led for a fair while before we eventually reeled them back in. When Kenny Feeney cracked in a smashing goal with a bit over ten minutes to go we looked to be on our way but Armagh got the next three scores to leave the contest all square with six or seven minutes to go.
It was then, though, that our lads stood tall. We got the final four scores of the day, each one joyously celebrated by the small but boisterous Mayo crowd in the Hogan Stand, to run out winners – and Rackard Cup champions – on a scoreline of 2-16 to 1-15. Here’s what it was like at full-time:
The final whistle at today’s Rackard Cup final: pic.twitter.com/n9lvCn809w
— Mayo GAA Blog (@MayoGAABlog) June 4, 2016
It was great to look down from the posh seats in the Hogan (that’s where the vast bulk of the punters at HQ today were located) to see the unbridled joy of the lads as they collected what was the first ever national senior hurling title for the county. There may have only been a few thousand there at HQ but this looked and felt like an All-Ireland success and was rightly celebrated as such.
And, you know, winning is something we could easily get used to. Two finals in two different codes, two All-Ireland title wins for the county this year. Life could be worse. And the year is only half-over.
Well done to the Hurlers. Tight game throughout, and a great finish to close it out.
Brilliant close out of the game by our hurlers. Massive congratulations – great to see a Mayo team bring that winning mentality to Croke Park in a national final. A very proud day for Mayo GAA !
Keep it going,they are all important, wait until September
Well done lads, huge win! We showed some great character to dig it out. Great to be back in the Christy Ring.
On a side note, I see that a Laois player lashed out when being held against Dublin. Does that mean the card will be rescinded before the qualifiers. Jonny Cooper brings a guy down when he’s in on goal, black card? no, but Seamie O’Shea gets a black card for dragging a guy down 50 yars from goal when the ball was 40 yards ahead of them. The refereeing of today infuriates me. Who do these people answer to? Sorry, rant over!!
great win today lads.
Damian
A better question is how can Dublin score 2-21 again today after all the success they’ve had? There’s somebody kidding somebody, or were Laois that dumb that they couldn’t defend against 21 points ?
Well done to the hurlers. A bunch of Mayo men climbing the steps of the Hogan. Could get used to this!
Well, when you’re playing a team on a par with Wicklow and worse than Antrim, it’s to be expected. Ths idea of modern defensive being defensive is a myth. year on year, score total records are being broken. The modern game is rddle with bad defenders reliant on forwards to dig them out.
Today was my first time to ever watch a Mayo team with a Hurley and helmet –
I definitely could get used to it .
It really is a pity there is not more interest in hurlin in Mayo . It’s a great game and there are so many talented athletes in Mayo that if more clubs promoted it to the children we could have a real chance of achieving more success at senior level in a few years .
All the same, I hear people all the time yapping on how ” it’s 15 against 15″ , which is bull, just like me versus Conor mcgregor is not a fair man vs man fight.
Dublin scored 23 times tonight, does nobody think that’s peculiar? After all they have won?
Any ways, enough about it. It’s a joke at this stage.
Congratulations to our hurlers and Keith Higgins especially, let’s hope he’s climbing those steps again before he hangs up the boots. I went to school just outside ballina and secondary school in ballina, I actually never seen a Hurl or sliotar in the flesh until I left Mayo for work, is there underage structures in place to promote the game in Mayo? It’s a curious situation.
Dublin scored 2-21, but they also conceded 2-10 against a poor side who played with 14 men for most of the match. I’m not convinced by a Dublin full back line minus Rory O’Carroll.
Onto the match today. Very well done to the hurlers. Great to see a Mayo man lifting a trophy in Croke Park. Long may it continue!
Just home from Croker. Dublin Shmublin, today was all about Mayo. Great heart, character and a proper winning mentality on display today. Congrats to this team, they have given us a few enjoyable days out this year already but this is the icing on the cake.
As WJ said above, you could get used to this winning lark.
You can never see a Mayo man climb the Hogan steps often enough. Shattered after a long day but it was a great day. Thrilled for the lads. On to Derry next week to get ourselves back into Christy Ring category
Special shout to David Kenny who now has:
Connacht Minor Football Title
Connacht U21 Football toTitle
All Ireland Minor Title
U21 All Ireland Title
2x All Ireland Minor C Hurling Titles
Nicky Rackard Title
That is some haul for any young man!
I love hurling and was so proud of the team today for the guile, guts and determination. They really put the foot on the throat when towards the end…I love to see that in a team…especially a Mayo team. Well done. I’m proud of our team…
Well done to the hurlers, just reward for a lot of work carried out by hurling people in the county. No reason why we can’t be good at football and hurling, success breathes success!
Delighted to see a Mayo team win in Croke Park today. Thought Armagh were a bit heavy handed today in their tackling but having said that we were lucky not to lose a man over a “sly dig” with the stick today. Mayo won deservedly and showed great composure over the final 15 minutes or so. Saw Mayo beat Meath easily in Trim earlier this year and followed that up with a great away win against Down.
Twill be a tough task against Derry in a week’s time but every confidence that they can do it. Derry were not great in the league this year.
Congratulations to the Mayo hurling team they did the county proud and well done to the die hard fans like Anne Marie who was there supporting them
Why do they have to play Derry?
Relegation/promotion playoff. The game is more important than yesterday’s in a way.
Where is Derry game next weekend.
The promotion/relegation match with Derry is fixed for next Saturday but I checked the GAA website just now and the venue/time details haven’t been listed as yet.
I think Keiths superb intervention in the 2nd half to flick the slíothar away,with the Armagh player bearing down on goal was the turning point in the game.
Well done hurlers. I think is a fecking disgrace the winners don’t go up automatically. Win a cup and play a play off a week later. GAA are strange at times.
Great win by the hurlers yesterday. I thought Kenny Feeney , David Kenny , Higgins and Sean Regan were the pick from Mayo. That point from under the Cusack stand to put Mayo 3 up from Sean Regan was a belter almost Joe Canning like!!! I am lucky to see these lads playing club and while the numbers are limited the standard of hurling is quality in Mayo. Also at u8/u10/u12/u14/u16 there is great work being done in clubs like Ballina , Caiseal Gaels , Castlebar and Westport so hopefully within 5 years you will have a competitive championship with 6 clubs string at senior level.
In fairness to the Connacht Council the Táin league is great to give the Mayo clubs competitive hurling outside of the county championship.
Yes Opt2misteek that was the turning point. The commentators on TG4 were in rhapsodies over this glorious hook. He followed this up with wonderful defence, together with Cathal Freeman against a tsunami of attacks by Armagh. I wonder if he’ll play next week, less than a week before the Galway match.
Congrats to the hurlers ! Great result. Very proud of you !
Every all-Ireland at every grade and across each code should be celebrated. Fantastic win for the hurlers and a rich reward for their hard work.
Success breeds success.
Congratulations to the Mayo Hurling team. First time National Award. They are a great bunch of warriors in the green and red of Mayo. They have seen many more bad days that their much vaunted footballing counterparts but on Saturday they rose above it all. Their joy was great to see and share.
Well done to the hurlers, it was great to get the win. It’s also great to see another Mayo team coming out the right side of a close finish and long may that continue!
A special mention for David Kenny and Fergal Boland in particular who have now won a hurling title in Croke Park and an All-Ireland U21 football title in Ennis, both in the space of a few months. Congrats to them two especially.
MC Guiness leaving no stone unturned with his analysis of how to beat the Dubs in the Times! I’m just wondering will it work in Croke Park!!!
Mayo news injury update for the galway game:
Barrett definitely out. Freeman, Loftus and Barry Moran all doubtful. Everyone else seems to be back training.
McGuinness really seems to think that twin towers approach is the way to beat dublin. It would be interesting to see if we try it.
Opt2misteek, you’re absolutely right about Keith’s intervention being the turning point – it was a magic moment in the game and they really drove on from there. Kenny Feeney once again was just everywhere. Sean Regan too. Ah, it was a great day – one to keep the fires burning until Saturday week.
Backdoor Sam I was far from alone – there was a good crew there and the mighty Mayo Mark was my chaffeur for the day!
Congrats to Willie Joe, the 7 Million hit man !
The hurlers are an absolute inspiration.
a long hot summer to come , how will we be at the end of it? lets enjoy the ride