After last weekend’s opening round shellacking by Kildare, Mayo’s hurlers travelled to Aughrim more in hope than in confidence this afternoon for their Round 2 meeting with Wicklow in the Christy Ring Cup. The long trip was, though, a worthwhile one as the Westerners came away with an 0-26 to 2-10 win over the Garden County.

This year has been a tough one for the county’s hurlers, surprisingly so in light of their exploits last year. Relegation from Division 2B of the NHL this spring meant that it was always going to be difficult for them in the rarified company they’re keeping in this year’s Christy Ring Cup and last Sunday’s thirty-point drubbing by Kildare seemed to prove that point rather emphatically.

It was a totally different story this afternoon, however, as Mayo led from the off and thoroughly deserved their ten-point win. Galway native Joe Mooney was Mayo’s top scorer in today’s game, landing eight points, while team captain, the ever reliable Shane Boland, weighed in with six, three from play.

Match reports from Irish Independent and Connaught Telegraph.

In another hurling match involving the county played today, Mayo lost narrowly to Donegal in Round 2 of the U17 Celtic Challenge Championship. That match, played at Manorhamilton, ended 4-6 to 3-6 in favour of Donegal who snatched victory with an injury-time goal.