Photo: @MayoAdvertSport
In marked contrast to the sumptuous weather conditions in the west yesterday, it was a touch on the damp and dreary side at Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown, this evening. On the footballing side of things, however, it was a fine evening’s work for the county’s Junior team who got the better of Sligo by 1-15 to 0-12 to advance to next week’s Connacht JFC final against Leitrim.
The final scoreline doesn’t, though, do justice to the Magpies who stuck with the home side for much of the hour. Mayo led by three with just seconds to go when Barry Kelly put the icing on the cake in fine style with a goal.
There was little between the sides in the first half and while the home team had a slight edge on the scoreboard for much of that opening period, the Yeatsmen battled back to pull level at the break. On the resumption, it was the Mayo lads who once again got their noses in front and this time they were able to maintain their lead, eventually doubling it from three to six just before the final whistle blew.
Sean McLoughlin’s charges don’t have any time to rest on their laurels after tonight’s victory. The Connacht JFC final has been fixed for this coming Wednesday (17th May) back at Fr O’Hara Park where Leitrim provide the opposition and where throw-in is set for 7pm.
Details of the Mayo team and subs involved in tonight’s semi-final are here.
Well done to the lads on a fine win.
Well done lads, good result given don’t think they got to train collectively.
Hopefully get some in before next round.
See final round of group stage minor league meant be played tonight. Westport with 14 to spare over louisburgh and Knockmore down for 9 point win over Charlestown/kilmovee.
Westport and Knockmore top the two division 1 groups with Louisburgh and possibly Bellmullet to finish second.
Does anyone know the scorers and what subs came on?
Westport look to be best minor team by a country mile yet had no starter for county v Galway. No Westport player in initial 40 man squad after county cup (trials) – go figure! If ever there was an argument for playing league before county play in championship then surely that’s one. I see 3 Balla lads on junior team – Balla getting stronger each year with lot of young talent coming through.
El Tod – I seen westport minors had a great win over Louisburgh this week. Louisburgh must have had 4 on county minor team.
Anybody know anything about u17 team who are playing as a curtain raiser next Sunday. Are Mayo taking grade seriously this year.
Well done to the Mayo Juniors. With our minors and U21s losing to Galway, falling at the first hurdle, that’s the first county championship game that we have won this year. Lets hope that continues.
Disappointing to not see Adam Gallagher there.
Sean, Adam Gallagher is with the senior panel.
If Gizmobobs is correct in that the the Juniors did not train collectively before the Sligo game it is no wonder that there seems to be so little interest in the grade among players. One must admire the committment of players like Peter Collins, Barry Leonard and Michael Forde who turn up year after year. Good to to see younger guys like James Kelly, Barry Duffy and Mattie Flanagan giving it a go, not to mention Mark Ronaldson. There will be little opportunity to train before next Weds’ final where I’m told Leitrim will be fielding a strong if mainly youthful team. They were, I’m told, able to keep their arguably best midfielder and wing back in reserve as impact subs v Galway. Apparently they did have a major impact on the game when they came on with a quarter to go.
Great to see Barry Duffy back in action.
If Westport were winning narrowly you could say maybe like Claremorris two years ago a solid team with few standouts.
But you cannot dominate the minor league hammering other teams without at least one standout player somewhere in your outfield 14.
The Westport captain seeing his photo for one of the games he is very well built for minor.
Louisburgh have done great and have about seven players between minor and u17. They could not be hammered by anything other than a team with two or three county minors.
Westport extremely strong minor level, and like them Bellmullet or knockmore had no minor starters despite been 2/3 of the division 1 semi finalists.
From what have heard the under 17s have been training a fair bit.
@JP they lost fairly well to knockmore in under 17 final last year and no starting minors from there 😉
Gizmo do you think anyone can stop Westport? Looking at their scorelines even on the defensive side it looks like they are untouchable.
They’ll be hard stopped in the u21 also.
Posted before I seen your reply.
Yes they seem to have moved on a lot from u17.
Say I’ve probably seen all top teams this group at least once. And it’s hard look past them JP.
U17 was only about 8 months back so hard see how much louisburgh can have moved on. Looking at tables they play knockmore again in league semifinal so that be better benchmark, heard westport were missing some lads last night to.
Knockmore only side with any sort record against Westport I think beating them under 14 and 17. But hard look past them very powerful, big pick of players to as you’d expect from town team and well able play. Louisburgh also big and strong, but don’t appear a match for them based on last night. Knockmore lovely team with some speedsters in it. But physically smaller than lot the other teams. Work really well as a unit tho and never lie down.
Claremorris on their day solid but seem find hard get consistent performance. Bellmullet also very strong and athletic with some good footballers.
Parke if playing at home very hard beat.
Will take big effort for one those topple the Covies, but it’s possible.
Parke is a real outlier. Has their pick increased or something? They’ve rarely been in division one at underage. This team an exception coming up as a strong team.
It’s a deceptively big area with estates Castlebar side and turlough etc. During boom times these possibly the kids coming from them homes.
At under 10 and 12 last couple years they also seem have some numbers which good to see. But this crop seems particularly strong. Kilcommon minors 2 years back were similar losing in North final to Knockmore.
See the latest article in the indo by Tomas o Se. What a load of rubbish from a so called journalist I used to enjoy reading his articles. The current article is titled GAA in dangerous territory if they don’t realise too many backs will be turned to the big summer dance. He then goes on yet another rant about Aidan O’ Shea. Absolutely no relevance to the title and other paragraphs in the article. What a load of rubbish and yet another unprovoked attack on our player in response to the well documented heave on the previous management team. This is so wrong against an amateur player who always gives 100% when he pulls on the Mayo jersey. He is a idol to so many of our children and it just isn’t right for this campaign from the Irish Independent to continuely attack and ridicule this player in such a personal manner.
Mayomagic, not seen it. Doesn’t sound good though tough on players and there families. Have reduced my reading of the independent in general due to the standard of articles etc. The examiner for sports can be excellent. Indo more tabloid than broadsheet almost at this stage sadly.
I try not to get too worked up about things in the press and keep a somewhat even keel, however, it’s now clear that the Irish Independent sports department has a determined agenda against Aiden O’Shea. Ever since he had the temerity to question Martin Breheny’s publishing of H&C’s rant without giving a right of reply, hack after hack from that paper have gone out of their way to have digs at him. It’s hightime Stephen Rochford and his media team in Liam Horan called time on this bullying. No invites to press nights, no interviews, no fuck all to anyone connected to that rag.
They are simply playing up to their financial powerbase in Dublin. It’s nothing short of outrageous to treat an amature sportsman this way and it should offend any GAA person, not just people from Mayo.
read the article…..nothing we have not heard before. He said AOS has yet to do it on the really big day and impose hims d on it like we all know we can…I would agree. It was more an article about why Mayo can’t win Sam Maguire rather than a preview of the All Ireland Championship.
Also anyone notice Sky removed the “even if your From Mayo” comment.
Also just read the article, for the most part everything tomas said is correct. AOS has to do it on the big day to be regarded as a truly great player, he also said he believes he can be THE player for Mayo to get them across the line. What he also said about the forwards is dead on.
Regarding bringing up the management heave, that door was opened last week when AOS answered questions about it. Mayo cant expect to dump their managers and not have serious blowback from it. At the time the players where correct to show a unified front and remain quiet. At some stage though the players will have to make a statement or interview stating their reasons and reply to everything thats been said in Brehney articles. Thats the only way its going to reach a conclusion. Galways heave while messy at the time doesnt get as much publicity beacuse both sides made public their position early on.
Mayo fans really need to stop reacting negatively to every article written when is actual fact the majority of what has been written over the past few years is correct. When Mayo wins the thing the narrative of the stories will change.
Gizmobobs / JP What do u think of Balla minor team? Only team to beat Knockmore this year and won B championship and West Mayo u16 (which featured Westport and Louisburgh) two years ago. Lost to Belmullet by 2 and Breaffy by 1 by conceding late goals in games they should have won.
@El Tod. I think Balla have maintained a good competitiveness in minor over the past few years. You seem to have the closer view. But I would say this will help with player retention and with strengthening the Balla Senior team.
There were a few very rocky years but the club looks to be getting back on track. I believe Balla will win the Junior this year.
Padraig OMalley Louisburgh was an interesting one at full back last night. I first took note of him in the U21B last year. At the time I thought “This lad is tall, athletic, can catch kickouts and has plenty football in him. Why isn’t he on the U21 panel?” He’s the perfect build for a full back at around 6’1″ or 6’2″, broad frame with long arms for tackling.
JP solid team physical and athletic. Wasteful in shooting department though which if sharpen uo on they could be threat. Think knockmore were missing 4 or 5 starters in that game though so hard judge. Their mayo midfielder played center forward I think
I didn’t see any issue with Tomas O’Sé’s article. His points are vaild. Players without AI medals who continuously court media attention would be better served staying quiet and doing their talking on the pitch by putting in heroic AI winning performances when the chance presents itself imo. Plenty of time for high profile articles when (if) an AI title has been achieved.
Mayomad, The main reason the Galway heave gets less publicity is Brehony. Nothing in stoking the Galway heave for him.Of couse when a Mayo player goes before the media the issue will rise and players should stick to the “nothing to see here lads” routine
JP Agree with. you about Padraic O’Malley, he is a fine footballer. I have been impressed with him any time I watched him. We could have done with someone like that in Tuam a couple of months ago in the U21. The junior team done very well on Friday night, fair play to them. They will be up against it next week when they take on Leitrim. I believe they are strong and well organised down the middle.
I think Padraig OMalley is now u22 but I’m not 100% certain.
liam
Calm down, nothing untrue or unfair in TOS article IMO
Lads, it’s not the article I’ve the problem with, go onto the Indo website and see how they’ve sub edited the article into click bait.
I see Claremorris beat Castlebar in the league. Yes only the league, but still that will be a great confidence boost to Claremorris.
Padraic O’Malley is u-22. His normal position is centre back not full back where he played for the juniors. Also played quite well at midfield in the u-21 B final last year and scored 0-3 from midfield for Louisburgh against The Neale in championship last weekend. Westport look unstoppable at minor level and look to be the next up and coming side to take over the mantle from Castlebar and Ballintubber at senior in the next 3/4 years. Still baffles me how they had one Mayo minor and their players have been made unavailable for the Mayo Junior team. A chance to play for Mayo at any level should be taken with both hands in my opinion.
Padraig Dan O’Malley is a fine footballer for Louisburgh and in my opinion like a lot of players out their at underage it seems has been overlooked. Had he not been injured in the All-Ireland Junior Semi-Final down in Clare I have no doubt he would have taken care of Darren O Sullivan of Glenbeigh/Glencar. Delighted to see him playing for the Mayo Juniors and I hope he gets his chance to show just how good he is.
So its ok if AOS is the target of questionable marking in the Mayo club championship while at the same time should be entitled to homage by the national media. I get bored with that level of debate.