We’ve named our team for this evening’s Connacht U20 football semi-final against Galway at Tuam (throw-in 7pm). Here it is:
Mayo (Connacht U20 semi-final v Galway, 13/7/2021): Ronan Connolly (Ardnaree Sarsfields); Seán Holmes (Knockmore), Ruairí Keane (Mayo Gaels), Eoin Gilraine (Ballinrobe); Conor Flynn (Knockmore), Ryan Baynes (Burrishoole), Aidan Cosgrove (Kiltimagh); Conor Dunleavy (Balla), Jack Carney (Kilmeena); Ethan Henry (Mayo Gaels), Owen McHale (Belmullet), Connell Dempsey (Knockmore); Ultan O’Reilly (Castlebar Mitchels), Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites), Jack Mahon (Charlestown Sarsfields).
Galway have also named their team – details here.
Don’t forget that tonight’s match is being streamed live on a PPV basis by Connacht GAA (link for that is here, cost is €10) and that there’s also live match commentary on Midwest Radio.
Happy hunting to Maurice Sheridan and the team in Tuam later on this evening.
Looks like a very strong team on paper we just have to wait and see how they click on the day
Galway will be strong with all the talented minor teams they’ve had but that mayo forward line should cause trouble because a lot of them have senior experience at club level or people have high hopes for them
Having jack carney around the middle of the field will be a huge boost to mayo
Dissapointed not to see oisin Tunney on because I’ve memory serves me right he done an excellent job on tomo culhane in the minor connacht final
Luke Jennings, Oisín Tunney and Paddy Heneghan are notable absentees. 3 of our standout minors two years ago.
In fairness we haven’t seen the subs list yet and Ethan Henry, Owen McHale and Frank Irwin were also 3 of our standout minors two years ago as well!!!
Ethan Henry had a bit about him as a minor, looking forward to this game to see how he and others have progressed. I wasn’t overly impressed with Jennings, a grand keeper for sure but appeared lacking in height, felt their was a little bit of unwarranted hype around him. No fault of his own I might add. Not surprised to see Ronan Connolly start. Like any underage team, if we could get 3 quality players out of the batch, we’d be in good shape going forward.
Only 6 of the starting 15 from the 2019 Connacht minor starting team.
Good luck to Mayo. That’s a bit steep by the Connacht Council to charge 10e! I will listen to Midwest.
What I would be looking for this evening is a performance from 3-4 players who will play good enough to say that these lads will be capable of playing at senior level within a few years. A few years ago we gave a very poor performance in Tuam at this level- but Tommy Conroy stood out for us that day – and look where he is now.
Hard to take a competition serious when the best players from both teams aren’t allow to play
@Mayolass agreed a bit steep especially when Leinster U20 games are streamed for free on Facebook or YouTube.
Someone in a position of power needs to stand up and speak out about Connacht GAA over charging.
Best of luck to Maurice Sheridan and the lads tonight and especially Frank Irwin who has had a tough few months, he’s an exciting player who is on the Aussie’s radar.
Is Oisin Tunney Injured?
In fairness it was leaving cert year for a lot of those lads….might have a bearing on team selection.
Only 6 from 15 disappointing statistic especially as college students are around this summer..some of 2019 minor team are young enough to play next year, so that might explain.
Paddy Power (Galway2/5) gives us little chance and its hardly anything to do with home advantage.
Looks a decent midfield and full forward line, thanks WJ for posting team once available… Great service
South Mayo GAA have the subs up on their Instagram. Jennings, Tunney, Heneghan, Dylan Thornton and Rory Morrin are there. They were all on the 2019 minor team.
Anyone know can you cast to the tv from connaught gaa stream. I agree with the above posters about 10 euros being a bit steep but at least if you can watch it on the tv instead of tablet or laptop it would be better
The best of luck to the U20 team , a tough assignment.. if the subs @wide ball are correct then that’s a strong bench
Paddy Power had his ear to the ground over the last few weeks. It appears the Galway U20 are flying at the moment. Not just for Connacht but an AI too. Huge pick it has to be said and a big push on the underage for PJ.
Blondie you could use a hdmi cable to cast it from laptop to tv.
Not sure how Galway can be flying. They lost Matthew Tierney their main forward, they lost Gill their man marker. They lost their two senior forwards and it looks like James McLoughlin. I’ll be surprised if this is not a tight game.
Mayo have Ethan Henry, Jack Carney, Frank Irwin and Connell Dempsey who are all well over six foot and good in the air. Tuam is a narrow pitch.
Galway have depth but they can’t lose three of their best players and still be at a top level. Underage is usually about how your best half of the team perform. Mayo have only really lost one player from the best half of the team.
From the grapevine and some underage mentors In the county there appears to be a buzz about the crop of U20’s this year in particular. Not contradicting what you have said about the players no longer available but the impression I am getting is for a big win at Tuam and beyond.
Galway beat all before them to win in the U21 in 2011, the following year another strong team….beaten by Mayo(Mayos last win over Galway at this grade).
Another very strong Galway team won the U21 all Ireland in 2013, with 13 underage in 2014…beaten by Leitrim in Tuam.
Galway beat Kerry(easy) and Dublin to win the U20 last year, they’re toughest game was v Mayo.
We all know this grade can be unpredictable
@JP, Gill is starting for them tonight their captain. James McLaughlin missed out on the All-Ireland U20 semi final and final last year because he was a close covid contact. Raferty, Hernon was their midfield pairing for those games and both starting again tonight.
Matthew Tierney is now overage for U20 level.
Not sure where that confidence is coming from PJ. I know we were well beaten by Kerry u20s in a challenge game two weeks ago. Dont know what team we had out but I would have thought it was an opportunity to play our first 15 and get them gelling together.
I wouldn’t be that confident – but hopefully we can win.
Mayolass, I’m inclined to agree with you. But someone has to pay the expenses of Connacht Council delegates/officials. I met one (I won’t name him) in New York in May 2019. I asked how many from the Council were over and he answered 20. That was an expensive few days for the Council.
Connacht GAA pushing hard for the Connacht senior final to be played in Croke Park.
Down by a point at half time. We missed a very good goal chance towards the end
Galway up by 0-3 to 0-2 at half-time. Very cagey affair, both teams playing a defensive game, very little flow to it. Galway seem to have a bit more up front but shooting has been poor both by both teams. 6/7 wides each at half-way.
Mayo rudderless at 6 and 11. I would put McHale back to 6 and put Frank Irwin at 11
Dire game of football. Horrendous shooting by both tesms. Way too slow in build up.
Connacht final just confirmed for Croke Park!
Worst half I’ve seen in a while! Frank Irwin wasted at 14.
Thanks WJ. Any idea on numbers?
18k, Ontheditch.
Willyjoe, will the tickets be available from the club or on ticketmaster?
Went with Midwest too. €10 is a bit outlandish for an U20 game but wherever Connacht GAA is involved with price-setting you can be sure it will make your eyes water. Yet if they’d charged a fiver they’d probably have had over twice the subscribers. This one is going to the wire!
No idea, Mayomanindublin, but I’d imagine tickets will be available from both sources.
Gone to extra time
Extra-time in Tuam, 8-8 at the end of normal time.
Great second half in Tuam
One of the most defensive U20 games I have watched both with 14 men back when not in possession. The way the game has gone sadly but If Mayo win who cares?
What kind of a person goes to an underage game and cheers when a 19 year old kicks a wide.
Fuck’s sake, same penalty shootout bullshit as last year. So unfair on both teams.
Great to have Midwest on the internet. Interesting that Mayo’s underage teams line out so defensively – wonder if there’s ever any conversations on bringing players up in a “style” that helps the shift to senior. In fairness, you’d need a few years to get right of it anyway with a few amazing exceptions.
Hate penalties no way to settle a match
Flynn to win …
Shite way to settle a match all right, but I’ll take it!
Wooo
We’ll take the win all the same. Great resilience shown.
He’s done it! Still hate penalties as a way to decide a game but at least there’s some grim symmetry to our winning it after last year.
Great stuff!!!!
The Mayo under-20s are being scouted by the Brits to teach them how to take a penalty!
Excellent penalties by these young men…fair play. Hard luck to Galway. Seems Paddy power doesn’t always do his homework right… well done Mayo. Proud of you.
Felt we deserved it overall. Good to come out the right side after losing last year.
My pregame comment on our height around the middle was accurate. We were able to secure ball through Carney, Irwin, Henry and Dempsey.
Plenty to work on. Felt they were quite slow to switch the play to the opposite wing. The second half thought we were pounding away a lot on the far side wing of the pitch when there had to be open space on the opposite wing.
Could work an awful lot on teeing up shooters facing goal, we were quite poor at that. A lot of shots taken on by non shooters.
Not going to begrudge Mayo that one. Thought they were the better team just by a shade. Well done to both sets of players, can’t fault the effort.
P.S. Can ye make sure that lady that was cheering the Galway wides doesn’t get a ticket for the Connacht final!!!!
Cant stand the idea of pens , slightly better team went through though . lack of composure cost us in match time .
very well done to the lads though , not easy going that .
croke park news is brilliant , they must of seen me tout the idea several weeks ago on here .
Brilliant – penalties or not who cares, a win over Galway at any level is always good ?
Great win! We were very strong around midfield especially. I think going forward we need another natural forward like Paddy Heneghan starting. Owen McHale reminds me of Keith Higgins and like Keith, shooting isn’t his strong point. If we could find a place for him in defence and have Heneghan in the forwards I think we’d be better balanced!
G’wan Flynn! Christ, that was nerve-wracking. Well done to the lads – serious bottle. Penalties are no way to settle a game but it was nice to come out the right side of it this year.
@Wide Ball Owen McHale is a defender all day. Personally I think we’d be better served with him in the full back line and free up Ruari Keane to the half back line. Keane is one of the few players we have with the ability to cut through teams on 30-50 yard runs. He’s wasted in the full back line.
JP 100% agree keane at 6 would be much better that’s where he played for the minors 2 years ago, he has the pace to open up a defence, he was needed to man mark tomo tonight so maybe after tonight they will move him.
Very exciting second half and extra time and fair play to the penalty takers. Terrible way to settle it and my sympathies to the young Galway lads but it does make up for losing last year in a similar fashion. And you’re dead right Big Mike That person or persons cheering when Culhane (Tommo) kicked wides should be ashamed of himself/ themselves Would be more at home in Wembley on Sunday
Congratulations to ye, thought Mayo were slightly the better side and deserve to go through. Mayo dominated in centre field where Carney looks a really good footballer. Thought Jack Mahon played well in the corner also. Disappointing to lose the All Ireland crown, but hopefully we can get a few players off this side. Hope ye go on and win it now.
On a side note, the Mayo people jeering a 19 year old after he hit a wide, should have a look in the mirror. Clownish behaviour.
I thought we had kicked it away in the second half, we had more than enough possession towards the end to have won by 4-5 points easy. We were fortunate that Galway were so wasteful up front. It was encouraging to see us dominate midfield, Jack Carney had ran himself into the ground by the end. We’re well positioned now to progress into the semi-finals and thereafter who knows…
Who do we play next….does anyone know?
Pretty sure it will be Roscommon as they are favourites to beat Sligo. Roscommon are decent at u20 this year.
Great attitude by the lads, thought they deserved it on balance. The cheering of wide’s was really disappointing. An element of that and booing has definitely crept in to our support over the last few years. Maybe I’m old school but I don’t think it should ever have a place in our game
pat.Winners of Roscommon or Sligo. Thought it was very childish of the the Mayo supporters to behave the way they did. I found it embarrassing. No need for it at a under age game
Good win although always a bit of a lottery when it goes to penalties. I have to say something critical here. The constant jeering of the Galway lads if they shot a wide from the Mayo fans in attendance was out of control. And this wasn’t both sides at at. It was most definitely the Mayo fans at it almost exclusively. These are young lads doing their best and this sort of carry on has been creeping into games in recent years and should be strongly discouraged.
Well done to the Mayo lads and hard luck to Galway. We were on the reverse of this last year. Penalties are a cruel way to loose a game.
Mac – I’ve seen complains by Galway people on social media. Jeering or booing young lads taking penalties is a disgrace. Any Mayo at it tonight should hang their head in shame.