Photo: @mayonewssport
The county’s reign as Connacht and All-Ireland U21 football champions is over, following this evening’s 2-13 to 1-10 defeat to Galway at Tuam in the Connacht semi-final.
By all accounts, the young Tribesmen were full value for their victory and were well on top all evening. They weren’t, however, able to translate this dominance fully onto the scoreboard in the first half but they rectified this with two second half goals and they had a comfortable margin of six points to spare at the finish.
I wasn’t at the game myself: I was otherwise engaged up here in the capital while it was on and so only found out the score after the game – and our 2017 U21 championship campaign – was over. I’ve nothing more to add, then, about it but anyone looking for more detail on how the match played out will find the following reports useful: GAA, The 42, Irish Independent.
Commiserations to Mike Solan and his players. Last year’s uplifting All-Ireland U21 title success will live long in the memory but all good things come to an end (well, unless you’re a Dublin supporter I suppose).
*****
Photo: @JenJen_Murf
Speaking of Dublin, the Mayo ladies gave the county something to shout about this evening. At around the same time as the action was finishing up at Tuam, the LGFA League match between Mayo and Dublin was coming nicely to the boil at Croke Park.
Mayo led by six points midway through the second half but a late surge by Dublin brought the match back all-square with time running out. Cometh the hour, cometh the legend: up stepped Cora Staunton to belt over a ’45 and seal a memorable 1-11 to 1-10 win. If this was the peerless Carnacon forward’s Croke Park swansong – and it could well be – she made sure to sign off with a flourish. Style on you, Cora.
Well beaten.
Our senior team was built upon successful underage teams between the 20″4-10 period. This current decade has been far less fruitful Mayo.
1 u21 provincial title in 6 years is concerning. Very concerning and particularly so in attack. We simply aren’t developing good enough forwards and are #3 in Connacht in this department.
Bloody Tuam stadium.
What is it about this place and Mayo teams over the years?
We actually have an OK record since the mid 90’s…1997, 1999 wins at senior. Our minors (this years 21’s) beat Galway in Tuam 3 years ago.
The place itself is a dive!
We’re u there today JimFlag? It was a very poor performance.
Cleaned out of it in midfield today, the red haired islander lorded it. Galway full forward line were very good, Daly in particular. Reape had the beating of his man everytime but we couldn’t get the ball into him. Galway deserved winners.
Yes, class again from Cora.
As I watched our Minors and U 21s getting well beaten by Galway this evening was I the only Mayo person who felt that this was a foretaste of more of the same to come at Senior level this summer?
The county is at a low enough place right now. The question is, will get getbwirse before it gets better? Tomorrow will tell us I guess.
Like I said previously we need to bring in a few coaches from outside the county to work with our forwards at all levels we must admit we have a problem developing top class inter county forwards and do something about it otherwise 2051 will come and go and we will be still blaming the curse or have invited a new one and still waiting for Sam. Peter Canavan is on record as saying he’d love to work with Mayo he scored a few points in big games if I recall correctly
Mayonaze. No fella. I was not there today. I was there in july 1982 and will never forget it. We had to climb through the rails of a cattle mart to get into the ground. We got slaughtered on the pitch and took some abuse on the terraces behind the goal.
Point taken about our record there. I suppose i was comparing it to Hyde Park which has been an excellent hunting ground for us since 85.
Yeah Sourceoftherobe. The boot could well be going onto the other foot. It doesn’t look good.
Mayonaze admit Tuam is not in great shape but between the Derry game and today’s games it shows it still gets the crowds. Work on New dressing rooms etc starting in 2 weeks.. Great win for Galway.. Mayo were always playing catch up.
Mayo well beaten at midfield all day. Mayo forwards got poor supply. In thruth this panel struggled at midfield and in the forwards as Minors. I was shocked to see Tuam Stadium so much in decline over the last 20 years. Hard to believe 25 K came through the gates 20 years ago. Cannot understand the Red Card at the end there was no strike or attempt to strike and I was very close to the challenge. Well done to the Mayo management team.
Yes, Cora is true class, no one like her in Mayo since ’51.
Both minors and U21s of Galway were comfortably better than Mayo teams. As said above 1 u21 provincial title in 6 years is concerning. Matter of fact Mayo have only reached one Connacht U21 final in 8 years and that was last year by beating Leitrim in the semi final.
Anyone at game today? Heard we were well bet at midfield.any stand out players?
Also mid west very poor coverage of game today.
Being soundly beaten at midfield means we should hold off on the judgement of this years u21 forwards. If you switched the midfields we would have been close enough to winning that match. It’s at least one quality young midfielder we are waiting on.
Brian Reape did well. He has senior potential.
Reape was pretty good on the ball I thought. James Carr caused galway a lot of trouble whenever he ran at them. He created the goal and won a few frees but needs a bit more composure when he gets in shooting range.
What is needed now is for some of this team to be kept together using juniors.
A good point on Carrs finishing. He will need matches to help build his confidence and composure.
JP, I was there. Unfortunately we were 2nd best in every sector today. Reape looked threatening at times but didn’t seem to have much pace. James Lyons also showed well. Ruane and Akram has decent 2nd half performances.
Facts are as Mayomagic said, one provincial title in 6/7 years and soundly beaten today.
Our excellent group of seniors since 2011 has had very little new blood and there’s no sign of any coming in the short
term. This can only mean one thing.
Mayo S/W on tedd Webb (just) last year beating Galway city & west board. If we can win Connacht minor in 2017 it would be a start because Galway have lots of players coming through from their last two minor teams and this u21 team have good talent.
Cooke, a Galway senior, was always going to have an advantage at midfield.
But Mayo were beaten all over the field. The Galway forwards, especially, Daly, set the tone early on. This Galway team, sum and parts, was, by some margin, well ahead of what we brought to the party. We always played second fiddle but a referee who pandered to vociferous local support ( two Tom Cunniffe shoulders) never helped our cause.
Mayo’s problem today in both Minor and U21, I thought, was that too often when they got the ball they had no idea what to do with it whereas Galway had. When Galway got ball they moved it quickly to player running forward while Mayo tried soloing for a bit and if they didn’t lose it gave it backwards to a standing player who repeated the exercise. Galway defenders were also much tighter than Mayo’s defenders and appeared to show much more hunger in harassing Mayomen in possession. We were also poorer in the basic art of kicking frees. Did Reape get one long range free despite trying a number. Cooke, on the other hand, while not perfect got most of Galway’s. In both games when we had things fairly tight scorewise we missed crucial frees to let Galway off the hook, and boy, did they take advantage.
Regards the sending off, the offence looked very like use of an elbow to me – and I was standing in that corner at the time.
Overall I thought that midway through the second half the absence of the Duffy’s, Barry and Fionan plus Seamus Cunniffe would prove crucial. And so it proved.
Have we any of last years minors still underage? I could not recall any of last year’s team when looking at the prrogramme.
As for the red card the Galway player had to be taken from the ground in an ambulance. He was out cold. It was a guaranteed red card sadly.
I’m not 100% certain, but I think Galway had two players with at least one Mayo parent, Paul Mannion and Robert Finnerty,.. Finnerty father needs no introduction to us Mayo fans, Paul Mannion mother wouldn’t be quite as well known, but she’s still a Mayo fan, going by the last time I spoke to her, heading into McHale Park to shout for Mayo !
The minors yesterday were missing the Ballinrobe contingent with midfielder Nathan Moran. John Gallagher Mayo Gaels and Matthew Lenehan Charlestown are recovering from injuries. So they should have a strong 15 at least for the summer.
I think we are seeing in terms of the transition from u21 to senior that staying injury free at 21 and 22 those two years of senior development after u21 are crucial.
I think there is a knockout first round in the minor championship this year.
Galway & Mayo play each other in April and the loser is gone for the year!
Galway had used 27 players in the first two minor games so are experimenting at the moment but would have been closer to full strength than Mayo.
Their Ballinrobe CS player started yesterday (though he is a goalie so that is probably why).
We probably should have won the u21 game by more I thought. This group has a lot of potential.they “should” win the Connacht final but won’t get past Kerry in AI semi final I’d say.
Definite red card. Elbow into the head. No place for this in any game. I was right beside the incident. Behind the goal. Galway excelled because of extremely good midfield pairìng.
I was in Tuam yesterday, last time I was there was for the Connacht final in 1999. I was in shock at the state of the place, the very old turnstiles, the very cramped uncomfortable timber so-called seats in the stand / shed, paint peeling from everywhere. A far cry from my fimilar surroundings of Croke park, I didnt know there were places still like this in Gaa grounds in Ireland.
The pitch looked good.
I noticed the following during the course of the match.
1, Mayo goalie had cap during the 1st half facing the sun.
2, The kickouts kept going to midfield where Galway’s two guys won everything, they got 6 points in the 1st half as a result of the kickouts.
3, The inability of some Mayo players to move the ball from the back up the pitch, they passed the ball to a static player that was tackled and sometimes lost the ball.
4, Not enough Mayo bodies in midfield to win the breaks.
5, Some Mayo defenders were not tenacious in the tackle, and stuck to their man rather that leave their man and intercept the incoming ball.
6, Mayo centreback was pulled out of position by Galway nr 11, this left a massive hole for Galway runners.
7, Some Mayo forwards lacked pace to win the incoming pass and also lacked power.
8, The two 2nd half goals for Galway came from basic sloppy defending, where Mayo defender seemed to be slow in their reactions.
9, Mayo looked well beaten all over the pitch yet were only 2 points down at half time. They had some good performers, in nr 14, nr 7, nr 4, nr 2, one of the midfielders did ok in the 2nd half.
I dont understand why Mayo kept going long to midfield with their kickouts, maybe the management did’nt trust his players to work the ball out short up the pitch. Alot of pacy players are needed for this.
In Dublin when my u-11 team are in a match they will always be instructed to keep the ball away from the opposition’s strong midfielders.
I witnessed some of the best high fielding in years, from Galway’s nr 8, Cooke but he was unmarked and not shackled by tough tackling from at least 2 Mayo players when he came to ground after fielding the ball.
We were overwhelmed around the middle and couldn’t get going in attack as a result. Galway have a powerful midfield and it will take something special to get the better of them in that sector. Hope they go all the way now that we are out.
I was at the match yesterday and thought it was a great match but a disappointing result. Galway were always going to be difficult. Sad to see the end of this years u21s.
I thought reape, akram and Carr were mayos stand out players. Reape seems fit and could be the forward mayo are looking for. Rochford needs to give him and more of the youngsters a chance. Hopefully the seniors will have better luck today in Tyrone
Would Patrick OMalleys long n low kickouts have been more beneficial yesterday? He’s also quite good on 45s. Anyways neither here nor there.
Galway are well capable of going all the way. I’v followed the other sides and Galway have the best 8/9/11 in my view.
Kerry might not get past Cork. Cork regularly beat Kerry at this level.
Galway minor goalie yesterday is sub goalie for ballinrobe community school, that’s why he played yesterday and did very well.