Mayo 0-16 : Cork 0-11
12 April 2010
Mayo travelled to Cork knowing that to secure qualification for the final they had to win, otherwise they could be elbowed out by Dublin. And win they did! Though the first half wasn't decisive the performance in the second half was and the final tally of 16 scores was the highest conversion since the opening game against Galway when they also converted 16 scores (but that admittedly was a bit superior made up of 14 points and 2 goals!). And the prize for winning in Pairc Ui Chaoimh ... well we get to play Cork again on April 25th in Croke Park ..
As it turns out this was the dress rehearsal for the League Final in 2 weeks time. Mayo played the better football, especially in the second half, and fully desrved the 5 point win from their visit to a very warm and sunny Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
And this capped a league run that saw Mayo top the division with 6 wins from 7 (the only defeat being that 1 point loss to the Dubs in Castlebar) and winning all 4 away matches. The sceptics were overheard many times today (both from Cork and Mayo) that Cork didn't have the same incentive to win today as Mayo had and that ergo the final will be very different encounter to todays match. Well, talk is cheap and today Mayo did their talking where it counts "on the pitch". They did what they had to do, no depending on results elsewhere or mathematical permutations. So well done lads !! . Now lets do it again in Croke Park on April 25th., which is a double header with the Div 2 final between Down and Armagh.
Looking at the final table just shows how the new 'head-to-head' rule made a significant change to the final outcome. With Cork and Dublin ending on equal 10 points Cork go through to the final because they won the head-to-head with Dublin. However, if the old rule of better scoring difference was still in use we would be playing the Dubs in the final. Then again if that was the rule it might have seen more urgency in Corks performance today.
At the relegation end of the table it's a surprise to see Tyrone end bottom and Monaghan survive just because they scored more than Derry (they were equal on points so the highest scores for gets the nod)
And Mayo today ... the game itself was the proverbial game of two halves and at the end of the first half with the score at 7 points apiece it was difficult to forecast a winner. But in the second half Mayo upped the pace and dominated proceedings. It was a good all-round team performance all over the pitch and plenty of running all the way to the end which shows that fitness, at least, is not in question. Thought Aidan O'Shea had probably his best match of the league campaign and led the attack by winning ball, winning frees, scoring a couple and generally making life difficult for the Cork full back line. For his efforts he will undoubtably get more attention in the final. Conor Mortimer showed himself well for the ball and won plenty of it - might be faulted for a few wides but some good scores and certainly put in the effort. Dillon likewise, Seamus O'Shea again impressive and the backs - well best compliment one can pay is that no real mistake or error can be remembered for the entire match. Usually if a back makes a single mistake it will be used (often unfairly) as the stick to beat him but it will be hard to find any individual fault today. In fact, two fine points from the back line - one in the first half from Chris Barrett and one in the second period from Donal Vaughan, who had another fine game.
Scorers : Dillon 4 (2f); C Mortimer 4 (2f); A Moran and A O'Shea 2 each; Barrett, Vaughan, Ronaldson and S O'Shea 1 each