Mayo 1-12 : Galway 1-06

There was no debate that Mayo were the best team and deserved winners over the 70 minutes. From 'the glass is half full' viewpoint Mayo have 2 championship wins so far in 2011 which is 2 more than last year and now are guaranteed at least 2 more matches. We are into the Connacht Final and the win today was vital to get some confidence and momentum going. So in a game where both teams went in with lots of questions hanging over them it was Mayo who stood up and emerged with the spoils. It may not have been a pretty or convincing performance but the value of the win is greater than any negative about the manner ...

If uou missed the Sunday game on RTE last night here it is - 45 minutes in for Mayo Galway

McHale Park today was a little bit like a February league - windy, overcast with a bit of rain meant it was windcheaters and jackets and not t-shirts. Players had problems staying on their feet and the ball seemed like the proverbial bar of soap. It didn't make for good football and it wasn't. In fact the first half was dire fare with both sides guilty of basic mistakes, sloppy play and to be honest as far from Mayo Galway championship fare as you can get. Galway were bad but Mayo were worse and no surprise that scores were scare. Scoring chances weren't the problem it was the poor finishing, especially from Mayo.

In fact the scoring records will show that Mayo scored just 4 points and amazingly 2 of those were from our keeper, Rob Hennelly, who assumed freetaking duties for the day. The other scores came from half back Trevor Mortimer and corner forward Jason Doherty. Look at that again. Just a single point from the 6 forwards in the first half.
Overall it was sloppy football with lots of mistakes and Mayo were punished just before half time as Paul Conroy got through for a Galway goal and left them 1-5 to 4 points ahead at the break. But, as things turned out that goal was to prove more valuable to Mayo than to Galway. It should have been the boost for Galway but it appears that it was the pefect kick in the ****** that Mayo needed to give them a reality check and half time wake up call and a crucial score that might in the end, perversly, have turned the match Mayo's way. Maybe, just maybe, the half time team talk might not have been so harsh if the scoreline was just 5 points to 4. That goal painted a different picture.

Paddy Power offers betting odds on all kinds of things happening in matches apart from the result. One thing they don't offer odds on is which team is going to emerge from the dressing room first for the second half. If such a bet was available today would be odds on that it would be Galway back out first as they had come through the first half with some credit and had all the physiological advantage and momentum from that late goal. Mayo, on the other hand, were in trouble and one could expect an extended verbal session in the dressing room. Not so. Mayo were out first and left waiting for an age as Galway had the extended team talk. The Mayo team talk must have been short and sharp and whatever words were said worked as the same 15 players who dithered around in the first half tore into the second half with some fire in their bellies. Or maybe being left waiting by Galway was part of the reason but whatever brought about the change they fought and won the breaking ball, tore through the opposition defence and reeled in the Galway lead with a succession of points (some of which could have been goals). The first half work rate, in fairness, was good but it seemend to lack confidence. The second half saw the confidence return.

Remember Jason Doherty was the only forward to score in the first half – well 15 minutes into the second half that had changed as all 6 forwards had got on the score sheet. A succession of unanswered points from Dillon, Freeman, O’Connor, McLoughlin and man of the match Andy Moran meant Mayo had now edged a point in front 0-09 to 1-05. Galway’s only second half score came after that as Concannon blasted over the bar when it seemed like a goal was about to undo us. Level again with about 15 minutes left.

But from there on it was all Mayo as Alan Freeman added a beaut of a goal, followed by a point. Ronan McGarrity came on for Seamus O’Shea (who put in one of the best Mayo performances on the day) and promptly kicked a sublime inspirational point from way out on the right and another late sub, Enda Varley, closed it out at the end with another point. So 1-3 added without reply and by the final whistle Mayo had that 6 point advantage 1-12 to 1-06.

Alan Freeman about to place it in the back of the net

In fairness Galway kicked some horrid wides in the second half and were obviously missing the firepower of Armstong, Meehan and Nikki Joyce. The Albany end goal seemed to be an impossible target for both sets of forwards today as Mayo racked up the misses at that end in the first half and (thankfully) Galway did the same in the second. Should the goalposts be moved a few feet to the left? Or is it right?

Spot the Ball - Aidan O'Shea has it in his sights!

On the pitch today the match was probably won around the middle third of the field. Aidan O’Shea put down a strong marker for a permanent spot in that position with an imposing physical performance (but he’s not a freetaker) and Seamus alongside was winning and creating when most others were struggling. Andy Moran won the RTE man of the match and deserved as was involved in nearly all the good moves and though he only had 1 point to his name he had the goal assist and a few assists for points. Alan Freeman had poor enough first half but seemed to be switched to the half forward line and his contribution lifted from that point and could have got close to man of the match with his fine goal and 1-2 tally. Alan Dillon got through an amount of work but the shooting boots were off target big time today. Kevin McLoughlin was in and out of the game but overall came good. The half backs also picked up a lot of loose ball breaking from the middle and despite a few errors Richie Feeney, Vaughan and Trevor all had their opponents under control.

Andy with his Man of the Match Trophy

So Mayo have another championship win over our old rivals and now head to Hyde Park on July 17^th to take on Roscommon in the Connacht Final.

But it wasn’t a performance that will have the rest of the country or Roscommon quaking. There are plenty of things to be concerned about that need to be improved upon if we are to build on todays win. A loss today to a below strength Galway team would have been another devastating blow to confidence but that didn’t happen and to end where we started let’s take the positives and look forward to Hyde Park.
Well done lads. A win against Galway is a major result any day !

Mayo scorers:
A Freeman 1-02,
R Hennelly 0-02 (1f, 1 45),
T Mortimer,
K McLoughlin, A Dillon (1f), A Moran, C O'Connor, J Doherty, R McGarrity and E Varley 0-01 each.

PS - tough on our minors today who lost out 3-08 to 1-08 to a physically stronger looking Roscoomon side. And great to see new European boxing gold medal winner Ray Moylette getting a well deserved Mayo cheer.