Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Bit by bit, Mayo are edging closer to the winning post

For too long the identity of this Mayo team has been around pushing Dublin close. Importantly, they are back getting silverware on the table

Mayo’s Matthew Ruane celebrates with Jordan Flynn. Picture: James Crombie

The Connacht final win for Mayo over Galway in Pearse Stadium yesterday was a quintessential winter football spectacle. 

There were lots of mistakes, counter-balanced by the occasional sprinkling of brilliance. Neither team will be delighted with their performance and, in general, it disappointed as a match, never really taking off. The final probably needed a goal to really ignite it as a contest but none of this will bother Mayo as they won their first Connacht championship since 2015. They were the better team throughout and should have been more comfortable than they were at the death.