Holmes: title will do wonders for game in county

UNBRIDLED scenes of joy erupted at the final whistle of yesterday’s thrilling Cadbury’s All-Ireland U21 football championship final, and it took Mayo coach Pat Holmes an age to make it back to the safety of their dressing-room.

“When we set out at the start of this campaign we knew winning a Connacht title wouldn’t be good enough because we have enough of those,” said an emotionally drained Holmes.

“We took on the job because we knew there were a group of players in the county capable of winning the All-Ireland and today’s result is the culmination in a lot of hard work and commitment by everybody associated with the team. It’s just a superb day for Mayo football.

“Going into the game we knew Cork were a very good team and that we needed a good start against them. We didn’t get that and going in at half-time three points down after playing with the wind, you have to begin to doubt if it would be your day. I didn’t need to say anything to the lads at the break. They decided themselves they were going to have a cut, went for the jugular and I’m so pleased it paid off.

“There was a couple of hairy moments particular after Cork came back and drew level with us, but we found ourselves in similar situations in the championship this year particularly against Tyrone and they weren’t coming off that pitch today without that title.

“This win will do wonders for the game in the county. We’ve been up there competing with the best and not always getting the results we would have liked, but today we have finally come up trumps and with this U21 monkey off our backs, we can look forward to greater things”.

Team captain Keith Higgins said it was a victory Mayo needed above any other: “Cork had given us a bit of a trimming earlier in the year in a challenge game and we knew it would take a massive effort to turn that around.

“It didn’t look good for us at half- time when were three points down after playing with the wind, but we had the confidence to keep plugging away and once the goal came I knew we would go on to win.

“Cork are a great side and they really put it up to us, but our lads were up for this final big time and there was no panic when things weren’t going our way. The goal was the turning point and great credit to Aidan to score it, particularly after his penalty had been saved. That goal gave us a tremendous lift and we drove on from there.”

Cork coach Tony Leahy felt some of his players took the wrong option on occasions, particularly in the first-half, which cost his side scores which might have put the game beyond Mayo.

“The goal Mayo got gave them the confidence to drive at us. It also gave them the believe they needed and we were struggling after being reduced to 14 players. All credit to the lads, they never gave up and had Daniel Goulding’s effort been a few feet lower we could be looking forward to a replay now, but it wasn’t to be.”