Same again for Mayo

Mayo's joint-managers Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes have selected an unchanged team for Sunday's Cadbury's All-Ireland Under-21 Football final clash with Cork (Cusack Park, Ennis, throw-in 2.30pm).

The Connacht champions won through to their second U-21 final in three seasons courtesy of a dramatic 1-12 to 0-14 semi-final victory against Tyrone, after extra-time.

Davitts corner forward Michael Conroy kicked the match-winning free against the Red Hands and he is one of four survivors from Mayo's 2004 final loss to Armagh. Corner back Trevor Howley, midfielder Barry Moran and wing forward Aidan Kilcoyne are the others.

Ballyhaunis dual player Keith Higgins captains the side from left corner back. A Civil Engineering student at Sligo IT, Higgins has already played 17 games for his county this season with his services sought out by both Mickey Moran, the Mayo senior football manager, and senior hurling boss Franke Browne.

Mayo have three All-Ireland U-21 titles to their name - the last one was won in 1983 when a John O'Mahony-managed team beat Derry after a replay. Current Galway manager Peter Ford and his Roscommon counterpart John Maughan formed two-thirds of the Mayo full-back line back then. Captain Eddie Gibbons, who was sent off in the replay, lined out at left corner back.

As well as losing the '04 decider, Mayo missed out on All-Irelands in 1995 (to Tyrone) and 2001, when they lost in a replay to Kerry.

MAYO (U-21 FC v Cork) - K O’Malley; T Howley, G Cafferky, K Higgins (capt); C Barrett, T Canniffe, C Boyle; S O’Shea, B Moran; A Campbell, J Dillon, A Kilcoyne; M Ronaldson, M Hannick, M Conroy.