Youth as much as experience puts Mayo 70 minutes from All-Ireland final after victory over Galway

Having never been closer than two points throughout the second period, the home side did not succeed in cutting the deficit to the minimum until the third minute of injury-time

Aidan O'Shea of Mayo celebrates following the win. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Connacht SFC final: Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-13

Mayo finished this forgettable Connacht final with six players who were appearing in their first provincial final.

From this sextet, four — Oisín Mullin, Eoghan McLaughlin, Bryan Walsh, and Jordan Flynn — made their championship debut all of two weeks ago. Another member of the six — Mark Moran — made his championship debut when introduced here.

Yes, Mayo were hanging on for dear life at the finish, but hang on they did, and their success in doing so and in moving within 70 minutes of an All-Ireland final place should not be lazily ascribed to the collective experience and knowhow of James Horan’s group.

That the winners succeeded in keeping Galway at a distance of two points or greater until the final minute of second-half stoppages was largely attributable to the respective displays of these Mayo newcomers.

Tommy Conroy and Matthew Ruane — another two playing in their first Connacht final — had been whipped off before the finish, but the pair’s withdrawal does not take from the fact that their fingerprints are smeared all over Mayo’s 47th Connacht final success.

Conroy, who first tasted championship action at the beginning of this month, kicked two of his team’s opening three scores to help settle Mayo inside the opening six minutes. His third white flag was part of a pivotal three Mayo points in a row early in the second half when the visitors were adapting to life against the typically disruptive Salthill elements.

Ruane and sub Bryan Walsh supplied the other two points of this burst, again highlighting the impact of the Mayo new guard. Both Ruane and Walsh finished with 0-2 beside their name. Both can be extremely satisfied with their showing.

Sean Kelly of Galway is tackled by Eoghan McLaughlin of Mayo. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

In total, 10 of the 20 players used by Horan were playing in their first Connacht final. And it was these newcomers the manager singled out afterwards.

“It’s the first time a lot of guys have played here, never mind a Connacht final,” said Horan. “Every player likes a provincial title. To get that on their first go is great.

“It was an outrageous score that Bryan got. Sliced off the right, under pressure, at a crucial time for us,” the manager said of Walsh’s first point.

“He was excellent in the second half. He brought a lot of composure when we needed it.

“Mattie Ruane had a huge turnover on the 45, and Eoghan McLaughlin as well. There is nothing like a turnover — it gave the whole place a lift. It shakes the opposition, as well. We got a few of those at crucial times.”

Ruane’s fisted point on 32 minutes sent the visitors 0-7 to 0-2 clear, but three points in first-half stoppages brought a Galway side that did not score from play for a 37-minute period of the first half right back into contention.

It was the hosts, despite trailing, who were happier with the 0-8 to 0-5 interval scoreline.

The winners, who did not make much use of the elements, finished the half with six wides, while a Cillian O’Connor goal chance was kept out by Bernard Power. The Galway ’keeper was even more impressive when repelling an Eoghan McLaughlin drive in the second period.

Mayo’s aforementioned three-point burst between the 37th and 40th minutes left the scoreboard reading 0-11 to 0-6, and proved a sufficiently sizable buffer as a Galway team devoid of ideas gradually clawed back the deficit.

Following Gary O’Donnell’s point 31 seconds after the change of ends, no Galway player outside of Shane Walsh (0-4, 0-2 frees) and Paul Conroy (0-3) found the target in the second half.

Walsh’s two points from play were exquisite. Conroy’s third, meanwhile, cut the gap to two entering the red.

Neither of Walsh’s two missed frees in injury time were gimmes, but he had converted a similarly challenging placed-ball effort earlier in the half.

There followed a run-of-the-mill free tapped over as the clock wound down. Should the Galway captain have tried his luck with the sideline kick at the death instead of going short? Given the sideline was from outside the 45-metre line, the degree of difficulty was high. Very high.

His pass was turned over and the final whistle sounded soon after, Mayo celebrating a first Connacht final triumph in five years.

“We had to go to Leitrim, go to Roscommon and go to Galway, and to hang in there during four minutes of injury-time and win, it’s a huge achievement by the lads,” said Horan. “To have that journey and all the mistakes, and still come through, we’re delighted. Sure we’ll be absolutely buzzing to have a go at an All-Ireland semi-final.”

After five games in 28 days, they now enjoy a welcome pause before returning inside the ring in three weeks.

The 60-second report

It mattered

The pair of frees kicked wide by Shane Walsh in second-half stoppages. Galway trailed by two when Walsh stood over both kicks and had even one of them been converted, extra-time would likely have been forced. That is not to apportion blame on the Galway captain, though. Were it not for his haul of white flags, Galway wouldn’t have been within touching distance as the finish line came into view.

Can’t ignore

How poor a game this was. Mayo managed only three points in the closing 34 minutes, only one of which came from play, and yet this was sufficient to see them come out on top.

Good day

Of the 20 players used by James Horan, it was a first Connacht final appearance for half of them (Oisín Mullin, Eoghan McLaughlin, Conor Loftus, Matthew Ruane, Mark Moran, Tommy Conroy, Jordan Flynn, Bryan Walsh, Fionn McDonagh, and Ryan O’Donoghue).

Bad day

Galway’s 2020 season pre and post lockdown is chalk and cheese. The westerners won four of their five Division 1 outings pre lockdown, they have since lost three from three.

Best on show

Mayo midfielder Matthew Ruane was impressive right through. Tommy Conroy showed well in the opening half. Bryan Walsh kicked two crucial points upon his introduction. Shane Walsh threw over a couple of superb scores for Galway but will be disappointed with those missed frees.

Sideline smarts

Galway put a sweeper in front of Aidan O’Shea any time the latter was positioned at full-forward during the opening half. The havoc he wreaked during their league meeting last month was not replicated here.

Physio room

Galway lost defender Johnny Duane to a serious-looking knee injury in the opening half. Damien Comer, who has struggled with a hamstring injury and was not among the 26 Galway players listed in the match programme, wore the number nine shirt earmarked for Tom Flynn. Comer was introduced with 20 minutes remaining but made no real impact.

Man in the middle

Sean Hurson was adamant Galway defender Seán Kelly was fouled outside the large parallelogram by Eoghan McLaughlin in the 73rd minute. Galway pleas for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

Where next?

Mayo meet either Cork or Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final on the weekend of December 5/6.

Scorers for Mayo: C O’Connor (0-4, 0-3 frees); T Conroy (0-3); M Ruane, B Walsh (0-2 each); R O’Donoghue, D O’Connor, P Durcan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: S Walsh (0-7, 0-4 frees); P Conroy (0-3); D Conneely, P Kelly, G O’Donnell (0-1 each).

Galway: B Power; L Silke, S Kelly, C McDaid; G O’Donnell, J Duane, J Heaney; C D’Arcy, M Daly; P Kelly, P Conroy, S Mulkerrin; D Conneely, S Walsh, I Burke.

Subs: R Steede for D’Arcy (24); G Bradshaw for Duane (28); C Molloy for O;Donnell (45); D Comer for Burke (50); G Sice for P Kelly (63).

Mayo: D Clarke; O Mullin, P Durcan, C Barrett; S Coen, L Keegan, E McLaughlin; C Loftus, M Ruane; K McLoughlin, R O’Donoghue, D O’Connor; T Conroy, A O’Shea, C O’Connor.

Subs: B Walsh for O’Donoghue (HT); J Flynn for Loftus (59); M Moran for Conroy (61); K Higgins for McLoughlin (64); F McDonagh for Ruane (72).

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).