Lavin delivers late dagger as Sligo celebrate historic glory

Frantic 10 minutes changes the course of Yeats County football as captain's late goal seals a first ever U20 title

How sweet it is: Sligo players celebrate their 2022 EirGrid Connacht GAA Under 20 Football Championship Final triumph at Markievicz Park. Photo: INPHO/James Crombie

Connacht U-20 FC Final Sligo 4-4 Mayo 1-12 

Jack Lavin’s 59th minute goal – Sligo’s fourth of a pulsating encounter with Mayo at Markievicz Park – made history as it set up a one-point win, 4-4 to 1-12, to give Sligo their first-ever Connacht U-20 Football Championship title.

Sligo looked to be heading for defeat as they trailed by five points, 1-11 to 2-3, with eight minutes of normal time to go.

The eventual champions also had to cope with a player less because of corner-back Shane Molloy’s red card in the 52nd minute.

But Eoghan Smith, who had been Sligo’s hero in their semi-final defeat of Roscommon, goaled following a Mayo defensive error and that sparked a comeback that culminated in team captain Lavin netting from a long-range hit-and-hope delivery into Mayo’s goalmouth.

Before the 10 minutes that changed Sligo GAA history, Mayo looked to have done enough to have set up another title in this grade and their first since 2018.

Full-forward Paddy Heneghan’s 51st minute goal looked to be the crucial score although it took the visitors until the 43rd minute to get in front for the first time.

Sligo were a point clear at half-time, 2-3 to 0-8, with their title chances boosted by a brace of goals from corner-forward Jack Davitt, later named Player of the Match.

Mayo struck a number of fine scores in the first-half, with Frank Irwin and Paddy Heneghan to the fore, but seven first-half wides would later prove costly as Sligo celebrated history on home soil.

Scorers for Sligo: Jack Davitt (2-0), Eoghan Smith (1-1), Jack Lavin (1-0), James Donlon (0-2), Lee Deignan (0-1, 1f) 

Scorers for Mayo: Paddy Heneghan (1-3), Frank Irwin (0-4, 3f), Rory Morrin (0-2), Jack Fallon (0-1), Tom O’Flaherty (0-1), Niall Treacy (0-1) 

Sligo: K Davey, S Molloy, M McGowan, F O’Donnell, J Donlon, J Lavin, C Johnston, C Mulligan, J Keaney, M Henry, E Smith, D Walsh, L Marren, L Deignan, J Davitt 

Subs used: O Flynn for M Henry, 40; G Duffy for L Marren, 49; L Casserly for F O’Donnell, 49; B Byrne for J Donlon, 58; O Gorman for L Deignan, 60+2 

Mayo: B O’Flaherty, A Morrison, R Keane, C Dawson, F Kelly, D McHugh, A Cosgrove, F Irwin, J Fallon, T O’Flaherty, D Thornton, S Morahan, R Morrin, P Heneghan, C O’Connell 

Subs used: B Tuohy for C Dawson, 37; C MacHale for C O’Connell, 41; N Treacy for J Fallon, 53; C Reid for R Morrin, 60+1 

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)