Mayo capture first FBD League title in a decade with win over Roscommon
WIN: Mayo captain Stephen Coen with the cup after his side's victory in the Connacht FBD League Final against Roscommon at the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan, Mayo. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Late scores from Cillian O’Connor and Conor Loftus nudged Mayo to their first Connacht FBD League title for ten years at University of Galway Air Dome in Bekan on Friday evening.
Kevin McStay’s experimental side were deserving winners over a shadow Roscommon selection after a lacklustre and low-scoring encounter in front of around 1,500 spectators.
Despite scoring just once from play in the opening half — a point from Fionn McDonagh after just 15 seconds — Mayo led at the interval by 0-5 to 0-2.
Roscommon were very slow out of the blocks and struggled to break down the homeside’s well-organised defensive structure.
In fact, Davy Burke’s side only opened their account on 21 minutes through Niall Daly and their only other white flag arrived from Diarmuid Murtagh three minutes into additional time.
Down at the other end, Ryan O’Donoghue kept the scoreboard ticking over for Mayo with three frees and a well-taken score from a mark.
The second half did see the game open up a little as both teams became slightly more adventurous.
The arrival of Donie Smith and Conor Cox into the Roscommon attack also added a much-needed cutting edge with both of them playing key roles in the visitor’s revival.
But Mayo were still setting the pace midway through the second half, leading by 0-10 to 0-6 and keeping their neighbours at arm’s length thanks to excellent scores from play from Conor McStay, captain Stephen Coen and Jordan Flynn.
Roscommon then made things more interesting when Donie Smith landed two superb points in less than a minute to cut the gap in half.
Mayo also lost full-back Rory Brickenden to a red card as the plot thickened.
But the eventual winners — who had drafted in both Aidan O’Shea and Cillian O’Connor at that stage — held their composure and three points down the home stretch saw them win the Paddy Francis Dwyer Cup for the first time in a decade.
A late score from Roscommon sub Peter Gillooly came too late to affect the final outcome.
Mayo’s attention will now turn to their home clash with Galway in the first round of the National League next Saturday evening in Castlebar while Roscommon will welcome Tyrone to Dr Hyde Park next Sunday.
C Reape; J Coyne, R Brickenden, E Hession (0-1); S Coen (0-1), C Loftus (0-1), D McHugh; J Flynn (0-1), D O’Connor (0-1, 1f); F McDonagh (0-1), B Tuohy, B Walsh; A Orme, C McStay (0-1), R O’Donoghue (0-3, 2fs, 1 mark).
A O’Shea for B Tuohy; E McLaughlin for Walsh; S Callinan for McHugh; P Towey for McStay; C O’Connor (0-2, 1f) for Orme; R Keane for Hession; E Gibbons for O’Donoghue; J Tuohy for Coen; F Kelly for Loftus.
C Carroll; R Dolan, C Hussey, R Fallon; E McCormack, B Stack, C Daly; N Daly (0-1), K Doyle (0-1); C Glennon, C Murtagh, D Ruane; D Murtagh (0-2), C Lennon, P Carey.
D Smith (0-2) for C Murtagh;A McDermott for D Murtagh; D Heneghan for Cian Glennon; C Kennelly for Ruane; C Cox (0-2, 1f) for Lennon; C Walsh for Daly; B O’Carroll for Lennon; P McGrath for Fallon; P Gillooly (0-1) for Gaughan.
M McGirl (Leitrim)
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