Sligo ease past Mayo into Connacht Final

Sligo going for back-to-back titles when they take on Galway in the Connacht U20 after easing past Mayo.

FINAL SPOT SECURED:Sligo are into the Connacht Final. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Evan Treacy

Sligo 0-17 Mayo 1-9 

Sligo have never won consecutive Connacht titles in any grade but they will fancy their chances of doing just that when they take on Galway in the provincial U-20 final next weekend after accounting for Mayo in a good game at Bekan.

Sligo won their first ever Connacht U-20 title a year ago when a couple of late goals saw them snatch victory from Mayo, but they were the dominant team throughout this clash which was switched from MacHale Park in Castlebar earlier in the day.

A good week for Sligo football continued as the champions handled their favourites tag with ease but this was another demoralising loss for Mayo in a grade where they haven’t won Connacht now since 2018.

Mayo had the advantage of the diagonal wind in the opening half but they were in trouble when they turned around trailing by 0-9 to 1-4 at the break.

The Sligo full-forward line of Matt Henry, Daire O’Boyle and Luke Marren were a big threat and struck for 0-6 in that opening half.

Dara Hurley settled Mayo with an opening minute point but Sligo made quick ball count and hit for three points in as many minutes from Marren, Ronan Niland and Henry before Mayo senior Bob Tuohy responded with a good score.

An excellent passing movement which included Tuohy, Tom O’Flaherty and James Maheady ended with Fenton Kelly fisting home a goal to lead by 1-2 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter.

Tuohy and O’Flaherty added points either side of another effort from Henry, but the the reigning champions took over and hit five points without reply in the closing ten minutes of the first half.

Wing-back Rossa Sloyan went forward to shoot two of them while Marren added a free and O’Boyle and Henry again hit the target.

Mayo ended the half with 14 men when captain Sean Morahan picked up a black card when he pulled down Sloyan and they turned around trailing by 0-9 to 1-4 at the interval.

An early exchange of points after the restart suggested a close game but Sligo took over and got a big dividend when they moved the ball quickly and they shot seven points without reply to lead by 0-17 to 1-5 after 50 minutes with the starting full-forward line of Marren, O’Boyle and Henry finishing with 0-10, seven of them from play.

Midfielder Kelly did most to rally a Mayo comeback as he shot three points but while Sligo did not score for the closing 15 minutes, including added time, they had built a sufficient lead to see them through to next week’s final.

Scorers for Sligo: L Marren 0-4 (0-3f), M Henry 0-4, D O’Boyle 0-2, Dylan Walsh 0-2 (0-1 45), R Sloyan 0-2, R Niland 0-2, Dillon Walsh 0-1.

Scorers for Mayo: F Kelly 1-3, B Tuohy 0-2, D Hurley 0-2, T O’Flaherty 0-1, R Fadden 0-1.

Sligo: E Carden; R Chambers, C Johnston, L Casserly; D Walsh, D McLoughlin, R Sloyan; C Sheridan, C Mulligan; M McDaniel, R Niland, R Doherty; L Marren, D O’Boyle, M Henry. 

Subs: Dillon Walsh for McDaniel (42), C O’Reilly for Sloyan (55), B Byrne for Sheridan (55), J Kiernan for Doherty (65).

Mayo: D Dolan; Cian McHale (Parke Keelogues Crimlin), S Callinan, C Boland; P Gilmore, S Morahan (C), C Dawson; B Tuohy, F Kelly; C Corless, T O'Flaherty, J Fallon; Cian McHale (Bohola Moy Davitts), J Maheady; D Hurley. 

Subs: R Fadden for Fallon (44), F McLoughlin for MacHale (Bohola Moy Davitts) (49), D Joyce for Corless (50), A Beirne for Hurley (61).

Referee: Michael McGirl (Leitrim).