Maurice Brosnan: Something for everyone in Salthill thriller
Mayo’s Darragh Beirne celebrates scoring his sides second goal. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho
Ever so rarely, Gaelic football has a tidy way of satisfying everyone. This was a useful result for Mayo and a heartening performance for Galway. No one left Salthill utterly devastated. It was a lively film without a body count.
Here was the first glimpse of Moranball, and the green and red in the 11,515 crowd liked what they saw. It was brave, with direct kicking and fast attacks with possession and aggressive pressing without it.
The risk and reward of such an approach were laid bare in this opening league clash. Mayo scored three goals. They might easily have conceded nine.
For Galway, their three full debutants all made their mark. Maigh Cuilinn’s six-foot-six Fionn McDonagh was outstanding and finished with 1-4. Ciarán Mulhern stuck his hand up to fill in for Young Footballer of the Year Matthew Thompson with a clever exhibition of centre-forward link play. He also kicked 0-3, including a two-pointer. OisĂn McDonagh did the exact same. Shane McGrath came off the bench to mark his first appearance with a goal.
They were 11 points down at one stage in the second half and dug deep to be within a goal by the time the hooter sounded.
This was a game of swings and extremes. A bruising first half that saw Mayo lead 1-12 to 0-9 at the turnaround, followed by a wide-open second that see-sawed up and down the field. That is what happens with grand change; the only certainty is chaos.
Robbie Hennelly marked his return with three two-point frees, missing one and a 45. His immense range was demonstrated with a spectacular second kick following a 50-metre advancement. Mayo kicked long to Aidan O’Shea early on and found immediate joy; he was fouled for the first two-point free and set up Ryan O’Donoghue soon after.
That bravery showed again when Bob Tuohy looked for a final pass instead of opting for the safety of a simple point. O’Shea gratefully received it and slotted past Conor Gleeson.
From there, the momentum began to roll. Mayo started the second half with a seven-minute burst, outscoring Galway 1-3 to 0-1. Exciting prospect Darragh Beirne found the net and there was concern in the home contingent that the tie would quickly become ugly.
Suddenly, it was Hennelly who found himself under siege. Galway created five successive goal chances, with only McGrath taking his, an improvised soccer-style finish.
Wastefulness was a feature throughout. Kieran Molloy blasted over in the first half and Mulhern hit the crossbar. Sam Callinan produced an extraordinary block on Shane Walsh. Hennelly denied Daniel O’Flaherty. Mulhern fired wide. Paddy Durcan produced a big block and, later, David McBrien scrambled back to stop a Sean Kelly goal-bound effort.
Such is the price of a full-throttle approach. Moran turned to his bench and David McBrien was able to tee up Cian McHale for a relieving goal.
Despite the usual shadowboxing that defines early-league fixtures, the rivalry showed through down the straight. There were several flashpoints and gloating celebrations. Matthias Barrett was shown a black card for taking issue with O’Donoghue.
Before that, he did claim a wayward Hennelly restart and rifle it back with interest. Fionn McDonagh gathered the break in the square and buried it.
In the end, Galway couldn’t find a third green flag to leave it level. They now face a gauntlet, with away trips to the reigning All-Ireland champions Armagh and Kerry to come.
Mayo welcome Dublin to Castlebar buoyed by the fact they have ended a run of four successive defeats to their rivals (including the FBD League final).
The two counites are on opposite sides of the Connacht draw and would meet in a final should they navigate that path. After this evidence, the thought of it is mouth-watering.
F. McDonagh 1-4; R. Finnerty 0-5 (0-2 frees); S. McGrath 1-0; O. McDonagh 0-3 (tp); C. Mulhern 0-3 (tp); K. Molloy, D. O’Flaherty, F Ó Laoi 0-1 each.
R. Hennelly 0-6 (3 tpf); R. O’Donoghue 0-5 (1tpf); D. Beirne 1-1; A. O’Shea, C. McHale 1-0 each; J. Carney 0-3 (tp); J. Flynn 0-2; F. Boland 0-1.
C. Gleeson; K. Molloy, S. Fitzgerald, J. Glynn; L. Silke, J. McGrath, D. McHugh; S. Kelly, C. Hernon; F Ó Laoi, C. Mulhern, D. O’Flaherty; F. McDonagh, R. Finnerty, O. McDonagh.
S. Walsh for Ó Laoi (31-35, temp); M. Barrett for Ó Laoi (41); S. McGlinchey for Hernon, S. Walsh for McDonagh (both 43); S. McGrath for Molloy (49); Liam Ó Conghaile for O’Flaherty (65).
Black card: M. Barrett (66).
R. Hennelly; E. McGreal, S. Coen, E. Hession; S. Callinan, M. Plunkett, S. Morahan; B. Tuohy, D. McBrien; J. Carney, R. O’Donoghue, J. Flynn; D. Beirne, A. O’Shea, T. Conroy.
P. Durcan for McGreal (Inj – 17); C. McHale for Beirne, C. Dawson for Flynn (both 43); J. Carr for Conroy (55); F. Boland for Plunkett (60).
C. Lane (Cork).
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