A dream League of Ireland bow for Mayo FC
Mayo FC U15 team who defeated Limerick in the opening round of the League of Ireland Academy Group C tie at Umbro Park, Milebush, Castlebar, last Saturday. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
History was made at Umbro Milebush Park on Saturday afternoon as Mayo FC played its first ever match at League of Ireland level and what a perfect start it was.
Mayo played with plenty of vim and vigour throughout this one-sided tie and sauntered to a comfortable victory in the end, as their beleaguered guests were on the wrong end of a heavy defeat.
This game was played in three 30 minute half’s and involved rolling substitutions, thus allowing squad players invaluable game time at the highest level.
The honour of Mayo’s first ever goal scorer at competitive level fell to Dylan Dunne after just three minutes of action. Oisin McCartan collected possession and his delightful set-up released Dylan Dunne and his cool finish was destined for the bottom corner of the net.
Mayo got a second on 13 minutes, as the local’s pounced for a deserving second goal. Eoghan Powell’s in-swinging corner-kick found Ronan McElevey, who duly teed-up Matteo Secondino and the latter’s cushioned header rustled the back of Martin Thompson’s net.
Mayo were moving the ball around the pitch with great ingenuity and Cullinane Vaux came mightily close to stretching his team-mates advantage on 15 minutes, but his thunderous drive from outside the box crashed against the crossbar.
Aron Heaney was posing plenty of problems for Limerick and the busy midfielder made a buzzing run on 16 minutes which culminated in his neat pass setting up Powell and the latter notched his team-mates third goal of the afternoon.
Limerick's Martin Thompson was then forced off through injury on 20 minutes and was replaced by Dean Connery, with the Shannonsiders also making a couple of tactical switches and substitutions in a bid to quell the Mayo tide.
However, there was no stopping a rampant Mayo and in one of the moves of the game the Westerners added a fourth on 24 minutes. Some great invention saw Heaney and Mayo captain McCartan release the scampering Powell, and his delightful lay-off set-up Dunne who finished with aplomb.
Limerick’s chances of a revival were extinguished one minute into first half injury-time as Mayo added a morale sapping fifth goal. Cullinane Vaux was causing plenty of problems for the Blue and White on the wing and his pass was eagerly snaffled up by the raiding Dunne and the latter’s clinical finish ensured an incredible first half hat-trick for the Mayo striker.
Four minutes into the new half, Limerick crafted their first noteworthy effort of the afternoon, with Hamdy Haled most unlucky to see his daisy-cutter whistle narrowly wide.
Mayo made a raft of substitutions during the first interval, but it didn’t seem to disrupt the flow of the game, as they pounced for a sixth goal on 41 minutes. The goal emanated from a corner-kick, with substitute Paddy Hope’s deft touch ensuring that possession fell to the waiting McElevey and the latter didn’t need a second invitation.
They added a magnificent seventh goal on 50 minutes. Again, Powell was the play-maker as his inch-perfect corner-kick found the lurking Adam Burton and the latter’s smashing header rustled the back of the Limerick net.
Indeed, the hosts very nearly added an audacious eighth goal towards the end of the second 30 minutes but after latching on to Seamus Burke’s delivery, Powell’s attempted bicycle-kick never materialised.
Six minutes into the third and final half of this tie, Mayo struck for an eighth goal of the day. The energetic Secondino spotted the loosely marked Paddy Hope and after collecting possession close to goal, the latter unselfishly returned possession to Secondino who gleefully added his second goal of the afternoon.
On 77 minutes, the visitors finally had something to cheer about as Connie Dawson’s stinging drive was parried away but the poaching Adam Ryan was on hand to tap home the rebound, much to the joy of the loyal away supporters.
Mayo were eager to end the game in a flourish and six minutes later they put the icing on a very sweet cake when McElevey headed home from a perfectly weighted corner-kick to bring the curtain down on what was a memorable and historic day for Mayo football.
