Mayo end 44-year wait to reach Oscar Traynor Cup final
Mayo’s Dylan McKee wheels away after scoring his side’s opening goal against Sligo/Leitrim during the Oscar Traynor Cup semi-final at Athlone Town Stadium last Sunday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
The old adage that “semi-finals are there to be won”, a statement that Mayo League manager Joe Kelly said to this reporter after this game, was never truer as Mayo held off Sligo/Leitrim to reach a first FAI Oscar Traynor Cup final in 44 years.
It is not a game that will live long in the memory in terms of an exhibition of free-flowing football by any means, largely due to the near gale force wind blowing across the ground. That will not matter a jot to Mayo, however, as they saw off a S/L team who never looked like finding the goal to take it to extra-time.
That was largely down to a back four who didn’t put a foot wrong all game. Cillian McGlade, Mark Cunningham, Ioseph O’Reilly and Andrew Shally defended with composure and discipline all afternoon, and goalkeeper Gary Cunningham was never troubled throughout the second half.
Oran Groarke was a measured presence in the middle but it was substitute Cillian Whyte, who came on in place of goalscorer Dylan McKee after he picked up a re-occurrence of a shin injury, who drove Mayo. He was everywhere in the second half and ensured S/L never were able to gain any momentum.
Up front, Ben Edeh and Jack O’Connor were quiet through the first half but stepped up when needed that breakthrough second goal early in the second, while Jason Hunt was kept a close eye on all game, with S/L seeing first hand what he was capable of with Connacht in the Interpros last month.
Edeh could not find the target from a good position early on after Darren Browne intercepted a loose pass from Leo Doherty inside the S/L half before Browne played in the Ballyheane forward.
They were punished shortly after when S/L went ahead on 12 minutes. After Christopher Kelly was denied point-blank by Gary Cunningham moments before, Mark Hannon’s free kick from the left was cleverly flicked by Ryan McManus via his right foot and into the net.
Mayo were back level on 23 minutes when Groarke’s corner was whipped into the six yard box and McKee got ahead of the goalkeeper to head home.
S/L created another pair chances but both were straight at Cunningham. Mayo went close through Jack O’Connor on 41 minutes as his free-kick looked destined for the net only for Ronan Callaghan to tip it around the post.
The Kilitmagh/Knock United striker would put Mayo ahead, however, a minute into the second half. In their best move of the game, Edeh drove forward and played it into the path of Hunt. The Castlebar Celtic wing squared it to O’Connor and he finished it into the bottom corner.
At the other end, Hannon looked to go from creator to scorer with an audacious strike off the outside of his left boot but it would not curl enough to cause Cunningham concern.
At this point Mayo were happy to let S/L have the ball and soak up the pressure, with the back four and duo of Groarke and Whyte stamping their authority.
One of the game’s biggest cheers was the return of Jordan Loftus from a spell on the sidelines and on 81 minutes, his class was on show as he picked out Celtic teammate Hunt down the right wing. His delivery was asking for a touch but Edeh could not make a meaningful connection.
As the minutes in injury time ticked on – seven in total – S/L looked for that crucial equaliser but it never looked likely to happen.
A historic final now awaits Mayo on Sunday week in Umbro Park, Milebush against Waterford & District League.
