Mayo shine in the capital to go top
Mayo's Connor McCarthy celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the FAI National League match between TU Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park in Dublin. Picture: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
Mayo FC returned to winning ways in impressive fashion in Dublin, delivering a solid team display to move to the top of the group following a challenging run of fixtures.
Mayo made a positive start, moving the ball well and creating a number of opportunities. Connor McCarthy had an early effort ruled out for offside as the west of Ireland side piled the pressure on very early. Within minutes, the flag was up again as it looked like Mayo were through and ready to break the deadlock.
TUD were under immense pressure and on one of the attacks, James McGrath started to cause havoc with a shot from outside the box was well saved. Within a minute, another attack was stopped which resulted in a foul. Up stepped McGrath again, but his effort was well kept out. The Mayo midfielder kept pressing forward his half volley from thirty yards out grazed the top of the bar as the goal led a charmed life.
The breakthrough came just before the interval when a Mayo goal kick from Arran Boyle travelled through to McCarthy, who finished neatly. There was a moment confusion as a number of opposition players and fans were calling for an offside but due to the ball not being touched from the kick out, the goal stood to give Mayo a well-deserved lead at the break.
The hosts came into the game more after the restart, using the wind to put Mayo under pressure. However, the visitors remained organised and disciplined.
The first effort on goal was a long-range strike, but Boyle stood firm in between the sticks. Many a TUD attack was thwarted, before one finally led to a corner for the home side. Using the breeze, it looked like Boyle had misjudged the ball but at the last second he managed to claw it away. This caused consternation in the defence as the ball was driven towards the goal, but McCarthy found himself in the perfect spot to block what looked like a certain goal.
Mayo sealed the win with a quarter of an hour to go. After some great play by McGarth again the ball found its way to McCarthy who turned and ran at the defence before finding substitute Ben Edeh who finished into the far corner.
Mayo nearly had a third goal from that man McCarthy after a fine through ball, but his effort to double his tally flew over the crossbar.
It was a valuable three points for Mayo, whose performance combined attacking quality with defensive resilience. The victory lifts them to the top of the group and provides a welcome boost ahead of their next outing this Saturday afternoon in Umbro Park against Salthill Devon. Kick-off is at 2pm.
Mayo FC: Arran Boyle, Gary Armstrong, Noe Baba, Oisin O’Reilly Darragh Forde, James McGrath, Guga Kokaia, Aron Heaney, Sean McAteer, Daire O’Connor, Connor McCarthy. Subs: Ben Edeh (for O’Connor 72), Jose Barrios Sanchez (for McCarthy 85) Daviti Tsikarishvili (for Heaney 89).
TU Dublin: Jamie Gamble, Aaron Corish, Jack O’Donnell, Matthew O’Brien, Alex Fallon, Thomas Morgan, Leo Crabb, Kian Reddy, Adam Byrne, Ryan Graham, Tom McLoughlin. Subs: Adetunji Olusanya (for McLoughlin 46), Adam Farrell and Thomas McDonnell (for Morgan and O’Brien 62), Joseph O’Riordan and Ben Sullivan (for Crabb and Corish 83).
REF: Mark McConnell.
