Devastation but no excuses as Ray rues crucial misses

Not one excuse would Ray Larkin offer for his side’s defeat. Personally, I’d have forgiven him one.

Roscommon had just scored their first point in fifteen minutes when Shane Boland stood over a Mayo free, the sliotar placed to the right of centre about 45-metres out from the Davin End goal. It was the 70th minute of the match and to score would give Mayo a three points advantage. But just as Boland was in the process of lifting the ball, the Croke Park tannoy boomed as stadium announcer Jerry Grogan, uncharacteristically for someone of his experience, chose that moment to announce that at least two minutes of stoppage time would be played. Shane Boland’s free whistled a foot outside the far left post, Roscommon shot three points as punishment, and Mayo’s title dreams were in tatters.

But Ray Larkin is long enough in the game to know the cause of his side’s loss was due to no single moment or incident.

“We just weren’t good enough,” declared the Mayo manager in the Hogan Stand tunnel. “What can you do?” 

Mayo had commenced their Nickey Rackard Cup campaign with a seven points victory over Roscommon and ended it with a one point defeat to the same opposition.

“They improved an awful lot since we played them before. But we knew coming up here that it would be a tough test,” said an ashen-faced Larkin.

“It’s hard to take now, we were favourites coming up but as I’ve said before, that means nothing when you’re in a final.” 

Whereas Mayo’s wide count stood at twenty, Roscommon’s was in the low single figures.

“That’s the difference,” admitted the Mayo boss. “They missed nothing. Everything they struck went over the bar. We missed wides at vital times. It’s just one of those days.” 

The Green and Red, who had also beaten Roscommon by nineteen points during the Allianz Hurling League, had played only in fits and starts. They began promisingly, leading by six points early doors, and while conceding three goals in the 28th, 35th and 53rd minutes, they recovered to score 1-5 unanswered and lead by three points with 67 minutes on the clock. But ultimately, a return of one goal from five chances throughout the match came back to haunt them.

“We went nine-three up and we did what we’ve done for the last couple of games, we just fell asleep,” said Ray Larkin.

“We were three down at half-time but we came out and were happy enough with the performance in the second-half. We pushed on, we were good, and just a couple of chances of goals didn’t go our way and in fairness, Lawless pulled off some great saves. But look, we should have taken our points as well. We missed a few frees and had twenty wides so that’s not good enough.” 

Conditions in Croke Park were greasy but as the old saying goes, they were the same for both teams.

“We probably went to ground too easily at times as well,” said Ray Larkin, admitting it was an aspect of their play that Mayo, for whom this was a first loss since a league defeat to London on February 22, had looked to address in preparation for the final.

“We have to be strong in the tackle and they bullied us a small bit, they’re a big physical team and they had their homework done on us so fair play to them.

“Whether you’re top of the table or come second as Roscommon did, there’s no point winning all the championship games but come to the final and lose. But we have to look on the bright side too, we won the league and moved up to a higher division and these boys will go again next year.”