Laois break Mayo hearts in Celtic Challenge Final
A 55th minute goal from Laois was the killer blow for Mayo in the U17 Celtic Challenge Final. Picture: Mayo GAA
The Mayo U17 hurlers quest to claim a first ever title in the Celtic Challenge ended in heartbreak on Sunday, following a slender two-point loss to Laois in the Corn William Robinson (Tier 3) decider at the GAA National Development Centre on the National Sports Campus in Dublin.
Sean Heneghan's charges certainly put in a strong display in a game befitting of its All-Ireland final status, but ultimately Laois came good when it mattered most with a 55th minute goal from Liam Townsend decisive, as the Midlanders took silverware.
Mayo fell in arrears after just 94 seconds when Laois scorer-in-chief Daire Fogarty gave his side an early lead, but once Mayo pushed ahead three minutes later, after Fionn Delaney pointed a free and Oisin Duffy subsequently fired over a long range point, they would hold the lead for the majority of this contest.
With such an end-to-end contest and a high standard produced it was a pity that this game wasn't streamed live - this tie only one of two out of six Celtic Challenge finals which the GAA failed to live-stream over the weekend on their YouTube channel.
From a Mayo perspective players like Fionn Delaney, Niall Peoples, Oisin Duffy, Ben Joyce, Matthew Delaney and many others will no doubt be gracing Croke Park in future years such is the level of talent, skill and commitment this squad bring to the game.
Dylan Quinn was another to shine in this game, and the Castlebar midfielder showed tremendous work-rate throughout, something which was very evident in the opening quarter.
Mayo were finding their players well, including full-forward Niall Peoples, who by the short whistle had added 0-4 to Mayo's tally including fine back-to-back scores in the 19th minute, which came in the lead-up to his sides opening goal.
Fionn Delaney found the back of the net after 20 minutes after flicking home from close range when Oisin Duffy sent a long-range ball towards the square.
This goal handed Mayo a 1-5 to 0-3 lead, before Laois grabbed a score from Scott Kelly - quickly cancelled out by Niall Peoples.
The O'Moore's tagged on three unanswered points, but Peoples came good again before the break as Mayo took a 1-7 to 0-7 interval lead.
Laois came good early in the second half, and equalised within five minutes of the restart. A trio of points, including two from play, levelled the tie at 0-10 to 1-7.
Fionn Delaney pushed Mayo back ahead, but this was met by a quick response from Daire Fogarty for Laois.
Soon after Fionn Delaney grabbed Mayo's second goal after brilliant defensive play by David Delaney at the opposite end to halt a Laois scoring chance in the heart of the Mayo defence.
Fionn’s three-pointer put Mayo back in the driving seat, but they found it hard to shake Laois off.
With 10 minutes remaining Mayo held on to a three-point lead, but a Ben Joyce point was to be their final score.
Laois cut the gap thanks to a Fogarty free, before Townsend's vital goal. Fogarty added another point from a placed ball, and although Mayo piled on the pressure late on they couldn't find the scores they craved, despite good work from the likes of Oisin Duffy and Matthew Delaney late on.
