Mayo firepower can be the difference in U20 decider
Brothers in arms: Colm McHale, Aaron Coggins, Eoin McGreal and Hugh O'Loughlin line out ahead of their Connacht U20 Championship group game against Roscommon back in March. Picture: Mayo GAA
Seven years after winning their first Connacht U20 title since the age grade was changed from U21, Mayo go into tomorrow (Wednesday) evening’s decider against Roscommon in Tuam as the firm favourites.
Ironically, the Rossies were the opposition in that 2018 final, as a Mayo side that contained future senior stars such as Oisín Mullin, Jordan Flynn, Ryan O’Donoghue and Tommy Conroy blitzed Roscommon in their own backyard 3-16 to 1-6. Mayo reached the All-Ireland final once again following success in 2016 but would come unstuck against Kildare in the decider.
Time will tell whether this side go on to emulate their predecessors from the 2010s, but it is hard not to get excited by the potential of Peadar Gardiner’s side in action.
Mayo have come through the group stages with four wins from four. They were not at their best by any means when they met Roscommon in the opening round but still won by five points. The game of the group stages was in Tuam, where a tour-de-force by Tom Lydon (who kicked 1-9) helped propel the green and red to a memorable victory over Galway.
The final two games against Leitrim and Sligo were relatively straight forward, smashing in ten goals across the two games, and a look around sees a team brimming with unlimited potential.
The Claremorris quartet of Rio Mortimer, Paul Gilmore, Darragh Beirne and Niall Hurley form a strong spine to the team alongside vice-captain Hugh O’Loughlin of Kilmaine and John MacMonagle of Castlebar Mitchels. North Mayo has produced many a teak tough midfielder and Knockmore’s Oliver Armstrong and Belmullet’s Seamus Howard are very much in the mould of many of their predecessors.
Garrymore’s Eoin McGreal has impressed at corner back, Parke Keelogues Crimlin duo Colm Lynch and Cathal Keaveney are key figures in attack while the aforementioned Neale sharpshooter Tom Lydon has rightly yielded comparisons to his clubmate Tommy Conroy. No other county can also call off the bench the likes of Josh Carey, who had been a regular starter until Beirne was fully rested from St Colman’s College’s trip to an All-Ireland Schools ‘A’ final. Luke Feeney and Matthew Gordetskyy have both tasted county titles with Ballina Stephenites and Crossmolina respectively while Ballinrobe’s Diarmuid Duffy has already made his debut for senior team. Given the dominance they have had so far, calling Mayo odds on favourites to lift the Connacht title would not be a stretch.
It says much about Mayo’s displays that Roscommon, the reigning champions, are going into this game as underdogs. After defeat to Mayo in the opening round, the Rossies bounced back the following week with victory over Sligo. A draw away to Galway meant a win over Leitrim would guarantee them a semi-final, which they did in convincing fashion.
The semi-final humdinger over Sligo will have given them great confidence and manager Cian Smith is aware of the challenge his side are facing.
“Mayo are a serious outfit,” he said after their semi-final victory. “They have been all year. It’s well flagged, they’ve won three of the last Connacht minor championships. They’re a really good side, good depth, some really good forwards.
“We’re delighted to get to a final. Hopefully, no one’s picked up too many bad knocks. We’ll be there, put in an effort and see what happens.”
It could very well turn into a shootout and the last time Mayo were involved in one in Tuam, it went very well for the green and red. Should that scenario prevail, Mayo’s attack will get them over the line but Roscommon will challenge them all the way.
