Mayo hurlers left reeling by Tyrone goal blitz
Mayo’s Eoin Delaney fires home a goal during the Nickey Rackard Cup Rd 2 tie against Tyrone at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park this afternoon. Picture: David Farrell
A dreadful start for the Mayo hurlers ultimately proved costly as they were defeated by Tyrone 5-16 to 1-25 this afternoon in the Nicky Rackard Cup.
Tyrone’s start was not even in their wildest dreams, or in Mayo’s worst nightmares for that matter, as they scored not one but four goals in the opening nine minutes thanks to a brace from Turlough Mullin and one each from Niall McGreal and Shea Munroe.
However, they would tag on only three more points over the next 17 minutes as Mayo found their accuracy in front of the posts with some fine long-range shooting, with Shane Boland, Cormac Phillips and Adrian Phllips all coming to the fore to bring the back to seven.
Tyrone would net an incredible fifth goal on 26 minutes. Munroe and McGreal, who were giving the Mayo backline a torrid time, combined again and McGreal finished past Douglas.
The home side would strike back instantly with a goal of their own through Eoin Delaney, and the sides would share two points apiece in the closing stages, with Tyrone leading 5-7 to 1-12 at the interval.
Tyrone kept Mayo at arms reach for the majority of the second half, largely thanks to six frees from Michael Little as well as inspirational scores from captain Aidan Kelly.
With the finishing line in sight, however, some Tyrone nerves were visible and Mayo finished strongly. Eoin Delaney, Oisin Duffy, Shane Boland, Adrian Phillips and seven second half frees from Cormac Phillps made it a three-point game with two minutes of injury-time remaining.
Sean Kenny had a chance to rescue a draw for Mayo in the dying moments, but Tyrone goalkeeper Conor McElhatton pulled off a marvellous save and the Red Hands hold on for the win.
Mayo will look to get the Nicky Rackard campaign back on track when the face Fermanagh next Sunday in Enniskillen.
