Mayo minors complete three-in-a-row
The Mayo team lift the trophy after beating Roscommon. Picture: INPHO/James Lawlor
It’s three Connacht minor titles in a row for Mayo after a second half surge saw off a valiant Roscommon side in Hyde Park this evening on a scoreline of 0-14 to 0-10.
Despite being well-marshalled throughout by Roscommon captain Keelan Kelly, it was Kobe McDonald who led the way for Mayo in the second half as he punished the Rossies with four second half frees as Mayo pulled away.
The hosts frustrated the Green and Red in the first half and should have been ahead at half time. Four wides in the first half would prove costly and stunning score by Roscommon’s Stephen Tighe off the outside of the boot left the sides level at 0-5 apiece.
That remained the case six minutes into the second half but Mayo hit four of the next six points to lead 0-11 to 0-9 on 46 minutes.
The game’s turning point came three minutes later when Roscommon ‘keeper Patrick Gaynor was caught dallying on the ball too long and conceded the ball to Joe Forry. The Castlebar Mitchels man was subsequently pulled down by Gaynor and he was shown a black card.
McDonald converted the resulting free and the next two scores as Mayo saw the game out to retain the Tom Kilcoyne Cup and a first three-in-a-row since 2008 to 2010. They will now face Munster runners-up Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-final on the weekend of June 8/9.
