Mayo minors look to quell a Rebel reaction in quarter-final
Oisin Deane in action for Mayo during their Connacht MFC final victory over Roscommon. Picture: INPHO/James Lawlor
Connacht minor champions Mayo will look to cement a second All-Ireland semi-final in three years at this level when they meet Munster runners-up Cork at Cusack Park in Ennis this Saturday evening.
The meeting will be the first of a double header in Clare, with Roscommon facing Munster champions Kerry at 6.30pm.
Whatever task has been put in front of this talented squad so far has been dealt very well by this Mayo team thus far. They had a 100% record coming out of the group stages, enjoying impressive victories over Roscommon and Galway before defeating Leitrim and Sligo in their last two games to reach the final.
Roscommon were the opponents in the final at Dr Hyde Park over a week ago and a much closer contest was expected. In the group game, Mayo won by six points but it could have been by more had it not been for two late goals the Rossies.
The hosts were much better organised and frustrated Mayo for long periods, with Kobe McDonald well-shackled by Kieran Kelly. Goal chances were spurned by Roscommon in the second half and were made to pay as Mayo wore them down in the end to win the Connacht title.
Across the field, Mayo have superb talents. The aforementioned McDonald has been the chief threat, averaging six points a game and is second on the championship’s top scorer list with 3-31.
He is ably assisted in attack by Crossmolina teammate Oisin Deane, who himself kicked 0-3 in the final, while they have threats off the bench in Joe Forry and Andrew Quinn. In the middle of the park, Josh Moyles and Owen Loughney are a combative duo and in defence, David Hurley and captain Tom Hession have a toughness beyond their years.
They will face their biggest test yet in the Rebel County, who are tied with Dublin as the second most successful county in the All-Ireland Minor Championship with 11 wins, with Kerry in front o 17. The most recent meeting between the two counties in this competition was the 2019 All-Ireland Semi-Final, which saw Cork defeat Mayo 4-12 to 1-13 before going on to beat Galway in the final.
Compared to Mayo, Cork have played only three games in the Munster as themselves and Kerry met in the Munster quarter-final against Kerry. They were pipped by the Kingdom 0-12 to 1-7 but got another crack at them after beating group winners Clare in the semi-final. However, the final was a very one-sided affair as Kerry blitzed them 2-18 to 1-9.
Mayo have to be wary of a reaction from the Leesiders and in attacking duo Danny Miskella, who scored 1-3 in the Munster final, Dylan O’Neill, they have the threats to give the Mayo backline more than a few headaches.
But David Heaney and Tom Reilly’s side have passed every test that has been put in front of them so far. Should their perform to their potential, an All-Ireland semi-final is on the cards.
