Mayo outclassed in derby drubbing
Galway’s Sam O’Neill clashes with Stephen Coen of Mayo during Sunday's AFL Division 1 encounter in Castlebar. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
A barrage of two-points scores in the second-half helped Galway to a second straight Division 1 victory, with Pádraic Joyce’s side finishing 10 points in front of Mayo, in Castlebar, on Sunday.
For the second week in succession Mayo let a half-time lead slip. But their demise was more dramatic than when losing to Dublin in Croke Park.
Shane Walsh, four times, and Cillian Ó Curain, three times, all converted from outside the arc for the wind-assisted Tribesmen after half-time. Mayo managed one in 70 minutes. To rub salt into Mayo’s wounds, the hosts had conceded three points – and had one scratched off – for failing to keep three players in their defensive half.
Kevin McStay’s team trailed 1-6 to 0-2 after 15 minutes against Dublin and were 0-6 to 0-2 behind at the same stage here against Galway.
Conor Reid, who had hit the net against Dublin, whipped over another goal chance to draw the teams level at 0-2 apiece after seven minutes, but Galway reeled off the next four points – with one each from Shane Walsh, Sean Kelly, Dylan McHugh and Paul Conroy, his second of the half.
Walsh was one of three big additions to the team that had beaten All-Ireland champions Armagh eight days earlier, with John Maher and Liam Silke also included.
Galway’s next flag raised was a talking point. Frank Irwin had already scored Mayo’s third point and home fans thought Davitt Neary had added their fourth to close the gap to two but referee Noel Mooney was alerted that Mayo had not kept three players inside their own half. Neary’s score was disallowed and a 20-metre free awarded at the opposite end. Cillian Ó Curraoin popped that over to leave Galway 0-7 to 0-3 ahead after 19 minutes.
Joyce’s team were to score just once more before the interval however, while Mayo stirred themselves into life. Paul Towey was particularly impressive, with the Charlestown man shooting one two-pointer and a couple of singles, to leave the Green and Red 0-9 to 0-8 ahead at the turnaround. That lead offered the locals among the 12,291 attendance no guarantees however, with a stiff breeze set to favour a Galway side who had kicked four two-pointers against Armagh. And sure enough, they kicked four here within 15 minutes of the restart.
“We did okay in the first-half, I felt we controlled a lot of the play but gave Mayo probably six or seven turnovers that led to their scores, but to kick seven twos overall was a big score,” admitted Galway boss Pádraic Joyce afterwards.
“Against Armagh, we were poor in the first 15 or 20 minutes. Today we targeted a good start and the lads got it. They got stuck in and it’s pleasing, to be honest.”
Walsh and Ó Currain had accounted for the first 13 of Galway’s second-half points before substitute Rob Finnerty arrived to kick his first of two frees, the gap having grown to 10 points when Mayo supporters began exiting with more than 12 minutes left on the clock. Stephen Coen was dismissed on 65 minutes for a second bookable offence.
Ryan O’Donoghue, from frees, and Davitt Neary, in only his second start, each kicked three points after half-time but Kevin McStay admitted his side were clearly second best on the day, expressing frustration also at the interpretation of the 3v3 rule.
“Our understanding was that if you wandered above the midpoint line, that you’d just be asked to come back. There was no intent to gain an advantage so that’s the hard part of the three on three rule, because the sanction is draconian,” stated the Mayo boss.
“But there’s no getting away from the fact we were well short of Galway. It’s their day. We had a good feeling this time last year and now we have to suck it up and take it on the cheek.”
