Mayo overruled on historic night in Castlebar
Conor Reid of Mayo goes past Monaghan's Dean McDonnell during Saturday's challenge game in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Picture: Conor McKeown
New year, new rules, new players, old habits.
Mayo scored six points in-a-row to draw level with opponents Monaghan at the tail end of Saturday night’s charity match but as against Galway, Dublin and Derry in championship last year, they were unable to close the deal, with two late points by substitute Oisin McGorman securing the Farney visitors a 1-16 to 1-14 victory.
But to be critical about Mayo losing the first challenge match of 2025 when trialing almost 20 new players in arctic-like conditions at MacHale Park in Castlebar would be so wrong.
The game offered the hardiest of supporters a first opportunity to view football the FRC way. There wasn’t a single two-pointer scored but after conceding frees, Mayo did ship several points via the 50-metre advantage for failing to return the ball to an opponent, and another when failing to keep three players in the opposition’s half, which resulted in Monaghan tap overs.
Mayo boss Kevin McStay and his management had opted to play two completely different 15s in either half. The first selection included eight players who featured in last year’s championship but by half-time they were 1-11 to 1-6 in arrears. The second XV, by far the more experimental, won the second-half 0-8 to 0-5.
In a game of four 20-minute quarters, Mayo led 1-4 to 0-4 after the first, with Ryan O’Donoghue’s 14th minute goal the difference. But with all six Monaghan forwards on the scoresheet by the 33rd minute, a run of 1-6 without reply helped the visitors into a five points interval lead. They are coached this year by Mayo favourite Andy Moran.
Ballinrobe brothers Ewan and Diarmuid Duffy played the first-half and second-half respectively and each scored a point, while Moy Davitts’ Cian McHale, two, Westport teammates Conal Dawson and Finbar McLaughlin, Darragh Joyce, Tom O’Flaherty, Jack Melvin and Dylan Prendergast were other newcomers who hit the target for Mayo over the course of the 80 minutes.
Mayo carved out two excellent late goal chances that could have snatched the win but an overcooked handpass by McLaughlin denied Paul Towey an open goal while Diarmuid Duffy availed off the new tap-and-go rule but dragged his shot past Rory Beggan’s left-hand post.
