Mayo stunned by Moran's Leitrim young guns
Mayo players for the national anthem ahead of the U20 tie in Ballinamore. Picture: Mayo GAA
Mayo suffered a big setback in their quest to top the group as an inspired Leitrim deservedly ran out five-point winners on what was a memorable night in Ballinamore last Wednesday.
The win is a first for Leitrim over Mayo at U20/U21 level since 1998 and a win over Sligo tomorrow will put Andy Moran’s side in a great position to qualify for the knockouts.
Conversely, it was a hugely disappointing night for the Mayo U20s, who had senior manager Kevin McStay watching from the stand. Crucial goal chances went astray in the first half and while they kicked 16 points, they were also guilty of some poor wides.
But the night was about the Green and Gold, in particular the special talents of Paul Honeyman. On his own club ground – where he plays for Sean O’Heslin’s - he kicked 0-10 and set up Leitrim’s first goal, and along with Darren Cox tormented the Mayo full-back line all evening.
In midfeld, Barry McNulty, who played in Leitrim’s National League Division 4 final in Croke Park four days previously, was a step above his counterparts, with Mayo duo Conal Dawson and Liam Moore having no answer and seeing their games end prematurely as both were subbed off inside ten minutes of the second half.
It was Mayo, however, who got off to the better start, as Darragh Beirne popped over his first free after missing from an acute angle. Honeyman gave a taste of things to come with a perfectly struck free off the ground from 35m out to level it before Tom O’Flaherty edged Mayo back in front from distance.
Leitrim’s first goal came from the restart. Honeyman dragged away Rio Mortimer and Sean Morahan out of position and put through Ben Guckian, who held off Liam Moore to finish low under David Dolan.
O’Flaherty and Niall Hurley brought the sides level again but Leitrim would kick the next three through two exquisite Honeyman frees and one from a tight angle through McNulty. In that period, Darragh Beirne was in through on goal for Mayo after making inroads but under pressure from two Leitrim defenders, skewed his goal attempt well wide.
Honeyman kicked another two points after Beirne nailed his second free when Mayo found a purple patch of their own before the break. Substitute Tom Lydon kicked a pair of wonder points, which was matched by one from Oisin Cronin, as Mayo trailed by one at the break, 1-6 to 0-8.
Berine, a free, levelled it after the restart but Leitrim would hit 1-2 inside four minutes, the goal coming on 35 minutes after quickly taken free into the 13 metre line was missed by Mayo ‘keeper Dolan and Paul Moran tapped it into the empty net.
A stunned Mayo were then hit for a third goal on 38 minutes. McNulty held off four Mayo players before handing it off to Darren Cox, whose clever ball over the top found a Leitrim forward in acres of space. His shot came back off the crossbar but Jack Casey converted the rebound.
Mayo would recover well through a pair points each from Hurley and O’Flaherty but three scores from Honeyman (two frees, one mark) would maintain Leitrim’s six point gap coming into the final ten minutes.
Despite losing Darren Cox to a black card, Mayo never looked like finding the net. Honeyman made it a perfect ten from a free on 57 minutes and while Beirne reduced the gap late on with another two from placed balls, the goal would never arrive as Leitrim sealed a memorable win.
