Mayo ‘weren’t ready for the battle’ in Ballinamore

Peadar Gardiner conceded that his side ‘weren’t ready for the battle’ as Mayo fell to Leitrim in the Connacht U20 Championship last Wednesday.

The Green and Red were well in the game as the second half began but goals by Paul Moran and Jack Casey and would ultimately be their downfall, as well as chances of their own not taken.

“The goal chances we couldn’t take them. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t. We’re disappointed conceding the three goals. You won’t win many games conceding three. That was the big platform for Leitrim and we were chasing the game from the word go probably and we couldn’t catch them.” 

Gardiner added: “They’re young. They’ll learn an awful lot. We were off with our gameplan a bit, off coming with our mental part a bit. It’s tough after coming to the Galway, everyone is clapping these lads on the back. It was a tough game and we tried as best we can to prepare for it. We weren’t ready for the battle and that’s it unfortunately. It’s great learnings for the lads and that’s what it’s all about.

“We’ve another day out (against Sligo) and there’s a lot of work to do in the next two weeks. We’ve a week off which is great as well. We’ve had three tough weeks. We can reflect now, get back on the pitch and get ready for Sligo.

“Leitrim played some great football. They scored three goals and played very direct. Big men up there. It was a good brand of football, they worked hard and they deserved it. Congratulations to them.

“(The Mayo players) were good players when they got off the bus and they’re good when they get back on the bus. This defeat won’t define this group and they’ll bounce back.” The defeat marks a first for Mayo against Leitrim at U20/U21 in 26 years but when asked whether a defeat like this to Leitrim will dent confidence, Gardiner was bullish.

“I wouldn’t agree with that statement at all. Leitrim are a fine team. They battled hard against Galway. I know they beat them by nine but they were well in it with a few minutes to go. They has a few seniors playing today.

“This is a tough game for us. We didn’t perform, Leitrim did. I wouldn’t think Mayo people would think Leitrim would be a walkover today because they certainly wouldn’t.” 

His counterpart, and former Mayo teammate Andy Moran, was delighted on what could be a pivotal night for this group and, potentially, for football in Leitrim.

There may have been mixed emotions after beating his own county but for Moran, once he arrived in Ballinamore, there was a job to do.

“I’d have preferred if this came against anyone bar Mayo. I’ve been coaching these guys with James Mannion, Ryan Jones and Barry McWeeney the last six months. I’ve got to know them personally. Once you get down here, it’s fine.” 

“When I was talking to the kids, Charlotte and Ollie, they were still supporting Mayo though, they weren’t supporting me!” 

On the potential of this team, Moran offered: “There’s a few guys who are really special talents. We’d expect them to push on to the senior straight away next year. But until Leitrim put in a performance like that, you can’t believe that the talent is as good. Now all of a sudden, you can say ‘I played well against this Mayo team’. Now you can look at the future and see if you’re good enough to progress.

“When you do that against the Mayo, Roscommons and Sligo’s of this world, you can start talking about where we can go. We believe in these fellas. They train side by side with the seniors last six months and has paid off tonight “From now on, no matter what happens, Leitrim has beat one of the big players in Connacht. We they go to senior against Mayo, they can say ‘I did this’. That’s the key thing.

He added: “You can’t say you’re expecting until it happens. I’m an optimistic sort of guy, you know me well enough. I’d always suspect the best if I’m being honest with ye. I think we’ve a really good team and some really good players, players I’d expect to push on to our senior team next year. It’s an exciting time for Leitrim football.

“Did I expect it? No. I know how good Mayo are. I’ve seen the players coming from St. Colman’s, St Gerald’s. The A schools football this year, Leitrim had a team in it. I saw them against Colman’s and Gerald’s. We know what Mayo could bring but we thought we had some really good players. We sacrificed two of our senior players in Barry (McNulty) and Jack (Casey). We took a big chance and it paid off for us.”