Mayo young guns keep on winning
Connacht U17 finalists Mayo ran out four-point winners over Sligo on Friday night to deny the home side a place in the provincial semi-final. Picture: Mayo GAA
Despite missing a glut of goal chances, Mayo still had plenty in the tank as they defeated Sligo 1-12 to 0-11 in Friday night's final round of group games in the Connacht minor championship to maintain their 100% record.
Sligo goalkeeper Gareth Cummins denied Derry Óg Cox, Oisin Deane and Kobe McDonald in the first-half, but latter was able to find the net on six minutes. Crossmolina duo Dylan Flynn and Oisin Deane were involved in the move and Deane fed it to clubmate McDonald to finish.
Deane, David Hurley and Evan Walsh all pointed in the first-half as Mayo led 1-8 to 0-4 at half-time, with three of Sligo's four scores coming from the dead-ball accuracy of Aaron Healy.
Mayo began to lose their way second-half and the scores dried up. Sligo's Niall Duffy kicked five points after the break as the Yeats County made it a one-score game with a minute of normal time remaining. But they never looked like finding the goal to level the game, which would have seen them reach the Connacht semi-final, as Mayo kicked late points through Joe Forry and Oisin Deane to secure the win.
Sligo will now meet Leitrim in the Connacht Shield in Ballinamore next Friday, while Mayo await the winners of the Connacht semi-final between Roscommon and Galway, which will also be played next Friday. The decider is set for Friday, May 24.
