Second half blitz sends Mayo into Connacht FBD League final
Diarmuid Duffy of Mayo shoots on goal despite the efforts of Caelim Keogh of Roscommon during the FBD Connacht League match between Mayo and Roscommon at King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Six second half two-pointers from Mayo saw them comfortably defeat Roscommon 0-22 to 1-6 this afternoon and secure a place Connacht FBD League Cup next weekend.
It was a poor start to the game from both teams at a wet and windy Hyde Park, with Eoin Hession’s score after two minutes the only score from either until the 12th minute. Cathal Keaveney, Tommy Conroy, and Ryan O’Donoghue had efforts that went the wrong side of the posts while Roscommon struggled to create anything of note.
The hosts sprung to life however for their first score on 12 minutes as captain Caelim Keogh’s delightful diagonal ball picked out Daire Cregg and he fired superbly past Rob Hennelly and into the net.
The Mayo goalkeeper would level matters with a pair of ‘45s before Cregg nudged Roscommon back in front in the 18th minute. Frees from Darragh Beirne and Ryan O’Donoghue, and one from play by Aidan O’Shea, put Mayo back in front. Darragh Heneghan got Roscommon back to within ne but late scores in the half by Enda Hession and Jack Carney put Mayo 0-8 to 1-2 in front at the break.
The onslaught began with back-to-back two pointers, one each from Jack Carney and Ryan O’Donoghue. Carney and Dylan Ruane traded singles before Adam Barrett raised a third orange flag to put nine between them on 37 minutes.
Tommy Conroy then got in on the two-point act, which was followed by O’Donoghue’s fourth point of the afternoon to make it 0-18 to 1-3 with 44 minutes gone.
Roscommon could only muster three more points in the game, while Eoin Colleran saw a goal chance tipped onto the post by Rob Hennelly, and while Mayo went without a score for 17 minutes, they finished the half as they started it with a pair of two-pointers, both from Tom Lydon, to finish with style.
They will meet Galway in the final next Sunday at 1pm in Tuam, which will prove to be an interesting encounter as the two sides meet a week later in the opening round of the National League.
