Wake up call for Mayo as Red Hands run riot
Mayo and Tyrone players battle for possession of the sliothar during last Sunday's Nicky Rackard Cup match at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
Despite a late rally, a horror opening by Mayo proved to be their undoing as they suffered a setback in their hopes for a third consecutive Nicky Rackard Cup final following defeat to Tyrone.
What happened in the early stages of this contest last Sunday was nothing short of a horror show for Mayo as they conceded not one, but four goals inside nine minutes. The Mayo defence struggled to deal with the Tyrone forwards all afternoon. Alex Evans, in particular, was given a torrid time and was withdrawn inside 14 minutes.
They would concede a fifth later in the first-half and what was even more alarming was that Tyrone wasted another three good opportunities for goals in that half.
Mayo did respond well thanks to some excellent long-range shooting, with Cormac and Adrian Phillips combining for sixteen points. But where Tyrone found plenty of joy in front of goal, Ray Larkin’s side struggled to create many goal chances of their own and they will need to change that fast if they want to end their Nicky Rackard Cup hoodoo this year.
Tyrone, who are looking to make a swift return to Christy Ring level after relegation last year, got the first of their five goals after only three minutes. After Aidan Kelly’s opening point from a free, Turlough Mullin muscled his way through the Mayo full-back line to raise their first green flag.
After David Kenny and Ferghal Donaghy traded points, corner-forwards Niall McGreal and Shea Munroe combined for Munroe to finish past Bobby Douglas. Adrian Phillips got Mayo’s second point on seven minutes but Tyrone duo McGreal and Munroe would combine again, this time with McGreal providing the finish for Tyrone’s third goal.
Two minutes later, Tyrone’s fourth arrived as Turlough Mullin finished from a tight angle past Douglas for his second of the game to make it 4-2 to 0-4, with Mayo players and management looking around in disbelief. However, Tyrone would tag on only three more points over the next 17 minutes as Mayo found their accuracy in front of the posts, with Shane Boland, Cormac Phillips and Adrian Phllips all coming to the fore to help bring the gap back to seven.
In that period, McGreal could have added his second goal but saw his effort blocked by David Kenny. Another two chances then went abegging on 21 and 23 minutes; Michael Little fired wide while McGreal’s strike when through on goal was not a clean one, but Tyrone deservedly netted a fifth on 26 minutes. Munroe and McGreal combined once again and McGreal finished past an overworked Douglas.
Mayo struck back instantly with a goal of their own through Eoin Delaney, and the sides would share two points apiece in the closing stages, Mayo’s coming from Cormac Phillips and Shane Boland, as the Red Hands led 5-7 to 1-12 at the interval.
Tyrone kept Mayo at arm’s reach for the majority of the second-half, largely thanks to six frees from Michael Little as well as inspirational scores from Aidan Kelly. But with the finishing line in sight, some Tyrone nerves were becoming visible – and Mayo finished the game strongly.
Eoin Delaney, Oisin Duffy, Shane Boland, Adrian Phillips and seven second-half frees from Cormac Phillips suddenly made it a three-point game with two minutes of injury-time remaining.
Sean Kenny had a chance to rescue a draw for Mayo in the dying moments, but Tyrone goalkeeper Conor McElhatton pulled off a marvellous save and the Red Hands held on for the win.
Scorers – Tyrone: Turlough Mullin 2-1, Niall McGreal 2-0, Michael Little (6f) and Aidan Kelly (1f) 0-6 each, Shea Munroe 1-0, Feargal Donaghy, Ciaran Magill and Sean Paul McKernan 0-1.
Mayo: Cormac Phillips 0-9 (7f), Adrian Phillips 0-7, Eoin Delaney 1-1, Shane Boland 0-3, Oisin Duffy 0-2, David Kenny, Ryan Duffy and Sean Kenny 0-1 each.
Mayo: Bobby Douglas; Oisin Ivers, Oisin Greally, Alex Evans; Corey Scahill, David Kenny, Oisin Duffy; Daniel Huane, John Heraty; Ryan Duffy, Sean Kenny, Cormac Phillips; Eoin Delaney, Shane Boland, Adrian Phillips. Subs: Connor Murray (for Evans 14), David Delaney (for Heraty 31), Fionn Delaney (for Duffy 44), Joseph Burke (for Huane 51), Diarmuid Phillips (for Scahill 68).
Tyrone: Conor McElhatton; Dean Rafferty, Oran McKee, James McCann; Seamus Sweeney, Fionn Devlin. Fearghal Donaghy; Ciaran Magill, Sean Paul McKieran; Aidan Kelly, Pierce Mullin, Turlough Mullin; Niall McGreal, Michael Little, Shea Munroe. Subs: Aidan Woods (for Munroe 46), Ruairi Devlin (for T Mullin 58), Rory Weir (for P Mullin 61), Conall McKee (for McKernan 68), Francie Hurson (for Little 70+2).
REF: James Clarke (Cavan)
