Mayo look to make Oscar Traynor history
The Mayo side that started the win over Galway in Round 2. Vice-captain Jordan Loftus (far left) is set to miss the Roscommon game with injury. Picture: Mayo Football League
The Mayo League head into their final group game against Roscommon in the Oscar Traynor Cup knowing that a win or a draw against Roscommon will see them crowned Connacht Oscar Traynor Provincial Cup Winners and will also guarantee them a home Quarter Final tie in January.
Joe Kelly’s side started their campaign with a 1-0 win over the Sligo/Leitrim League as Darren Browne’s first half penalty was enough to take all three points. They followed this up with an excellent 4-1 win away to the Galway League thanks to another Browne goal and a hat-trick from Ballyheane’s Ben Edeh.
Roscommon will travel to Solar 21 Park on the back of two defeats knowing that even a win will not be good enough to see them progress to the knock-out stages.
Mayo will be once again be without Super League top goalscorer Benny Lavelle as he is still recovery from injury while his replacement against Galway, Jordan Loftus, is also out after he went off injured in Castlebar Celtic’s penalty shootout defeat to Pike Rovers in Limerick in the FAI Junior Cup a few weeks ago.
Mayo were forced into four changes against Galway from the Sligo/Leitrim game as Andrew Shally, Jack O’Connor, Dylan McKee and Benny Lavelle all missed out but the huge depth in the squad was apparent as Harrison Quinn, Cillian White, Jordan Loftus and Jamie Cawley came into the side and played their part in the 4-1 win. Kelly has shown his belief in the younger members of the squad with Quinn and White been joined by Oran Groarke, Oisin Tighe, Adam Nugent and others on the field in the opening two games. At the back the experience of Gary Cunningham, Ioseph O’Reilly and captain Cillian McGlade has been evident having conceded only one goal so far in the competition.
Joe Kelly and his squad are hoping for a win on Sunday to secure that home tie in the Quarter Finals and with very little else on this weekend it would be encouraging to see a good crowd in Solar 21 Park as the Mayo League look to be the first side to win the Connacht Oscar Traynor Interprovincial Cup.
