Mayo's wait for maiden FAI Youth Inter-League Cup goes on
Mayo's Jack O'Brien and Cork's Conor Gardiner. Pictures: John Corless
The Cork Youth League won their fifth youths national title in ten years with a deserved win over the Mayo Football League in Limerick on Saturday.
Mayo took the lead on 23 minutes with one of the most bizarre goals you could ever see. A harmless looking attack by Tiernan Brady was cut out by Cork defender Finn Hagermark, who then somewhat needlessly passed it back to his goalkeeper Hordi Kirian. What happened next was unthinkable. When the ball approached the hapless goalkeeper, it was well clear of the goal; some twelve metres out and travelling diagonally. If the goalkeeper left it alone, the ball would have bobbled wide. But, to Mayo’s joy, the goalkeeper miskicked and was forced to dive in vain, to try and keep the ball out of his own net. The pause of disbelief before Mayo’s celebrations was understandable. It is probable that the bumpy surface contributed to the error. Either way, Mayo were in front against the run of play.
Cynical, predator teams, would pepper the goalkeeper with shots immediately afterwards, but to the credit of the Cork players they didn’t allow Mayo to consider such a tactic, with a solid defensive display all afternoon. And to give the goalkeeper credit too, he recovered well and went back to Douglas Hall with a cup-winner’s medal.
There wasn’t much quality about the first half with both sides checking each other out and adapting to the very uneven surface. One thing that has to be said, and this is by no means offering excuses for Mayo’s defeat, the Fairview Rangers pitch was in no condition for a national final. Naturally, all grass pitches will be hard when there is a three-week dry spell, but the surface was very poor. The grass was patchy and the surface very bumpy. It displayed all the markings of heavy use over a busy winter season. It’s a pity the FAI didn’t find a better surface for both teams to display their undoubted talents.
With Mayo a goal up, Simeon Popov headed over for Mayo and Padraig McGrath for Cork saw his shot go narrowly wide.
With Cork enjoying the early possession, the goal came against the run of play. Jack Walsh sent one wide for Mayo soon after before McGrath had his effort blocked twice, and a few minutes later, Ty Corcoran finished well after McGrath’s shot was blocked by Mayo’s best player Oisín Costello to level it just after the half hour.
In a half of few chances, Cork had a couple of speculative wides and Conor Gardiner and Joseph Mouret both had goes denied by Costello before the break. Despite losing the aerial battle up top in the first half, Mayo persisted with the high ball in the second half when playing the wings might have produced better results. Cork dominated the half and got their reward on 54 minutes when McGrath scored the day’s best goal – a fantastic turn to tee up his shot after a good run by Kai O’Neill.
Rian Durkan fired one over for Mayo after a free kick and at the other end, Costello advanced brilliantly to deny McGrath. Minutes later the goalkeeper denied the same player before Darragh Reynolds sent one over for Mayo.
Costello denied O’Neill on another occasion to keep Mayo in the game, and Jack O’Brien came close to equalising. McGrath and O’Neill had chances for Cork but they came to nothing and man of the match, Cork’s Evan Cummins, fired over just before the end.
Cork were worthy champions. They were more physical and pressed up. Their defence stood firm when needed. Mayo gave it everything but their everything wasn’t enough.
“It was a great performance from the lads,” Oisin Costello said. “We couldn’t ask for anything more. We had some tough days but we just couldn’t get over the line today. We kept going to the final whistle and never backed down.
“We were beaten by the better team, but we played as hard as we could. I’m very proud of my teammates. In the second half when we went behind, we had to commit a few more bodies forward, so that opened us a little at the back but my job, standing between the two posts, is to stop them from going in. I’m delighted we got to the final.”
Mayo manager Chris McGauley was naturally disappointed with the outcome. “We left everything on the pitch,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for more. We said going out to have no regrets on the day, by that I mean to give it their all. And they did that. They had a right crack at it but it just wasn’t to be on the day. Congratulations to Cork on their win.”
