Neymar saves Brazil, Hanley rescues Mayo after epic encounter in Tuam

THAT well-worn phrase - getting out of jail - was taken a stage further in Saturday’s gripping Connaught minor football championship semi-final between Mayo and Galway at Tuam Stadium.

Mayo were having their last meal delivered before their final execution when a late goal put a stay on their premature departure from the football world for 2014, and then, that welcoming phone call from Cian Hanley earned his side a full pardon with a winning point in injury-time.

The value and important role local radio plays in ensuring we are kept up to speed on matters local was brought home vividly to me by the Midwest Radio team, who had their own panel of experts to analyse what was a crucial game between the All-Ireland and Connaught champions, Mayo, who faced the old enemy, Galway.

No backdoor for the losers, and with every chance the champions might surrender their crown, the scene was set for an intriguing game, and we weren’t disappointed.

Grandson-caring duties meant I was unable to go to Tuam as 14-month-old Dylan Brett was the centre of attention in the Melvin household, but I have a feeling Dylan will, in time, come to appreciate the important role sport plays in the lives oif his extended family, as who enjoyed the coverage of the Midwest Radio team.

Mike Finnerty’s ability to take a pencil sketch and colour in the important features and landmarks, which bring you right into the middle of the picture, is one of his many attributes as a commentator.

He not only creates for the listener a sense of where you are but helps you visualise the landscape around you, his description of the noise bouncing off the galvanised roof of the Tuam stadium capturing the picture of what was happening in a stand that is known locally as the hayshed.

The game clashed with the meeting of Brazil and Chile in the knockout stages of the World Cup. A tough choice indeed, but not really. Tuam was the epicentre for sport for this scribe, although I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say I kept an eye and an ear on proceedings in South America.

In some respects there were parallels between the two games.

While the hopes of a nation rested on Neymar’s penalty, which ultimately put Brazil through to the last eight, a lad from Ballagahaderreen by the name of Cian Hanley was carrying an equally heavy responsibility on his young shoulders as his penalty, just before half-time, brought Mayo back to life in game they had been very much out of in the first half.

MWR had their own wise men in the guise of Austin Garvin, the Johnny Giles of the panel, who, like the former Irish international, has a few caps of his own, having managed Mayo minors back in the ‘70s to two All-Ireland titles.

Austin is too modest to speak of such things, but he will tell you how good his golf is.

His analysis was incisive and interesting and he told us that a young lad from Pakistan called Sharoize Akram, and by all accounts a fully-fledged Ballagahaderreen man (and a good basketball player to boot), would play a key role in bringing Mayo back from the brink of defeat. How right he was as the departure on a second yellow card of Galway midfielder Stephen Daly, son of Galway legend Val Daly, was to impact hugely on the game.

The deployment of T.J. Byrne from Kiltimagh, son of Big Tom Byrne, who had been redundant at full-forward, was to be highly significant in the midfield battle. Fate too played a hand, a penalty just before half-time proving the turning point of this game for Mayo, and as analyst Stephen Rochford, the Eamon Dunphy of the panel, told us: 'Nobody seems to know, apart from the referee, why the penalty was awarded.'

Rochford, a great servant of Crossmolina, has the benefit of being married to a very knowledgeable Ballinrobe lady on matters GAA by the name of Laura Gill, who knows her football inside out.

But awarded it was, and, ironically, it came from a free, which young Hanley had dropped short, the suspicion of the ball being handled on the ground being the reason for the penalty award, and as anchorman Mike Finnerty, the Bill O’Herlihy of the panel, told us - Mayo were back in business.

Finno, as we like to call in (when we see him twice a year), has many attributes as a commentator but chief among them is his ability to bring colour and life to the scene, and his description of John Donnellan, former Breaffy coach, and now the Galway minor manager, pulling out his hair after the penalty decision was most vivid, especially as the Galway manager is as bald as a coot, Finno pointing out that if he had hair, it would surely be gone after that incident.

Finno also covered his tracks well when slipping in the line that a son of another Mayo legend, ‘Fat Larry’ Finnerty (no relation to Mike), Eoin Finnerty, who played at corner-forward for Galway, was not, in fact, Larry’s son, and was no relation at all of the Mayo legend from Moygwnagh, despite earlier assertions of the Galway lad’s Mayo ancestry.

I have a feeling Larry will get a few free pints out of that one over time as he bumps into Finno and the crew.

The last 15 minutes was a bit like the Brazil-Chile game, as the goals came thick and fast, Mayo finding the net, Galway replying, and then Mayo hitting back with their third goal.

Mayo’s All-Ireland and Connaught titles were hanging by a thread but just as Neymar’s - who is probably earning a few more quid than young Hanley - spot-kick was putting his country into the last eight, an injury-time free from the Ballaghaderreen lad carried as much pressure and the hopes of his county as he landed the winning point.

Austin ‘Gilesy’ Garvin was almost at a loss for words, such was the drama that unfurled in the closing minutes, but he had no doubt how and why Mayo had won.

Enda Gilvarry, the Mayo manager, is no daw, and a lad from Pakistan stepped up to the plate to grab the man of the match award from a close second, T.J. Byrne.

Finno tidies up, as he does so well around the house, and puts things into perspective.

The anchorman of the panel could do worse than apply for his job when ‘Okey Dokey’ Bill rides into the sunset.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Michael D. McAndrew and Angelina Nugent were filling in the gaps after a long day’s sport, Angelina looking forward to a visit to the Westport Festival on Sunday. I’d have a feeling this was a break well deserved.

 

Fogra:

You’d have to feel a smidgeon of sympathy for Galway, who, for the second year running, have come out second best against Mayo, losing out last year in extra-time. If the shoe was on the other foot, Mayo, the reigning Connaught and All-Ireland champions, would now be out of the competition, with the backdoor only open to beaten provincial finalists.

It is a loss for football in general that a team of real quality such as Galway should now be out of the championship and perhaps a round-robin system, which operates in Munster, might be more appropriate and would at least give every team a second chance. Over to you Mr. Prenty!