Mayo left reeling by final scoreline confusion

Galway ........ 1-7

Mayo ............0-9

 

MAYO'S bid to capture the Connaught junior football championship title came up short when they were defeated by the narrowest of margins by Galway in Pearse Stadium today.

However, there was a lot of confusion regarding the final after the match official blew the final whistle as the scoreboard at either end of the ground showed that the match had ended level with the score registered as 1-7 to 0-10.

Indeed, a number of the Mayo players had rushed to the dressing rooms thinking they had drawn and to prepare for extra-time.

However, the matter was quickly resolved after the referee pointed out that Mayo's second last point was disallowed after he spotted a foul inside the penalty area when a Brendan Carr free dropped into the Galway goalmount which was flicked over the bar.

In the end it was hard on Mayo as they had put in a storming finish where they outscored their opponents by six points to one in the final quarter.

In a game that was played in very wet and slippery conditions throughout both sides found it difficult to produce good football.

Indeed, it was Mayo who were the most guilty of making far too many mistakes, expecially in the opening half, when they gave away possession time and time again. In the end it was this more than anything which cost them dearly.

The game was 24 minutes old before Mayo registered their first score, a fisted point by Darragh Keavney. By that time they were were already five points in arrears as Galway had scored 1-2.

Mayo did manage a second point before the half ended, a delightful score from Liam Moran, but they still trailed by four at the interval 1-3 to 0-2.

In the third quarter Galway had the better of the exchanges where they added three more points to their tally which saw their advantage extend to seven points.

However, a number of Mayo substitutions by theMayo management almost paid off as they came roaring back at Galway in the final quarter.

Here they outscored their opponents by seven points to one with both Carr and Justin Healy scoring two each and one each from Ronan Conlon, Adrian Leonard and Padraic Prendergast. But in the end it was not just enough and it was Galway who retained the title after just holding on in a very tight finish.

Galway: C. Haslam, E. O’Sullivan, D. O’Ruairc, T. Rabbitte, D. Morrin (0-1), A. Ward, P. O’Donnell (0-1), M. Day (0-1), C. Brennan (0-1), C. Brady, S. Denvir, T. Glesson (1-2), P. O’Currin, J. Ryan, E. Tierney (0-1).

Subs used: A. Molloy, C. Rabbitte, M. O’Goill, G. Gibbons, S. O’Currin.

Mayo: M. Schlingermann, R. Conlon, D. Lydon (0-1), B. Leonard, B. Duffy, C. Burke, C. Igoe, S. Walsh, T. Fahey, L. Moran (0-1), A. Leonard (0-1), B. Carr (0-2), M. McGarry, K. Hopkins, D. Keavney (0-1).

Subs: M. Forkan, C. Boylan, P. Prendergast (0-1), P. Kelly, S. Lally, J. Healy (0-2).

Referee: B. Healy (Roscommon).