Allianz FL D1: Mayo cruise to victory

Allianz Football League Division One

Mayo 4-26 Roscommon 2-11

By Colm Gannon at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

Mayo delivered a solid response to last weekend’s disappointment in Tralee, producing a ruthless and energetic display in Castlebar to brush aside an understrength Roscommon by 21 points before a crowd just shy of 10,000.

The home side had the contest firmly under their thumb long before the interval, hitting four first-half goals and dictating the terms of engagement everywhere that mattered.

Early on it looked like a competitive derby was in store, with Mayo leading 0-5 to 0-2 after 18 minutes through scores from Aidan O’Shea, Diarmuid Duffy, Ryan O’Donoghue, Jack Livingstone and Cian McHale, while Ben O’Carroll and Daire Cregg kept the visitors in touch.

O’Carroll then briefly levelled matters when he got the first goal of the day approaching the 20-minute mark—but that was as good as it got for the Rossies as Mayo cut loose.

Mayo’s response was swift and emphatic, with the likes of Sam Callinan driving hem forward at every opportunity.

Charlestown’s Paul Towey pounced for their first goal finishing smartly from close range, then Jack Carney burst through to clip home the second after a superbly weighted pass over the top from O’Donoghue.

O’Shea added further daylight on the half-hour, drilling Mayo’s third past Conor Carroll under pressure, and when Sam Callinan was hauled down inside the square by Caelim Keogh. Mayo were awarded a penalty with half time approaching.

O’Donoghue stepped up and hammered it to the net to send Mayo in at the break cruising at 4-11 to 1-5, supporters already casting an eye to how results elsewhere might fall and whether a league final berth was still possible – it was a position that Mayo occupied for much of the afternoon – until Kerry and Donegal did what was required for them.

The second half followed much the same pattern. Mayo reeled off six unanswered points to open the period, keeping Roscommon penned in and moving the ball with impressive sharpness.

Eoin Colleran netted a consolation goal after Ben O’Carroll broke a long ball into his path, but by then the game had long drifted beyond any real doubt.

Andy Moran was able to reintroduce both Tommy Conroy and Cillian O’Connor, and the pair made the most of their minutes - each kicking two points, with O’Connor booming over a fine effort from distance late on to round out Mayo’s scoring.

By full-time the result was never in question, but events elsewhere didn’t fall Mayo’s way as Donegal and Kerry did what they needed to, leaving the Green and Red just short of a return to the league decider.

Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 1-4 (1-0 pen, 1m, 1f), Aidan O’Shea 1-2, Jack Carney 1-2, Jordan Flynn 0-3, Cian McHale 0-3, Paul Towey 1-0, Tommy Conroy 0-2, Cillian O’Connor 0-2 (1m), Hugh O’Loughlin 0-2, Michael Plunkett 0-1, Jack Coyne 0-1, Frank Irwin 0-1, David McBrien 0-1, Jack Livingstone 0-1 (45), Diarmuid Duffy 0-1.

Scorers for Roscommon: Daire Cregg 0-5 (1f, 1m), Eoin Colleran 1-1, Ben O’Carroll 1-1, Shane Cunnane 0-1, Declan Kenny 0-1, Jack Duggan 0-1, Colm Neary 0-1.

Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne (Capt), Rory Brickenden, Diarmuid Duffy; Sam Callinan, Michael Plunkett, Hugh O’Loughlin; Séamus Howard, David McBrien; Jack Carney, Ryan O’Donoghue, Jordan Flynn; Cian McHale, Aidan O’Shea, Paul Towey.

Subs: Cillian O’Connor for O’Shea; Tommy Conroy for Towey; Frank Irwin for Howard; John McMonagle for Plunkett; Kuba Callaghan for McHale; Sean Morahan for O’Loughlin.

Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Tim Lambe, Eoin McCormack, Niall Higgins; Colm Neary, Caelim Keogh, Robbie Dolan; Shane Cunnane, Conor Ryan; Paul Carey, Conor Hand, Ciarán Lennon; Ben O’Carroll, Daire Cregg, Cathal Heneghan.

Subs: Pearse Frost for Lambe; Declan Kelly for Frost (BS); Eoin Colleran for Heneghan; Aaron Brady for Carroll; Rob Heneghan for Cregg; Jack Duggan for Lennon.

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).