ALL-IRELAND MFC SEMI-FINAL Mayo 2-9 Down 0-9: MORE WILD swings in the minor championship beneath the shadows of Hogan and Cusack. This time it was Down who collapsed after the slightest of tactical tweaks by Mayo manager Ray Dempsey turned matters after the interval.
The ways of Ulster football are familiar by now and the Down minors are no different; defending deep and with 13 men before rapidly switching to attack with the runner flanked by support and the inside forwards accelerating into space.
When permitted, the end result is usually a free man with enough time to pause before popping over a point. Or at least drawing a close-range free.
Down executed this excellently in the opening half hour to the extent Mayo looked destined to fall off the pace – that is, until they flooded the middle third of the field and Down’s challenge wilted.
This looks an inferior Mayo team to the one which lost last year’s All-Ireland final to Tyrone after a thrilling replay. Sure, Aidan Walsh’s free-taking remains a key element, as does power forward Alex Corduff, so there is no reason they can’t achieve what so many of their predecessors have failed to do.
The path of this match took a dramatic new course early in the second half. Up to that juncture Mayo were thankful for Walsh’s presence for keeping them only 0-7 to 0-5 adrift. Down’s primary damage came from stylish full forward and captain Ross McGarry and the rapid movement of Caolan Mooney – who posted three smart points from play.
Overnight rain ensured a slippy Croke Park surface yesterday, making it particularly hard for defenders to read the play once the ball was allowed to hop.
Still, those arriving for the second half refused to believe Down had been the dominant force.
Their defenders will have nightmares about playing on the sodden surface for some time.
Some 34 minutes gone and a high ball skidded into the scoring zone; Down goalkeeper James Deeny hesitated, allowing Cillian O’Connor to latch on to it and nudge a soccer-style finish over Deeny’s outstretched body into the far corner.
Two minutes later Mooney sprayed another dangerous ball inside, O’Connor fed Jack O’Donnell, whose shot was blocked by Deeny only for O’Connor to claim his second off the rebound.
Seconds earlier Matthew Bagnall’s shot went into the side netting down the other end, showing it only takes the briefest of moments for a sporting contest to be decided.
Another handling error by the Down defence saw Corduff stretch the lead out to six points entering the last quarter.
They still had plenty of time but their young minds were only thinking about goals as they spurned three easy points by forcing one pass too many in search of the green flag.
Mark Turley also performed surgery on his full-forward line but the replacements made no discernible impact.
Down’s lack of patience meant John Carney’s score on 51 minutes had an air of finality about it. True, Mooney almost conjured up a grandstand finish but Michael Slingermann made a decent save.
On reflection, this match died far too early but the analysis immediately switches to Mayo’s 24-year quest for an All-Ireland title. In recent times they have established themselves as a top-tier county when it comes to producing underage teams but, like their senior brethren, actually breaking the tape continues to elude them at minor.
Armagh – who beat Down in the Ulster minor final and Kerry last week – will rightly return to headquarters as favourites on September 20th, but the manner in which Mayo reacted to Down’s early dominance should fill them with enough confidence to fight from the opening bell on their next visit to Croke Park.
MAYO: M Slingermann; D Gavin, K Rogers, M Walsh; C Charlton, S McDermott, C Crowe; D Kirby, A Walsh (0-6, frees, capt); A Farrell, D Coen (0-1), F Durkin; D Herbert, C O'Connor (2-0), A Corduff (0-1). Subs: I Costello for Coen, J McDonnell for Herbert (both half-time), J Carney (0-1)for Corduff (50 mins), B Ruttledge for Durkin, M McCormack for Gavin (both 58 mins).
DOWN: J Deeny; R Doran, S McNamee, D O'Hanlan; K McClorey, C McClean, F McEvoy (0-1); K Quinn, N McParland; C Clarke, R White, C Mooney (0-3); D McKibben, R McGarry (0-5, two frees, 45, capt), M Bagnall. Subs: M Haughey for Clarke (temp 20-25 mins, 41 mins), R O'Hare for Bagnall (39 mins), P Quinn for McKibben (45 mins), K Maguire for Deeny (54 mins).
Referee: B O'Shea(Dublin).
