NFL Division 1: Mayo 0-12 Tyrone 0-10
In fairness to both counties, this is probably what happens when teams start to feel pressure about their long-term prospects.
Sunday’s National Football League Division 1 encounter turned into a version of Russian roulette. Mayo and Tyrone furiously unloading blanks before the home side joyously found their chambers loaded in the dying minutes to record a first win of the season.
After a dispiriting defeat in the same venue by Galway two weeks earlier, this was an important result for Mayo, bringing their first points of the league. Manager Kevin McStay was relieved but upbeat at the strong finale.
“I think it was deserved. I would say that I suppose. We worked very, very hard in terms of the effort, massive, and I’m delighted with that, just right to the very end, a few critical balls the last four or five minutes.
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“One kick-out I remember in particular ... we really needed that kick out and we went after it and got it. So very pleased, very pleased with the reaction over the last fortnight. But some of our numbers were very, very good the last two weeks.”
A dreary afternoon in a cold and wet MacHale Park was not enlivened by the first half, which featured endless recycling of the ball around the 40-metre arc and little inclination to either fashion openings in Mayo’s case or convert possession into scores in Tyrone’s.
A straight-faced PA announcement reminded anyone fleeing the dismal proceedings at half-time that they would have to pay to get back in – assuming that they could be recaptured.
Statistics tell the tale. After an opening point in the third minute by the impressive Frank Irwin, who would end up top-scoring from play with 0-3, there followed 14 scoreless minutes.
Mayo did get Eoghan McLaughlin in behind for a shot on goal in the seventh minute but Niall Morgan saved and then, McLaughlin missed the rebound. Reticence about getting shots away was leaving the home team in familiar territory.
As McStay mentioned, their matches to date have featured good stats on possession and attempted shots but their finishing has been the graph line where encouraging data becomes discouraging.
Mayo lost Conor Reid to a black card in the 26th minute for a body collide with Darren McCurry, seeing him finish the half in the sin bin. In his absence, Tyrone found their scoring boots after much wayward shooting and Michael McKernan, Mark Bradley and Eoin McElholm pushed the visitors in to a 0-5 to 0-4 half-time lead.
For all the shortcomings going forward, both defences were effective and played their part in keeping the scoreline depressed, compared to what the FRC rules have accustomed attendances to expect.
The rules also created a bit of chaos when Mayo were reported for a 3v3 breach when, because of the sinbinning, they were entitled to keep just two at either end. Referee Barry Cassidy corrected the error.
Mayo restarted well and Jordan Flynn, on his inter-county reappearance nailed a two-pointer – the only such score on a day when the orange flag was comparatively an endangered species. Flynn also took a steeplejack catch at one stage as he made a positive return to action.
The scoring rate wasn’t much improved otherwise but when Morgan, on one of his regular excursions, sidestepped into space and kicked a point to put his team 0-9 to 0-7 ahead, Mayo were creaking.
They were a stronger collective by now. In addition to Flynn, there were also comebacks for Jack Coyne and Aidan O’Shea. Neither Ryan O’Donoghue nor Fergal Boland started but on entering the fray after half-time both kicked a brace of points.
Nothing came easy however and Darren McHale made a hash of a chance to hit the front at 0-9 each – appearing to decide late that he’s go for goal instead of the straightforward point and getting blocked.
McStay said afterwards that he had been impressed by how McHale and Boland had persevered when things weren’t going their way.
The window of opportunity eventually opened at 0-10 each in the 69th minute. McKernan, already on a yellow, brought down the lively Davitt Neary and was sent off.
O’Donoghue kicked the free and suitably buoyed, Mayo regathered the restart and exuberantly kept the ball while pressing until Boland was afforded a chance which he converted for the final score.
After a vibrant opening day against Derry, Tyrone are now looking to recreate that early momentum after two defeats. Manager Malachy O’Rourke said he hoped to have the Canavan’s back for next week.
“It is a wee bit of short-term pain, there’s no doubt about that but we’re hoping that in the longer term it will stand to us and that the boys will come back fresh ... hungry, ready for work and it will stand to us.
“But we do know that this league is unforgiving, we’ve got Kerry next and then away to Galway. it’s tough games ahead. but that’s the challenge.”
MAYO: C Reape; E O’Donoghue, D McHugh, E Hession; S Coen, D McBrien, E McLaughlin; J Flynn (0-1-0), M Ruane (0-0-1); C Reid, D McHale, D Neary (0-0-1); P Towey, F Irwin (0-0-3), C McHale (0-0-1f).
Subs: R O’Donoghue (0-0-2f) for C McHale (h-t), F Boland (0-0-2) for Towey (46 mins), J Coyne for Coen (60), A O’Shea for Reid, S Callinan for McLaughlin (both 65).
TYRONE: N Morgan (0-0-3, 1f); A Clarke, P Teague, N Devlin; K McGeary, M McKernan (0-0-1), R Brennan; B Kennedy (0-0-1), L Gray; S O’Donnell, C Kilpatrick, M Bradley (0-0-1); C Daly (0-0-1), D McCurry (0-0-2f), R Cassidy.
Subs: S O’Hare for Gray (h-t), R Cassidy for O’Donnell, M Donnelly for McGeary (both 46 mins), A Donaghy for Daly (60), C McShane (0-0-1f) for Cassidy (61).
REFEREE: B Cassidy (Derry).
