Rossies seal a sensational underage double with second win over Mayo in 48 hours

Roscommon 4-13 Mayo 2-12

Roscommon sealed a second victory over Mayo in 48 hours

Kevin Egan

July 23 2021 10:47 PM

Roscommon made it a sensational 48-hour underage double over their western neighbours from Mayo, thanks in no small part to a flurry of goals shortly before half time that gave them a lead they would never relinquish in this Connacht MFC quarter-final.

In a contest that was frenetic and attack-minded from the start, a penalty from Ryan Conlon meant the home side had a narrow lead, 1-3 to 0-5, with 20 minutes gone at Dr. Hyde Park. Conlon was again involved in a move that ended up with Robert Heneghan floating a handpass across for Shane McGinley to tap the ball into the net, and Roscommon’s lead was out to seven when Colm Neary finished off his powerful run with a goal.

Fiachra Cruise had his penalty saved by Seán Kelly but was on hand to fire the ball in from the rebound to bring Mayo back into it, but Roscommon barely flinched as McGinley turned provider for Henaghan to again raise a green flag and leave it 4-6 to 1-8 at the interval.

Two outstanding scores from DJ Hession pushed the lead out to nine and while Ben McHale scored a superb goal for Mayo, a great chance for Tom O’Flaherty to do likewise ended with the ball crashing to safety off the post, and Roscommon clearing their lines.

Mayo’s bid to carve out another goa; chance didn’t bear fruit, while Shane Walsh and James McGreal were able to pick off the insurance scores that guaranteed a semi-final clash with Galway in Tuam this day week.

Scorers:

Roscommon: B Nugent 0-4 (2f), S McGinley (0-1m), C Neary, R Heneghan (f) 1-1 each, R Conlon 1-0 (pen), DJ Hession 0-3, S Walsh 0-2, J McGreal 0-1.

Mayo: R Clarke 0-5 (5f), F Cruise 1-1, B McHale 1-0, C Dawson, P Deane (f) 0-2 each, C Corless, A Browne 0-1 each.

TEAMS –

ROSCOMMON - S Kelly; D Casey, C Harley, J Brady; J McGreal, E O’Reilly, E Kerins; S Walsh, DJ Hession; R Hester, B Nugent, R Conlon; C Neary, S McGinley, R Heneghan. Subs: O O’Flaherty for Hester (half-time), P Higgins for Kerins (43), R Carthy for Nugent (46), A Durr for Harley (54), A McGreal for Conlon (60+1).

MAYO – T Burke; L Silke, J Walsh, B Collins; C Corless, J Ferguson, C Dawson; S Morahan, D Duffy; S Neary, F Cruise, T O’Flaherty; J Maheady, R Clarke, P Deane. Subs: A Browne for Silke (25), B McHale for Neary (half-time), C Mulroy for Duffy (43), A Beirne for O’Flaherty (54), S Sweeney for Deane (57), B Breslin for Collins (58, temp).

Ref – R Hynes (Sligo)