Gaelic Games

Mayo minors defend Connacht minor title with six point win over Galway

Tom Lydon and Thomas Tuffy scored second half goals for Mayo at Tuam Stadium

Mayo's Rio Mortimer lifts the trophy after his team's Connacht final win over Galway. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho

Fri May 26 2023 - 21:04

Connacht MFC final: Mayo 2-13 Galway 1-10

Two goals in the third quarter proved decisive as Mayo captured their 42nd Connacht minor football title in a good final at Tuam Stadium.

Galway, who went on to win the All-Ireland last year after losing the Connacht title to Mayo, led by 0-8 to 0-7 at the break after an opening half where both teams were on top for periods in the perfect conditions at Tuam Stadium.

Galway rattled off the opening three points, with captain Shay McGlinchey getting two excellent efforts from distance off either foot, before Mayo responded and kicked five points without reply.

Galway got on top again and landed the next four scores to lead by 0-7 to 0-5 approaching half-time.

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Mayo captain Rio Mortimer, son of former All Star Kenneth, went forward to shoot an excellent point and his half-back partner Fionan O’Reilly also landed a point in response to a snapped effort from Galway midfielder Olan Kelly to lead by the minimum at the interval.

The sides twice exchanged points in the opening five minutes of the second-half but then Mayo struck a telling blow when Tom Lydon blasted home a penalty after 41 minutes after sub Gavin Forry was fouled.

Another Mayo sub Thomas Tuffy slotted home a fine goal into the bottom left corner to give his team a 2-10 to 0-10 lead going into the final quarter.

Galway sub Fionán Ó Conghaile, just seconds on the field, fired home a goal 12 minutes from time after collecting a pass from another sub Stephen O’Grady to cut the gap to 2-10 to 1-10 but two more points from Lydon and one from man-of-the-match Darragh Beirne wrapped up a deserved win for Mayo.

MAYO: C Meaney; J Lavelle, E McGreal, Y Coghill; J Clarke, R Mortimer (0-1), F O’Reilly (0-1); T Egan (0-1), S Cunningham; C Lynch, T Lydon (1-3, goal from penalty, three frees), D Neary; D Beirne (0-5, two frees), J Carey, S Guilfoyle (0-1). Subs: G Forry (0-1) for Carey (35 mins), T Tuffy (1-0) for Neary (42), C Ryder for Egan (55), R Gibbons for Lynch (62).

GALWAY: C Walsh; T Proulx, C McNally, V Gill; B O’Malley, R Coen (0-1), S Rhattigan; S McGlinchey (0-2), O Kelly (0-1); M Mulryan, C Mulhern (0-1 free), C McDonagh (0-1); C Cox (0-3, two frees), S Walsh, D Fitzmaurice (0-1). Subs: S O’Grady for Walsh (25 mins), S O’Flynn for Rattigan (39), R Walkin for McDonagh (44), F Ó Conghaile (1-0) for Fitzmaurice (48), C Gannon for Cox (64).

Referee: D Lyons (Roscommon)

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