GAA in Co Mayo, West of Ireland



Connaught Telegraph March 20 1996


FBD Connaught League

Galway end Mayo winning streak to force final play-off



Galway 0-10--------------------------- Mayo 0-7

By John Melvin

Galway provided a timely reminder for Mayo that the honeymoon is now over and it is going to take a lot of hard work to keep the marriage together. This FBD Connaught final round game in Tuam, on Saturday afternoon was the first 'real' defeat( seven National league and three Connaught league) for Mayo under manager John Maughan, and given Mayo's propensity towards self-destruction in some of their national league outings, it wasn't a total surprise.

The defeat, or victory from Galway's perspective, sets up an intriguing FBD league final at Castlebar on Sunday, when Mayo will defend their title having ended level with Galway on six points each.

Given the poverty of this performance, particularly in the forward division, Mayo could suffer another serious setback before their National league quarter final with Meath in Roscommon on Sunday week.

This victory will also provide Galway with a badly need boost following their failure to extricate themselves from division three, but to say that any of these teams will be a serious championship force on the basis of this game, would be naive in the extreme, but it must be said that Galway were far the happier side at the end of the hour.

And one man who could afford to wear a broad smile on his face was Val Daly who terrorised Kevin Cahill for the hour. The experience of the Galway veteran, who hit 0-5 from play, proved too much for Cahill and that battle was ultimately to decide that these two sides were to meet on Sunday for the title.

But it will worry Galway, that Daly, apart there was little else to offer serious trouble up front apart from Shay Walsh.

Anthony McGarry stood in for Dermot Flanagan, and did a reasonable job, but Flanagan's leadership was badly missed although Kevin Beirne did well along with Pat Holmes and Kenneth Mortimer.

For a team that won midfield with James Nallen, and the outstanding David Brady, later helped by McHale, Mayo will have to seriously analyse how they are using possession of the ball. There was a plethora of misses; fifteen wides in all, (eight in the first half) and a penalty save, while they also had two very good goal chances stopped.

But a return of just 0-4 after 43 minutes of play will have convinced John Maughan, if convincing was ever needed, that he has a serious shortage in his arsenal, particularly when he faces up to the bigger guns in the National League play-off's.

Solving that problem is not going to be easy., James Horan was by far the most industrious forward on display, Ray Dempsey looked sluggish to say the lest while Tom Reilly, posted at full-forward was never given any space by Gary Fahy, who had an excellent game at full back for the Galway men while Ray Silke, Declan Meehan, Ian Donoghue and David Glynn also did well.

Only in the last ten minutes, and by then it was far too late, did Ronan Golding show what he is capable of. He earned a penalty and was very close to finding the net himself. John Casey, posted again in the number ten shirt, looks miscast and one wonders if the Charlestown player does not soon find his niche, arguably in the half back line, will he find a place at all? Given his undoubted talent, there must be a place somewhere for him in Maughan's championship plans but where, and at whose expenses, has yet to be decided. I am still of the opinion that John Casey should be given the opportunity to prove himself in his best position in the halfback line, a place I would also leave James, Nallen, rather than shunting him to midfield where we seem to have an abundance of riches.

The introduction of Diarmuid Byrne did open up a few avenues, all of which ere not exploited by his colleagues, but to quote that often used phrase, the bottom line with Mayo football at the moment is that they cannot finish, even at close range. The confidence that was there in previous outings was not quite as evident and when Mayo tried to spring this game in the also five minutes, unlike many of their league matches, it didn't work on this occasion.

But then Galway are always capable of producing that extra, particularly against Mayo t Tuam. And it was evident from the first ten minutes that Mayo had a fight on their hands. They were three points adrift. Tom Joyce, Shay Fahy (free) and Val Daly, with the first of his haul of the afternoon. But by the 10th minute mayo had puled level. James Horan, Ray Dempsey and Horan again with free form the hands. Walsh (free and Val Daly, after a very good move, went two clear but a good pint from Liam McHale left Mayo just 0-5 to 0-4 adrift at the turnover.

When Galway went 0-9 to 0-5 clear twenty minutes into the second half Mayo knew they were in trouble. The withdrawal of the injured David Brady, who was playing excellently for Mayo at midfield, did not help, nor did Liam McHale's surprise removal from the scene.

Shay Walsh, Austin Leonard and a beauty from Daly on the left foot were the Galway scores, with Mayo's only response coming from a John Casey free. It had gone to 0-10 to 0-5, Daly on target again, when the Mayo penalty came, after Golding was taken down. John Casey went for the bottom left corner, but Cathal McGinley was equal to it.

Mayo came in droves in search of the goal that could save the game, and Golding came close, as did Horan, while Pat Fallon was denied by a brilliant stop by McGinley. Their only reward was two points from Golding and, in fairness, Galway hardly deserved to lose the game on their overall performance.

Galway will probably come to Castlebar with an even stronger team on Sunday with Jarlath Fallon likely to be back from suspension. With the Meath match just around the corner Mayo would soon want to be deciding whose on duty, and, more importantly, exactly where.

Mayo: J. Madden, A. McGarry, K. Cahill, K. Beirne, P. Holmes, K. Mortimer, N. Connelly, J. Nallen, D. Brady, J. Casey (0-2); L, McHale (0-1); J. Horan (0-2); R. Golding (0-2); T. Reilly, R. Dempsey (0-1).

Subs: D. Beirne for Reilly, P. Fallon for Brady (inj), a. Finnerty for McHale.

Galway: C. McGinley, J. Kilraine, G. Fahy, D. Glynn, D. Meehan, I. Donoghue, R. Silke, F. Gavin, A. Leonard (0-1); A. Mulholland, S. Walsh(0-3); N Finnegan, F. O'Neill, V. Daly (0-5); T. Joyce.




Financial viability of Mayo Board under threat



By John Melvin

The financial viability of the Mayo G.A.A. is under serious threat, a special meeting has been told. And in an effort to ease some of the burden that a debt of around £100,000 is placing on the Board a high powered fund raising campaign is to be undertaken.

Plans were unfolded to launch a Patrons of Mayo G.A.A. Supporters club which is to be spearheaded by Central Council delegate Paddy Muldoon. The serious financial situation of the Board has been well known for some time. Accumulating bank interest rates along with rising expenses have all contributed to a huge deficit which sees the Board facing critical year ahead.

However, a good run in the National Football League will help considerably and a win over Meath in the N.F.l. quarter final would also considerably boost the coffers.

A cash injection would ease problems for the moment but the Board is anxious that it should be put on a firm footing and efforts are to be made to regularise it's finances.

However, County Secretary Sean Feeney, said a concerted drive will be necessary if they are to make a serious impact on the huge debt which has grown rapidly in the also two years because of a failure to make a serious effort to tackle it.

Meetings of divisional Boards will be he held this week and a formal launch of the new drive will be held in the Welcome Inn on Monday night next March 25th.

However, some clubs may resist efforts to increase levies for the coming year and many clubs are already finding it difficult to survive themselves.


Connaught Telegraph - News - Mar 1996

Connaught Telegraph - Sports - Mar 1996