Gaelic Games

Underage football round-up: Sligo advance to Connacht U20 final with impressive win over Mayo

Down through to Ulster U20 final after inspired Oisín Savage display against Monaghan

Sligo's Ronan Niland with Fenton Kelly of Mayo. Photograph: Evan Treacy/Inpho
Wed Apr 12 2023 - 21:43

Sligo 0-17 Mayo 1-9

Sligo, having won their first ever Connacht U20 title last year, advanced to the final against Galway next week with an impressive win over Mayo at Bekan.

A couple of late goals saw them snatch victory from Mayo in last year’s final, but they were the superior side from start to finish in this semi-final which was switched from MacHale Park in Castlebar earlier in the day.

Now they will travel to take on Galway next Wednesday not just looking to hold on to their crown, but also become the first ever Sligo side to win consecutive titles in a grade.

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It’s been a bad week for Mayo football and they were in trouble when they turned around trailing by 0-9 to 1-4 at the break having had the advantage of the diagonal wind in the opening half.

The Sligo full-forward line of Matt Henry, Daire O’Boyle and Luke Marren were a big threat and struck for 0-6 in that opening half.

An excellent passing movement which included senior player Bob Tuohy, Tom O’Flaherty and James Maheady ended with Fenton Kelly fisting home a Mayo goal to lead by 1-2 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter.

But the reigning champions took over and hit five points without reply in the closing ten minutes of the first half.

Wing back Rossa Sloyan went forward to shoot two of them while Marren added a free and O’Boyle and Henry again hit the target.

Sligo resumed control again after the restart after an early exchange of points and they shot seven points without reply to lead by 0-17 to 1-5 after 50 minutes with the starting full-forward line of Marren, O’Boyle and Henry finishing with 0-10, seven of them from play.

Midfielder Kelly did most to rally a Mayo comeback as he shot three points but while Sligo did not score for the closing 15 minutes, including added time, the outcome was never in doubt as they had built a sufficient lead.

Sligo: E Carden; R Chambers, C Johnston, L Casserly; Dylan Walsh (0-2, 1 ‘45), D McLoughlin, R Sloyan (0-2); C Sheridan, C Mulligan; M McDaniel, R Niland (0-2), R Doherty; L Marren (0-4, 3f), D O’Boyle (0-2), M Henry (0-4). Subs: Dillon Walsh (0-1) for McDaniel (42), C O’Reilly for Sloyan (55), B Byrne for Sheridan (55), J Kiernan for Doherty (65).

Mayo: D Dolan; Cian McHale (Parke Keelogues Crimlin), S Callinan, C Boland; P Gilmore, S Morahan (C), C Dawson; B Tuohy (0-2), F Kelly (1-3); C Corless, T O’Flaherty (0-1), J Fallon; Cian McHale (Bohola Moy Davitts), J Maheady; D Hurley (0-2). Subs: R Fadden (0-1) for Fallon (44), F McLoughlin for MacHale (Bohola Moy Davitts) (49), D Joyce for Corless (50), A Beirne for Hurley (61).

Referee: Michael McGirl (Leitrim).

Down 1-17 Monaghan 1-9

The dancing feet of Oisín Savage inspired Down to reach this year’s EirGrid Ulster Under 20 final in a fortnight’s time against Derry. Monaghan had no answer to the mercurial corner man as he volleyed home a goal and point in the opening half. Off the cuff and hugely decisive, the Loughinisland man really sparkled on a dreary night.

His finish for the 20th minute not only stunned Monaghan but the home crowd. Ryan Magill cut inside and spilled possession and like a flash, Savage smashed it home off Darragh Croakin’s post. Monaghan were outclassed but full forward Stephen Mooney is a prospect, his frees out of his hands judged into the wind to perfection saw the Farney trail 1-10 to 0-5 at the turn. Down were well stocked with a comfortable attacking platform thanks to senior Odhran Murdock’s aerial dominance. The midfielder and Savage were in fact luxuriously subbed with a quarter of an hour to go.

Early substitute Jamie Doran finished out the game with late points to bring his tally to four in the facile win. Mooney finally smashed home a late consolation for Monaghan, who struck the upright and crossbar on four occasions in numerous late scrambles.

Down: O Treacy; F McAvoy, P McCarthy, F Murdock; T Hardy, R Magill, J Kelly; O Murdock (0-2), T McCarroll; T Ryan, O Cunningham, H Magill (0-2); O Savage (1-7, 5frees), J Morgan (0-2), C Rodgers. SUBS J Doran (0-4) for Magill (9) A Cole for Kelly (42), S Carr for Murdock (45), E Loughran for Savage (46), Z Murdock for Rodgers (46).

Monaghan: D Croarkin; L Kelly, N Meehan, H McDonald; C Reilly, D Byrne (0-1), M Hamill; S Treanor, M McPhillips; R Duffy, S Mooney (1-4, 3frees, 1mark), C Eccles (0-1); D Mee, D McCahey (0-1), C Conlon (0-1free). SUBS: J Slevin for Meehan (28) B Walker for Treanor (ht), N Rice (0-1) for Mee (ht), C Hughes for Byrne (39), T Hughes for Kelly (48), L Martin for McPhillips (Blood 58)

Referee: S Murphy (Armagh)

Leinster Minor Football Championship

With one round of group games to go, counties are beginning to show their true form in the Leinster Minor Football Championship.

The second round took place on Wednesday night and was particularly important for those who lost first round games.

One of those, Offaly had a very important win in group 1, beating neighbours Laois in a local derby. With the wind on their backs, Offaly outscored them by 2-9 to 0-3 in the second half for a 2-10 to 0-9 win. Laois had defeated Longford in their first game and are still in the hunt for qualification.

Kildare have definitely qualified out of group 1. They recorded their second win, beating Longford by 1-9 to 0-3 and they look set to claim the automatic semi-final berth.

The top team in groups 1 and 2 go into the semi-finals with the second in the quarter-finals and the third in two preliminary quarter-finals where they will face the top two teams from group 3.

Dublin are on course for top spot in group 2. Having beaten Louth in the first round, they had a very important win over Meath, 2-9 to 0-11. Meath had defeated Westmeath in their first game but the performance of the night arguably came from Louth. In a must-win game, they had a very convincing 2-13 to 0-7 victory over Westmeath in Ardee. Louth play Meath and Dublin have Westmeath in the final round.

Wicklow got their campaign up and running in the weaker group 3. They worked hard to beat Wexford by 0-10 to 0-7 on home turf in Aughrim. Wexford had defeated Carlow in the first round and it is very much all to play for in this group. Carlow and Wicklow meet in round 3. A Wicklow win or a draw will put them and Wexford through but a Carlow win would have the three teams on two points and scoring difference deciding the two qualifiers.