Hurlers unable to keep 14-man Mayo at bay
The Roscommon senior hurling team before Saturday afternoon's Nickey Rackard Cup game against Mayo at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlerea. Picture: Roscommon GAA
Despite enjoying numerical advantage for more than 40 minutes, Roscommon couldn’t quell Mayo’s second-half rebellion in the opening round of the Nickey Rackard Cup in Castlebar on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors were two points ahead at half-time and surged six points ahead within minutes of the restart. But they just couldn’t contain the 14 men of Mayo who turned on the style and showed why they are the warmest of favourites to win the competition.
The 27th minute dismissal of Mayo midfielder Joe Burke, after an altercation with Roscommon wing-forward Brendan Mulry, threatened to derail the Green and Red, but superb individual performances by full-back Oisin Greally, Ryan Duffy, who moved from attack to midfield following Burke’s sending-off, and Daniel Huane, coupled with valuable second-half scores by Liam Lavin, Shane Boland and goal-scorer Cormac Phillips, helped to turn the screw on the Rossies.
Mayo had scored just eight of 19 scoring attempts in the first-half, as four unanswered Roscommon points just before half-time by Cian Murray, Cathal Kenny, Robbie Fallon, a free, and Brendan Mulry, saw Kevin Sammon’s side lead by 0-10 to 0-8 at the interval.
A fortunate goal scored direct from a sideline cut by Ben McGahon after just 75 seconds was the ideal start to the second-half for the Rossies. However, Mayo refused to panic and by the 53rd minute they had drawn level, 0-15 to 1-12, before Liam Lavin’s second point of the half then gave them the lead.
Conor Cosgrove, an inspirational figure at corner-back for Roscommon, did level proceedings, but Mayo outscored the visitors by 1-5 to 0-1 down the stretch, with Cormac Phillips’ burying the sliothar past goalkeeper Enda Lawless on 63 minutes.
Roscommon now face a “must win” game against Sligo on Markievicz Park next Saturday afternoon following the Yeats County’s 0-20 to 0-15 victory against Louth.
