Mayo
Kennedy Cup 2024
Mayo
2
North
Dublin1
A
late double in the last ten minutes of this tie saw Mayo come away with all
three points in their opening group game in UL on Monday evening.
Just
before the halftime whistle it was NDSL who took the lead with an effort from
Sam Coffey
The
second half was a much tighter affair with both sides creating chances. It
wasn't until the last ten minutes where it burst into life. There were eight
minutes left on the clock when Ethan
Canny played a ball to Cillian
Keating who leveled the tie for
the Connacht side.
With
the ref about to blow the final whistle Mayo produced a fine goal after winning
a penalty which was dispatched by James
Dever to make sure they would finish the day with all three points.
Mayo
0
West
Cork 4
It
wasn't to be for the youthful mayo team in this 2nd round game.
After
a tight opening period of play mayo managed to hold out the Munster side till
just after the water break
This
youthful Mayo side battled hard in this tie but just before the first break in
the game Oisin McCrathy managed to find the back of the net. Mayo then managed to hold strong at the back
until well into the second half as they showed experience and courage beyond
their years to keep the score down to a goal.
The
Munster side managed to double their lead just before the forty minute mark
when Luke O’ Neill fired home. The last two goals of the game came in the last
ten minutes through Paddy Haughney and Conall Whooley.
Mayo
5
WWEC
2
Mayo
produced a performance well beyond their years to grab all three points in this
game to land them in second place in their group.
This
game was end to end from the outset as the side from the south east took an
early lead three minutes in when Barra Alian found the net. Not to be
disheartened Mayo started to gain a foothold in the game but couldn't manage to
break through a resolute opposition rearguard in the opening half.
Within
minutes of the resumption Mayo had leveled the tie deservedly when Jamie Holmes
rattled the back of the net. Just before the second water break WWEC broke away
against the run of play to grab the lead back with a strike from Harry Power.
After
the final interval Mayo’s James Dever took center stage netting a hat trick
inside fifteen minutes while Sean Walsh also found the net to give the Connacht
side a well deserved victory.
Mayo
1
Kilkenny
2
In
Mayo’ s quarter final on Wednesday afternoon they produced a fine display of
football but unfortunately couldn't get the better of their southeast opponents
.
From
the outset it was clear that this stage wasn't going to phase this young Mayo
side. The Connacht side held out their opponents until the twelfth minute when
Alex Shepard found the back of the net. As the half drew to a close Mayo were
starting to gain control and eventually found a leveler through one of the
tournament's top scorers James Dever. This left the tie level at the break.
When
the game resumed both sides started to create more chances , unfortunately it
was the Leinster side who eventually took the lead for a second time as Brion
Walsh found the back of the net just before the second water break.
Mayo
tried to grab that equalizer but the final whistle caught up with this youthful
side in the end.
This
result meant they would come up against there Connacht rivals Sligo/ Leitrim on
Thursday afternoon.
Mayo
1
Sligo
Leitrim 5
Four
goals from Sligo/ Leitrim Oscar Fahey was the difference between the sides as
Mayo battled hard from the opening whistle in UL on Thursday afternoon.
Mayo
played some great football in tough conditions against their neighbors but
unfortunately a Killian Hynes effort had the opposition ahead early on. This
didn't seem to affect the Mayo team as golden boot chasing James Dever had two
goal bound efforts that went wide before the break. Within the six minutes
either side of half time Oscar Fahey had netted a hat trick for the opposition.
Even
with this deficit Mayo pushed forward with Dever and Sean Walsh nearly breaking
down the defense.
With
the full time whistle in sight Fahey added his fourth of the game. As added
time began a long ball from the Mayo defense was brilliantly controlled and
finished by Dever which Mayo richly deserved.
Mayo
2 Pen 2
Donegal
2 Pens 4
The
Northern side came out on top after Mayo battled hard throughout this game on
Friday midday led by James Dever who was hoping to finish the tournament as top
scorer.
From
the outset it was clear that there would be goals in this game as both teams
attacked at will. Within five minutes Donegal had taken the lead through Thalji
Al Daher. This young and exciting Mayo team battled back into the tie and three
minutes later were level as Dever netted his first of the game. As the half
time whistle loomed Mayo took the lead through Dever again who broke away to
finish expertly past the keeper.
The
Ulster side started to gain control in the tie and only for a double save by
Noah Murphy the tie would have been level.
Eventually Murphy was passed when Ryan Quinn leveled the game just
before the water break.
Neither
side managed to create any more chances before the final whistle meaning this
final game would be decided on penalties.
Mayo
1st was taken by Rian Gavin which grazed the outside of the bar. Up first for
Donegal was Ronan Tunney who finished into the corner.
Mayos
next two penalties were scored by Keelan McHale and Jamie Holmes. In response
the opposition scored through Odhran McLaughlin and Kaiden Spence.
Donegal’s final penalty was dispatched by Cillian
McBrearty before Mayo’s Dara Rafter fired wide by the narrowest of margins.
Mayo
finished 15th in the competition which
was no mean feat for this young side.
After
the game we heard from Manager Gabrile Downes who explained how “ it has been a
really enjoyable week, we originally set out and improve from last years
ranking. Which we did by 5 places.”
In
the last few weeks Mayo have had to call on a number of young players and he
details how well the young side have done. “ Considering the trauma wwe have
gone through with the squad they have done really and made everyone in Mayo
proud.”
Mayo’s
James Dever finished the competition as joint top sorcerer with eight goals.
James speaks about how the tournament
was very good and he also deflects the
praise from himself to his teammates saying, “ the team did very well together
for a team that had not much experience coming into the competition.”
Kennedy
Cup 2024 Squad:
Noah
Murphy; Castlebar Celtic
Keelan
McHale: Castlebar Celtic
Tom
Francis; Castlebar Celtic
Jai
Wilson: Ballina Town
Darragh
Fleming: Ballina Town
Rian
Gavin: Westport United
James
Dever: Castlebar Celtic
Daniel
Lyons: Manulla
Chris
Maughan: Ballina Town
Cillian
Keating: Castlebar Celtic
Donal
Hynes: Westport United
Zac
Bristow: Castlebar Town
Jamie
Holmes: Westport United
Ethan
Canny:Manulla
Dara
Rafter: Ballina Town
Michael
Ruane: Straide + Foxford United
Sean
Walsh: Straide + Foxford United
Fionn
Killeen: Westport United
Callum
Costello: Straide + Foxford United
James
Brisson: Ballina Town
Head
of Delegation: Patrick Lambe
Manager:
Gabriel Downes
Coach:
Alan Mulchrone
David
Bristow
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