Connacht Minor Football Championship

[AbbeySider]

Another piece from The Mayo News/

Connacht GAA Council defends minor fixture

Mike Finnerty

THE Connacht GAA Council have defended their decision to fix Mayo's minor championship match against Roscommon for next Saturday evening in Castlebar at 5pm — despite the fact that the game is clashing with Mayo's All-Ireland SFC Qualifier in Longford at 7pm.
Hundreds of Mayo supporters are now faced with a tough decision next weekend; whether to stay at home and support Tony Duffy's county minors or make the trip to Longford to show their support for John O'Mahony's senior squad.
The fixtures clash has led to some Mayo supporters venting their frustration on Mid West Radio while GAA message boards and forums have also been inundated with complaints. One Mayo GAA blogger, Willie Joe, described the situation as "ludicrous".
However, speaking to The Mayo News this afternoon, Connacht GAA Council secretary John Prenty said there was no question of the throw-in time for the minor championship match being changed to accommodate the All-Ireland Qualifier.
He also confirmed that no official request had been made by the Mayo GAA Board to have the game changed.
"The Connacht minor championship fixtures were made last October and, unless we have a curtain raiser, we don't play matches before 5pm on Saturdays," said Prenty.
"The reality is that if the minor match between Mayo and Roscommon was played earlier in the day, we'd only get half the crowd. We're expecting a crowd of between 1,500 and 2,000 to come but that would not have happened if the game had been played at 1pm or 2pm."
Playing the minor championship match on Friday evening was not an option because of the fact that the Leaving Cert concludes that day. A Sunday fixture was also a non-runner because of the Connacht minor and senior championship games in Pearse Stadium next weekend.
"Having three games on one day, at two different venues, is just not an option in terms of the logistics," said John Prenty. "As it is, the Galway versus Sligo minor game throws-in at 12pm on Sunday and the senior match will be played at 2pm."

What has a minor game between Mayo and Roscommon got to do with a Minor and Senior game in a different county?

Am I missing something? How was Sunday in McHale park a non runner or is he spoofing?

[Rossfan]

Because one or two Connacht Council Blazers would have to spend the day in Castlebar with tay and sangwedges instead of joining the rest o' them in Salthill getting a good dinner etc.

Let's hope the spirit of poor Dermot can inspire our ladeens to victory.

[ross4life]

Let's hope the spirit of poor Dermot can inspire our ladeens to victory.

+1

[ross4life]

Full time Mayo 1-11 Roscommon 0-11 early Exit for us for the 1st time in years, lack of scoring forwards cost us the game as we kicked 11 wides in the 1st half alone, Cillian O' Connor scored the Mayo goal (1-6 his total) & now they play Leitrim next weekend

[Rossfan]

Third year in a row we put out forwards that can't put the ball between the posts esp against those  shower.
Yet you'll find there are better forwards on the bench or not on the panel at all because they werent on u14 or 16 "development" squads.
How about a bit of basic development like learning to kick the friggin ball between the sticks?

[Tatler Jack]

Who won the Galway V Sligo minor game.

[Cosmo Kramer]

Who won the Galway V Sligo minor game.

Galway won it. By about 3 or 4 points I think.

[ross4life]

Who won the Galway V Sligo minor game.

Galway 0-13 Sligo 0-9

[Tatler Jack]

Who won the Galway V Sligo minor game.

Galway 0-13 Sligo 0-9

Thanks. Thought Sligo were being talked up this year.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Who won the Galway V Sligo minor game.

Connacht Minor Football semi final

GALWAY...............0-13
SLIGO.................0-7

By Michael O Connor.

Galway guaranteed by 1.15 that at least one side from the county would be represented on Connacht final day thanks to a hard earned Connacht semi final win over a game Sligo side that allowed Galway to build up a six point half time lead, watched them consolidate it for ten minutes of the second half before starting a fight back that fell just short as Shane Maughan was scorer in chief with seven deserved scores.
Sligo played with a two man full forward line against the breeze but Galway had three wides after only two minutes action. Indeed the Galway forwards were fouling early on making the Sligo defensive job all the simpler. The swirling wind was making kicking accurately difficult as Galway were attempting fast ball into Niall Walshe and he won their first free that was scored by corner forward Shane Maughan after seven minutes.
Within a minute the equaliser was over the Galway crossbar couresty of Sligo's Niall Murphy. A second pointed free by Maughan in the 10th minute was required as Sligo were defending well and indeed for most of the time during the first half when Galway attacked no player was within 60 yards of the Galway goal. Paul Varley could easily from 35 yards have lobbed Vincent Cadden when his speculative cannoned off the crossbar for Galway's third score.
Denis Coffey a minute later kicked into the grateful arms of James Keane from scenic Barna in the Galway goal. Wide number 5 for Galway was kicked by Galway centre forward Fintan Curran as the home side badly required to build up a sizable lead and this was praying on their nerves as Fiachra Barry stretched the Galway tally to four points after 17 minutes. Joe Rodgers saw his 18th minute effort for a point come off the Galway post as Galway's Cathal O Neill with a well taken score had Galway four clear after 20 minutes.
Sligo were content to defend in depth attack on the counter with a two man line inside. A fine effort from 50metres from Shane Maughan after 24 minutes who turned provider seconds later for Niall Walshe for another home side score settled Galway's nerves as they were now (0-7) to (0-1) clear and defending better having come to terms with the Sligo tactics.
Better interplay between the Galway forwards and sloppy passing by Sligo in the Galway half of the field set up a score for Niall Quinn. A crucial moment in the game emerged and past from a Sligo perspective unrewarded when Joe Rodgers set up Niall Murphy whose effort blazed inches wide across the face of the Galway goal. A goal at this stage would have undone all the Galway work and lifted the entire collective spirit of the Yeats county men. Sligo team captain Denis Coffey ended the scoring famine that had lasted twenty minutes when he scored a well taken effort from 30 yards just before the half time whistle as Galway retired (0-8) to (0-2) in front but far from confident facing the second half.
The opening two scores of the second half were shared between Shane Maughan (Galway) and Brian Egan (Sligo) after three minutes of action. Niall Murphy reduced the Galway lead to five with a fine score in the 37th minute as Galway played a conventional lineup against the breeze and low ball being sent in resulted in Maughan once more this time from play creating Galway's 10th score.
The final result was beginning to look more apparent as Maughan with the freedom of Salthill bestowed on him and Conor Rabbitte with a score each lifted Galway eight clear after 43 minutes. The most skilful score of the game to that juncture came from Sligo sub Cathal Brennan whose curled effort sailed over the Galway bar. This seemed to encourage Sligo as Enda McManus did likewise a minute later as Sligo once again were six in arrears. More than ever Sligo needed a goal yet a long range free from Egan for Sligo's third point in as many minutes had Galway alerted to this fact and they started to defend with more zeal.
Sligo were now on top and to their eternal dismay kicked five wides in the last eight minutes when at least two real scorable chances went abegging. By the 56th minute the deficit for Sligo was down to three points thanks to scores from Brian Egan and Niall Collery. A stunning effort deep into injury time by Shane Maughan rocketed off the crossbar but he won a free that he sent over to put Galway four clear and into the Connacht final against Mayo.
Best for the winners were James Shaughnessy, James Keane Marcus Kelly, Paul Varley, Thomas Flynn, Eanna O hEochaidh, Cathal O Neill and man of the hour Shane Maughan. Sligo let Galway get too far ahead and perhaps the tactics stifled their scoring potential in the first half but they worked well in the second half and on another day might have pulled through. Their best included Vincent Cadden, Killian Sweeney, Ray Connolly, Niall Murphy, Denis Coffey, Brian Egan, Enda McManus and Donal Brady.

GALWAY: James Keane, Philip Ezergalis, James Shaughnessy, Colm Mac Donnacha, Mark Loughnane, Marcus Kelly, Paul Varley (0-1), Thomas Flynn, Eanna Ó hEochaidh (Catpaen), Niall Quinn (0-1), Fintan Ó Curraoin, Fiach Ó Bearra (0-1), Cathal ONeill (0-1), Niall Walshe (0-1), Shane Maughan (0-7).
Sub. Conor Rabbitte (0-1) for Quinn, David Black for Loughnane, Eamon McCann for O Bearra
SLIGO: Vincent Cadden, Garret Ryan, Killian Sweeney, Glen Cryan, Liam Kennedy, Raymond Connolly, Donal Brady, Denis Coffey (CAPT.) (0-1), Cathal Finneran, Joseph Rogers, Enda Mc Manus (0-1), Ciaran Brennan (0-1), Niall Murphy (0-2), Brian Egan (0-3), Patrick Heraghty.
Sub: Cathal Brennan for Hegarty, Cian Killoran for Rogers, Niall Collery (0-1) for Brennan
Referee: Vincent Neary (Mayo).

[ross4life]

Connacht Gaa website got a scoreline wrong again 

[Farrandeelin]

Where is Mayo and Leitrim going to be played? Before the Senior replay next week? Surely they can't have 2 games in 2 different places...

[Farrandeelin]

Where is Mayo and Leitrim going to be played? Before the Senior replay next week? Surely they can't have 2 games in 2 different places...

Going ahead at 4.30 in Markievicz.

[magpie seanie]

Very disappointed with our minors. I really think we could have beaten Galway with better tactics and crucially a bit more belief. Galways midfield especially number 8 were brilliant throughout. Maughan (no 15) got man of the match but I thought Breathnach at 14 looked to have serious potential. The centre forward was also quite good. For us I was disapponted with one or two that I'd heard a lot about. Couldn't understand why it took so long for Collery (who was sensational at times for Summerhill when I saw him) to be introduced. Cathal Brennan impoved matters substantially when he came in too. A few lads I know to be good players not even listed in the subs as well. Just another case of what might have been which is unfortunate. I suppose you'll always have regrets with minors due to their age but still think we could have got somethnig out of this one.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Didn't see the game but a good win for Galway I guess especially as they were missing through injury probably their best player and main scorer in Peadar O'Griofa. Not sure how they will do after this as with minors you just don't know. About time they started winning Connacht titles again though. None since 2007. Feels longer though.