Mayo delivers a display worthy of a place in the final
 BY david
thorpe
The best game of this year’s football champion-ship produced arguably
the highest-quality performance ever by a Mayo side at Croke Park.
Dublin played the same excellent football that has been the hallmark of
their 2006 Championship campaign but Mayo were mighty in every sector
of the field as the quest for that elusive All-Ireland title continues.
In the centre Ronan McGarrity and Pat Harte completely dominated mixing
spectacular fielding with tireless running which prevented Dublin playing
their running game.
The Connacht Champions rattled over the first four points and the belief
surged through their young players. Dublin could muster only a string
of poor wides in reply as the hoardes on the hill grew restless.
Paul Caffrey’s men improved as the half progressed and the contest
seemed set to revert to the script when Conal Keaney goaled on 28 minutes
to level the match.
A ‘45 from Quinn put Dublin ahead with half-time looming but the
mettle which Mickey Moran has added to Mayo was shining through and fine
points from Kevin O’Neill and the outstanding Conor Mortimer put
the Westerners ahead at the break.
A contest which frequently sailed into the realms of brilliance took another
turn in the initial minutes of the second-half. Dublin snatched their
second goal through Jason Sherlock — an effort complimented by fine
points from Alan Brogan, Keith Bonner and Keaney. The Metropolitans were
motoring while Mayo looked like rabbits caught in headlights.
The Connacht side produced some of the finest football of the year to
fight back. Substitute Andy Moran’s goal on 53 minutes turned the
tide west of the Shannon and with Mortimer the hard-working McDonald and
the underrated Alan Dillon contributing the points Mayo moved closer to
an other All-Ireland Final against Kerry.
Mayo have always had the skill to be All-Ireland Champions but this year
they have added steel to subtelty. Defensively there is much for them
to work on ahead of their clash with the Kingdom and all the talk before
the final will focus on how the backs will deal with the towering Kieran
Donaghy. Dublin will have other days in the sun but were hampered by their
relatively easy passage in this year’s Championship, Mayo were the
first non Leinster side they faced in 2006.
Mickey Moran praised his teams efforts afterwards. He said: “These
are some of the hardest working players in Ireland. All the hard nights
of training came together on Sunday it took two teams to make it an epic,
our boys were a bit stronger on the day and all the credit belongs to
them. We will start planning for the final and need fear no one at this
stage.”
While we won’t have the fabled Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland final few
will begrudge Mayo their place on the big stage on the third Sunday in
September. |
