Mayo 1-22
New York 0-4
John Fallon reports from Gaelic Park
MAYO GOT THEIR 2019 championship campaign off to an impressive start with a facile win at Gaelic Park against a New York side who were outclassed.
James Horan’s men stamped their authority on the game from the start and never took their foot off the gas.
Mayo shot eleven wides from eight different players in the opening half but they still led by 1-15 to 0-2 at the end of the opening half.
Mayo dominated midfield from the outset through the Breaffy pair of championship debutant Matthew Ruane and Aidan O’Shea and with New York persisting with long kickouts, they were on the back foot from the start.
Wing-backs James McCormack, another championship debutant, and Paddy Durcan showed their forwards how to do it with two early points as the game quickly slipped away from the Exiles.
All six forwards found the range in the opening half for Mayo, and despite five wides they still led by 0-6 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter.
Jason Doherty, Fergal Boland and Kevin McLoughlin kicked two points each and it took a stunning save from Vinny Cadden to deny Doherty the opening goal.
It took New York 27 minutes to shoot their first wide, by which time Mayo were 0-14 to 0-0 in front.
One of the biggest cheers of the day from the crowd of 6,000 greeted New York’s opening score from Luke Kelly after 29 minutes and Daniel McKenna quickly added another one.
But Mayo finished the half strongly with Evan Regan bringing his haul to 1-4 when he finished a rebound to the net after his initial effort was again superbly saved by Cadden.
The one-way traffic continued after the restart with Mayo tacking on four points without reply in the third quarter and would have been further ahead was not for some more wayward shooting.
Luke Kelly finally responded with an excellent point for New York with their opening score of the half after 55 minutes.
Ciaran Treacy and James Carr hit back for Mayo before Kevin Finn landed a fine effort for a New York side who never gave up.
Mayo introduced Andy Moran for his 77th championship appearance in the closing stages, 15 years after making his debut here and becomes the only player to feature four times against New York.
Scorers for Mayo: E Regan 1-5 (0-4f), F Boland 0-4, J Doherty 0-2, J Carr 0-2, K McLoughlin 0-2, M Ruane 0-1, L Keegan 0-1, P Durcan 0-1, J McCormack 0-1, R Hennelly 0-1 (0-1 ’45), D Coen 0-1, M Plunkett 0-1.
Scorers for New York: L Kelly 0-2, D McKenna 0-1, K Finn 0-1.
Mayo
1. Robert Hennelly (Breaffy)
21. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
3. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)
5. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels – captain)
6. Lee Keegan (Westport)
7. James McCormack (Claremorris)
8. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
9. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
12. Fergal Boland (Aghamore)
11. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
10. Evan Regan (Ballina Stephenites)
13. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
14. Darren Coen (Hollymount/Carramore)
15. James Carr (Ardagh)
Substitutes:
23. Ciaran Treacy (Ballina Stephenites) for Doherty (half-time)
18. David Drake (Ballinderreen) for Higgins (43)
19. Michael Plunkett (Michael Davitts) for Keegan (43)
26. Conor Diskin (Claremorris) for Coen (54)
17. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore) for Ruane (61)
25. Andy Moran (Ballaghderreen) for Carr (65)
New York
1. Vinny Cadden (Sligo)
2. Michael Creegan (Leitrim)
3. Gerard McCartan (Monaghan)
4. Robert Gorman (Sligo)
5. Paddy Boyle (Brooklyn Shamrocks)
6. Michael Naughton (Donegal)
7. Matthew Queenan (Mayo)
8. Cathal Compton (Manhattan Gaels)
9. Sean Hurley (Brooklyn Shamrocks)
10. Shane Hogan (St Barnabas)
11. Luke Kelly (Kerry)
12. Daniel McKenna (Sligo)
13. David Freeman (Longford)
14. Niall Madine (Kerry)
15. Peter Hatzer (Donegal)
Substitutes:
17. Conor Connolly (Monaghan) for Naughton (29)
22. Kevin Finn (Manhattan Gaels) for Hatzer (half-time)
21. Ryan Kerley (St Barnabas) for Creegan (53)
25. Dylan McDermott (Westmeath) for McKenna (59)
19. James Maughan (Mayo) for Hogan (66)
23. Tiernan Mathers (Shannon Gaels) for Freeman (70)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
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