Search Results for 'Darren Coen'

Tyrone 3-10   Mayo 0-16

Mayo 1-14

A Saturday just after midday may not have the feel of championship football, but that’s what it will be for the Mayo minors tomorrow. After overcoming Roscommon, Leitrim, and Galway to claim their third Connacht title in a row, the next stop on the train is Hyde Park and meeting with Offaly. The midlanders were surprised in the Leinster final, where Longford put in a match winning display against a team who had beaten them by 22 points earlier in the championship in Leinster (which has a backdoor, unlike the Connacht championship). Mayo manager Tony Duffy has been working hard to ensure his side do not go into the game complacent after winning the Connacht title. “We’ve had three tough championship games so far, we beat Roscommon, Leitrim, and Galway by only a handful of scores each time. We may have been the better sides in those games, but it was always close enough that the lads knew it was championship football and had to concentrate all the time. They [Offaly] are a big physical side, I think they were caught on the hop in the Leinster final by Longford after beating them by 22 points back in April. I’m sure their pride has been really hurt by that defeat and that they’ll have one big kick in them to prove themselves and we could be the side on the end of that kick on Saturday. It’s about us being able to handle it and play our own game.”

Last Sunday in capturing a third Connacht Minor title in a row our minor team achieved three things. First, they cheered us all up and put a little spring in our step again; second, they did themselves and their families proud — what parent does not dream of seeing his child play in the green and red for their county and then go on to win? — and third, securing Connacht titles following on from two All Ireland final appearances certainly prove that there is a steady flow of talent in the county. How we harness that talent now is a matter for another day.

Travelling down the Curragh line on Sunday morning to McHale Park for the Connacht minor final, it was difficult to anticipate anything except a Mayo victory. Their third in a row since Galway’s last win back in 2007.

While Roscommon and Sligo face each other in the senior decider, traditional rivals Mayo and Galway get proceedings underway in the minor curtain raiser in McHale Park this Sunday. Both teams have had impressive runs to the final and as always with these age old rivals, winning could come down to a bounce of the ball or even a refereeing decision.

Mayo 2-12

John O'Mahony named his squad for the championship on Monday, there were no major surprises in the 30 men named, with Belmullet's Billy Joe Padden the only man who wasn't involved in action so far this year coming back into contention. O'Mahony now has 33 days to get his team ready for Sligo in the Connacht championship opener.

St Gerald’s 0-11

On Sunday three Mayo schools will go into battle to compete for a chance to bring the Aonghus Murphy Cup back to their domicile in a couple of weeks. Last year’s defending champions St Coleman’s, Claremorris, the side they defeated in the final last year St Gerald’s, Castlebar, and this year’s surprise league champions St Muredach’s, Ballina, are in all the final four of the competition. And who is the other side joining them there? While tradition would plump for the great Connacht football nursery St Jarlath’s, Tuam, who have picked up 12 Hogan Cups over their decorated history, double that of any other side in history, you would be wrong. This year has seen a changing of the guard, however temporarily, with Summerhill College, Sligo, making up the quartet.