The Mayo Minors are into the All-Ireland semi-final, following a 3-13 to 4-7 win over Leinster champions Offaly at Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon today. Aided by a stiff breeze, our lads were well in charge at the end of the first half but they had to dig deep late on to seal a hard-fought three-point win.
The winners struck for goal early on. The Offaly backline failed to deal with a long ball in, which was instead gathered by Ben Holmes and he passed it to Conor Hession who slipped it to the net.
We couldn’t have asked for a better start. However, that lead lasted all of three minutes and the Faithful posted 1-3 without reply to push three ahead.
We then swapped points – Ben Holmes (a free) scoring for us – before Dara Flanagan raided forward and crashed a shot low to the corner of the net.
Now it was all Mayo and, in all, we hit them for an unanswered total of 2-6 to surge nine ahead at the break. After those scores mentioned above from Ben Holmes and Dara Flanagan, the same two players added points (the one from Ben Holmes was a free) and then Conor Coghill raided forward to bag our third goal.
Dara Flanagan, Conor Hession (a two-point free) and Rhys Neary closed out that impressive spell for us. Nine up at the break, we were now well on top but also well aware that they had the aid of that strong wind in the second half.
The breeze wasn’t really a factor in the three goals we conceded after the break. They were all poor ones to concede from a defensive point of view and, with Offaly failing to use the wind to find the target with greater ease, these majors brought the Leinster champions roaring back into it.
Nearly ten minutes had passed in the second half before we opened our account in the half. Predictably, it came from Conor Hession who guided a free over the bar.
A third Offaly goal reduced the gap to three and, with Rhys Neary forced off through injury and Ben Holmes withdrawn as well, we now looked under serious pressure.
That pressure increased several notches when they broke through for a fourth goal, which they followed up with a point from a free to edge in front for the first time since well before the break. They now looked far likelier to prevail.
But then came what was, in retrospect, the game’s turning point. A ref who was reluctant to blow the whistle at all gave us a 50-metre advantage when an Offaly player failed to back off after we’d claimed possession from a restart.
It looked a harsh call. It was made worse from the Leinster county’s point of view when Conor Hession brought the ball back outside the arc and drove the free over from there for a two-point score that edged us back in front.
Now we had the momentum behind us coming down the stretch. Further precious points, from subs Oran Murphy and Ben Joyce, sealed a three-point win for us.
The lads now advance to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Kerry. The winners of that one will then face either Roscommon or Tyrone in the Markham Cup decider so a second all-Connacht final remains a possibility.
After today’s hard-fought win, however, all the focus will be on the Kingdom in a fortnight’s time and the chance then to advance to an All-Ireland final.
Mayo: Thomas Williams; Conor Coghill (1-0), Barry Langan, Cahair Tighe; Ryan O’Donnell, Declan Duffy, Dara Flanagan (1-3); Adam Kelly, Eoghan Dever; Patrick Garvey, Ben Holmes (0-2, frees), Conor Jordan; Fiachre Ó Cinsealla, Conor Hession (1-5, two 2pt free, one free), Rhs Neary (0-1). Subs: Oran Murphy (0-1) for Holmes, Fionn Ó Cinsealla for Neary, Oisín McCann for Fiachre Ó Cinsealla, Ben Joyce (0-1) for Garvey.
Our Final Whistle pod from Dr Hyde Park is up now on Patreon.
Mayonaze says:
June 8, 2025 at 5:52 pm
Well done to them and the effort. Definitely need to tighten up at the back (seems a common trend at underage for us!?). Despite this obvious area of concern, the boys fought for the colours.
Corick bridget says:
June 8, 2025 at 6:21 pm
Congratulations
Craggy boglands says:
June 8, 2025 at 6:23 pm
Well done lads. I've heard hession is hot.
JP says:
June 8, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Well done to the minors.
Defending to prevent goals needs immediate addressing in our academy system. We're too naive and easily pulled apart for goals is an ongoing trend.
Muckle says:
June 8, 2025 at 6:31 pm
The instructions at half time must have been to keep ball
I think that strategy was nearly our undoing. This is a good minor team but they need to play attacking football for the sixty minutes and not reduce the intensity. They can go all the way but should not play lateral football.
Willie Joe says:
June 8, 2025 at 6:31 pm
Final Whistle pod is up on Patreon!
Mayonaze says:
June 8, 2025 at 6:49 pm
@JP….literally saying that years now. It’s baffling really, especially given we have the players and talent to be rock solid defensively but it’s obviously being overlooked at underage. Nothing else to explain it. But ultimately it’ll catch you out. Our u20’s were awful open at the back all year and management were unable to deal with it.
Coveyexile says:
June 8, 2025 at 8:02 pm
Was one of the ‘happy few’ who bothered to attend the match and support our future senior heroes. Mayo supporters were outnumbered by about 20 to 1 ( and maybe that’s an under calculation ). Somewhat similar to the U20 semi against Louth in Longford. I know Louth/Offaly don’t usually hit these dizzy heights and thus they were both bound to bring multitudes from their counties but the absence of significant numbers of the Green and Red was shamefully disappointing for such a traditional football county . The magnificent minors need and deserve your support . May the numbers of Mayo fans for the Kerry game multiply like loaves and fishes. It is an honour and a county responsibility to be there to give vocal support to this team .
The deel rover says:
June 8, 2025 at 8:06 pm
God this forum is frustrating at times . Even winning can't keep some posters happy . Do ye coach much yourselves lads ? Enjoy the win , it's only a game of ball at the end of the day , thankfully it's not life or death
Ontheditch says:
June 8, 2025 at 8:13 pm
Agree with you muckle. We had found a nice rhythm by the end of the first half. We invited Offaly back and they accepted our invitation. Lesson learned I hope as there were some fine individual performances, the future is bright
Tom fahey says:
June 8, 2025 at 8:58 pm
Where were all the supporters today i was very disappointed with poor mayo supports just like last week in Omagh.
Mayonaze says:
June 8, 2025 at 9:07 pm
There were very few of us in Omagh last week, Tom. The numbers are back to 2011 level. It’ll return in time, but they’ve been dropping since ‘21 and I know a lot of people who wouldn’t at all be bandwagoners who just have found it incredibly difficult to get back going after the 21 final.
JoeG says:
June 8, 2025 at 9:07 pm
Our minors as usual are a good watch. Coveyexile you're right there weren't many of us there but hopefully a big turnout for the Kerry semi.
I know we were a bit open at times but when on the front foot they were excellent. Kelly fielded some amount of ball and Mayo comfortably won the midfield battle.
After watching all 4 semifialists the S&C of Tyrone makes them look an age group above the others and I'm honestly glad we haven't gone down that path. As is normal with this age group improvement during the campaign can be massive and if we improve again then who knows?
Well done David, Tom and management team as well as the young bucks.
Clare says:
June 8, 2025 at 9:35 pm
@Mayonaze
Your totally right there . I know a good few who just can't go to matches anymore after 21 and family members the same . They would have always gone to the matches is well but 21 was just the nail in the coffin for them .
21 was just awful .
Though hopefully we will get back there . We have talent coming up for sure looking at the minors and under 20s .
Still think it will go down to the wire v Donegal .
p mac says:
June 8, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Great credit due to our minor team to overcome a tricky wind and get the vital scores to win the game
in the last few minutes. They showed great fighting spirit and never say die attitude.
Mayo’s support was poor on the day minimum 90%
Offaly and they made their presence felt.
This team deserves better support as they play a great brand of football. Moving the ball at pace and
scoring very well. I think we will see a good crowd v Kerry in 2 weeks time.
Bb midlands says:
June 8, 2025 at 11:09 pm
Many people cannot afford the travelling and ticket. I thought about supporting today, but had to look at last weekend and next weekend, and I need time at home. The travelling can be hard, as it is a whole day when all added up. Great for those that can do it, but please dont judge others, they may have many other things in their lives. It doent mean they dont support. Be happy you got there.
tirawleybaron says:
June 9, 2025 at 6:01 am
Congratulations to the minor team. That Offaly team were Leinster champions and were a talented bunch.
Good to see the team have learned from their Connacht final defeat and pushed on at the end to win.
Hession showed real quality to step out and kick the two points free. Good to see someone in Mayo can step up to the plate when it's needed, back himself, and then deliver.
The air gets much thinner from here and Kerry are very impressive at this level and won't be beaten easy.
Robe green and red says:
June 9, 2025 at 10:30 am
If the backs can tighten up and stop conceding soft goals we will then beat Kerry. We have conceded 8 goals in our last 2 games which is a worrying trend
TsuDhoNim says:
June 9, 2025 at 2:15 pm
@Robe green and red: *If we can tighten up at the back.
Important to remember it's a team game. Not sure if we can realistically put too much of the blame from the goals on defenders yesterday.
3/4 goals (all in the 2nd half) came from turnovers up the field, with the other predominantly coming from failure of more advanced players to tag a runner (jogger to be honest, wasn't any particular pace in the move ambling along) through the middle.
A couple from uncharacteristic freak mistakes (attempted passes going straight to an Offaly player), one from a pretty harsh call for a free (which did end in a defensive lapse allowing the goal) and 1 where we let a runner through the middle without being tagged (by non defenders) before a defender got caught for pace/flat-footed to allow an almost back-door cut score the goal. I'd be looking at ~1.5 being on defenders (with one goal being 90% on a defender slip... but the same lad having an outstanding game and right up there for Man-of-the-Match) and ~2.5 on lads further up the field, with the slips further up the field much easier to fix than expecting lads to hold to 0 really talented forwards doing what they've been managing to do against every side they've played.
Outside the goals scored, we were too often opened up right down the middle for a number of other goal opportunities. A couple of those spurned by the attackers and a couple brilliantly prevented by a last ditch block or solid defending. Again, though, very little of that was slack marking or poor play by a defender. Nearly all going back to our inability to hinder/tag/pressure the runners coming from deep. (As others have mentioned elsewhere, a lot of the same headaches we hit against Louth in the 20s with their running game)
All that said... a huge job coming up for the defenders against Kerry. A very different type of challenge to Offaly's running game, where they're centred all year around goals (they'd have 23 goals in their 8 games this year to Kerry's 5 in 4 games).
Kerry have two real danger men in White (outstanding last year, makes them tick from 11) & Griffin (strong, powerful, accurate, dangerous from 2s and even more dangerous inside at 14). Hold those and we've a real chance. Comparison would be a little like holding Paudie and David at senior for them, they've other dangers but if those two pop off it's a big problem.
They're a side well capable of creating goal chances, all 6 forwards would back themselves to take on their man, but would look to build a majority of their scores from more range. Either with long direct kicks inside or much more shooting from range than we saw yesterday. That was something that almost cost them in their QF when they went 2 point hunting - so it'll be interesting to see if Quillinan tries to encourage them to push a bit closer in for the semi, or if they might even do it naturally given Mayo's defence with very different pros & cons to Cavan's who did set up a lot more defensive than we normally would.
Fantastic to hear the 2 lads that missed yesterday should be back fighting for contention the next day out. Fingers crossed none of the knocks picked up were too serious, and we've a full panel to pick from.
Should be a cracking semi-final you'd hope, with two sides both looking to play football & bomb forward at every opportunity.