By the time the final whistle sounded in James Stephens Park
in Ballina around 3.30 on Saturday last (7 May) Mayo’s senior hurlers had well and
truly put behind their early season woes behind them as they completed a seven-point
victory over a Sligo team who left Ballina with the spoils when the sides met
in the National League some weeks previously.
It had all started very brightly for the Yeats County as
Andrew Kilcullen and a Conor Hanniffy got the opening points and they led all
the way through the first half and went in a the the break with a one-point
lead 0-13 to 0-12 after an evenly contested and entertaining first half with
Sligo scores coming from Andy Kilcullen who got six points – five points from
frees, Gerard O’Kelly Lynch (four) Joe McHugh (two) and Conor Hanniffy.
Tomas Cawley pointed for the first score of the second half
and although Mayo hit back immediately with two quick points, Hanniffy was on
hand four minutes into the half to crash home a goal and open a three-point lead
1-14 to 0-14.
Far from dispiriting the home side, those scores seemed to
energise them. They added two points before
taking the lead for the first time with 28th minute goal, after which
they were never headed p adding a further 1-6 to Sligo’s 0-5 over the final 20 minutes.
With one game left in the Christy Ring Cup group stage Mayo
now head into their last game, also at home, knowing that a win over Sligo’s League
final conquerors, in that game will put then through to the Christy Ring Cup
final.
Sligo meanwhile are not yet guaranteed to stay in the competition
for next year but have their fate in their own hands
Sligo: Jimmy Gordon; Niall Kilcullen, Niall Feehily, Kevin Kennedy;
Gavin Connolly, Rory McHugh, Fionn Connolly; Finnian Cawley, Patrick Foley; Tony
O’Kelly Lynch, Gerard O’Kelly Lynch (0-6, 4f, '45), Conor Hanniffy (1-1); Joe McHugh (0-2), Andy Kilcullen (0-10, 8f),
Tomás Cawley (0-1)