All-Ireland MFC final/Down 1-15 Mayo 0-8: Maybe some day they'll go on a winning streak and all this will be forgotten, but for now Mayo's succession of defeats in All-Ireland football finals seems to become more harrowing every year.
Since their minor team last triumphed in 1985, the county has lost 12 finals across the three grades - four at senior, four at under-21 and, after yesterday, four at minor. You have to wonder what they did to deserve this.
None of that should take away from the fact Down have proved themselves more than worthy of the title ESB All-Ireland minor football champions for 2005. Their 10-point victory in the early afternoon looked as calculated as it did impressive and extended their list of honours in the grade to four, the last being in 1999 (beating who else but Mayo).
From the word go the game started to unfold with a strong air of inevitability, Down quickly displaying their dominance all over the field. Captain James Colgan and Peter Fitzpatrick were the driving forces at midfield, while Mayo seemed to be driving the smaller engine with at least one less gear. It was the kind of game Mayo could have played 10 times over and still struggled to win.
Down's scores came easy and not without grace. Full forward Ryan Kelly ended up with 0-5, two from play, while centre forward Martin Clarke added two during his hour of tireless playmaking.
The score that ultimately killed the game as a contest was Paul McCumiskey's goal, which unfortunately also ended the afternoon for the Mayo goalkeeper Shane Nallen.
The second half was only four minutes old, with Down comfortably leading 0-11 to 0-5. Mayo had opened the half with two much-needed points, but then Declan Lavery laid on to McCumiskey in front of goal. McCumiskey appeared to be fisting for a point, but as the ball dropped Nallen attempted to fist it clear - only to direct it into his own net. His head clipped the post in the process and he left the field on a stretcher, suffering mild concussion.
Down now had a 1-11 to 0-5 advantage, and when they scored the next two points it was curtains for Mayo. Winning manager Mark Turley could savour every minute from there to the end and enjoyed the luxury of using his full share of the substitutes, including Gavin Joyce for goalkeeper Michael McAllister.
Mayo can have no complaints. They were simply outplayed, not necessarily by a stronger or even more accurate team (Mayo hit only seven wides) but by a superbly balanced and immaculately prepared outfit. Tellingly, Ulster teams have now win six of the last eight minor titles - Cork and Laois providing the exceptions - and clearly the Northern counties won't be surrendering their hold on the power-button any time soon.
All the Down manager could really do was admire his team's efforts.
"That was definitely our best performance of the year," said Turley. "I thought we did play very well against Galway in the quarter-final, but that topped it again. It's been great to have the chance to prove ourselves, and I think we did that. And I felt this team was maybe good enough to win last year. We had seven or eight of those back with us, so winning here does go some way towards making up for that.
"And yeah, everything worked out great for us. I'm delighted there for the captain James Colgan, who's in his third year as a minor and is just an unbelievable young man."
The only false note in Down's season was the one-point defeat to Armagh in the Ulster final, a game best remembered for Kevin Duffin's missed penalty with five minutes remaining. Duffin was clearly intent on making amends yesterday, popping up for a point from wing back as Down eased in for the kill.
Mayo had also lost their provincial final by a point to Galway, meaning for the first time we had a final without provincial champions. There is talk of doing away with the back door at minor level, but Turley was adamant it should stay.
"Absolutely. I think to deny that team a second chance the way the seniors do would have been a great shame. We're only talking about one extra match, and it's been great for us."
Yet again Mayo will find it hard to stomach a defeat like this. Captain Aidan Campbell tried to inspire a second-half rally, with Tom Cunniff doing all he could at centre back.
Midfielder Pierce Hanley later moved to full forward in an effort to work a miracle, and while he nearly stole a goal with 10 minutes remaining, even that would have offered small consolation.
DOWN: 1. M McAllister; 2. G Magee, 3. C Garvey, 4. H Magee; 5. G McCartan, 6. E McConville, 7. K Duffin (0-1); 8. J Colgan (capt), 9. P Fitzpatrick (0-1); 10. D Lavery (0-1), 11. M Clarke (0-2, one free), 12. S Grant; 13. C Brannigan (0-1), 14. R Kelly (0-5, three frees), 15. P McCumiskey (1-3). Subs: 21. R Kerr for Grant (39 mins), 23. C Murney for Duffin (48 mins), 20. C Clerkin (0-1) for Lavery (52 mins), 19. K McKernan for Fitzpatrick (57 mins), 16. G Joyce for McAllister (59 mins).
MAYO: 1. S Nallen; 2. P Healy, 3. G Cafferkey, 22. J Burke; 5. C Barrett (0-1), 6. T Cunniff, 7. D Hughes; 8. Peter Collins, 9. P Hanley; 10. A Campbell (capt, 0-4, all frees), 11. D O'Connor (0-1), 12. P O'Connor; 13. R O'Boyle (0-1, a free), 14. D Kilcullen, 17. M Sweeney. Subs: 18. S O'Shea for Burke (28 mins), 15. G O'Boyle for P O'Connor (29 mins), 16. K Barnacle for Nallen (36 mins, inj), 20. S Kelly for Kilcullen (49 mins), 23. J Noone (0-1) for O'Boyle (54 mins).
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).
