Mayo breeze into semi-final

Connacht Under-21 FC/Mayo 0-21 Sligo 0-6 : Mayo cruised into the semi-final of the Connacht under-21 football championship with…

Connacht Under-21 FC/Mayo 0-21 Sligo 0-6: Mayo cruised into the semi-final of the Connacht under-21 football championship with a facile win over Sligo at McHale Park yesterday evening.

Leading by 0-14 to 0-4 at half-time having played with the aid of a very strong breeze, Mayo did not let up in the second half as Sligo fell apart.

It was Mayo's class in the forward line, however, which really set them up for an easy win as the reigning Connacht champions set out their stall in the first half, all six forwards hitting the target but none more frequently than senior panellist, Damien Munnelly.

The Knockmore clubman combined well with Michael Conroy contributing nine points between them, Munnelly nailing seven - three from play - while fellow clubman and man of the match Aidan Kilcoyne took over in the scoring department in the second half.

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Sligo should have had two goals in that first half but the alertness of David Clarke - surprisingly replaced by senior goalkeeper Fintan Ruddy at half-time - insured a clean sheet for Mayo.

Fifteen minutes elapsed before Sligo had their second score, Dermot McTiernan adding to a fourth-minute point from Adrian Marren, but there was really only one team in the game at any stage as Mayo dominated.

MAYO: F Ruddy; D Geraghty, P Navin, T Howley; L O'Malley, M Carey, R Feeney; R McNamara, D McClean (0-2); A Moran (0-1), P Doherty (0-1), A Kilcoyne (0-4); A Costello (0-3), D Munnelly (0-7, four frees), M Conroy (0-3). Subs: DF Ruddy for Clarke, C Barrett for McClean, N Lydon for Munnelly, B Kelly for A Moran. C Halloran for Geraghty.

SLIGO: H Durkin; C Carroll, M Quinn, K Carden; R Doyle, C Neary, K Gallagher; T Taylor, K Sweeney; B Reilly, S Leonard, F Horan (0-1); D McTiernan (0-2), A Marren (0-2), K Kerins (0-1). Subs: K Carden for Doyle, B Collins for Carroll, B McDonagh for Leonard, S McHugh for Sweeney.

Referee: P McGovern Galway)