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Mayo new boys star

The new-look Mayo forward line gave manager Pat Holmes his first league points in the current campaign at Crossmolina yesterday…

Mon Nov 15 1999 - 00:00

The new-look Mayo forward line gave manager Pat Holmes his first league points in the current campaign at Crossmolina yesterday afternoon.

Attack has been Mayo's Achilles heel in recent seasons and Holmes has obviously targeted this sector. Yesterday he gambled on the youthful enthusiasm and raw potential of newcomers like Stephen Carolan and Kevin Filan and the duo certainly repaid the new manager's faith.

Filan, a revelation at corner forward, kicked a goal and four points from play while Carolan, who has been playing junior football all year, chipped in with four points.

Fermanagh were weakened by the absence of their Enniskillen players but were still well in contention for large parts of the first half. The turning point of the game was an outstanding Kevin Filan goal after 10 minutes.

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The Castlebar club man picked up a flick ball from Kevin O'Neill and burst past two tackles before firing past Paul Maguire in the Fermanagh goal. The goal kick-started Mayo who had looked sluggish early on and a couple of great points from play by Dermot Higgins and David Nestor copper-fastened their advantage.

Mayo led by 1-8 to 0-6 at the interval and they started the second half where they had left off with a Kevin O'Neill point.

Fermanagh were denied a way back into the game when Peter Burke saved well from Raymond Gallagher and almost immediately David Nestor pointed for Mayo.

Gallagher and Sean Quinn kicked two fine points for the visitors but five points on the trot for Mayo by Stephen Carolan (two), Kevin Filan (two) and this year's minor midfielder James Gill sealed the points for Mayo.

MAYO: P Burke; K Mortimer, K Cahill, A Higgins; D Higgins (0-2), J Mallon, A Roche; D Heaney, P Fallon; D Nestor (0-3), S Carolan (0-4), K O'Neill (0-1); K Filan (1-4), M Smith, G Brady. Subs: E Lavelle for Brady, J Gill (0-1) for O'Neill, J Lavin for Lavelle, R McCallion for Mallon.

FERMANAGH: P Maguire; P McGuinness, P Courtney, S Beggan; T Callaghan, T Collins, K Gallagher; L McBarron, P Quinn; S McDermott, S King (0-2), K Cassidy (0-1); R Gallagher (0-4), S Quinn (0-2), D Fitzpatrick. Subs: N Rooney for Cassidy, D McGrath for S Quinn.

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).