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1948
Open Letter to Mayo |
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The
much improved fortunes of Mayo are traced to a definitive turning-point
in late 47. |
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Traditional
Adversaries
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| In the
first round of the Connacht Championship,Mayo overwhelmed Leitrim.They
got a close run from Sligo at Sligo.Meanwhile Galway had ended Roscommon's
reign as Provincial champions. So the old traditional adversrees faced each other once more with Simon Duignan of Cavan as referee. Mayo were on top in the first half and led at half-time on the score,Mayo 2-3,Galway 0-3,with the goals coming from Tom Langan and Peter Solan. Mayo could only manage one point in the second half and a Jarlath Canavan goal helped Galway level affairs. Mayo breathed a sigh of relief when a Stockwell point was ruled our as being 'thrown'over the bar and the game ended level,Galway 1-7 Mayo 2-4. The replay also ended ina welter of excitement and another draw with a Padraic Carney pointed-free hitting the cross-bar en route, thus levelling the match at 1-6 each. The goals had come from a Tom Sullivan penalty for Galway and a Peter Solan effort for Mayo. In extra time Galway started better with an early Stockwell goal and a Purcell point, but Mayo finished the stronger and a Sean Mulderrig goal and points by Carney saw them take their fist Connacht title since'39. The final score: Mayo 2-10 Galway 2-7. In the All-Ireland Semi-Final,Mayo caused one of those major surprises that make Gaelic football such a rich fround and attractive pursuit for the sternal optimist. Mayo swept Kerry aside,denying them a score in a magical second half performance,in which Sean Flanagan was superme. The final score: Mayo, 0-13 Kerry 0-3. |
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Scramble
for Tickets
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| The
scramble for match-tickets for the All-Ireland final was intense in
an effort to avoid the heaving masses on the terraces. Mayo,captaind by John Forde,faced the glamour team of Gaelic football, Cavan, with their wealth of household names such as:John Joe O Reilly,Tony Tighe,Victor Sherlock & Peter Donohoe,dubbled 'the Babe Ruth' of Gaelic Football in New York,(after the legendary Yankee's baseball player). The Cavan Captain was the peerless Mick Higgins. Unbelievable as it may sound, the half- time score stood,Cavan 3-2 Mayo 0-0,the Cavan scorers were,Peter Donohue,2-2,Victor Sherlock,1-0. |
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Croke
Park Stage-fright
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| Mayo
began the second half with a determination to redeem themselves for
the first half dishonour. Mulderrig opeded their account with a point and Solan added a goal. Cavan, however,responded with a Higgins goal and points from Sherlock and Donohue. The score now stood, Cavan, 4-4,Mayo, 1-1,a gap of twelve points. Tom Action had two opportunistic goals to give Mayo hope. This was futher enhanced when Carney,converted a penalty after a foul on Langan. Carney,Mulderrig and Mongey levelled the game as the Mayo support went into raptures. Donohue pointed a free as the tension reached knife-edge. Then came one of the great talking points of the game. Mayo were awarded a 14 yards free at an angle to the goal. Carney took the kick but it was blocked down by Higgins who, in Mayo eyes,was standing or had advanced to within ten yards of the kick. Mayo got no futher chance to wqualise as the referee blew for full-time with,in Mayo eyes, time still left to play. The two issues were much debated subsequently but the records show Cavan 4-5,Mayo, 4-4. 'ROBBED'screaned the banner headline in The Western People.Eamonn Mongey reckoned that Mayo suffered fron 'stage fright'in that opening half and that was their downfal. A scibe of the time summed up Mayo feelings with:'Of all the sad words of tongue of pen the saddest are these,it might have been'.
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