Roscommon 5-16 Mayo 2-22 (After Extra-Time)
A great week for Roscommon football got even better as the county's Under-20 footballers produced a barnstorming display to win a magnificent and marathon Connacht championship final after extra-time on Wednesday evening at Tuam Stadium.
Once again it was Mayo who were on the wrong side of the result against their neighbours as Keith Higgins’ side came up just short after a game that ebbed and flowed from start to finish.
Roscommon substitute Ruari Kilcline emerged as the two-goal hero for the winners while John Curran, John McGuinness and Kevin Hester also hit the net for the winners.
Kobe McDonald, who made his senior championship debut last Sunday, scored another sensational goal after only three minutes and finished with 1-07 in total after an influential display.
Mayo’s second goal was scored by Tom Lydon, who also chipped in with four fine points from play.
The defending champions looked set to hang on for a dramatic win when they led by a point two minutes into added time, but Cian’s Smith’s Roscommon salvaged a draw courtesy of a fantastic point from wing-back Keelan Kelly.
The scoreboard read Mayo 2-15, Roscommon 3-12 when the final whistle sounded.
Extra-time was as frantic as it was compelling with the outstanding Lydon edging Mayo ahead before a goal from Hester after seven minutes propelled Roscommon into the driving seat.
But Mayo came roaring back with three unanswered points from their talisman McDonald, Dylan Flynn and Colm Lynch to lead at the break by 2-19 to 4-12.
The outcome continued to hang in the balance all through the second period of extra-time but Roscommon took the initiative four minutes after the restart with an inspirational two-pointer from captain Eoghan Carthy.
Talented attacker Dean Casey, who had been re-introduced from the bench, then popped up to hit a stunning score that doubled the Rossie’s lead.
Mayo senior panellist Darragh Beirne had a goal chance smothered that resulted in a converted '45 from McDonald to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but Roscommon then struck for what turned out to be the defining score of the evening.
It came after a lightning quick counter-attack resulted in a high delivery to towering targetman, Ruairi Kilcline, who turned his man and finished to the Mayo net brilliantly.
That 80th minute goal pushed Roscommon four points clear and, despite their best efforts, Mayo were unable to close the gap again and send the game to a penalty shoot-out.
McDonald fired over a point and substitute Cian Walsh had the last score of an eventful evening, but Dean Casey’s free that was sandwiched in between helped to keep Roscommon out of reach.
A close contest had been predicted in advance and it was obvious from the early stages that this latest renewal between the counties was going to go to the wire.
McDonald’s latest comic book style goal set the tone for a pulsating first half that ended with Mayo leading by 2-07 to 1-06.
By that stage Tom Lydon had shot 1-02 for the holders with John Curran doing likewise for Roscommon, while McGuinness and Niall Heneghan were both denied goals by a couple of smart saves from Mayo’s Conor Meaney.
The second half unfolded along similar lines with Roscommon hitting the ground running with five points without reply from Casey, Colin Murray, McGuinness and Carthy (a two-point free) to take the lead for the first time in the match.
Mayo stuck to their game-plan though with Beirne (2) and McDonald hitting the target to edge the holders ahead again.
But Roscommon’s ability to hit goals at crucial stages always made them dangerous opponents and a close-range finish from Kilcline on 46 minutes, after he intercepted Meaney’s handpass, changed the complexion of the game.
McDonald then landed a two-point effort from play to put Mayo back in front before McGuinness pounced for the Rossie’s third goal of an incredible contest.
From there to the grandstand finish the huge crowd were on tender hooks as Mayo summoned up one last surge to shoot three unanswered points from Lydon (2) and Lynch to lead by the bare minimum after 59 minutes.
Roscommon were chasing an equaliser frantically in added time, and they got their reward in the 62nd minute when Keelan Kelly shot the leveller to keep their dreams alive.
Darkness was falling when they were crowned Connacht champions at this grade for the 12th time.
Roscommon:
P Gaynor (0-1, ‘45); D O’Higgins, M Gilooly, N Berzins; K Kelly (0-1), E Carthy (0-4, 1tpf, 1tp), C Grogan; N Heneghan (0-2, 1m), C Enright; C McKeon, D Casey (0-3, 1f), E Collins; J Curran (1-2), C O’Carroll (0-1, 1f), J McGuinness (1-1). Subs used: C Murray for Grogan (HT); D Kennedy for McKeon (HT); R Kilcline (2-0) for Casey (43); D Higgins for Enright (49); K Hester (1-0) for Curran (54); S Tighe for O’Carroll (FT): L Finneran for O’Higgins (FT); D Casey for Collins (60+13); C Enright for Carthy (60+16); C McKeon for McGuinness (60+17).
Mayo: C Meaney; J Lavelle, T Lambert, A Coggins; C Lynch (0-2), R Mortimer, J Moyles (0-1); D Staunton, J Holmes (0-1); A Quinn, K McDonald (1-7, 1tp, ‘45), D Flynn (0-1); D Beirne (0-4), O Deane, T Lydon (1-4). Subs used: C Walsh (0-1) for Holmes (43); T Tuffy for Moyles (43); C Jordan for Staunton (56); M Noonan for Mortimer (FT); D Neary for Quinn (FT); Y Coghill for Lavelle (60+7); B Holmes for Lydon (60+16); J Carey for Flynn (60+17). Referee: T Murphy (Galway)
Meanwhile, Kildare will face holders Louth in the Leinster U20 football final after a two-point win over Meath in their semi-final.
Jimmy Lynch weighed in with 1-08 for the Lilywhites, his goal coming via a second-half penalty and ultimately proving crucial in Newbridge as Cormac O'Donoghue and Colin Scanlon's goals weren't enough for Meath on the night.
Kildare will now contest their first provincial U20 final since the second of their back-to-back victories over Dublin in 2023.
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