Mayo 3-16 Roscommon 1-6

Second half goals from Conor Diskin and Tommy Conroy proved decisive as Mayo captured the inaugural Connacht U20 football championship title in style at Dr Hyde Park this afternoon.

Shane Curran’s Roscommon side had no answer to Mayo’s pace and power, and the home side’s challenge faded out disappointingly in the second half.

In fact, Mayo outscored the Rossies by 2-11 to 0-3 during a lop-sided second period as they pulled away with the wind behind them.

Mayo captain Ryan O’Donoghue, a former Republic of Ireland Schoolboys soccer international, produced a man of the match performance.

He hit the net from a 27th minute penalty to leave the visitors deservedly ahead at the interval by 1-5 to 1-3.

The Rossies had played with the aid of the wind but O’Donoghue’s strike from a penalty wrestled the initiative back for Mayo.

Michael Solan’s well-drilled outfit led from there to the finish with goals from Conor Diskin and Tommy Conroy in the 46th and 49th minutes translating their dominance on to the scoreboard.

Impressive wing-back Paul Lambert landed a brace of superb long-range points while Colm Moran (2), Evan O’Brien, Stephen McGreal and Ross Egan also hit the target.

Roscommon were unable to cope with Mayo’s running game and only scored once in the final 27 minutes of the contest – a free from Cian McKeon.

The homeside’s woes were compounded when the aforementioned McKeon was dismissed in injurytime. Mayo now meet the Ulster champions, either Armagh or Derry, in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Mayo: P O’Malley (0-1, 1f); J Maughan, B O’Malley, J Cunnane; P Lambert (0-3), O Mullin, C Horan; J Flynn, E O’Brien (0-1); N Moran, R O’Donoghue (1-0, pen), O McLaughlin; C Diskin (1-0), R Egan (0-8, 6fs), T Conroy (1-0). Subs used: C Moran (0-2) for McLaughlin (40m); J Dawson for Mullin (inj, 45); S McGreal (0-1) for Moran (54); S Óg Tighe for O’Brien (60); B O’Neill for Cunnane (62) 

Roscommon: A Brady (0-2, 1f, ‘45); D Duff, L Mollahan, L Daly; A Dowd (1-0), E Flynn, D Nerney; D McManus, E Nolan; K Murphy, C McKeon (0-4, 3fs), D Ruane; P Carey, B Derwin, C Sugrue. Subs used: G Galvin for Daly (BC, 24); C Sugrue for Byrne (28); C Corcoran for Ruane (48); M Conroy for Nerney (50); C Fahey for Derwin (50); D Kildea for McManus (64).

Referee: B Judge (Sligo)