Mayo 0-14
NUI Galway 0-4

Cian O’Connell

FRIDAY night's tepid Connacht FBD League final at McHale Park confirmed the suspicion that Mayo have the cut of a decent team again, while it also proved that NUI Galway's focus is solely on tomorrow's Sigerson Cup opener against St. Mary's Belfast.

At a chilly Castlebar, Mayo supplied glimpses of their ability to book an October trip to New York as the students were easily outmuscled. The home team’s more liberal sprinkling of attacking class was ultimately the difference between the finalists as for all NUIG's pluck, they just didn't have enough craft up front to seriously threaten James Horan's charges.

Hard working and organised under Horan, Mayo didn't allow the visitors the goal chance that NUIG needed, particularly in the second period when the students sought both hope and momentum. The foundation for this Mayo success had been laid in the first half as the locals moved the ball intelligently in accumulating a 0-8 to 0-3 interval advantage.

Considering how tame the NUIG attack had been early on, it was apparent shortly after the restart that the only thing needing to be determined would be Mayo's margin of victory. Obviously it is early in the year, but Mayo look solid and the capture of the former Tipperary hurling trainer, Cian O'Neill, is a significant addition to Horan's backroom team.

O'Neill's approach is highly regarded in either code and the Mayo players seem to be benefiting as they seek to improve on a satisfactory 2011.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.