They came in their thousands and thousands across the Atlantic. Flights from New York, Shannon and wherever else possible carried the faithful in their droves.
The result was never going to be in doubt, the question of tickets had taken over the county for the weeks in the build up – for the supporters it was all about the experience – but for the players it was all about getting the job done, which they did with ease in the pouring rain in the Bronx.
On the field Mayo were ruthless, outclassing their opponents in every are and running out 21 point winners over the exiles.
Mayo raced into at 0-6 to 0-0 lead early in the opening quarter, with Evan Regan, James McCormack and Paddy Durcan all getting in on the act – with Mattie Ruane and Aidan O’Shea dominating the middle of the park.
James Carr, Jason Doherty and Lee Keegan kept the scoreboard ticking over and Mayo were 0-14 to 0-0 up before New York finally raised a white flag 28 minutes in.
Mayo kept piling on the pressure and Regan found the back of the net before the interval when he finished at the second time of asking – following a good save by Vinny Cadden initially from the Ballina man. That score left Mayo up by 16 at the break and home and hosed.
The second half was a non-event with Mayo taking their foot off the gas and seeing out the game with relative ease.
They will stay on in New York for a few days – to get a training camp in ahead of their meeting with Roscommon in the Connacht semi-final at the end of the month.
Scorers
Mayo: Evan Regan 1-5 (4fs ), Fergal Boland 0-4, Kevin McLoughlin 0-2, Jason Doherty 0-2, Robert Hennelly 0-1 (’45 ), Ciaran Treacy 0-1, Patrick Durcan 0-1, Lee Keegan 0-1, James McCormack 0-1, Darren Coen 0-1, James Carr 0-1, Matthew Ruane 0-1, Michael Plunkett 0-1.
New York: Luke Kelly 0-2, Kevin Finn 0-1, Daniel McKenna 0-1.
Mayo: Robert Hennelly; Colm Boyle, Brendan Harrison, Keith Higgins; Patrick Durcan (capt ) Lee Keegan, James McCormack; Matthew Ruane, Aidan O’Shea; Evan Regan, Jason Doherty, Fergal Boland; Kevin McLoughlin, Darren Coen, James Carr. Subs: Ciaran Treacy for Doherty (HT ), David Drake for Higgins (41 ) Michael Plunkett for Keegan (41 ), Conor Diskin for Coen (51 ), Stephen Coen for Ruane (60 ), Andy Moran for Carr (64 ).
New York: Vinny Cadden; Michael Creegan, Gerard McCartan, Robert Gorman; Paddy Boyle, Michael Naughton, Matthe Queenan; Cathal Compton, Sean Hurley; Shane Hogan, Luke Kelly, Daniel McKenna; David Freedman, Niall Madine (capt ), Peter Hatzer. Subs: Conor Connolly for Naughton (29 ), Kevin Finn for Creegan (51 ), Ryan Kerley for McCartan (51 ), Dylan McDermott for McKenna (59 ), Shane Slattery for Hogan (67 ), Tiernan Mathers for Madine (70 ).
Ref: Conor Lane (Cork )
