It has been a far from ideal pre-season for the Mayo senior hurling team with manager Christy Philips resigning just before Christmas. But last weekend they got 2015 off to a winning start in the new Connacht Senior Hurling League when they saw off the challenge of Leitrim by 2-13 to 0-5 in Ballinamore. The Mayo management team of JP Coen, Derek Walsh, Tommy Feeney, and John Waldron fielded an experimental side but will have been pleased with what they saw from their side in their first outing, with only a very small bit of training behind them so far.
On Saturday at 2pm the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan will see Mayo host Sligo in round two of the competition with Tribesman Phelim Shaughnessy the man in the middle for the game.
Mayo’s win last weekend was backboned by two goals from Castlebar Mitchels’ man Corey Scahill who found the back of the net twice in the final 11 minutes of the opening half. Scahill was closely followed in the scoring stakes by Ballyhaunis’ Donal O’Brien who chipped in with five points, while Joey Ganley finished with three points of his own over the hour.
Mayo led by 2-8 to 0-4 at the break, and although Leitrim managed to pull back two goals in quick succession in the final 10 minutes, Mayo did not let that rattle them and the youthful side held on for the win. With a number of more established and experienced players still to come back for Mayo this year, a second win on Sunday will be a nice settler for the side before they open their national league campaign in five weeks time.
