The Mayo senior hurlers fell to their second defeat in this year’s National Hurling League last Sunday when Down ran out 2-20 to 0-15 winners in Elverys MacHale Park. JP Coen’s men now face the toughest test of their season so far when they head to Newbridge tomorrow afternoon to take on last year’s Christy Ring Cup winners, Kildare. The Lilywhites have a 100 per cent record so far with wins over Meath, Down, and Armagh under their belts. Their wins over Meath and Armagh came on the road and over their three games they have scored 5-64.
Mayo currently find themselves in second bottom of the six team group at present, level on points with Armagh but trailing the Orchard County on scoring difference, with Donegal rooted to the bottom with no points to show for their three games to date.
Last weekend’s 11 point defeat to Down is one that Mayo will be regretting, with the Mourne men having being reduced to 14 men for the final 20 minutes of the game and Down still outscoring Mayo by 1-9 to 0-3 over the closing stages of the game.
Reaching the play-offs now looks out of Mayo’s reach, so a good performance against the top side in the league is a must for Mayo before they head into their final league game at home to Armagh on Sunday, March 22, where the winner will probably avoid a bottom two placing in the division.
Kenny Feeney was the main man for Mayo last Sunday, scoring nine of Mayo’s 15 points, with Brian Hunt and Fergal Boland both chipping in with two points, and Shane Boland and Stephen Hoban scoring one point apiece. Coen will be hoping that Mayo can see out their league campaign in a good run of form before they start their championship season in the Christy Ring Cup away to Derry on the May Bank Holiday Saturday.
