Christy Ring Cup Round 2B

Brendan Geraghty, Mayo Hurling PRO in Pearse's Park, Arklow.

Mayo 3-10 Wicklow 4-19

Mayo hurlers made the long journey to Arklow on Saturday to play 2012 finalists Wicklow in Round 2B of the Christy Ring Cup facing an uphill battle with the 'Garden County' firm favourites with the bookies at odds of 1/6. Absent from the away team were All-Star Keith Higgins, who was preparing for the footballers clash with Galway next weekend, and centre-back Paddy Barrett who suffered a hamstring injury in last weeks defeat to Kildare.

Four seasons in one day was certainly an apt description of the weather conditions facing both teams with wind, rain, hail and warm sunshine combining to add to the unpredictability of the game. The game somehow matched the conditions with both teams blowing hot and cold for long periods.

Mayo had the advantage of a stiff breeze in the first half and led by 3 points to 1 after 3 minutes with scores from Kenny Feeney, Sean Regan and Stephen Hoban. However in the 5th minute, after a mistake in the Mayo defence, the sliotar fell to Wicklow full-forward Jonathan 'Bosco' O'Neill who dispatched it to the Mayo net to give the home team an unlikely lead of 1-1 to 4 points. Man of the match Andy O'Brien added 2 further Wicklow points from play to give them a 2 point lead with 18 minutes on the clock.

The second quarter of the game was dominated by Mayo who produced flashes of brilliance to outscore the favourites by 2-3 to 3 points. On 20 minutes, after making a 50 metre run down the right sideline, Kenny Feeney blazed the sliotar past the Wicklow custodian, Joe Murphy to drag Mayo back into the game. Amazingly he would repeat this feat only 60 seconds later. A clearance from the Mayo defence by Declan Gallagher, fell to Brian Hunt at midfield, Hunt picked out Feeney on the 20 metre line, and after rounding his man, Feeney scored his second goal of the day. Mayo players were combining very well at this stage and continued to dominate with further points from Regan, Feeney and Gallagher to lead at half-time by 2-8 to 1-7. With the breeze dying down and Mayo 4 points to the good it looked like there might be a fairy-tale ending to Mayo's season. Unfortunately for Mayo it proved to be a nightmare second half.

Whatever was said in the Wicklow dressing room at half-time seemed to inspire the home team with their comeback led by corner forward Andy O'Brien who struck for goals in the 39th and 53rd minutes to effectively end the match as a contest. Man of the match O'Brien also got 4 points from play during this period and ended the game with a massive 3-10 to equal Mayo's combined total.

Mayo did try to bring some respectability to the score-line in the 4th quarter with Feeney getting his 3rd goal and points from Regan and Hunt leaving a final score of Wicklow 4-19 Mayo 3-10.

Wicklow will now face Kildare in the quarter final next weekend while once again Mayo's hurling season has ended prematurely.

Best for Mayo on the day were Kenny Feeney, Sean Regan, Nathan O'Malley, Derek McDonnell, Aiden Connolly and Declan Gallagher. Wicklow's undoubted star was Andy O'Brien who was ably assisted by Bosco O'Neill, Christy Moorehouse and Geoffrey Bermingham.

Mayo: D. O'Brien, A. Brennan, A. Connolly, B. Hunt (0-1), S. Morley, P. O'Flynn, C. Charlton, S. Markham, N. O'Malley, S. Hoban (0-1), D. McDonnell, K. Feeney (3-3, 0-2f), D. McTigue (0-1), Sean Regan (0-3, 0-1f) and D. Gallagher (0-1). Subs: F. Lyons for S. Markham (42m), G. Nolan for N. O'Malley (57) and D. Horan for D. Gallagher (62).

Wicklow: J. Murphy, J. Connors, B. Osbourne, B. Cuddihy, J. Henderson (0-1), L. Kennedy, E. Dunne, S. Kelly (0-1), R. Keddy (0-1), G. Bermingham (0-1), E. Kearns (0-1), A. O'Brien (3-10, 0-3f), E. Glynn, J. O'Neill (1-3) and M. Lee. Subs: R. Byrne for J. Connors (25), C. Moorehouse (0-1) for E. Glynn (h/t), G. Byrne for M. Lee (44), S. McGrath for E. Dunne (58) and G. Weir for J. O'Neill (63).

Referee: Padraig O'Dubhuair (Carlow) Tweet

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