Mayo novices brushed aside

First-time finalists Burrishoole found the craft and experience of holders Crossmolina - along with the deadly accuracy of Kieran McDonald - just too much to handle in a high-quality final in Mayo in front of 4,000 at McHale Park, Castlebar, yesterday.

For a while it seemed an upset might be on the cards when the team from Newport extended their interval lead of two points - 0-9 to 0-7 - to three inside a minute of the restart.

But the game ultimately came down to the sublime kicking of McDonald, who picked off 0-8 and was to play a crucial role in ensuring Crossmolina put their first back-to-back titles together and now begin the defence of their Connacht crown.

CROSSMOLINA: B Heffernan; F Costello, T Mallen, C Reilly; P McAndrew, D Mulligan, G O'Malley; J Mallen, M Moyles (0-1); E Lavelle, K McDonald (0-8, five frees), P Gardner; N Convey (0-1), P McGuinness (0-1), J Leonard (0-2). Subs: S Rochford (0-1) for O'Malley, P Costello for Gardner, B Loftus for Moyles, G Walsh for Convey;

BURRISHOOLE: P McManamon; E Callaghan, S Mulchrone, T Conway; A Kelly (0-1), P Coady, C Moran; C McManamon, R Loftus (0-4); P Gavin (0-1), N McManamon, T O'Grady (0-1); N Chambers (0-2), J Nixon, F Hoban (0-2). Subs: S Brady for Moran, B McLoughlin for Conway, L O'Malley for N Chambers.