MAYO dumped the All Ireland champions Galway pout of this years under-21 football championship with a comprehensive win in castlebar yesterday evening.

It was Mayo's 20th Connacht final and a win that went a long way towards making up for last years humiliating defeat in the final against the same opposition.

Mayo held the upper hand in almost every position on the pitch with Galway made to look average.

The foundations for this win were made in defence where Mayo seniors Trevor Howley and man of the match Keith Higgins starved Galway danger men Sean Armstrong and Tomas Costello of possession.

On a day when the bitterly cold conditions and whistle happy referee made life difficult for both sides Mayo responded best.

Nine points from play tells its own story with all the Mayo forwards contributing to the scoreline.

Mayo enjoyed the best of a scrappy first half despite gifting Galway the opening score of the game. Mayo keeper Kenneth O'Malley was penalised for touching the ball on the ground and Galway captain Tomas Costello gratefully accepted the simple free in front of the posts. It was 20 minutes before Galway would score again.

Mayo's lively corner forward Michael Conroy levelled the scores with the first of two fine efforts from play.

Aidan Campbell, Mark Ronaldson, Aidan Kilcoyne stretched Mayo's lead before Niall Coleman responded for Galway. Mayo finished the half strongly with a second free from Kilcoyle and a great point on the turn from full forward Marcus Hannick to give Mayo a five point lead at the break 0-7 to 0-2.

Galway got the start they needed in the second half with a good effort from Armstrong but it didn't take long for Mayo to reassert their dominance and put the game beyond Galway.

Joe Dillon restored Mayo's five point lead and three quick points mid-way through the half by Mayo's own terrible twins Mark Ronaldson and Michael Conroy looked to have sealed it for Mayo.

Fiachra Breathnach did find the net for Galway ten minutes from the end but Mayo never looked like being caught. Mayo go on to play the winners of the Ulster final between Derry and Tyrone in the All Ireland semi-final on the weekend of April 22.

MAYO K O'Malley; T Howley, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; C Barrett (0-1), T Cunniffe, C Boyle; S O'Shea, B Moran; A Campbell (0-2, 0-1 free), J Dillon (0-2), A Kilcoyle (0-2 two frees); M Ronaldson (0-1), M Hannick (0-2), M Conroy (0-5 , O-2 frees) Subs K Costello for Dillon ,52 mins; S Ryder for Kilcoyne, 60 mins GALWAY P Skelly; P Gleeson, F Hanley, R McTiernan; A Glynn, G Bradshaw, C Bane; N Coleman (0-1), C Blake; N Coyne, S Breathnach (1-0), B Lee; T Costello (0-2, 0-1 free), S Armstrong (0-2, 0-1 free), B Faherty Subs A Pender for Gleeson, 30 mins; G Rogan for McTiernan, 30 mins; F Burke for Costello, 46 mins; A Geraghty for Faherty, 56 mins Referee N Duffy (Sligo)