Roscommon's Charlie O'Carroll on the ball during the Connacht U20 football championship game versus Sligo last week. Photo: Paul Molloy.

Roscommon aim to build on comeback win as Mayo await

Kieran Galvin

Published: Wed 1 Apr 2026, 2:37 PM

Last updated: Wed 1 Apr 2026, 2:44 PM

The Roscommon team to face Mayo in the Connacht U20 Football Championship tonight (Wednesday) shows one change from the side which defeated Sligo last week.

Cathal McKeon is listed to start after being introduced as a substitute in the 2-19 to 0-15 win over Sligo. Boyle's McKeon has been selected at midfield by Cian Smith and his management team, with Conor Grogan dropping to the bench (see team list below).

Diarmuid O’Higgins (Clann na nGael), Keelan Kelly (Pádraig Pearses), Ruairí Kilcline (St Dominic's) and Charlie O’Carroll (St Brigid's) are included in a team captained by TUS Midlands student and Roscommon Gaels player Eoghan Carthy.

Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar is the venue for tonight's game (throw-in 7pm).

Having lost their opening round game at the hands of Galway, Roscommon battled back from an 11-point deficit against Sligo to eventually win by ten points last week. It was a dramatic turnaround at King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park on Wednesday evening last.

Backed by the strong wind in the first half, Sligo led by 0-14 to 0-3 at one stage, scoring five two-pointers into the graveyard end of the Hyde.

Despite a goal from Colin Murray reducing the deficit, confidence in a Roscommon revival was in short supply among supporters at half-time. But it turned out so differently and Roscommon certainly had their shooting boots on in the second half. With Charlie O’Carroll hitting three two-pointers and Eoin Collins scoring their second goal, Roscommon reeled in Sligo before seeing them off.

Scorers – Roscommon: C O’Carroll 0-8 (2tp, 1tpf, 2f); C Murray 1-2; J Curran 0-4 (1f, 1 mark); E Collins 1-0; C Grogan 0-2 (tp); R Kilcline, J McGuinness and E Carthy 0-1 each. Sligo: E Rooney 0-6 (2tpf, 2f); E O’Mahony 0-4 (2tp); C Nicholson 0-2 (tp); E Keane, A Lang and M Carroll 0-1 each.

Roscommon - Patrick Gaynor; Nikita Birzins, Michael Gilhooley, Diarmuid O’Higgins; Keelan Kelly, Eoghan Carthy, Conor Grogan; Niall Heneghan, Colin Murray; Eoin Collins, John McGuinness, Dean Casey, John Curran, Ruairi Kilcline, Charlie O’Carroll. Subs: Stephen Tighe for Curran (46), Cathal McKeon for Casey (53), David Higgins for Collins (56), Ruadhan Henry for Carthy (59), Gordon Casey for Gilhooley (60).

Sligo - Gareth Cummins; Josh McHugh, Patrick Brady, James Lavin; Eamon Keane, Alex Lillie, Oran Harte; Conor Walsh, Cian Nicholson; Eamon O’Mahony, Cathal Gilligan, Dara Mostyn; Aaron Lang, Michael Carroll, Eli Rooney. Subs: Adam Feeney for Lang (41), Oisin Devlin for Mostyn (41), Paul Flynn for Nicholson (48), Matthew Walsh for Carroll (53).

Roscommon U20 team (vs Mayo) - Patrick Gaynor; Diarmuid O’Higgins, Michael Gilhooley, Nikita Birzins; Keelan Kelly, Eoghan Carthy, Colin Murray; Niall Heneghan, Cathal McKeon; Dean Casey, John McGuinness, Eoin Collins; John Curran, Ruairí Kilcline, Charlie O’Carroll. Subs: Mark Carroll, Conor Grogan, Ruadhan Henry, Kevin Hester, Gordon Casey, Stephen Tighe, Liam Finneran, David Higgins, Rory Coyle.

Mayo U20 team (vs Roscommon) - Conor Meaney; James Lavelle, Tom Lambert, Aaron Coggins; Colm Lynch, Rio Mortimer, Josh Moyles; Shane Cunningham, Andrew Quinn; Oisín Deane, Kobe McDonald, Dylan Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Joey Holmes, Tom Lydon. Subs: Conor Bohan, Yousif Coghill, Dara Neary, Thomas Tuffy, Seán Óg McGuinness, Conor Jordan, Ben Holmes, Nathan Roddy, Josh Carey.