Mayo hold off Dublin comeback

MAYO 0-19 DUBLIN 0-16

Dublin’s dream of retaining the Sam Maguire were extinquished in Sunday’s gripping All-Ireland SFC semi-final at Croke Park.

Mayo were inspired for 45-odd minutes and the Dubs were anything but as they trailed by a massive ten points, 0-17 to 0-7, with 20 minutes to go.

At that stage Pat Gilroy’s side were being overwhelmed as the men from the west held the upperhand and were firing over points from angles and distance as the Dublin defence chased shadows.

To compound Dublin’s woes the half-time introduction of Alan Brogan completely backfired as the St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh was clearly no where near fit and Mayo capitalised on this by launching several attacks from defence by using the overlap.

And then the comeback started.

Michael Darragh Macauley was to the fore while Dublin threw caution to the wind and attacked in waves while the accuracy of passing and movement of the inside forwards improved hugely. Ger Brennan also led by example.

All of a sudden the Dublin scoreboard began to tick over as points from Paul Flynn (two), Stephen Cluxton (‘45’), Bernard Brogan (three, two frees) had Dublin just three points in arrears , 0-17 to 0-14, with four minutes of normal time (five minutes injury added).

A goal could have turned the game totally in Dublin’s favour and the chance came but Bernard Brogan, one-on-one with keeper David Clarke, had his goal attempt saved by the Ballina Stephenites man. Paul Flynn clipped a point within seconds as the Dubs shot eight points on the spin inside 16 minutes It was not the only goal chance the Dubs failed to take as both Paul Flynn (first half) and Diarmuid Connolly (second) had good opportunities.

The drama and tension switched to the other end immediately as Cillian O’Connor then spurned a goal effort.

O’Connor did make amends with a long-range free to see his side move three in front and depite Bernard Brogan’s converted free it was to be Mayo’s day with sub Seamus O’Shea tagging on the insurance point.

In the opening half Dublin settled with two Bernard Brogan frees but towards the conclusion of the first half paid a heavy price for some sloppy football as crucially Mayo closed out the half totally on the up with four unanswered points to lead 0-12 to 0-6 at the interval.

SCORERS – Mayo: C O’Connor 0-7 (0-3 ‘45s’, 0-3f), A Dillon 0-3, K McLoughlin, E Varley (0-1f) 0-2, R Feeney, B Moran, J Doherty, R Feeney, S O’Shea 0-1 each. Dublin: B Brogan 0-6 (0-6f)f, S Cluxton (0-3 ‘45’), C Kilkenny 0-3 each, D Connolly, P Flynn 0-2 each.
MAYO: D Clarke; G Cafferkey, K Higgins, K Keane; C Barrett, D Vaughan, L Keegan; B Moran, A O’Shea; K McLoughlin, J Doherty, A Dillon; E Varley, C O’Connor, M Conroy. Subs: R Feeney for Keegan (blood 15), A Freeman for Varley (blood 42), C Boyle for McLoughlin (blood 54), J Gibbons for Feeney (62), S McHale for Keane (inj 65), McLoughlin for Doherty (69), S O’Shea for A O’Shea (71), P Gardiner for Freeman (76).
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, R O’Carroll, C O’Sullivan; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; E Fennell, D Bastick; P Flynn, MD Macauley, B Cullen; C Kilkenny, D Connolly, B Brogan. Subs: P McMahon for Fitzsimons (ht), A Brogan for Cullen (ht), E O’Gara for Bastick (49), K McManamon for A Brogan (53), C Dias for Fennell (72).
ATT: 81,364