Mayo 1-16

Roscommon 0-13

The O'Connor brothers, Cillian and Diarmuid, combined for 1-10 as Mayo easily brushed aside Roscommon's challenge at Dr Hyde Park to qualify for the Connacht SFC final against Galway.

With Lee Keegan and Paddy Durcan also starring, James Horan's men effectively put the game beyond their shell-shocked opponents in the opening quarter when they roared into a 1-6 to 0-2 lead. Seeking to reach their fifth successive provincial final, Roscommon were always playing catch-up after that and never looked like making a contest of it as their short-lived championship campaign ended with a whimper. 

The winners hit the ground running with early points from Durcan, Kevin McLoughlin and man of the match Cillian O'Connor (three, two frees) before McLoughlin set up Diarmuid O'Connor for a 19th minute goal. Remarkably, it was the first time the Division 1-bound Rossies had conceded a major in nearly eight hours of football.

The hosts reduced the deficit to six points, 0-5 to 1-8, at half-time thanks to points from Cian McKeon and two from Donie Smith, but four O'Connor points within 12 minutes of the restart dashed their comeback hopes.

Mayo's Eoghan McLaughlin keeps close tabs on Roscommon's Conor Devaney. ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

The Nestor Cup holders clawed back points through Conor Cox (two frees) and Niall Daly before Mayo underlined their superiority with late scores from Paddy Durcan, Cillian O'Connor (two frees) and Conor Loftus to qualify for their first provincial decider in five years.

Mayo - D Clarke; O Mullin, C Barrett, L Keegan; P Durcan (0-2), S Coen, E McLaughlin; M Ruane, C Loftus (0-1); K McLoughlin (0-1), R O’Donoghue, D O’Connor (1-1); T Conroy (0-1), A O’Shea (0-1), C O’Connor (0-9, 6f). Subs: M Moran for R O’Donoghue, J Flynn for D O’Connor, R Brickenden for M Ruane, J Carr for T Conroy, M Plunkett for S Coen.

Roscommon - C Lavin; D Murray, C Daly, S Mullooly; R Daly, B Stack, N Daly (0-1); C Compton, T O’Rourke (0-1); N Kilroy, E Smith, C McKeon (0-3, 2f); D Smith (0-3, 1f), C Cox (0-3, 2f, 1m), C Cregg. Subs: C Devaney for C Cregg, C Hussey for T O’Rourke, C Lennon for C Cox, D Murtagh (0-2) for D Smith.

Referee - D Gough.

Tweet

Most Read Stories