Roscommon handed league champions Mayo an early exit from the Connacht senior football championship this evening with a 2-8 to 0-10 victory in Castlebar.

Brothers Enda and Donie Smith provided the first-half goals for the visitors which proved salient in handing Kevin McStay’s men their second competitive loss of the season.

The Rossies had been 0-2 to 0-1 in front when they were awarded a 24th minute penalty which Enda Smith expertly tucked away and his sibling would have the ball in the Mayo net some 10 minutes later, leaving it at 2-2 to 0-4 come the interval.

Donnacha McHugh and Matthew Ruane shot points that halved the hosts’ arrears six minutes into the second-half ahead of Diarmuid Murtagh (free) getting the scoreboard moving again for Davy Burke’s men.

Points Tommy Conroy and Aidan O’Shea left the minimum between the sides but Mayo couldn’t level it, as Murtagh was able to squeeze over two crucial scores from play and another from Conor Cox would leave the home four adrift with as many minutes to play.

Ryan O’Donoghue would register the Westerners last score from a free as Roscommon prevailed and progressed towards a provincial semi-final date against holders Galway in a fortnight’s time.

Watch the Full-Time Highlights of Mayo v Roscommon in the Connacht Senior Football Championship here on #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/fhYah79FKg

— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 9, 2023

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