A penalty shoot-out was needed to decide a tight and tense Connacht U20FC semi-final this evening as Mayo dethroned All-Ireland champions Galway 7-6 in sudden-death after the game ended in a 0-11 to 1-8 draw at Tuam Stadium.

Mayo goalkeeper Ronan Connolly became the hero when he pulled off two saves in the shoot-out while Conor Flynn stayed cool and composed to fire home the winning penalty for Maurice Sheridan's side after Galway captain Tony Gill missed his spot-kick.

It was sweet revenge for last year's preliminary round loss in a game that also required sudden-death penalties as the Green and Red now have a provincial final against either Roscommon or Sligo to look forward to next Wednesday evening.

The holders led by 0-3 to 0-2 after a low-scoring and scrappy first-half, and the sides finished level on 0-8 apiece at the end of normal-time with Galway substitute Nathan Grainger forcing extra-time after Connell Dempsey had edged the visitors ahead.

Grainger put the Tribesmen into the ascendency in extra-time when tucking away a first minute penalty and the Claregalway clubman went on to score two more in the shoot-out. But points from Dempsey, Dylan Thornton and Jack Mahon hauled Mayo back into the contest.

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