All-Ireland U20 FC: Mayo edge close encounter with Derry

July 14, 2018

Mayo's Ryan O'Donoghue dishes off his pass despite the efforts of Derry's Oisin McWilliams

Mayo will contest the first ever All-Ireland U20 FC final after they got the better of Derry by three points in today's semi-final at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Mike Solan's charges edged out the Oak Leafers by 2-14 to 2-11 and they are now Croke Park bound on August 5th to face Kildare in the decider.

Captain Ryan O'Donoghue's early goal helped to settle the Connacht side's nerves and a closely contested first-half finished with them ahead by 1-7 to 2-3.

Callum Brown and Oisin McWilliams netted the goals for Mickey Donnelly's Ulster champions.

There was little to separate the sides throughout the second-half and Derry took over in the lead thanks to a Mark McGrogan point.

Moments later, in the 40th minute, half-back Paul Lambert pounced for Mayo's second goal and they could afford the luxury of spuring a penalty that was earned by O'Donoghue.

Derry 'keeper Oran Hartin came to his side's rescue when saving the spot-kick which was taken by O'Donoghue in the 53rd minute and the game very much in the melting pot entering stoppage time.

A Declan Cassidy point left Derry just a point in arrears but two unanswered Tommy Conroy points applied the gloss to Mayo's victory.

Full-forward Ross Egan top scored for the winners with 0-5 (all frees) while Lorcan McWilliams sent over 0-4 (3 frees) for the losing outfit.

Mayo - P O'Malley; J Maughan, B O'Malley, J Cunnane; P Lambert (1-1), C Horan, O McLaughlin (0-2); E O'Brien (0-1), J Flynn; N Moran, R O'Donoghue (1-0), T Conroy (0-2); C Diskin (0-1), R Egan (0-5f), C Moran. Subs: J Gallagher (0-2) for C Moran, J Dawson for C Horan (BC), S Og Tighe for N Moran (BC).

Derry - O Hartin; S McKeever, C McCluskey, E Concannon; D Cassidy (0-2), P McGrogan, M Bradley; C Doherty (0-1'45), D Rafferty; S Downey, O McWilliams (1-0), M McGrogan (0-1); L McWilliams (0-4, 3f), C Brown (1-0), B McCarron (0-2, 1f). Subs: C McShane for M Bradley, B Cassidy (0-1) for M McGrogan.

Referee - P Faloon.


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