Mayo 1-8
Roscommon 1-7

Colm Gannon reports from MacHale Park

A BRIAN REAPE goal five minutes from time was the vital score as Mayo overcame a four point half time deficit in awful conditions to see off local rivals Roscommon in MacHale Park.

Roscommon made the most of a the advantage of an almost storm force gael that blew in from the Bacon Factory end of MacHale Park in the opening half of this local derby.

Mayo did get the first score of this local derby through an Evan Regan free three minutes in, but from then on in Mayo had very few shooting chances in the opening half as they struggled to play into the teeth of a wind blowing into their faces.

Colin Compton got the Rossies moving with a wind assisted effort four minutes in, five minutes later Enda Smith landed a free to edge Anthony Cunningham’s men in front for the first time.

Aidan O’Shea pictured amid the heavy rain on Saturday night.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Shane Kilronan put the visitors two clear on 11 minutes when he converted as Mayo struggled to retain the ball from their own kick-out against the conditions.

Cathal Cregg almost got in for a goal just before the quarter of an hour mark, but Rob Hennelly tipped it over the bar for Roscomon’s fourth point of the evening . Two minutes later the final score of the half came from an outrageous wind assisted effort from Donie Smith who was at least 55 meters out from goal.

Mayo struggled to move the ball in their attack, moving the ball through cycle after cycle of hand pass before being turned over by the Roscommon defence. The Rossie’s could have grabbed a goal five minutes before the turnaround when Rob Hennelly’s solo went back over his shoulder but Cathal Cregg drove his effort wide.

There was a bout of handbags after a clash between Keith Higgins and Enda Smith saw most of the players on the field end up in a few rounds of pushing and shoving, with Smith ending up with a yellow card seven minutes before the half time whistle.

Mayo hit the ground running in the second half through a Diarmuid O’Connor point, but it took them another 13 minutes to land their third score of the night through a long range Jason Doherty free. 

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James Horan shakes hands with Enda Smith at the final whistle.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

A minute later he drove over a free from even further out the field to put just one between the sides with Roscommon leading 0-6 to 0-5.

The FBD League winners edged themselves two points clear again when Cathal Compton was played in by a brilliant Cathal Cregg ball – he had a chance to go for the goal but opted to fist it over the bar.

Donal Vaughan replied almost instantly for Mayo with a well taken effort but then their chances looked to have taken a major blow when Colm Boyle was black carded for a lunge on Ultan Harney.

But it actually had the opposite response with Mayo kicking three points on the spin the first from Paddy Durcan, then a huge effort from play off the boot of Paddy Durcan and finally a close range finish from Brendan Harrison to put Mayo into a 0-8 to 0-6 lead with ten minutes to go.

Five minutes from time they wrapped it up with a brilliant goal from league debutant Brian Reape -who sold his man a great dummy before hammering home the ball right footed from just inside the area to send Mayo into a 1-8 to 0-6 lead.

Ultan Harney cut the gap back to four points with a close range finish as the game moved to injury time and plenty of 10,941 who had braved the elements made an early exit as did Harney before the finish when he was shown a red card in injury time.

Those who did leave early missed a late, late goal from Roscommon’s Shane Killoran which deflected off a Mayo defender into the net and leave just a single point between the sides at the final whistle a few seconds later.

Scorers for Mayo: Brian Reape (1-0), Jason Doherty (0-3, 2f), Brendan Harrision (0-1), Paddy Durcan (0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor (0-1), Donal Vaughan (0-1), Evan Regan (0-1)

Scorers for Roscommon: Shane Killoran (1-1), Colin Compton (0-2), Donie Smith (0-1), Cathal Cregg (0-1), Ultan Harney (0-1), Enda Smith (0-1, 1f)

Mayo

1. Robert Hennelly (Breaffy)

2. Eoin O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
3. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)

5. Lee Keegan (Westport)
6. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
7. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)

8. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
9. Donal Vaughan (Castlebar Mitchels)

10. Fergal Boland (Aghamore
11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
12. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)

13. Evan Regan (Ballina Stephenites)
14. Brian Reape (Bohola Moy Davitts)
15. Conor Diskin (Claremorris) 

Subs: 26. Andy Moran (Ballaghaderrren) for Boland, 21. Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore) for Vaughan, 22. Fionn McDonagh (Westport) for Diskin, 19. James McCormack (Claremorri) for Boyle (BS)

Roscommon

1. Darren O’Malley (Michael Glaveys)

17. Gary Patterson (Michael Glaveys)
3. Conor Daly (Padriag Pearses)
4. Evan McGrath (Boyle)

5. Connor Hussey (Michael Glaveys)
6. Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses)
7. Ronan Daly (Padraig Pearses)

8. Tadgh O’Rourke (Tusk Lord Edwards)
9. Enda Smith (Boyle)

10. Niall Kirloy (Fuerty)
11. Colin Compton (Strokestown)
12. Shane Kilronan (Elphin)

13. Donie Smith (Boyle)
14. Ciaran Lennon (Clann na nGael)
15. Cathal Cregg (Western Gaels)

Subs: 21. Ultan Harney (Clann na Gael) for Lennon, 22. Hubert Darcy (Padraig Pearses) for Cregg, 18. David Neary (Strokestown) for Patterson, 19. Caoilean Fitzmaurice (Michael Glaveys) for O’Rourke

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)

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