Oshea and oconnor inspire mayo triumph
O'Shea and O'Connor inspire Mayo triumph
Mayo .................. 1-15
Galway ................ 2-8
MAYO are on course for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Connaught SFC title after grinding out a hard-earned penultimate round victory over relentless Galway at sun-blessed Salthill this afternoon.
The win was inspired by the attacking leadership of the outstanding Aidan O'Shea and the deadball kicking proficiency of Cillian O'Connor.
O'Connor struck eight points from frees to punish indiscipline in the Galway defence and many of those frees were awarded for fouls on the incisive O'Shea.
In a game in which there were 51 frees, 12 yellow cards and three sendings-off, Mayo's experience told at the start of the second half when they opened up a six points lead thanks to O'Connor's shooting and O'Shea's persistence which lead to Galway's Finian Hanley slicing the ball into his own net.
It was frustrating for a Galway side that had been level at half-time and this was evident when Paul Conroy was red-carded for a dangerous tackle on Colm Boyle.
However, the tribesmen grabbed a 53rd minute lifeline when Gary Sice executed a stunning goal to cut the margin to three points.
But Mayo, despite being far from their best, displayed an ability to up their performance when they needed to by restoring their advantage with well-taken points by substitute Mark Ronaldson, Seamus O'Shea and Cillian O'Connor, his ninth of the hot-tempered encounter.
Mayo: D Clarke; C Barrett, K Keane, K Higgins; L Keegan, T Cunniffe, C Boyle; S O'Shea (0-1), T Parsons; D O'Connor, A O'Shea (0-1), K McLoughlin; A Moran (0-02), C O'Connor (0-9, 0-8 frees), J Doherty (0-01).
Subs: A Dillon for Moran (34 mins), M Ronaldson (0-1) for Dillon (41 mins), D Vaughan for Boyle (52 mins), G Cafferky for Keane (57 mins), B Moran for Parsons (66), A Freeman for C O'Connor (70 mins).
Galway: M Breathnach; J Duane, F Hanley (1-00, own goal), C Sweeney; L Silke, G O'Donnell, S Denvir; F Ó Curraoin, P Conroy (0-3, 0-2 frees); G Sice (1-3, 0-2 frees), P Sweeney, T Flynn; D Cummins (1-1), D Comer (0-1), M Lundy.
Subs: P Ó Gríofa for Conroy (black card 51 mins), G Bradshaw for Silke (62 mins), E Hoare for Flynn (62 mins).
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh).