Mitchels turn up the heat to burn off Mohill
Castlebar Mitchels ...... 0-16
Mohill ............................0-11
MAYO champions Castlebar Mitchels turned up the heat in the last 10 minutes on a bitterly cold afternoon at MacHale Park, Castlebar, where they advanced to a Connaught senior club championship semi-final meeting with Sligo champions Tourlestrane back at the same venue on Sunday week. November 12.
Leitrim champions Mohill were well in this game with 15 minutes remaining as the sides were tied at 0-9 apiece.
But the three in a row Mayo champions found a new gear and their big men finally stepped forward, none more so than Neil Douglas, who came with a late flush of points to seal the deal while Danny Kirby, Ger McDonagh and Cian Costello also hit the target as Mitchels hit seven points without reply to go 0-16 to 0-9 ahead three minutes from time.
Keith Beirne, Mohill's top gun, who finished on 0-7, nailed two late frees but it was Castlebar who finally woke from their slumber to finish the job after a lethargic first half in which Mohill took the game to them.
Castlebar, who kicked the first two points of the game from play inside four minutes, had the last two points in the half to hold an interval lead of 0-7 to 0-5, with David Stenson nailing his third free and Eoghan O’ Reilly scoring the best point of a half which saw Mohill lead briefly by 0-5 to 0-4.
Keith Beirne was the go-to man for Mohill and he a good point from play and adding two frees to keep Mohill very much in the game at half-time.
Both sides created a good goal chance each, Keith Keegan blazing over the bar with a goal at his mercy for Mohill, while an excellent Castlebar move saw Danny Kirby denied by the Mohill goalkeeper who got down on the ball as Kirby was about to pull the trigger.
Castlebar Mitchels: R. Byrne, C. Kyne, G. McDonagh (0-1), D. Newcombe, R. O’Malley (0-1), N. McCarney, E. O Reilly (0-1), P. Durcan, A. Walsh (0-1), B. Moran (0-2), J. Durcan, D. Kirby (0-1), C. Costello (0-3), D. Stenson (0-3, 3f), N. Douglas (0-3).
Subs used: S. Irwin for McCarney, A O’Boyle for Walsh, M. Towey for O’Malley, M, McCormack for Moran
Mohill: P. Tighe, J. Mitchell, R. Gallagher. O. Madden (0-1), D. Gordon, C. Canning, C. Kennedy, D. McLoughlin, S. Quinn, D. Beck, S. McGowan, K. Keegan (0-1), R. Kennedy (0-2), K. Beirne (0-7, 6f), A. McLoughlin.
Subs used: D, Mitchell for D, Gordon (inj), R, Gordon for Beck, E. Harkin for Madden
Referee: M. Duffy (Sligo).