MAYO AND DERRY are first up in today’s double-header at Croke Park. A place in the Division 1 football league final is up for grabs and we’re following the action all the way.
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RESULT: Derry 2-15 Mayo 1-16
Welcome along to Croke Park for the first of today’s double-header. It’s Mayo against Derry with throw-in at 2pm.
Here’s the Mayo starting team:
Robbie Hennelly (Breaffy); Brendan Harrison (Aghamore), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites), Tom Cunniffe (Castlebar Mitchels); Lee Keegan (Westport), Colm Boyle (Davitts), Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe); Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber); Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen – Capt.), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Alan Freeman (Aghamore), Mickey Sweeney (Kiltane).
And here’s the Derry starting team:
Thomas Mallon (An Lúb); Oisín Duffy (Forghleann), Chrissy McKaigue (Leacht Néill), Dermot McBride (Baile na Scrine); Kevin Johnson (Dún Geimhin), Gerard O’Kane (Gleann an Iolair), Sean Leo McGoldrick (Eoghan Rua); Fergal Doherty (Baile Eachaidh), Patsy Bradley (Leacht Néill); Ciarán McFaul (Gleann), Mark Lynch (Beannchar) (C); Enda Lynn (Grainlocha); Benny Heron (Baile na Scrine), Emmett McGuckin (Machaire Fíolta). Cailean O’Boyle (Leamhaigh).
Armagh’s Padraig Hughes is the referee for this game. Both teams are currently out on the pitch warming up.
We’re set for action here.
One late change for May, Shane McHale comes into the defence for Tom Cunniffe.
Mayo 0-2 Derry 0-0: 3 mins – Good start for Mayo as Alan Freeman swings over a free from the Hogan Stand side and that’s followed up by Aidan O’Shea hooking over a shot from play.
Mayo 0-2 Derry 0-1: 6 mins – Mark Lynch pegs back Mayo with a pointed free
Mayo 0-3 Derry 0-1: 8 mins – Freeman on target again from a free after he was fouled himself.
Derry 0-3 Mayo 0-2: 11 mins – Neat point by Ciaran McFaul for Derry after a well-worked move.
Mayo 0-3 Derry 0-3: 12 mins – Now Derry are level with an expertly-taken point by Emmett McGuckin after a surging run from deep by Sean Leo McGoldrick created the chance.
Mayo 0-4 Derry 0-3: 12 mins – Keith Higgins intervenes to nudge Mayo back ahead after a persistent run.
Goal for Derry!
Derry 1-3 Mayo 0-4: 13 mins – Derry hit the net with a decisive strike. Mark Lynch runs from deep to start the move, offloads to Emmett McGuckin and the ball then pings around the goal mount for a few moments. McGuckin nips in to pick it up, passes sideways to O’Boyle and he drills a shot past Robert Hennelly.
Yellow card for Derry’s Fergal Doherty.
Derry 1-3 Mayo 0-5: 16 mins – That’s a good response from Mayo to the concession of the goal. Mikey Sweeney lofts over a lovely point from play with the ball landing on the top of the net. They do have a chance to draw level but Alan Freeman’s point effort from a free tails wide.
Derry 1-4 Mayo 0-5: 22 mins – Mark Lynch notches a point to edge Derry further ahead.
Goal for Mayo!
Red card for Derry’s Fergal Doherty, as he is shown a second yellow card!
Mayo 1-5 Derry 1-4: 24 mins – Big turning point in the game. Aidan O’Shea does brilliantly to block down a Derry shot, the ball breaks loose near the Hogan Stand side and he gets to it first to send it down towards Kevin McLoughlin. O’Shea is clattered into after the ball by Fergal Doherty – who is later shown a second yellow card and sent off – and is left severely winded. But Mayo counter attack with McLoughlin tearing forward, feeding Mikey Sweeney who sends it across to Moran and the captain has the simple task of firing to the net.
Mayo 1-6 Derry 1-5: 29 mins – Lovely points scored from play on both sides. Mark Lynch with a beauty from the right wing for Derry and Lee Keegan with a typical Lee Keegan score as he points after a dash forward.
Mayo 1-6 Derry 1-6: 31 – McGoldrick points for Derry and we’re level.
Mayo 1-7 Derry 1-6: 32 mins – Mikey Sweeney puts Mayo back in front with a fine point after a delivery from Jason Doherty.
Substitute: Kevin Keane is in for the injured Ger Cafferkey in the Mayo defence.
Mayo 1-7 Derry 1-7: 35 mins – Mark Lynch pops over another free for Derry.
Derry 1-8 Mayo 1-7: 36 mins – Now Derry are ahead thanks to Mark Lynch, this time from play.
Yellow card for Mayo’s Jason Gibbons.
Half-Time: Derry 1-8 Mayo 1-7
So it’s 14-man Derry who lead at half-time. We’ll be back shortly with the second-half action.
We’re back under way for the second half here.
Mayo 1-9 Derry 1-8: 37 mins – Mayo start the second half brightly with Freeman from a free and Doherty from play both pointing.
Mayo 1-9 Derry 1-9: 40 mins – It’s a draw game now as Cailean O’Boyle points for Derry.
Mayo 1-10 Derry 1-9: 41 mins – Jason Doherty shows good balance to get through the Derry defence and finishes off with a point.
Mayo 1-11 Derry 1-9: 43 mins – Freeman points a free after Keegan is fouled and Mayo go further in front.
Substitute: Niall Holly in for Derry for O’Boyle.
Mayo 1-12 Derry 1-9: 47 mins – Signs that Mayo are starting to take over and make the extra man count. Jason Gibbons breaks through after Keegan offloads and sensibly fists a point.
Substitute: Mayo bring in Enda Varley for Kevin McLoughlin.
Mayo could have moved out of sight there. Donal Vaughan cuts through the Derry rearguard but his shot is smothered by Derry goalkeeper Thomas Mallon.
Goal for Derry from Kevin Johnston!
Mayo 1-12 Derry 2-9: 50 mins – And Mayo are made pay for that goal miss as Derry find the net at the other end. It’s finished to the net by wing-back Kevin Johnston but the score was all down to the work of another wing-back, Sean Leo McGoldrick. The Coleraine man somehow waltzed through the Mayo defence, squared to Johnston and he palmed to the net.
Substitute: Aaron Devlin is on for Benny Heron in the Derry team.
Mayo 1-14 Derry 2-9: 54 mins – Mayo with a brace of points, Freeman with a free and Varley from play, to see them go back in front again.
Mayo 1-14 Derry 2-10: 57 mins – Lynch swings over a point to send Derry back into contention.
Substitute: Tom Parsons in for Mayo for Higgins.
Mayo 1-14 Derry 2-11: 60 mins – Derry simply refuse to buckle and are now level thanks to a superb pointed free from Lynch.
Substitute: Derry bring in Emmett Bradley for Patsy Bradley.
Substitute: Seamus O’Shea in for Mayo for Jason Gibbons.
Another Mayo goal chance but Mallon denies Keegan from close range.
Mayo 1-15 Derry 2-11: 64 mins – Freeman knocks over a free to send Mayo ahead.
Mayo 1-15 Derry 2-12: 66 mins – Emmett Bradley ties the game with a point for Derry.
Substitutes: Two Derry changes with Aidan McAlynn in for Johnston and Charlie Kielt replaces Emmett McGuckin.
Derry 2-13 Mayo 1-15: 67 mins – Super point by Enda Lynn to put Derry in front.
Derry 2-14 Mayo 1-15: 69 mins – Lynch floats over a point to put Derry two in front.
Substitute: Derry bring in Carlus McWilliams for McFaul.
Derry 2-15 Mayo 1-15: 71 mins – Now Derry go three clear thanks to Lynch again.
Substitute: Richie Feeney comes on for Mayo for Jason Doherty.
Full-Time: Derry 2-15 Mayo 1-16
A late Andy Moran point from a free couldn’t save Mayo as Derry claimed a brilliant victory. Huge character showed by Brian McIver’s side.
That’s all from us for our first semi-final, we’ll be now focusing on the meeting of Cork and Dublin. Thanks for joining in.
