Mayo 0-27
Cork 2-20
Declan Rooney reporting in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Cillian O’Connor scored 11 points and Mayo continued their revival with their third straight qualifier win, a thrilling one-point Round 4A extra-time victory over Cork at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
Mayo held a 0-10 to 0-7 lead at half-time in normal time despite having a slow start, where Donncha O’Connor slotted two points in the opening seven minutes before Cillian O’Connor hit back for Mayo.
Two superb points from Lee Keegan and Tom Parsons gave Mayo confidence but the sides were level for the third time when Donncha O’Connor scored his fifth point in the 31st minute.
However Mayo closed out the half well and Cillian O’Connor kicked a pair of points while Jason Doherty opened his account for a three-point interval lead.
Cork got a black card towards the end of the first-half when Jamie O’Sullivan was penalised for a third-man tackle on Aidan O’Shea in the 35th minute.
Andy Moran kicked his third point on the resumption, and then Cillian O’Connor took off again. When substitute Paddy Durcan scored they were double scores, 0-14 to 0-7 ahead in the 46th minute.
But Cork halved the deficit in the next five minutes, John O’Rourke tapped over two points but Cillian O’Connor scored his seventh point to keep Mayo ticking. Just three minutes later Powter rattled the Mayo net after he drove at Keith Higgins and hit low past David Clarke.
Then Lee Keegan got a black card and Mayo stretched clear only for Ruairi Deane to set up Connolly for his 71st minute goal. Durcan gave Mayo their advantage back but Connolly’s 77th minute free forced the game into extra-time.
It was 2-15 to 0-21 at the start of extra-time and Paul Kerrigan kicked two early points for Cork as they went into the break 2-19 to 0-24 ahead.
But Mayo kicked four points in a row with Cillian O’Connor’s 45 putting the game beyond Cork.
Scorers for Mayo: C O’Connor 0-11 (0-4f, 0-1 ‘45), A Moran 0-4, A O’Shea 0-3, P Durcan 0-2, C Loftus 0-2, L Keegan 0-1, T Parsons 0-1, J Doherty 0-1, K Higgins 0-1, D O’Connor 0-1
Scorers for Cork: D O’Connor 0-6 (0-4f), L Connolly 1-1, S Powter 1-0, J O’Rourke 0-3, P Kerrigan 0-3, C O’Neill 0-3 (0-1f), M Hurley 0-2, B O’Driscoll 0-1, T Clancy 0-1,
Mayo
1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
2. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
3. Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)
5. Lee Keegan (Westport)
6. Chris Barrett (Belmulet)
7. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
8. Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy)
9. Tom Parsons (Charlestown)
10. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
22. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
14. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber, captain)
15. Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen)
Subs:
18. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels) for Barrett (44)
23. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore) for S O’Shea (50)
21. Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe) for Boyle (53)
19. David Drake (Ballaghderreen) for Keegan (58, black card)
13. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina) for Moran (63)
17. Caolan Crowe (Garrymore) for Cafferkey (81)
25. Evan Regan (Ballina Stephanites) for McLoughlin (81)
26. Alan Dillon (Ballintubber) for D O’Connor (87).
Cork
16. Ryan Price (O Donovan Rossa)
2. James Loughrey (Mallow)
3. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)
4. Jamie O Sullivan (Bishopstown)
5. Sean Powter (Douglas)
6. Michael Shields (St Finbarrs)
7. Tomas Clancy (Fermoy)
8. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)
9. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s)
10. Colm O Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
11. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
12. John O Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
13. Barry O Driscoll (Nemo Rangers)
14. Donncha O Connor (Ballydesmond)
15. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)
Subs:
20. Kevin Crowley (Millstreet) for Loughrey (19)
26. Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers) for O’Sullivan (36, black card)
24. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues) for Walsh (37)
18. Colm O Neill (Ballyclough) for Shields (46)
22. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers) for B O’Driscoll (54)
23. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven) for O’Connor (62)
17. Alan O Connor (St Colum’s) for Maguire (70)
25. Sean White (Clonakilty) for C O’Driscoll (70)
10. C O’Driscoll for Powter (81)
6. M Shields for Cronin (87).
Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down).
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Still can’t believe this signing was allowed, I cannot understand props and locks as when you go through the first 2 options it gets a bit thin on the ground, but ringrose henshaw Osborne, not even mentioning o brien and frawley, the irony is they still won’t get over the line at end of season and that will teach the irfu a well earned lesson
@Cian Halley: can* understand
@Cian Halley: why wouldn’t this signing be allowed? Each side was the same number of NiQ players.
@Cian Halley: I think they’ve simply said sod it let’s pull out all the stops to win. It’s only a 6 month contract and yes clearly for Ireland it would be better to have an Irish international playing the big games, but wouldn’t it be better overall for an Irish province to win Europe considering the amount of Irish intentionals playing there.
@chris mcdonnell: except for Munster who have had the rules broken for them and have 4 on their books.
@Ciaran Kennedy: nope, it would be better overall if Ireland win or won something of note!
@teuO6nLS: where did the 3 niq rule come out of?
@Cian Halley: All 5 of those players you mentioned will be away on international duty and you also left out Keenan, Lowe, Prendergast and possibly Larmour too so that’s our entire 1st team backline gone so this signing is actually very crucial and very shrewd. He’s more than welcome and hopefully he will add to the team and help the youngsters develop
@Ciaran Kennedy: you could say that but then the flipside is, what If they don’t get over the line,tbh its unforgivable if they don’t with that squad
@teuO6nLS: who are those 4?
@Harry O’ Callaghan: meh it’s a point but then again, as ROC regularly says in his articles, leinster have an absolute rolls Royce academy? Can’t they just whip up a fee pancakes frome there or is it perhaps not as strong as we thought?
@Cian Halley: Putting all the inexperienced academy players out against seasoned pros would be a terrible decision. You might get away with that if you had your strongest pack out but the majority of the pack will be away on international duty also.
@chris mcdonnell: Think you’ll find Ulster have one NIQ player. And a number of very average IQ players who’ll never play for Ireland which helps precisely nobody.
@teuO6nLS: Would it real kill us to pause and think before reacting to a comment? Yes the OP was having a general moan about the advantages that Leinster have, but if it was the other way round, Leinster supporters would probably feel the same way. Stoking the fire with petty digs doesn’t lead to meaningful and constructive conversation about the state of Irish rugby. Surely we can all agree that we want what is best?
@Justin Robinson: If Ulster have chosen to only use one of their NIQ spots, that is their right. The other provinces don’t have to match them though. In fact it could be argued that Leinster have made very inefficient use of their spots by signing a player for a 6 month contract and 2 others on 1 year deals.
I see Ryan Baird is back with Leinster too. Looks like POM on bench Saturday with Beirne to start at 6.
@Kenjo: Crazy.Beirne should be rested o mahony and Murray should be back with munster with the matches we have coming up.
@Papa Kilo: Beirne could definitely do with a rest but he’s an unreal engine. The bit of game time will benefit POM after playing little rugby so far this season. Think Casey will make the bench Saturday with Murray sitting out. Let’s just pray that we’ve no injuries.
@Kenjo: o mahony and Murray should be playing Saturday against the lions not needed in irish setup
@Papa Kilo: agreed Papa, overlooked that Munster were playing Saturday.
@Kenjo: saw that. So he has fallen behind Izuchukwu and C. Prendergast in pecking order potentially now.
@Michael Corkery: He just hasn’t got going this season and he was unfortunate to be injured against Argentina after only coming on.
@Papa Kilo: can be rested on provincial time and miss games for Munster. Just like the rest of the centrally contracted players do for their provinces.
@Kenjo: Or Beirne in the row, POM at 6 and Ryan & Izuchukwu on the bench. Or maybe Izzy starts and POM on the bench.
@Kenjo: I guarantee Tadhg Beirne would not agree with you. Players want to play. When RWC27 comes around, the format will include 4 knock out games. We need to be in a position to field our best team for 4 or 5 games in a row and not run out of gas. The only way players can get used to that is regular exposure to week after week top level rugby. The SA get it (mostly) in the RC every year – 6 games of quality rugby with a dose of travelling in the mix. We give ourselves down weeks in the 6N. Isn’t it no wonder there is only 1 NH world cup win.
Leinster trying to buy trophies
@Tony McGrath: it s almost as if they are recruiting players to help them win trophies
@Tony McGrath: The majority of Leinsters squad is homegrown from Dublin or Leinster. If you don’t like us signing 1 or 2 players and that’s it then why don’t you give us back all our players that we’ve given to you.
@Tony McGrath: In the 29 editions of the Champions Cup / Heineken Cup, every team has “bought” the trophy. That is if you classify recruiting 3 players from around the world to make your team better, as “buying trophies”. How can I help you to see the error of your ways?
I accidentally (it was late) watched ABs v France from a previous year thinking it was this years game last week. Anyway it was too far gone and a decent game so I just kept going, Barrett was terrible, in fact (just a self fact) if he had been wearing green that day he would have been lampooned by fans and the media, long kicks, dropped balls, missed tackles, woeful stuff… Dunno about this lad, time will tell, he may well have a few moments and URC isn’t the same as Autumn series in Paris.
Well f*#k anyway