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Mayo claim incredible All-Ireland semi-final win as Dublin's reign as champions ends

A thrilling contest unfolded as the game progressed in Croke Park.

Mayo 0-17

Dublin 0-14

AFTER 45 GAMES unbeaten, the modern kings of Gaelic football were at last beaten in the championship arena.

If anyone was to knock Dublin out, it seemed fitting it would be Mayo.

jordan-flynn-celebrates-at-the-final-whistle Jordan Flynn celebrates at the final whistle. Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

An incredible All-Ireland semi-final required extra-time before it generated a winner and eventually it was Mayoโ€™s success-starved players, management and fans who celebrated under the Croke Park floodlights.

Mayo had at last conquered Dublin after so many agonising misses since defeating them in the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final. It takes them one step closer to the ultimate Gaelic football prize and this was an extraordinary semi-final success for the Westerners after they trailed by seven points during the first half and were down six at the break.

But James Horanโ€™s side were terrific thereafter, forcing level in injury-time when goalkeeper Robert Hennelly slotted over a โ€™45 and then finishing the job in extra-time with their attacking threats of Tommy Conroy and Ryan Oโ€™Donoghue catching fire.

cormac-costello-and-paddy-durcan Cormac Costello and Paddy Durcan.

The game looked set to culminate in a different outcome, when judging the first-half play. Dublin were 0-4 to 0-0 in front after 10 minutes, still in control at 0-6 to 0-2 by the first water break. Ciaran Kilkenny looked sharp with a brace of points while Dean Rock had supplied three.

And Dessie Farrell would have been satisfied with the second-quarter exchanges as Dublin continued to dictate the pace of the game. They rattled off three points in a row and it took a Robert Hennelly free in the 30th minute to provide Mayo with some scoring relief as they trailed 0-9 to 0-3. Kilkenny and Conor Loftus swapped points but a margin of six was a fair reflection of Dublinโ€™s early superiority as the teams retired at the interval. So far, so good for the capital kingpins.

john-small-with-ryan-odonoghue-conor-loftus-kevin-mcloughlin-and-diarmuid-oconnor John Small in action against Mayo. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

What ensued in the second half was quite remarkable. Mayo thundered into the match and kept Dublin scoreless in the third quarter. That gave them a genuine foothold in the game, trailing 0-10 to 0-7, but the water break was a timely intervention for Dublin and they slotted two points soon after, courtesy of Paddy Small and Rock.  

Mayo had lost Eoghan McLaughlin during that time frame, John Small escaping sanction for a heavy hit on the Westport man. Dublin kept them at bay and by the 63rd minute, it was 0-12 to 0-7, the type of lead where you would back champions to triumph.

And yet Mayoโ€™s persistence and appetite for the battle did not waver. Diarmuid Oโ€™Connor produced a stunning intervention to volley the ball back into play for a Kevin McLoughlin point. That kickstarted a scoring spree with Jordan Flynn, Oโ€™Donoghue and Conroy all involved, leaving just the minimum between them.

The atmosphere was electric in injury-time as Mayoโ€™s supporters roared their team on. Dean Rock nervelessly nailed a free in the 71st minute to nudge Dublin ahead by two. Ryan Oโ€™Donoghue clipped over a shot at the other end in the 74th minute and Hennelly dug his team out with that โ€™45 in the last act of normal time.

colm-boyle-celebrates-at-the-final-whistle-with-stephen-coen Mayo players celebrate their success. Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

The momentum lay in Mayoโ€™s corner and they held onto it as extra-time commenced. Seรกn Bugler got clear to fist over a 71st minute point but that proved Dublinโ€™s last score of the match. Conroy exploded into space for a pair of points that put Mayo in front, sandwiching a sin bin for Colm Basquel, another Dublin setback.

Mayo powered on, Darren Coen swinging over a splendid score and Oโ€™Donoghue converting another as Dublinโ€™s challenge began to disintegrate. It was 0-17 to 0-14 at the midway mark in extra-time, no more scoreboard activity thereafter. Dublin lost Tom Lahiff and James McCarthy to black cards and the scores they chased to salvage the game, could not be registered against a stubborn Mayo defence.

A famous night for Mayo football and another final awaits.

Scorers for Mayo: Ryan Oโ€™Donoghue 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1 mark), Tommy Conroy, Robert Hennelly (0-2f, 0-1 โ€™45) 0-3 each, Lee Keegan, Matthew Ruane, Conor Loftus, Kevin McLoughlin, Jordan Flynn, Darren Coen 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: Dean Rock 0-7 (0-5f), Ciarรกn Kilkenny 0-3 (0-1f), Paddy Small 0-2, Con Oโ€™Callaghan, Seรกn Bugler 0-1 each.

Mayo

1. Rob Hennelly (Breaffy)

2. Padraig Oโ€™Hora (Ballina Stephenites),  3. Lee Keegan (Westport), 4. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber)

5. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels), 6. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), 7. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport)

8. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy), 9. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina)

10. Diarmuid Oโ€™Connor (Ballintubber) 11. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), 12. Darren McHale (Knockmore)

13. Tommy Conroy (The Neale), 14. Aidan Oโ€™Shea (Breaffy), 15. Ryan Oโ€™Donoghue (Belmullet)

Subs

19. Enda Hession (Garrymore) for McHale (27)

23. Bryan Walsh (Ballintubber) for Plunkett (49)

26. James Carr (Ardagh) for Aidan Oโ€™Shea (49)

24. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina) for McLaughlin (inj) (58)

21. Conor Oโ€™Shea (Breaffy) for Loftus (64)

25. Darren Coen (Hollymount-Carramore) for Stephen Coen (76)

9. Loftus for McLoughlin (81)

18. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore) for Oโ€™Connor (87)

14. Oโ€™Shea for Darren Coen (91)

Dublin

1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)

2. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 4. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)

5. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams), 6. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 24. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)

8. Brian Fenton (Raheny), 6. Brian Howard (Raheny) 

10. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 11. Ciarรกn Kilkenny (Castleknock), 12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)

13. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams), 14. Con Oโ€™Callaghan (Cuala), 15. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille)

Subs

17. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St-Endaโ€™s) for Costello (49)

21. Tom Lahiff (St Judeโ€™s) for Cooper (51)

19. Seรกn Bugler (St Oliver Plunkettโ€™s-Eoghan Ruadh) for Scully (62)

7. Seรกn MacMahon (Raheny) for Murchan (66)

23. Philip McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams) for MacMahon (inj) (76)

22. Robert McDaid (Ballyboden St Endaโ€™s) for John Small (81)

20. Aaron Byrne (Na Fianna) for Howard (82)

15. Costello for Paddy Small (85)

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)

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196 Comments
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    Mute TP
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    Jul 31st 2011, 5:34 PM

    Cork should be grateful for their soft All-Ireland last year. Worst team to win it in many year.

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    Mute Mike Dowling
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    Aug 1st 2011, 1:58 AM

    Thatโ€™s a soft comment โ€“ how many All-Ireland medals have you ? By the way -Iโ€™m a Kerryman โ€ฆ..

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    Mute Diarmaid Twomey
    Favourite Diarmaid Twomey
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    Aug 1st 2011, 10:05 AM

    itโ€™s way too easy to criticise after an event like yesterday. The reigning all ireland league and championship champions should now be grateful for their medals after years of hard graft and unquestionable talent, ridiculous comment to say the least, good to see sense prevails back in Kerry ;)

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