Mayo 2-16
Kerry 0-17
Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
MAYO’S SUMMER VOYAGE continues and on this viewing, they’re only getting better.
Stephen Rochford’s men outplayed Kerry in almost every sector to seal their in their fourth All-Ireland final in six years. It was Mayo’s first championship victory over Kerry since 1996 as they exacted revenge for the replay defeat in Limerick three years ago.
Mayo made a mockery of the tired cliches that have accompanied them throughout this summer campaign. Aidan O’Shea frustrated his marker Kieran Donaghy to such a degree that the Austin Stacks man lashed out at the 27-year-old in second-half stoppage-time.
‘Star’ was sent-off to the delight of the Mayo-dominated 53,032 crowd in what may be his last outing in a Kerry jersey.
Kerry had earlier lost Peter Crowley to a second yellow, while Paddy Durcan was dismissed for Mayo after picking up a second booking late on in the heated affair. The sides shared 14 yellows between them, while Darran O’Sullivan and Cillian O’Connor were both black carded in the space of seven minutes shortly after half-time.
Andy Moran once again gave a heroic display for the Connacht side. Everything that went into him stuck, he bagged 1-1 and saw his man Shane Enright hauled off after 39 minutes.
Paul Geaney (0-10) was a rare bright spark in the Kingdom attack, while James O’Donoghue (0-3) looked dangerous after coming in at the interval, but otherwise their forward line looked lifeless.
Mayo had the smarts to sit deep and block out the space in front of Donaghy in the final quarter, and reel off scores on the counter.
Mayo appeared to be rotating their full-back early on, with Donal Vaughan and Seamus O’Shea spending time there in the opening 10 minutes, before Aidan O’Shea moved inside on Donaghy and held him scoreless in an outstanding display.
The big pre-game move was Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s decision to bring in Jonathan Lyne, Jack Barry and debutant Tom O’Sullivan in place of Mark Griffin, Anthony Maher and O’Donoghue.
Paul Murphy lined out as a sweeper for Kerry, but it only served to invite Mayo’s running game and gave them an extra man in midfield.
Murphy was pushed up as a wing-forward after half-time, but the damage was done.
Mayo crucified Kerry’s kick-outs in the first-half, while David Clarke was able to go short with considerable ease.
Mayo retained every single one of Clarke’s kick-outs in the first half, while Colm Boyle made two outstanding fetches from as Mayo pressed Brian Kelly’s kicks and forced him to go long at the far end.
Kerry led by 0-4 to 0-3 after the opening 11 minutes, with Geaney looking lively, but the cracks were beginning to show. By the 25th minute, Cillian O’Connor had five converted frees to his name Kerry continued to foul the Mayo runners.
Diarmuid O’Connor fisted into the net two minutes later, after Donal Vaughan’s attempt for a point dropped invitingly in front of the goalmouth. It was a ball Kerry stopper Kelly should have dealt with, but his caution under the dropping ball was emblematic of his team.
Mayo led by five at half-time but had that lead stretched to eight after Moran slotted past Kelly for a second consecutive game. O’Donoghue looked eager to make up for lost time and edged Kerry back into the game after his arrival off the bench.
The Legion man and Geaney hit 0-5 between them in a productive spell for the Kingdom, leaving them 2-12 to 0-14 behind on 60 minutes. Crowley, Donaghy and Enright were dismissed as scores from Doherty (45) and O’Loughlin settled the Mayo nerves.
Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 0-6 (0-6f), Andy Moran 1-1, Jason Doherty 0-3 (0-1 45, 0-1f), Diarmuid O’Connor 1-0, Kevin McLoughlin and Conor Loftus 0-2 each, Paddy Durcan and Chris Barrett 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Paul Geaney 0-10 (0-8f), James O’Donoghue 0-3 (0-1f), Johnny Buckley, Jack Barry, Fionn Fitzgerald and Jonathan Lyne 0-1 each.
Mayo
1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
2. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
3. Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)
6. Chris Barrett (Belmullet)
11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
7. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
8. Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy)
9. Tom Parsons (Charlestown)
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
5. Lee Keegan (Westport)
10. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
13. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
14. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber – captain)
15. Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen)
Subs
18. Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels) for Vaughan (35+2)
20. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina) for Diarmuid O’Connor (ht)
24. Conor O’Shea (Breaffy) for Cillian O’Connor (52, black-card)
19. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore) for Seamus O’Shea (60)
22. Danny Kirby (Castlebar Mitchels) for Boyle (68)
Kerry
1. Brian Kelly (Killarney Legion)
2. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
6. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
4. Killian Young (Renard)
7. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
20. Jonathan Lyne (Killarney Legion)
5. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
23. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)
8. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)
17. Jack Barry (Na Gaeoil)
12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane)
11. Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes – captain)
10. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks)
13. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
14. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
Subs
22. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar) for Buckley (ht)
15. James O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion) for Walsh (ht)
18. Fionn Fitzgerald (Dr Crokes) for Enright (39)
21. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Darran O’Sullivan (44, black-card)
3. Mark Griffin (St Michaels-Foilmore) for Young (50)
23. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Tom O’Sullivan (62)
9. Anthony Maher (Duagh) for Barry (65-, blood-sub)
Referee: David Hough (MeathG
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Well done Ulster, great result.
Well done Ulster. A home fixture is deserved at this stage.
Well done ulster but after this result against an average side ulster fans think they’re going to win the world Cup and should have 15 players on the lions, it’s absolutely hilarious
@Michael Oats: what’s with the sour grapes? They got their deserved win and the fans are within their rights to celebrate and dream of big things. The Challenge Cup is not an easy competition to win either, the ruthless needed in the knock out stages is as ferocious as you’d expect and fair dues to Ulster for the win. As for players on the Lions that depends on Gats and what he wants from individuals fitting into HIS team, not the performance of Ulster as a team.
@Michael Oats: Michael, you need to get out a little more. Where did this come from? As. Leinster fan, I cheered them to the finish an celebrated a great performance. It augurs well for the future of both Ulster and Irish rugby. What was it Brendan Behan said about the begrudgers?
@SPQH: ah theres no sour grapes here. I actually like Dan mcfarland as a coach – has been very good everywhere he’s coached – and some of the players are alright club players too tbf. It’s the fans that make them out to be spartan warriors and world beaters after every game they win against poor opposition gets me in fits of laughter every time… On a side note “Gats” You know him personally do ya? Lol
@Michael Oats: you are a very embittered Musterman. I won’t call you a Munster supporter as they are fair-minded.
@Michael Oats: that’s a very odd comment to be making unprompted. Just say well done and ignore the chip on your shoulder
@Trevor Johnston: Munster Abu trev
@Michael Oats: why so bitter? That’s 2 away wins on the trot in England, and Saints are a decent side. It’s a great win and chance of a cup. And a couple of Lions is a possibility, don’t be so odd
@Michael Oats: They probably are the 2nd best province
@Trevor Johnston: he is probably just annoyed that if Ulster won silverware, Munster will be the only province not to have won a competition in the last decade.
@Michael Oats: troll harder
@Joe Vlogs: I rather we didn’t win a second rate trophy tbh. Challenge Cup against what? English teams rolling out second strings. Treviso were in the quarter final and agen were in the last 16, neither of those teams have won a game all year. But go on ulster have your day. Lol
@rugbyanbeer: this is the kind of fan I’m talking about. Hahaha
@Michael Oats: ulster play a great brand of rugby and have been the 2nd best side in the league and in Ireland for a while now. Some of their home grown talent are simply fantastic rugby players. You need to find a different sport if you can’t appreciate how ulster play rugby.
@Michael Oats: a) I’m not from Ulster b) I guess that explains why Munster don’t win anything…they don’t really want to, you know. Saving their tinder for the Rainbow cup or something serious like that.
Congratulations Ulster
Great win and have to say did not look likely at HT. Hope Lowrey learns a lot from that game for he is an exciting prospect. …..but he’s not going to suck in defenders and offload in the tackle very often and running up blind alleys gets him turned over like you would a baby in a cot. His strength is that he’s a space user not a space creator . Get him running off the shoulders of fellas that can take the hit and offload in the tackle and not sure 15 is suited to him…might be worth giving him a protracted run at 10. Played last night like a chap that has started to believe the hype. Some of his decision making was poor.
@Michael Murray: not his best game. Hopefully he will learn.
@Trevor Johnston: …looks every inch a footballer….I’m sure he will. Given he is such a unique package with incredible potential ,his coaches and mentors have a hell of a responsibility to help get the best out of himself and reach his full potential.
@Michael Murray: to be fair he is a 10 playing at 15. He has been impressive in general but these blips will happen
@Dave O Keeffe: I know and that makes it even more important that he’s looked after particularly well.
@Michael Murray: Super talented but because of his size has to be used properly. Has the skills for 10 but I doubt he’d be able for the hits Sexton has taken over the years.
FB would appear to be his best option. Wasn’t great yesterday but any player can have an off day.
After 2 away wins Ulster definitely deserve a home game. Great for Irish rugby if they can pull it off.