LAST UPDATE | 1 Nov 2020

Mayo 2-15

Leitrim 0-10

By JOHN FALLON at Pairc Sean MacDiarmada

CILLIAN O’CONNOR LED the way as Mayo did all that was required of them to set up a Connacht semi-final date with champions Roscommon next weekend.

But manager James Horan will feel there is plenty of room for improvement after this win in difficult conditions in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Leitrim, having played with the strong wind, trailed by 1-6 to 0-6 after they failed to build on a bright start in an opening half where neither team struck a wide.

Terry Hyland’s men opened up a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after ten minutes thanks to points from Shane Quinn, Evan Sweeney, Domhnaill Flynn and Keith Beirne.

Mayo eventually settled with Aidan O’Shea again proving an excellent target at full-forward and they hit three points without reply with Bryan Walsh getting them off the mark after eleven minutes before Cillian O’Connor landed two frees.

The first of those frees came after Leitrim’s Oisin MacCaffraigh received a black card and Mayo outscored the hosts by 1-4 to 0-1 during the ten minutes they had an extra man.

O’Connor landed two from play and Tommy Conroy crowned his championship debut with a superb goal after 23 minutes which he drove into the bottom left corner.

Beirne got Leitrim’s first point in eight minutes and they didn’t score again for 17 minutes when Donal Casey finished a good move just before the break which also involved Donal Wrynn and Beirne after O’Connor had got another free.

The sides twice exchanged points in the opening 12 minutes of the second-half as Leitrim continued to battle but then O’Connor took a pass from Conor Loftus and blasted to the net to push Mayo 2-8 to 0-8 in front after 48 minutes.

It took a good save from defender MacCaffraigh to deny Lee Keegan and then goalkeeper Brendan Flynn produced point blank saves to deny James Carr and Paddy Durcan.

But Leitrim never looked like staging a comeback as Mayo eased into a Connacht semi-final showdown with champions Roscommon next weekend.

Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 1-9 (0-4f, 0-2 ‘45s), Tommy Conroy 1-0, Aidan O’Shea 0-2 (1m), Matthew Ruane 0-1, Conor Loftus 0-1,James Carr 0-1, Bryan Walsh 0-1 Leitrim: Keith Beirne 0-5f, Domhnaill Flynn 0-1, Donal Casey 0-1, Conor Dolan 0-1, Shane Quinn 0-1, Evan Sweeney 0-1.

Mayo

1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)

2. Oisín Mullin (Kilmaine)
3. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore)
4. Lee Keegan (Westport)

5. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)

20. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber)
7. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport)

8. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
9. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

10. Bryan Walsh (Ballintubber)
11. Ryan O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

13. Tommy Conroy (The Neale)

14. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
15. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)

Substitutes:

26. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber) for Walsh (48′)
23. James Carr (Ardagh) for O’Donoghue (48′)
6. Rory Brickenden (Westport) for S Coen (51′)
19. Chris Barrett (Clontarf) for Plunkett (62)
22. Darren McHale (Knockmore) for Ruane (64)

Leitrim

1. Brendan Flynn (Leitrim Gaels)

4. Conor Reynolds (Annaduff)
19. Oisin Mac Caffraigh (Sean O’Heslin’s)
2. Donal Casey (Leitrim Gaels)

7. Cillian McGloin (Melvin Gaels)
11. Paddy Maguire (Glencar-Manorhamilton – captain)
6. Aidan Flynn (Leitrim Gaels)

3. Donal Wrynn (Fenagh St. Caillin’s)
9. Domhnaill Flynn (Mohill)

10. Conor Dolan (Glencar-Manorhamilton)
8. Mark Plunkett (Aughawillan)
12. Jack Gilheaney (Fenagh St. Caillin’s)

13. Shane Quinn (Mohill)
14. Evan Sweeney (Glencar-Manorhamilton)
15. Keith Beirne (Mohill)

Substitutes:

23. Riordan O’Rourk e (Fenagh St Caullin’s) for A Flynn (55′)
25. Dean McGovern (Sean O’Heslin’s) for D Flynn (55′)
18. Pierce Dolan (Sean O’Heslin’s) for Sweeney (64′)
24. Tom Prior (Sean O’Heslin’s) for Dolan (68′)

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)

- first published 15.10, updated to appear on The Journal.