Roscommon 1-15

Mayo 2-14

MAYO KEPT A late Roscommon rally at bay to confirm their progression from Group 2 of the All-Ireland series at Dr Hyde Park this evening.

Kevin McStay’s men, despite suffering a dose of the jitters in front of the posts in the opening half, held the upperhand after the break thanks to second-half goals from Ryan O’Donoghue — from the penalty spot — and Donnacha McHugh.

Roscommon tried to salvage the game late on, ignited by a Conor Cox penalty. But Mayo, despite losing Fergal Boland to a red card, held on to set up a game against Dublin for the most direct route to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

From a Roscommon perspective, the sight of Enda Smith limping from the fray won’t have helped manager Davy Burke’s mood ahead of their pivotal game against Cavan in two weeks’ time.

The tit-for-tat nature of the scoring was reflected in a tight opening 35 minutes where the sides were level seven times, but Mayo won’t have been happy with their conversion rate, hitting eight wides, which included Darren McHale missing an open goal.

The first four points were shared — Donie Smith and Diarmuid Murtagh (free) on target for the Rossies, while Darren McHale and Matthew Ruane split the posts for Mayo.

However, rapid-fire scores from Conor Cox (free) and Robbie Dolan edged Roscommon two points ahead, but Player of the Match Eoghan McLaughlin and Ryan O’Donoghue (free) brought the sides level, 0-4 apiece, by the end of the third quarter.

A superb individual score by Enda Smith edged the Rossies back in front before McLaughlin found a huge hole through the middle of the home side’s defence to bring the sides level once more.

Daire Cregg hit one of the points of the half before Jordan Flynn restored parity.

A 28th-minute free from Ryan O’Donoghue put Mayo ahead for the first time but Ciarán Lennon became Roscommon’s seventh scorer of the half to tie the contest at 0-7 apiece.

There was still time for O’Donoghue and Cox (free) to swap scores to leave the sides deadlocked at 0-8 each, but the wise money was on Mayo with wind advantage to come.

For most of that second half, they justified their favouritism as Cillian O’Connor, from over 45 metres, McHale and O’Donoghue pushed Mayo 0-12 to 0-10 after 50 minutes.

Roscommon were struggling to get possession into their forwards, and had to rely on placed balls from Diarmuid Murtagh, Conor Carroll, from a 45, and Conor Cox for their scores.

Mayo were patient before finding the pass to open up the Roscommon defence, and Flynn’s second score of the game was followed by the game’s pivotal moment on the hour mark.

Mayo moved the ball swiftly to O’Donoghue who was fouled in the eyes of referee Barry Cassidy, although Roscommon argued that the Mayo forward had taken too many steps.

Up stepped O’Donoghue to confidently stroke home the penalty and hand his side a 1-12 to 0-11 lead.

Substitute Keith Doyle hit Roscommon’s first point from play of the half but when defender Donnacha McHugh fastened himself to another swift Mayo move, a 2-13 to 0-13 lead looked unassailable with two minutes remaining.

But Roscommon rallied and when substitute Dylan Ruane was upended, Conor Cox became the first Roscommon forward to score a goal, via the penalty spot, against Mayo in the championship in the Hyde in 23 years.

Lively substitute Tommy Conroy gave Mayo some breathing space, before late points from Donie Smith and Ultan Harney pared the margin back to two points.

But Roscommon had left themselves with too much to do as Mayo held on for their third victory against their western neighbours this season.

Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 1-4 (1 pen, 2f), Donnacha McHugh 1-0, Eoghan McLaughlin 0-3, Jordan Flynn 0-2, Darren McHale 0-2, Matthew Ruane 0-1, Cillian O’Connor 0-1, Tommy Conroy 0-1.

Scorers for Roscommon: Conor Cox 1-4 (1 pen, 3f, 1m), Donie Smith 0-2, Diarmuid Murtagh 0-2 (2f), Conor Carroll 0-1 (1 45), Robbie Dolan 0-1, Enda Smith 0-1, Ciarán Lennon 0-1, Daire Cregg 0-1, Keith Doyle 0-1, Ultan Harney 0-1

Mayo

1. Colm Reape (Knockmore)

3. David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen), 23. Padraig O’Hora (Ballina Stephenites), 6. Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites)

5. Stephen Coen (Hollymount Carramore), 2. Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis), 4. Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels)

8. Jack Carney (Kilmeena), 9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)

7. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport), 11. Ryan O’Donoghue (Béal an Mhuirthead), 12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

10. Darren McHale (Knockmore), 13. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), 15. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)

Subs: 20. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers) for McBrien (h-t), 14. Tommy Conroy (The Neale) for O’Connor (53), 17. Fergal Boland (Aghamore) for O’Shea (62), 19. Enda Hession (Garrymore) for McHale (68), 26. Bob Tuohy (Castlebar Mitchels) for McLoughlin (70)

Roscommon

1. Conor Carroll (Oranmore/Maree)

2. David Murray (Pádraig Pearses), 3. Brian Stack (St. Brigid’s), 4. Niall Higgins (Elphin)

5. Niall Daly (Pádraig Pearses), 6. Robbie Dolan (St. Brigid’s), 7. Eoin McCormack (St. Dominic’s)

8. Enda Smith (Boyle), 9. Tadhg O’Rourke (Tulsk Lord Edwards)

26. Conor Hand (St. Brigid’s), 11. Donie Smith (Boyle), 12. Ciarán Lennon (Clann na nGael)

13. Conor Cox (Éire Óg), 14. Daire Cregg (Boyle), 15. Diarmuid Murtagh (St. Faithleach’s)

Subs: 23. Keith Doyle (St. Dominic’s) for Hand (h-t), 10. Dylan Ruane (Michael Glaveys) for Lennon (44), 22. Ultan Harney (Clann na nGael) for O’Rourke (53), 19. Ruaidhrí Fallon (St. Brigid’s) for Daly (53), 18. Shane Cunnane (St. Brigid’s) for Dolan (63)

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).