Mayo 1-13

Monaghan 0-12

Colm Gannon reports from Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

MAYO EDGED Monaghan by four points in Castlebar to book their place in the second round of the qualifiers next week. 

Monaghan will have left Castlebar aggrieved about not getting one of two late penalty shots, with Conor Leonard looking to have been fouled three minutes into injury time with just three points between the sides. 

On a boiling hot day in Castlebar, the game wasn’t pretty for long periods, but Mayo dug it out with Cillian O’Connor hitting 1-6 to lead his side home. 

Mayo led by three at the half-time break and pushed themselves four to the good early in the second half, but they went 20 minutes before registering their next score through a rousing Lee Keegan effort. 

Before that Monaghan had cut the gap back to two points through Kieran Duffy and Michael Bannigan points. Mayo went four clear again through a O’Connor free eight minutes from the end and were able to keep that gap more or less intact until the final whistle, with each side going point for point down the stretch. 

But the decision by Barry Cassidy not to award Monaghan a penalty down the home stretch was met with derision by the Farney county faithful with manager Seamus McEaney making a beeline straight for the referee after the game to express his displeasure. 

Three points separated the sides at half-time with Cillian O’Connor’s goal from the penalty spot the decisive score of the opening 35 minutes. 

Monaghan led by two points early doors thanks to two Gary Mohan efforts, but when Conor McManus was shown a black card by Barry Cassidy for a trip on Aidan O’Shea five minutes in Mayo hit them for 1-3 without reply. 

O’Connor pointed a free before Eoghan McLaughlin slotted over one from play. Then O’Connor drove his penalty high to the top of the net after an Oisin Mullin effort had been blocked by a foot block. O’Connor got his second of the day from a free to put Mayo 1-3 to 0-2 up. 

Monaghan outscored Mayo by 0-5 to 0-4 over the rest of the half with Jack McCarron having a major influence on the play chipping in with three points while Conor McCarthy and Conor McManus also got not the scoreboard for Monaghan. 

Mayo registered scores from Rob Hennelly, Jack Carney and O’Connor Mattie Ruane as they went in leading 1-7 to 0-7. 

Scores

Mayo: Cillian O’Connor (1-6, 5f), Lee Keegan (0-1), Patrick Durcan (0-1), Eoghan McLaughlin (0-1), Matthew Ruane (0-1), Jack Carney (0-1), Darren McHale (0-1), Robbie Hennelly (0-1)

Monaghan: Jack McCarron (0-3, 1m), Gary Mohan (0-2), Shane Carey (0-2. 2f), Conor McManus (0-1, 1f), Kieran Duffy (0-1), Conor McCarthy (0-1), Conor Leonard (0-1), Micheal Brannigan (0-1)

Mayo team:

1. Robert Hennelly (Breaffy)

2. Lee Keegan (Westport)

3. Oisin Mullin (Kilmaine)

4. Enda Hession (Garrymore)

5. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)

6. Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore)

7. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport)

8. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)

9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)

10. Bryan Walsh (Ballintubber)

11. Aidan Orme (Knockmore)

12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)

13. James Carr (Ardagh)

14. Jack Carney (Kilmeena)

15. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)

 Subs: 22.Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore) for Carr, 23. Darren McHale (Knockmore) for Orme, 24. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers) for Walsh, 25. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole) for Carney, 17. Padraig O’Hora (Ballina Stephenites) for Cillian O’Connor

Monaghan:

1. Rory Beggan (An Bhóth)

2. Kieran Duffy (Leachtain)

3. Conor Boyle (Cluain Tiobraid)

4. Ryan Wylie (Béal Átha Beithe)

5. Karl O’Connell (Tigh Thalainn)

6. Dessie Ward (Béal Átha Beithe)

7. Ryan McAnespie (Scairb na gCoorach)

8. Darren Hughes (An Bhóth)

9. Niall Kearns (Seán Mac Diarmada)

10. Conor McCarthy (An Bhóth)

11. Kieran Hughes (An Bhóth)

12. Mícheál Brannigan (Achadh na Muilleann)

13. Jack McCarron (Curraichín)

14. Gary Mohan (Gael Triucha)

15. Conor McManus (Cluain Tiobraid)

Subs: 20. Andrew Woods (Inis Caoin) for Hughes, 22. Conor Leonard (Na Mullai) for McCarthy, 25. Shane Carey (An Bhoth) for McManus, 26. Séan Jones (Inis Caoin) for Bannigan, 19. Fintan Kelly (Clauin Eois) for Hughes 

 Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)