Allianz FL D1: Mayo triumph again

Allianz Football League Division One

Mayo 2-17 Armagh 0-22

By Colm Gannon in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

Just a single point separated the sides at full time at the end of an absorbing encounter in Castlebar played in wet and windy conditions.

The hosts who had led by nine at the break had to hold on right at the death and two points from sub-Kobe McDonald who also played a key role in their second goal, played a big part in their win.

Mayo led by four points after 10 minutes, thanks to Jordan Flynn’s second minute goal. The Crossmolina man pulled on the ball on the deck after a Ryan O’Donoghue effort for a two-pointer dropped short and was broken away. Conor Loftus had earlier opened the scoring with a well hit effort from play.

Paul Towey stretched that lead out to five points with a well taken finish when he rounded off a quick break from the Mayo defence on 12 minutes. Armagh had scuffed a few chances to get the scoreboard going in their favour, by the time Callum O’Neill registered their first of the day just before the quarter hour mark.

Darragh McMullen had a great goal chance after he breached the Mayo defensive rearguard, but his effort was smothered out for a 45. Cian McConville pointed to make it a three-point game.

Jordan Flynn registered the first two pointer of the afternoon to edge Mayo five clear again, before Blaine Hughes and Callum O’Neil pointed to bring it back to a goal game. In between those points, Jarly Og Burns had a goal chance well saved by Rob Hennelly.

Over the next six minutes Mayo found their two-point range, with Conor Loftus, Ryan O’Donoghue and Cian McHale all kicking orange flag scores to put Mayo 1-10 to 0-4 up with half an hour gone on the clock.

Cian McConville pulled one back for Armagh after a long period of possession in the build-up, before Sam Callinan held his footing and rode a couple of challenges to fist over his sides 11^th point of the day two minutes before the short whistle. However, Mayo did lose Conor Loftus to injury before the turnaround.

Bob Tuohy pushed Mayo 10 points clear two minutes after the restart, but Armagh aided by a strong breeze in the second half were still very much up for the fight and dominated long periods of the remainder of the game.

Cian McConville hit two points in quick succession, before Mayo responded through O’Donoghue and McHale efforts. With 45 minutes gone Armagh got to grips with the conditions and Greg McCabe and Oisin O’Neill drove over two pointers one after each other and they were quickly followed by points from Jason Duffy and Tiernan Kelly to leave just four points between the teams and the momentum all with the Ulster men.

McConville added another to make it a three point contest, then with just over an quarter of an hour left Mayo looked like they had hit the decisive score when they bagged their second goal of the day.

Jordan Flynn linked up with Kobe McDonald, who found Ryan O’Donoghue in space. He spied Cian McHale in behind the cover and McHale rounded to Hughes before finishing to the net to put Mayo six to the good.

Armagh weren’t done, though, Ross McQuillian and Oisin Conaty fired over rapid points in response, McDonald replied for Mayo before McConville, McMullen and an O’Neill two point free put just one between the teams with five minutes to go.

Sam Callinan edged a score just inside the post to calm Mayo nerves and then Kobe McDonald got his second of the day after throwing a deft side step to edge Mayo a goal in front as time ticked down.

O’Neill pointed a free from close range and Greg McCabe saw his effort deflected over the bar – to cut it back to the bare minimum, but Mayo were able to hold their nerve and claim a hard fought win.

Scorers for Mayo: Cian McHale 1-3 (1 tp), Jordan Flynn 1-2 (1tp), Conor Loftus 0-3 (1tp), Ryan O’Donoghue 0-3 (1 tpf), Kobe McDonald 0-2, Sam Callinan 0-2, Bob Tuohy 0-1, Paul Towey 0-1

Scorers for Armagh: Cian McConville 0-6 (2fs), Oisin O’Neill 0-5 ( 1tp, 2tpf), Greg McCabe 0-3, (1tp), Callum O’Neill (0-2), Blaine Hughes 0-1 (1f), Jason Duffy 0-1, Ross McQuillian 0-1, Tiernan Kelly 0-1, Darragh McMullen 0-1, Oisin Conaty 0-1.

Mayo: Rob Hennelly; Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, Conor Loftus, Paddy Durcan; Bob Tuohy, David McBrien; Jack Carney, Ryan O’Donoghue, Jordan Flynn; Cian McHale, Aidan O’Shea, Paul Towey.

Subs: Stephen Coen for Conor Loftus (33 mins), Sean Morahan for Jack Coyne (HT), Kobe McDonald for Aidan O’Shea (50 mins), Conall Dawson for Paul Towey (56 mins).

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Jason Duffy, Gareth Murphy, Peter McGrane; Ross McQuillan, Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns; Callum O'Neill, Ben Crealey; Darragh McMullan, Conor Turbitt, Greg McCabe; Cian McConville, Oisín O'Neill, Oisín Conaty.

Subs: Fergal O’Brien for Conor Turbitt (60 mins), Ethan Rafferty for Duffy (68 mins).

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).