Castlebar Mitchels trio, Eoghan Dever, Patrick Garvey and Ben Joyce, celebrate after Mayo's Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Football semi-final victory over Galway.
Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Football Championship Semi-Final
Mayo 3-15 (3-4-7) Galway 0-15 (0-3-9)
By Billy Coss at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park
LATE Tony Carey and Rhys Neary goals allied to four second half two-pointers from the boot of Conor Hession proved decisive as Mayo finished in devastating fashion to defeat Galway and secure their place in next week's Connacht Minor Football Championship final.
The sides were deadlocked, 1-10 to 0-13, with just ten minutes of normal time remaining. However, a blistering finish that delivered 2-5 from the hosts with the concession of two points to Galway swung matters and set up a decider with Roscommon as well as booking their place in the All-Ireland series.
Gavin Curran and Barry Keating raised Galway's early white flags and they traded on wind-assisted two-pointers from there to the break as Cian Hynes, Andrew Kehoe and Keating hit the mark from outside the 40-metre arc to open an 0-8 to 0-3 lead on 26 minutes.
That was as good as got for the Tribesmen, though. With Adam Kelly inspirational at midfield, Mayo remained in touch into the elements and soon struck for the game's crucial opening goal.
Galway 'keeper Evan Burke had earlier pulled off marvellous saves to deny Cian May and Oran Murphy but was powerless to prevent Murphy finishing on 27 minutes. Allied to a Conor Coghill point, it left Mayo well-placed trailing 0-8 to 1-4 at the break but with a significant wind yet to come.
Further points from Keating and Hynes, who were responsible for 12 of Galway's 15 points, left it 0-11 to 1-5 in favour of Neil McHugh's side with 38 minutes on the clock. But with Mayo continuing to dominate the battle for primary possession, they soon turned the screw.
The prodigious kicking of Conor Hession was key to their victory and his pair of two-point frees off the deck inside a minute, allied to Carey's third from play, left it finely balanced at 1-10 to 0-13 on 50 minutes.
Mayo's second goal would prove the catalyst for their late scoring blitz, Carey finishing with aplomb and taking his return to 1-3 after latching onto a Hession delivery on 53 minutes.
Sub Rhys Neary bagged their third four minutes later as Tom Reilly and David Heaney's side kicked for home and two more late two-pointers from Hession sealed the deal in an impressive victory.
Mayo will have a shot at avenging their round-robin defeat to Roscommon in next Friday's final in Castlebar. Galway's sights turn to the upcoming Tier 2 All-Ireland series.
Scorers for Mayo: Conor Hession 0-10 (3 2tpf, 1 2pt, 0-2f), Tony Carey 1-3, Rhys Neary and Oran Murphy 1-0 each; Conor Cogill and Ben Joyce (f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Barry Keating (1tp, 0-2f) and Cian Hynes (1tp, 0-3f) 0-6 each; Andrew Kehoe 0-2 (tp), Gavin Curran 0-1.
MAYO: Thomas Williams; Conor Coghill, Barry Langan (captain), Cahair Tighe; Ryan O’Donnell, Declan Duffy, Dara Flanagan; Adam Kelly, Cian May; Patrick Garvey, Ben Holmes, Conor Jordan; Tony Carey, Conor Hession, Oran Murphy. Subs: Fionn Ó Cinnseala for Murphy (38), Rhys Neary for Garvey (42), Fiacra Ó Cinnseala for Jordan (48), Ben Joyce for Holmes (58), Eoghan Dever for Duffy (60).
GALWAY: Evan Burke; Conor Winston, Evan Cunningham, Aaron Hayat; Jeremiah J Oifoh, Cormac Forde, Cillian O'Toole; Andrew Kehoe, Cian Hynes; Gavin Curran, Ciarán O'Donnell, Oísín Ó Neachtáin; Eoin Gacquin, Dara Costello, Barry Keating. Subs: Tim Madden for Gacquin (HT), Eoin Newell for Curran (HT), Ryan Connolly for Forde (42), Joey Cullinane for Oifoh (58), Cillian McPhillips for Costello (58).
REF: Barry Judge (Sligo).
