Freeman goals help Mayo to victory over Derry

Allianz Football League Division I: Mayo 2-12 Derry 1-7

Mayo and Derry will meet again in the Division 1 Allianz Football League semi-finals after two Alan Freeman goals gave the home side the win at Elverys MacHale Park.

Freeman's 40th-minute penalty put Mayo in control, only for Emmett McGuckin's goal 12 minutes later to help Derry to within three points of their hosts.

However, Mayo always seemed to have that extra bit of class up front, and when Freeman rattled the net 12 minutes from time, Mayo's fourth win of the campaign was sealed.

Playing with the advantage of a huge wind in the first-half, Brian McIver's side would have been dismayed to trail 0-8 to 0-1 at the interval.

Freeman was in fine form for Mayo in the opening period and his four points and another two from Mikie Sweeney gave them the advantage at the break.

McGuckin hit an early point for Derry after the restart to trim that lead to six points, but when Freeman was fouled by Conor McAtamney, he stepped up with a stylish finish to give Mayo a 1-8 to 0-2 advantage.

McIver made plenty of switches at that stage and points from two of those substitutes, Aaron Kerrigan and Emmett Bradley, and McGuckin's wonder goal gave the Oak Leaf men some hope entering the final quarter.

But Freeman displayed a cool head to fire past Eoin McNicholl for Mayo's second goal, which set up the rematch next weekend.

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Scorers for Mayo: A Freeman 2-6 (3f, 1-0 pen, 1'45); M Sweeney 0-2; T Parsons, D Coen, A Moran and D Vaughan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Derry: E McGuckian 1-1; A McAlynn 0-2; A Kerrigan (1f), C Kielt, N McFeely and E Bradley 0-1 each.

Mayo: R Hennelly; T Cunniffee, G Cafferkey, K Keane; S McHale, C Boyle, D Vaughan; T Parsons, S O'Shea; J Doherty, A Moran, K Higgins; C O'Connor, A Freeman, M Sweeney. Subs: D Coen for O'Connor (9), R Feeney for Higgins (ht), B Moran for Doherty (48), M Conroy for Sweeney (48), D O'Connor for Parsons (63), L Keegan for Boyle (70).

Derry: E McNicholl; O Duffy, C McAtamney, K McKaigue; C Kielt, M Craig, A McAlynn; E McGuckian, N Holly; A Devlin, D Heavron, C McWilliams; J Kearney, D Mullan, C McGoldrick. Subs: E Bradley for McGoldrick (ht), A Kerrigan for Mullan (46), K Conway for Devlin (52), N McFeely for Heavron (61) P Cassidy for Kearney (68), N McNicholl for McGuckian (69).

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).

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Report: Declan Rooney