All-Ireland SFC Round 2A: Tyrone 0-22 Mayo 1-18
Niall Morgan’s stunning last-gasp two-pointer gave Tyrone the narrowest of wins over Mayo at a hot and sunny O’Neills Healy Park on Sunday.
The Red Hands, All-Ireland semi-finalists last season, join Cork, Galway and Louth in the quarter-finals while Mayo will be in this morning’s Round Three draw, which looks fraught with jeopardy.
This was a game that could have swung either way and extra-time looked like a distinct possibility with the sides level 10 times throughout an engrossing, end-to-end game with Darren McCurry’s 0-6 haul off the bench proving crucial.
By the time the teams took to pitch in front of 11,921 fans in Omagh, the ripples of a weekend of shocks were still being felt.
Winning appeared paramount to the future success of both teams. The unpredictability of the round three draw was to be avoided at all costs.
For periods in the first half, it felt like both these teams were playing with that fear hanging over their heads.
Tyrone wasted half a dozen scoring chances in the opening quarter and were going toe-to-toe with Mayo on the scoreboard thanks to the accuracy of the brilliant Ronan Cassidy.
The first of a series of goal chances fell to Mayo, but Jordan Flynn’s tame effort was no match for Niall Morgan.
The sides continued to trade points with Enda Hession hitting two from corner-back before back-to-back scores from Kobe McDonald and Ryan O’Donoghue put Mayo two clear for the first time.
Tyrone responded via Eoin McElholm and Ronan Cassidy before both sides passed up goal chances either side of half-time.
Michael McKernan’s attempt at a buzzer-beater dropped short and Conn Kilpatrick was at the back post. Rather than palming into the net, his effort dropped over the crossbar to tie the game at 0-8 all.
Mayo spurned a chance into the town goals on the restart when Darragh Beirne sent O’Donoghue in on goal, but the Belmellet man opted to try and find McDonald at the far post when he might have been better off shotting himself.
Cassidy’s fourth point briefly put Tyrone ahead once more before Jack Carney landed the first two-pointer of the game.
After Ciaran Daly levelled the game, Tyrone missed a great chance to assert when Mattie Donnelly put Ethan Jordan through on goal and he looked certain to score. Jack Livingstone, who only made his Championship debut against Monaghan a fortnight ago, pulled off a majestic point-blank save.
The Eglish clubman held his nerve to convert the resulting 45 before making way for McCurry.
The Edendork clubman gave the large Tyrone support and O’Rourke a reminder of his undoubted class.
He converted a free with his first touch of the ball and would end up with six points, including four from play, although his second point was hotly contested by Mayo supporters on the terrace side.
His third had Tyrone three clear and looking in a strong position. That was until McDonald reignited Mayo’s charge with a classy two-pointer from the outside of the boot.
Tyrone replied via Peter Teague, but their goal was living a charmed life when Mayo were denied twice in quick succession as Cormac Quinn and Michael McKernan made blocks from Paul Towey and Beirne before Tommy Conroy settled for a point.
It was only a matter of time before Mayo found the net and it came from the next passage of play as they stole Morgan’s restart, worked the ball to Beirne and he beat the Tyrone ‘keeper with a deft finish.
Advantage Mayo? Perhaps not. With the Red Hands looking bereft of ideas in attack, they simply worked the ball to McCurry and he took care of the rest. His sixth point levelled the game – albeit there was time for further drama.
McDonald won a cheap free off Teague which was converted by O’Donoghue while Morgan replied with a ’45.
In a frantic final few minutes, Mayo thought they’d claimed victory when Sam Callinan’s fisted point edged them ahead once more.
Inside the final two minutes, Aidan O’Shea fouled McKernan under the stand and Morgan made no mistake to land Tyrone’s first two-pointer of the game as they got their noises in front with 90 seconds remaining.
Fittingly, Morgan would finish with the ball in his hands as O’Shea’s last-gasp attempt to force extra-time dropped short.
Mayo live to fight another day and they’ll face either Kerry, Dublin or Meath next weekend for a place in the quarter-finals.
Tyrone are already there and they’ll have a fortnight to prepare for their last-eight clash.
TYRONE: N Morgan 0-3 (0-1 45, 1tpf); C Quinn, P Teague 0-2, J Clarke; M McKernan, N Devlin, K McGeary; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick 0-2; S O’Donnell, R Cassidy 0-4, C Daly 0-2; E McElholm 0-1, M Donnelly, E Jordan 0-2 (0-1 45, 0-1f).
Subs: D McCurry 0-6 (0-2fs), for Jordan (46), F Burns for McGeary (55), C Bogue for Daly (58), L McGarrity for Donnelly (58), M Rafferty for Burns (65), D Canavan for Cassidy (66).
MAYO: J Livingstone; J Coyne, D McHugh, E Hession 0-2; S Callinan 0-1, D McBrien, P Durcan 0-1, E McGreal, J Carney 0-2 (1tp); H O’Loughlin, C Loftus, J Flynn 0-1; D Beirne 1-2, R O’Donoghue 0-5 (0-3fs), K McDonald 0-3 (1tp).
Subs: T Conroy 0-1 for O’Loughlin (46), P Towey for Loftus (48), A O’Shea for Durcan (54).
REFEREE: B Cawley (Kildare)
