Gaelic Games:Kerry's Bryan Sheehan missed a '45 with the last kick of the game as Mayo claimed a thrilling Allianz League Division One semi-final after extra time at Croke Park today.
Richie Feeney had just put the western side a point up (2-15 to 1-17) when Kerry launched a last attack. Some quick thinking by Kieran Donaghy helped to win the ’45 when he back-heeled that ball off a Mayo player to set up the chance of an equaliser.
Sheehan, who had earlier knocked over some fine placed ball efforts, was out of luck with the kick as he pulled in wide before the final whistle was blown.
Mayo had got off to a brilliant start and led by 0-6 to 0-1 after 14 minutes thanks to four Conor Mortimer points. Kerry fought back to trail o-7 to 0-9 at the break, with Mortimer accounting for six of Mayo’s points.
Kerry started the second half the strongest and scored the game’s opening goal in the 54th minute through James O’Donoghue to go five points clear (1-12 to 0-10).
Mayo weren’t finished though and their comeback saw Patrick Harte score a fine penalty after a foul on Alan Dillon from Paul Galvin and they drew level Cillian O’Connor to leave the teams level at 1-13 apiece at the end of 70 minutes.
Kerry again got the fast break at the start of extra time and led 1-16 to 1-14 at the interval. Barry John Keane stretched that to three points before Colm Boyle scored Mayo’s second goal to level the scores with five minutes remaining.
Feeney then put this side ahead with a point in added time before Sheehan’s miss closed out an enthralling encounter.
Mayo will now go on to face Corkin the decider after the Rebel men proved too strong for Down, winning 2-17 to 1-12 at Croke Park.
Pearse O’Neill put Cork ahead in the second minute but down hit three straight points to gain some early momentum.
Colm O’Neill was finding the target and his three points put Cork clear by one. His tally was five by half-time to give his side a two point advantage (0-9 to 0-7).
Benny Coulter reduced the deficit to the minimum before Cork struck their first goal through O’Neill to being his tally to 1-6.
A penalty from Aidan Carr after 55 minutes gave Down hope, reducing the lead to two points, but a defensive slip let in Alan O’Connor for Cork’s second goal before they ran down the clock with ease.
If anything, and with what was at stake, the Division One A hurling relegation decider in Tullamore was an even more exciting affair as 13-man Dublinearned a replay against Galwayafter the game finished level (2-20 to 0-26) at the end of extra time.
Ross O’Carroll and Conor McCormack both scored goals on their return to the side, but three late points from Joe Canning helped Galway secure the extra half hour after the game ended 2-15 to 0-21 after 70 minutes.
Dublin had Ryan O’Dwyer and Alan McCrabbe sent off at either end of the first 10 minutes of extra time as Galway took a two point lead (0-24 to 2-16). They were still trailing by one as the clock ran down, but a brilliant score from Niall McMorrow with the last puck of the match sealed the replay for Anthony Daly’s side
SUNDAY'S RESULTS
FOOTBALL
Division One semi-finals
Mayo 2-15 Kerry 1-17 (aet)
Cork 2-17 Down 1-12
Division Four
Fermanagh 2-15 Leitrim 0-7
Limerick 0-19 Carlow 1-9
Waterford 0-9 London 0-9
Wicklow 1-15 Clare 1-12
HURLING
Division 1A relegation play-off
Dublin 2-20 Galway 0-16 (aet)
Division 1B relegation play-off
Wexford 5-12 Laois 0-19
Division 2A final
Carlow 1-14 Westmeath 0-12
Division 2B final
Kildare 3-13 Meath 1-12
Division 3A relagtion play-off
Donegal 2-13 Sligo 0-16
Division 3B final
Fermanagh 2-15 Warwickshire 2-5
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