Gaelic Games

Donegal late equaliser puts them in and Mayo out of the semi-finals

Two points clear with ten minutes remaining it looked like Mayo had done enough

Donegal’s Karl Lacey takes a tumble during robust league draw with Mayo. Photo: Mike Shaughnessy/Inpho
Sun Apr 05 2015 - 18:28

Mayo 0-12 Donegal 1-9

Substitute Stephen Griffen kicked an injury-time point to send Donegal into the national football league semi-final at the expense of their opponents Mayo following this drama-filled final round clash at MacHale Park.

While Griffen emerged the hero, the man who really killed Mayo’s chances of making it into the play-offs was Patrick McBrearty; he kicked back-to-back points to bring his side back on terms just when Mayo appeared to have the winning of the game.

Two points clear with ten minutes remaining in front of a home crowd of over 14,000, in attendance to see a repeat of the 2012 All-Ireland final, it still looked like Mayo had done enough to seal it.

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Kevin McLoughlin fired them ahead once more from a free, four minutes from the end of normal time and Mayo, who kicked 12 wides to Donegal’s five, had at least three more chances of adding further points, the best falling to substitute Patrick Durcan whose effort from in front of goals landed in the goalkeeper’s hands.

But the draw was sufficient for a Donegal side who never gave up in a game which saw two players from Mayo and one from Donegal, dismissed in the second half, two for black card offences, while Mayo’s Donal Vaughan picked up a yellow card followed by a black, which resulted in a red card two minutes from time.

Donegal hit 1-3 without reply midway through the first half, a seven-man move finished with a thunderous drive to the roof of the net by Patrick McBrearty on 18 minutes.

Odhrain MacNiallais, who scored three superb points in that first half, had two of those after the goal, McBrearty also adding a pointed free to put Donegal 1-5 to 0-4 ten minutes from the interval.

However, Mayo gradually began to find a way through that Donegal defensive blanket which saw them play 13 men behind the ball and then hit Mayo on the break.

Mayo’s half-back line pushed up high and points from Barry Moran, Vaughan and Aiden O’Shea narrowed the gap to minimum, Kevin McLoughlin short with a chance for a free to level the game just before half-time.

Moran who put in a man of the match performance around the middle of the field scored his third point early in the second half to level matters.

Ten minutes into the second half Mark McHugh came in for Hugh McFadden who picked up the first black card of the day

Diarmuid O Connor had Mayo ahead again on 39 minutes but a superb point from Colm McFadden- his only score for the day- had it deadlocked at 1-6 to 0-9 before Conroy and McLoughlin kicked Mayo two clear and seemingly on course for the knockouts.

But Patrick McBrearty, who had a second goal disallowed for a push on Keith Higgins, took this game by the scruff of the neck with two superb points, to throw the issue back in the meting point, McLoughlin landing what looked like the winner but not for the first time, Mayo were hit late in a game they should have closed out.

Donegal: M Boyle, E Doherty, N McGee, E McGee, P McGrath, K Lacey, F McGlynn, M McElhinney (0-1) C Toye, M O'Reilly, O MacNiallais (0-3), R McHugh, P McBrearty (1-3,1f), H McFadden, C McFadden (0-1).

Subs: C McGinley for Toye (44), A Thompson for E Doherty (44),M McHugh for H McFadden (BC, 45), S Griffen (0-1) for C McGinley (56).

Mayo: K O'Malley, B Harrison, K Keane, K Higgins, L Keegan, C Boyle, D Vaughan (0-1), B Moran (0-3), S O'Shea, K McLoughlin (0-3, 1f), A O'Shea (0-1), J Doherty (0-2, 2f). M Ronaldson, D Kirby, D O'Connor (0-1).

Subs: M Conroy (0-1) for M Ronaldson (ht), S Coen for Harrison (44), A Moran for Kirby (54), P Durcan for Boyle (64), N Douglas for McLoughlin (68), M Hall for D O’Connor (72, BC).

Referee: D McGoldrick (Meath).