Mayo 1-19 Cavan 3-7:On a day when seven was a very significant number, John O'Mahony's decision to make seven changes from the side which lost to Galway proved judicious as Mayo saw off Cavan with more ease than the final scoreline suggests at sunny McHale Park on Saturday evening.
Gerald Pearson posted the opening point of the game in the third minute but Mayo's industrious wing back Trevor Mortimer, relishing his new role, made a terrific run before levelling matters a minute later.
A poor first half saw Mayo's dominance reflected in a three-point interval lead, 0-9 to 0-6, and that was extended to four points when Alan Dillon struck within 10 seconds of the restart.
However, Mayo's creaking defence, and full back line in particular, was exposed when Seán Brady was tackled from behind as he shot for goal and the resultant penalty was sweetly struck by Dermot McCabe.
Mayo's response was swift with back-to-back points from Conor Mortimer but the game took another twist when McCabe found Jason Reilly with a superb long ball and the Cavan corner forward, who came on as a second half substitute, finished to the net to put Cavan in front for only the second time in the game
Cavan's celebrations were short-lived as Mayo erased that goal inside a minute, as Barry Moran guided the ball to the net with 15 minutes remaining.
The home side took control for the last 15 minutes with unanswered points from Dillon, David Heaney, Ger Brady and Mayo's impressive newcomer, 19- year-old Pierce Hanley, pushing the gap to seven as Ronan McGarrity, making a welcome return from illness, and experienced hand James Nallen made telling contributions when introduced.
MAYO: D Clarke; A Higgins, L O'Malley, T Howley; P Gardiner; D Kilcullen, T Mortimer (0-1); D Brady, D Heaney (0-1); BJ Padden; P Hanley (0-2), A Dillon (0-5); C Mortimer (0-7), B Moran (1-0), A Moran (0-2). Subs: R McGarrity for Gardiner (26 mins); G Brady (0-1) for Padden (46 mins); J Nallen for D Brady; T Cuniffee for Higgins (both 53 mins).
CAVAN: J Reilly; M Hannon, E O'Reilly, K Fannin; R Flanagan, J Crowe, M Reilly; D McCabe (1-4), N Walsh; R Cullivan (0-1), A Ford, M McKeever; G Pearson (0-1), S Brady, L Reilly. Subs: J O'Reilly (1-1) for Cullivan; C Mackey for Pearson M Lyng for L Reilly; R Gallagher (1-0) for E O'Reilly.
Referee: M Deegan (Laois).
