NFL Division One A/ Mayo 1-10 Limerick 0-7:Limerick paid the price for a tardy first half as Mayo picked up two handy home points to maintain their challenge for the top four in this uninspiring clash at McHale Park, Castlebar yesterday.

Mayo were worthy, but hardly convincing, winners and if Limerick had found their range - they had 10 wides and saw two efforts come back off the uprights in the closing minutes - they might have stolen it.

Mayo were on the whole the better side, particularly in the first half, and were full value for a lead of 1-6 to 0-2 at half-time - Trevor Mortimer's sixth-minute goal really putting the pressure on the visitors at a very early stage.

Mortimer was set up by Andy Moran, but, having dropped the ball, the Shrule-Glencorrib player had the presence of mind to pull on the ball and the bounce deceived Seán Kiely in the Limerick goal.

The visitors took 14 minutes to get off the mark with Micheál Reidy pointing a free and it was he who provided their only other first-half score. Mayo had points from newcomer Aidan Campbell, Andy Moran, Alan Dillon, Ger Brady, Mortimer, and Peadar Gardiner to give them their half-time lead.

The loss through injury in the first half of David Brady, after nine minutes, and Kevin O'Neill just before the break, had an unsettling effect on Mayo as Limerick came back strongly in the second half.

With 10 minutes to go, the visitors were within four points, 1-8 to 0-7, with Reidy, James Ryan and midfielder John Galvin raising their game.

Too many turnovers and wrong shooting options left Limerick struggling to get the point that would bring them within one score and Mayo finally slammed the door shut with a superb score from Moran and a late effort from wing back Enda Devenney.

MAYO: K O'Malley; L O'Malley, J Kilcullen, K Higgins; E Devenney (0-2), BJ Padden, P Gardiner (0-1); R McGarrity, D Brady; G Brady (0-1), K O'Neill, T Mortimer (1-1); A Campbell (0-2), A Dillon (0-3, three frees), A Moran (0-2). Subs: P Harte for D Brady (inj), A Kilcoyne for O'Neill, M Ronaldson for G Brady, J Nallen for Harte.

LIMERICK: S Kiely; A Lane, J McCarthy, P Browne; P Ahern, T Cahill, P Granahan; J Galvin (0-1), T Carroll; G Noonan, J Ryan (0-1), J Cooke; J O'Brien, D Horan, M Reidy (0-5, four frees). Subs: G Collins for Noonan, M Crowley for O'Brien, D Carroll for Lane, S Lavin for Cooke.

Referee: M Duffy(Sligo).