Sunday July 24 - Senior Football: Mayo v Armagh-Notre Dame

Mayo 5-11 Armagh-Notre Dame 2-12


Mayo remained on track for a playoff berth with a win over Armagh-Notre Dame. With nothing to play for the Orchard men did not provide much resistance for Mayo in the first half, but made it interesting in the second as they came within four points at one stage. A win was a must for Mayo, and the job was not done until Danny Kirby netted with five minutes to go in the game.

Mayo's Darragh McLaughlin in possession.

Mayo got off to the best possible start with a Jarvey Toner goal. The goal came from Mayo’s first attack of the game. Toner followed with a point from a free, and Lewis Cawley did likewise before a second goal came from Danny Kirby. Cawley found Kirby on the run and Kirby finished well. Fintan Lilly then pointed and netted Mayo’s third goal. It was one way traffic in the early going with Mayo steamrolling through. One wondered whether Mayo would meet resistance of any sort. The northerners eventually got some traction and put some scores on the board. Paudie Finnegan got things going with a point and a goal then followed from Tom Cassidy. Finnegan almost netted a second for the Orchard county boys, but his chip from an angle went just wide. A goal at that point would have raised some concern amongst the Mayomen. Peter O’Hanlon goaled a fourth time before the whistle for the break to make it 4-6 to 1-5 at the half.

Seamie O'Hare is tackled by Mike Carlon.

The second half was a more competitive affair, and Armagh-Notre Dame netted a second goal from Cassidy to bring them within 5 points with fifteen minutes still to play. The Brightonians enjoyed plenty of possession. Scores came from Finnegan and John Comiskey. Mayo had to buckle down now to ensure that a comeback was not going to happen, and work hard they did. Finishing was not the forte of the westerners as they lost their way a little in the second half. While they kept their opponents at bay, mayo did not make the most of the chances that they had to put the nail in the coffin. The northerners then drew within four points after Paudie Finnegan pointed twice and Mayo nerves were on edge as the once comfortable lead was in danger of evaporating. The tension was relieved somewhat after Danny Kirby netted Mayo’s fifth goal. Toner waited for the opportunity to find the right pass and Kirby came though to finish from close range with minutes on the clock. Jack McDonnell put the finishing touches on the win with a point and the westerners breathed at least a small sigh of relief.


Mayo: A. Townsend, S. Clifford, B. McShea, P. O’Donoghue, K. Comer, M. Carlon, D. Kirby (2-0), P. Dooney, P. O’Hanlon (1-0), F. Lilly (1-2), G. Toner (1-2), D. McLaughlin, L. Cawley (0-2). Sub: J. McDonnell (0-2). Armagh-ND: D. Fields, O. Costello, D. Culleton, S. McKenna, F. Meehan, M. McAuley, K. Lynch, J. Lavery, T. Cassidy (2-0), J. Comiskey (0-1), G. Hall, S. O’Hare, P. Finnegan (0-7).


By Rory O'Donnell