Mayo ease past Donegal to set up Dublin semi-final date
Sunday 9 August 2015 01:46, UK
Connacht champions Mayo eased their way into an All-Ireland SFC semi-final showdown against Dublin after a 2-13 to 0-11 victory over a disappointing Donegal at Croke Park.
Donegal looked a pale shadow of the side which cantered home against Galway seven days earlier as they bowed out of the title race after a poor display.
Mayo, having won their fifth Connacht title in a row without being tested, would probably have preferred a much tougher encounter as they prepare to face Dublin.
But they just had too much class for Donegal and with eight players scoring from play, they had sufficient firepower to march on in their quest for their first All-Ireland title since 1951.
Mayo got a huge boost in first-half stoppage time when Aidan O’Shea fired home an excellent goal to give them a 1-7 to 0-6 lead.
Mayo had led by three points five minutes from the interval before Donegal rallied and a couple of Michael Murphy frees trimmed the lead.
Indeed, Donegal might have hit the front but Colm McFadden failed to get power in his shot after a good move and Mayo goalkeeper David Clarke managed to save, albeit with the concession of a free after handling the ball on the ground which gave Murphy the chance to cur the gap to the minimum.
But then Mayo struck. Donegal packed out their defence, forcing Mayo to go lateral around the middle of the field before Seamie O’Shea lofted in a high ball which younger brother Aidan grabbed ahead of Neil McGee and then got past Mark McHugh before drilling a low shot to the net.
Deserved
The lead was no more than Mayo deserved after doing a lot of the early running and while Murphy gave Donegal a sixth-minute lead, that was the only time they led in the opening half.
Lee Keegan went forward down the right wing to kick two inspirational scores for the Connacht champions before Murphy levelled for Donegal.
Mayo, with Barry Moran playing a sweeper role after being drafted in before the start in place of Andy Moran, were fluid in attack and Cillian O’Connor and Jason Doherty put them 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 18 minutes.
But Donegal responded well to the challenge and Christy Toye, one of two late changes by Donegal manager Rory Gallagher, pointed before Murphy levelled with another free after 22 minutes.
O’Connor edged Mayo back in front and it took some quick action off his line by Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan to prevent a goal when he forced Doherty to take a point after a quick free by Aidan O’Shea.
Kevin McLoughlin followed with a trademark good strike to put Mayo in front by 0-7 to 0-4 before Donegal rallied through Murphy only for O’Shea to pounce just before the break.
It got even better for Mayo after the restart when another run forward by Keegan saw him take a pass from Cillian O’Connor and whatever his attentions might have been, his shot looped into the top right corner of the net.
Donegal, who had just lost full-back Neil McGee to injury, fell further behind when Cillian O’Connor pointed a free after Keegan was fouled on another run forward from his half-back base.
Donegal were clearly rattled and while Murphy pulled back a point, they were lucky not to concede another goal when Karl Lacey sent a fisted pass across his own goal but McLoughlin’s connection flew over the bar.
Mayo captain Keith Higgins went forward to shoot a good point and while Murphy again responded with a free, it left the Connacht champions leading by double scores at 2-10 to 0-8 after 47 minutes.
Neither side scored for the next 14 minutes. Mayo continued to dominate but kept dropping kicks short as Donegal struggled to mount a rally.
Mayo lost Donal Vaughan to a black card and sub Kevin Keane was harshly red-carded after be retaliated when challenged off the ball by Murphy in the closing minutes.
Leo McLoone ended the game’s 14-minute barren spell after 61 minutes but efforts from Anthony Thompson and Murphy were all they could muster as Mayo eased their way to victory with Andy Moran, Alan Freeman and Doherty shooting points in a facile win.
Mayo: D Clarke; G Cafferkey, D Vaughan, K Higgins (0-1); L Keegan (1-2), Tom Cunniffe, C Boyle; S O'Shea, T Parsons; D O'Connor, A O'Shea (1-0), K McLoughlin (0-2); B Moran, C O'Connor (0-3, 2f), J Doherty (0-3).
Subs: C Barrett for Cunniffe (34 mins), R Hennelly for Clarke (35 mins), P Durcan for Vaughan (54 mins), A Moran (0-1) for B Moran (57 mins), A Freeman (0-1) for S O’Shea (63 mins), K Keane for Cafferkey (70 mins).
Donegal: P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, E McGee; R McHugh, K Lacey, F McGlynn; N Gallagher, H McFadden; C Toye (0-1), O MacNiallais, M McHugh; P McBrearty, M Murphy (0-8, 5f), C McFadden.
Subs: A Thompson (0-1) for N McGee (38 mins), L McLoone (0-1) for MacNiallais (39mins).
Ref: D Gough (Meath).
