Allianz Football League Division 1 Semi-Final – Mayo 2-15 Kerry 1-17 (AET)

Mayo 2-15 Kerry 1-17 aet

Report from the RTE.ie web site

Mayo earned a place in the Allianz Football League Division 1 final after a titanic tussle with Kerry Mayo scored a rare Croke Park victory over Kerry, 2-15 to 1-17, to qualify for the Allianz National Football League division one final after an extra-time thriller. Substitute Richie Feeney hit a sensational winning point, with Bryan Sheehan just missing with a late leveller chance from a ’45.

It was a memorable encounter which saw both sides enjoy their spells of dominance, two second half goals adding to the drama at GAA headquarters. Conor Mortimer steadied Mayo nerves with a couple of early points, and when corner back Keith Higgins powered through from the back, linking with Mortimer and Andy Moran, to pick off an inspirational score, they led by three.

Kerry’s wasteful use of possession contrasted with the creativity of Andy Moran, who never put a pass astray as the westerners established a foothold. Michael Conroy’s superb pass sent Mortimer in for his second from play, and Alan Dillon made it 0-6 to 0-1 in the 13th minute. Paul Galvin’s emergence as an effective playmaker sparked Kerry into life, and scores from Colm Cooper, Patrick Curtin, Anthony Maher and Kieran O’Leary narrowed the gap to a single point on 20 minutes.

Mortimer brought his tally to five, but that was quickly cancelled out by a Cooper free. It was Mayo who finished the half strongly, Moran taking advantage of sloppy defending to fire in a shot on goal that flew just over the bar. Mortimer’s sixth sent them in with a 0-9 to 0-7 lead, but Kerry, with Maher and Sheehan on top at midfield, came strongly early in the second half, Cooper and Galvin pulling back points.

Both sides had goal chances, with Moran’s shot blocked by Sheehan, before Darran O’Sullivan had an effort superbly saved by David Clarke. The Kingdom took the lead for the first time in the 49th minute when Kieran Donaghy, now operating at full forward, laid off for O’Sullivan to split the posts. But they were soon five points ahead, substitute James O’Donoghue volleying home a goal in the 53rd minute.

Mayo’s response was positive, quick points form wing-back Colm Boyle and a somewhat subdued Mortimer, but Kerry spirits were raised once again when Sheehan powered over a monster free. But a moment of madness from Kieran Donaghy, who sent a backpass straight into the arms of Dillon, led to Paul Galvin conceding a penalty which Pat Harte expertly tucked away. And it was in the fifth minute of stoppage time that substitute Killian O’Connor won the free which he converted himself to tie it up at 1-13 each.

Sheehan and substitute Barry John Keane helped Kerry to a 1-16 to 1-14 lead midway through extra-time. But back came Mayo again, and somehow wing-back Colm Boyle managed to swivel and shoot to the net despite being surrounded by three defenders. Superb defending from Kevin Keane denied BJ Keane a third point, and it was substitute Richie Feeney who broke away on the left to arrow over the winner.

Mayo scorers: C Boyle 1-1, C Mortimer 0-7 (4f), K O’Connor (1f), A Dillon 0-2 each, A Moran, K Higgins, R Feeney 0-1 each.

Kerry scorers: J O’Donoghue 1-0, B Sheehan 0-6 (5f), C Cooper 0-4 (3f), BJ Keane 0-2, A Maher, P Galvin, K O’Leary, P Curtin, D O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Mayo: D Clarke, K Keane, G Cafferkey, K Higgins, L Keegan, D Vaughan, C Boyle, B Moran, J Gibbons, K McLoughlin, A Moran, A Dillon, C Mortimer, J Doherty, M Conroy.

Subs: P Harte for Doherty, E Varley for Conroy, D Geraghty for B Moran, K O’Connor for Mortimer, R Feeney for McLoughlin, A Campbell for Harte

Kerry: B Kealy, S Enright, M O Se, K Young, P Crowley, A O’Mahony, B Maguire, A Maher, B Sheehan, P Galvin, Darran O’Sullivan, K Donaghy, C Cooper, K O’Leary, P Curtin.

Subs: J O’Donoghue for O’Leary, E Brosnan for O’Mahony, D Walsh for Curtin, J Lyne for Maguire, BJ Keane for Young, J Buckley for Crowley

Match Preview

Kerry v Mayo, Croke Park, 2pm

From the GAA.ie web site

Sunday, April 15

Allianz Football League Division I Semi-Final

Kerry v Mayo, Croke Park, 2pm

Having met in the final round of Division I of the Allianz Football League less than a week ago, Kerry and Mayo should have a fairly good measure of one another when they meet in the first game of the semi-final double header at Croke Park on Sunday.

Mayo had more to play for in that last clash, with Kerry having been already safely into the semi-finals as table toppers before the game. James Horan’s men looked like they would need a win to make the last four, but in the end a draw was enough to see them set up another game with the Kingdom for a place in the final.

While that outcome was more than satisfactory for Mayo, they had their reasons to be a little discontented afterwards. They led the Kingdom by eight points at one stage, and were still 1-12 to 0-9 ahead after 48 minutes. Beating Kerry in Kerry is a rare scalp, and it looked a very real prospect for long stages.

However, Mayo’s much maligned “old failings” returned as they failed to score for the rest of the game, and allowed Kerry to edge back and eventually level it up with late scores from Bryan Sheehan.

Results elsewhere meant the draw got them through but giving up such a lead was hardly stellar stuff, especially given how ruthless they had been in maintaining their dominance over Dublin the week before.

Still, it would be folly to use last Sunday’s game as much of a guide for the latest instalment, as there is plenty to differentiate this encounter from the last.

For one, it’s in Croke Park which brings a whole new dynamic to any game. Secondly it’s a semi-final, which creates a different impetus from that of ordinary League games, and thirdly, Kerry have strengthened their team significantly from the last day, when they rested many big names.

Marc Ó Sé, Darran O’Sullivan and Declan O’Sullivan have all been named in the starting XV having come on from the bench last weekend, and their presence from the start will guarantee a different intensity.

Kerry’s most comfortable environment has always been semi-finals and finals in Croke Park. Although League showdowns will never have the same allure of Championship D-Days, Kerry rarely disappoint in the business end of competitions.

And unfortunately for Mayo, that is exactly where they have disappointed over the years. They have always shown flashes of brilliance during campaigns, their monumental recent victory over Dublin a case in point, but when it comes close to trophy time, they stutter, and Kerry more often than not have been the ones who have most provoked those collapses.

But Jack O’Connor and James Horan will eye this game and the League in general, with a cold eye. Ultimately, spring is all about showing potential, desire and hopefully some form ahead of the Championship, and both counties have done that regardless of what happens on Sunday.

Kerry cruised into the semi-finals with five wins and just one defeat, while Mayo had a few stutters in a campaign bookended by excellence. Kerry’s good form was driven mostly from familiar places, with a few new names thrown into the mix, while Mayo’s best moments have been at midfield and in the forwards, with Aidan O’Shea blooming in the centre and providing an efficient engine room for an attack with plenty of class.

So Jack O’Connor certainly doesn’t seem to have too many concerns going into the summer, and while Horan has plenty of things to work on, he has also plenty of things to be hopeful about.

Those realities turn Sunday’s game into bonus territory for both teams. Kerry will take victory and defeat in much the same way – they won’t get too excited about either. A Mayo win would give them an unexpected early season chance for silverware – an ideal tonic before embarking on the rest of the year.

Colm Boyle returns for Mayo having being absent through injury last Sunday, but Aidan O’Shea is set to miss out after the recurrence of a groin problem, which could keep him out for up to a month. The loss of the Breaffy man would be a major blow to Horan, given how vital he has been to Mayo so far this year.

As mentioned already, Kerry have made a number of changes to their starting team, with many established names returning to the XV. Colm Cooper will make his second start of the season, having made a successful return to the team last weekend following a break.