Oisin Mullen (left) and Lee Keegan celebrate their Allianz Football League Division 1 victory over Armagh at Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon. Photo: Ramsey Cardy / Sportsfile

Mayo stage late rally to defeat Armagh in the Hyde

Mayo rattled off five points without reply in the final 10 minutes of play to inflict a come-from-behind 0-15 to 1-10 defeat on Armagh at Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon, this afternoon.

It was a first Allianz NFL Division 1 loss for Armagh this year as Mayo maintained their unbeaten run to move on to seven points at the top of the table, easing relegation fears in the process.

Armagh had given Mayo much to ponder as they burst out of the traps and had the ball in the back of the net after just 25 seconds, Ciaran Mackin with the finish past Rory Byrne.

At one stage Mayo were 1-3 to 0-1 behind in that first half but Armagh went 22 minutes without a score until two Rian O'Neill points late on brought their tally to 1-5 by the break.

Mayo, however, were just two points behind at the interval as Ryan O'Donoghue (four, three frees), Matthew Ruane and Diarmuid O'Connor all found the target.

The 'home' side would be facing into the wind in the second half, and yet it didn't turn out to be as big a factor as might have been feared.

Mayo pulled level early on with the first two scores of the second half through Aidan Orme (mark) and O'Connor but Armagh rallied, and with five minutes of regulation time left it looked as though the points were going to head back with the Orchard County as they enjoyed a 1-10 to 0-10 lead.

That's when Mayo burst to life, however, with O'Donoghue landing two frees before Paddy Durcan, a first-half substitute, levelled matters and Jordan Flynn put the Green and Red ahead for the first time – 0-14 to 1-10 – before the full 70 minutes had been played.

Mayo managed to keep Armagh at bay in the five minutes of time added on, an ambitious Rian O'Neill free falling short late on – which would have levelled matters – before Durcan scored his second to truly seal the deal.

Mayo: R. Byrne; L. Keegan, R. Brickenden, M. Plunkett; O. Mullin, S. Coen, S. Callinan; J. Flynn (0-1), M. Ruane (0-1); F. McDonagh, D. O'Connor (0-2), C. Loftus; A. Orme (0-1), F. Irwin, R. O'Donoghue (0-7).

Subs used: K. McLoughlin (0-1), P. Durcan (0-2), A. O'Shea, P. O'Hora, J. Carney, F. Boland.

Armagh: E. Rafferty; P. Burns, A. Forker, A. McKay; Connaire Mackin, N. Rowland, J. Burns; Ciaran Mackin (1-0), B. Crealey; S. Campbell (0-1), R. Grugan (0-2), T. Kelly; J. Duffy (0-2), R. O'Neill (0-3), A. Nugent (0-1).

Subs used: C. Turbitt (0-1), J. Morgan, S. Sheridan, O. O'Neill.

Referee: D. Coldrick (Meath).