Mayo survive late Leitrim rally to reach Connacht final

Mayo survived a late Leitrim rally to book their place in the EirGrid Under 20 Connacht football final with a 0-16 to 2-9 victory at Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon this evening.

Maurice Sheridan's Mayo team were 11 points ahead at one stage in the second half but a stunning final quarter by the home side saw them come right back into the contest.

The only problem from Leitrim's point of view was that their resurgence came too late. Indeed, the penalty dispatched by substitute Jack Casey that left them just a point behind was the last meaningful action of the contest as referee Ronan Hynes sounded the final whistle as soon as Bryan O'Flaherty took the kick-out to restart the game.

The nature of Mayo's final quarter collapse is something Sheridan and his coaching team will be working on ahead of the Connacht final next Wednesday evening against Sligo.

While there are concerns also over injuries to Sam Callinan and Cian MacHale, there were positives for the management coming out of this evening's game as well.

Mayo were five points up at the break – 0-8 to 0-3 – with a great spread of scores. Frank Irwin (two, one free), Cian MacHale (two frees), Tom O'Flaherty, Cian O'Connell, Donnacha McHugh and Sam Callinan were all on target over the course of the half-hour.

Leitrim's scores were few and far between, the impressive Michael McKiernan kicking two of them either side of a Fergal McLoughlin effort from well out the field.

The home side enjoyed a whirlwind start to the second half, substitute Oisín Curley knocking over their fourth point after just a few seconds, but Mayo responded to score seven without reply and seemingly take full control of the contest. Irwin continued to show great accuracy from frees while Cian O'Connell also scored from a placed ball, with the impressive Paddy Heneghan and Fenton Kelly on the mark too.

Mayo, who had spurned a few goal chances too, were 0-15 to 0-4 up with just the final quarter to come, but that's when Leitrim came back into it.

They landed three quick points in a row through Jack Casey, Fergal McLoughlin (free) and Paul Moran, a run that Mayo ended through a fine score by Dylan Thornton.

But then came another fine run by Leitrim. Conor Quinn found the net to leave six points in it, Mayo leading by 0-16 to 1-7. McKiernan then followed up with a monster free, which was supplemented by an Eoin McLoughlin point. It was deep in injury time when a high ball into the danger area led to a scramble and ultimately a penalty for Leitrim that Jack Casey fired low to the bottom right-hand corner past Mayo 'keeper Bryan O'Flaherty.

That left just a point between the teams but the full-time whistle brought relief for Mayo and the knowledge that they had secured their place in the Connacht final.

Mayo: Bryan O'Flaherty; Alfie Morrison, Ruairi Keane, Conal Dawson; Fenton Kelly (0-1), Sam Callinan (0-1), Aiden Cosgrove; Frank Irwin (0-6, 4f 1 45'), Donnacha McHugh (0-1); Tom O'Flaherty (0-1), Dylan Thornton (0-1), Sean Morahan; Cian MacHale (0-2f), Paddy Heneghan (0-1), Cian O'Connell (0-2, 1f).

Subs used: Paul Walsh, Niall Treacy, Bob Tuohy, Mark Cunningham, Conor Reid.

Leitrim: Conor Flood; Cian Singleton, Kieran Clancy, Tom Hughes; Brian Donoghue, Michael McKiernan (0-3, 1f), Jamie McGreal; Gavin Reynolds, Fergal McLoughlin (0-2, 1f); Eoin McLoughlin (0-1), Senan Harte, Mark Lenehan; Danny McWeeney, Barry McWeeney, Conor Quinn (1-0).

Subs used: Oisín Curley (0-1), Jack Casey (1-1, 1-0p), James Clinton, Paul Moran (0-1), Daniel McLoughlin.

Referee: Ronan Hynes (Sligo).