Ryan rescues a point for Mayo in close encounter

A Ryan O'Donoghue point with what turned out to be the final kick of the game rescued a draw for Mayo in their Allianz National Football League Division 1 opener against Galway. It finished Mayo 1-11, Galway 2-8 in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar.

It appeared as though both league points on offer would be heading back with the Tribesmen but when Cathal Sweeney whacked a late clearance to nowhere in particular, it fell to the wrong man from Galway's point of view.

O'Donoghue collected possession and let fly with a wonderful effort that cleared Connor Gleeson's crossbar and left the teams with a share of the spoils at the end of a feisty encounter.

It wasn't a game particularly high on quality but the close nature of it kept the sizeable crowd enthralled right to the very end.

It was the first proper competitive game between the teams since last April's Connacht senior championship clash, also at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, when the Tribesmen withstood a late charge from the home team to win by a point (1-14 to 0-16).

Much has changed in Mayo since then, of course. At the end of last year's championship, James Horan stood down as manager and the hunt for his successor ended when Kevin McStay was given the job.

The first team McStay and his selectors chose for league action this year showed a multitude of changes to that which lined out against Galway in the championship last year (and, indeed, the All-Ireland quarterfinal against Kerry in June, which was Horan's last game in charge of his county).

Some were enforced, with Lee Keegan retiring and Oisin Mullin going to Australia for AFL footie, while injury to key players (such as Padraig O'Hora) proved to be an issue for the new management too.

As such, Mayo's team for the Galway encounter mixed youth with some experience. The Tribesmen, by contrast, had a much more settled look, though the mercurial Shane Walsh – All-Ireland senior club title winner with Kilmacud Crokes last Sunday – was unavailable for this clash.

Damien Comer was in from the start, however, and he had a major influence on a patchy first half that was, admittedly, illuminated by two very good goals.

James Carr's rocket to the top left corner on 10 minutes put the home team into a 1-1 to 0-2 lead, but Galway responded with a goal of their own in the next meaningful attack, Matthew Tierney flicking the ball to the net past Colm Reape in the Mayo goal following Johnny Heaney's inviting long delivery.

Despite losing Eoghan Kelly for 10 minutes to a black card, Galway outscored Mayo by three points to two for the remainder of the half to go in 1-5 to 1-3 ahead at the break, and decent value for that advantage too.

Mayo were on it from the start of the second half, however, and went 1-6 to 1-5 in front before the 45-minute mark with three points in succession from Matthew Ruane, Ryan O'Donoghue (free) and Diarmuid O'Connor, whose long-range effort went over with the help of Gleeson's fingertips.

Galway's first score of the second half could have been a killer blow for Mayo as Sean Kelly ghosted forward to find the net with a low shot that went in off the base of the upright. A Paul Conroy point had Galway three to the good again, but Mayo responded with a dominant spell as O'Donoghue and Bob Tuohy both found the range.

Both teams lost men to black cards – Ruane for Mayo and Cillian McDaid for Galway – but the game remained in the melting pot.

An O'Donoghue free had Mayo level with six minutes remaining, but with three to go Galway's Peter Cooke kicked a long-range free off the ground and over the black spot, leaving his team 2-7 to 1-9 up.

Mayo substitute Cillian O'Connor made it a level game again with a lovely point from an acute angle with two of the five extra minutes played.

The home team's brave efforts appeared to have been in vain, however, as Comer landed a late free at the other end. There was one last chance for Mayo though, and O'Donoghue made it count.

Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, Enda Hession; Stephen Coen, Conor Loftus, David McBrien; Matthew Ruane (0-1), Diarmuid O'Connor (0-1); Bob Tuohy (0-1), Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn (0-1); Aiden Orme, James Carr (1-0), Ryan O'Donoghue (0-6, 4f).

Subs used: Aidan O'Shea, Eoghan McLaughlin, Cillian O'Connor (0-1), Kevin McLoughlin, Paul Towey.

Galway: Conor Gleeson; Eoghan Kelly, Sean Kelly (1-0), Neil Mulcahy; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Daniel Flaherty; Paul Conroy (0-1), Cillian McDaid (0-1); Paul Kelly (0-1), Matthew Tierney (1-0), Johnny Heaney; Rob Finnerty (0-1), Damien Comer (0-3, 1f, 1m), Dessie Conneely.

Subs used: Peter Cooke (0-1f), C. Sweeney, Eoin Finnerty, Jack Glynn, Gerard Davoren.

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).