Mayo reach provincial final with comfortable victory over Roscommon

Mayo have qualified for the Connacht senior football championship final thanks to a 1-15 to 0-13 victory over Roscommon at Dr. Hyde Park this afternoon.

Leading by a single point at the break, Mayo outscored their hosts by 0-9 to 0-5 in the second half to ease their way into the final, in which they will face Galway in two weeks' time.

In front of almost 14,000 spectators in a ground bathed in sunshine, Mayo got off to a flying start, with Paddy Durcan landing a point on four minutes and Aidan O'Shea bolstering it with a goal just four minutes later.

Roscommon grafted their way back into the game, Diarmuid Murtagh opening their account, and after 20 minutes just a point separated the teams – 1-2 to 0-4 – as Ryan O'Donoghue scored for Mayo while Murtagh and Daire Cregg responded for the home side.

The sides were level after 32 minutes but Mayo, for whom Fergal Boland also scored in that first half, were 1-6 to 0-8 in front at the break.

Daire Cregg had Roscommon level after two minutes of the second half, but Mayo took control thereafter, with Tommy Conroy, O'Donoghue, Boland and sub Conor Loftus all landing some very impressive scores.

By the end Mayo were comfortable five-point winners, and Kevin McStay's charges can now start to think about wresting the Nestor Cup away from major rivals Galway.

Roscommon: Conor Carroll; David Murray, Brian Stack, Niall Higgins; Niall Daly (0-1), Ruaidhrí Fallon, Eoin McCormack (0-1); Enda Smith, Ultan Harney; Dylan Ruane, Daire Cregg (0-4, 2f), Ronan Daly; Ben O’Carroll (0-1), Diarmuid Murtagh (0-5, 2f), Donie Smith (0-1).

Subs used: Patrick Gavin, Tadhg O’Rourke, Shane Cunnane, Conor Cox, James Fitzpatrick.

Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, Sam Callinan; Paddy Durcan (0-1), David McBrien, Donnacha McHugh; Stephen Coen, Matthew Ruane; Jordan Flynn, Ryan O’Donoghue (0-7, 3f, 1m), Jack Carney; Fergal Boland (0-2), Aidan O’Shea (1-1), Tommy Conroy (0-2).

Subs used: Enda Hession, Conor Loftus (0-2), Bob Tuohy, Paul Towey, Pádraig O’Hora.

Referee: Séan Hurson (Tyrone).