Mayo cling on to claim victory over Monaghan

Aidan O'Shea creates GAA history by making 100th appearance

Mayo saw off a Monaghan comeback to claim a 1-24 to 2-20 victory in round one of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship at St. Tiernach's Park in Clones this evening.

Andy Moran's team last played championship football five weeks ago in the Connacht campaign, a game that resulted in a very disappointing defeat against Roscommon, but they put things right in Clones, especially in the first half.

After playing with the wind, Mayo were 11 ahead (1-17 to 0-9) at the break thanks to a close-range goal scored by Kobe McDonald, set up by debutant Darragh Beirne, and some great two-point shooting, with man of the match Ryan O'Donoghue (two, one free), Jack Carney (two), McDonald and Beirne all scoring from outside the arc.

Diarmuid Duffy and Jack Livingstone were, like Beirne, making their championship debuts, and the new 'keeper, Livingstone, made a number of great saves during both halves in a very impressive showing.

The hosts' comeback in the second half was slow to gather momentum and 15 minutes in, Mayo were still ahead by 11 (1-21 to 0-13).

However, Monaghan subs were to have a big impact on the half. Bobby McCaul, introduced at half-time, scored his team's 14th point in the 54th minute and followed it up quickly with a goal.

It all started with an interception by Monaghan 'keeper Rory Beggan at the other end of the field as Mayo threatened to score a goal of their own. Beggan found another influential sub, Stephen Mooney, with a fine pass and Mooney in turn launched the ball forward for the towering McCaul, who soared to take possession and finished confidently under Livingstone.

A Conor McCarthy point on 58 minutes meant Monaghan had scored 1-2 without reply and closed the gap to six (1-15 to 1-21).

Following a delay for a nasty injury suffered by McCaul, who was stretchered off, Mayo responded with points from Darragh Beirne and substitute Paddy Durcan either side of a Jack McCarron effort at the other end.

Monaghan were still seven behind with five minutes left but a McCarron two-pointer reduced the gap to five, and then Mooney scored a great goal to leave just two in it.

Ryan O'Donoghue, who had a great tussle with Ryan O'Toole throughout the game, won and converted a free to make it 1-24 to 2-18 in the final minute but a late two-pointer from Max Maguire reduced the deficit to the minimum.

There were seven seconds left on the clock but Kobe McDonald cleanly caught Jack Livingstone's kick-out in the centre of the field.

The young Crossmolina man, who will be starting his Leaving Cert this week, launched the ball far to the other end of the field just before the hooter sounded, leaving Mayo winners by the minimum after a highly entertaining encounter.

Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-8 (1 2-pt, 1 2-pt-f, 2f), Kobe McDonald 1-4 (1 2-pt), Jack Carney 0-4 (2 2-pt), Darragh Beirne 0-4 (1 2-pt-f), Jordan Flynn 0-2, Paddy Durcan 0-1, Conor Loftus 0-1.

Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 0-5 (1 2-pt, 1f), Bobby McCaul 1-1, Stephen Mooney 1-0, Conor McCarthy 0-2, Rory Beggan 0-2 (2 ‘45s), Andrew Woods 0-2 (1 2-pt), Dessie Ward 0-2 (1 2-pt), Max Maguire 0-2 (1 2-pt), Mícheál Bannigan 0-1 (f) Aaron Carey 0-1, Mícheál McCarville 0-1, Oisín McGorman 0-1.

Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne, David McBrien, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, Donnacha McHugh, Diarmuid Duffy; Stephen Coen, Jack Carney; Jordan Flynn, Conor Loftus, Hugh O’Loughlin; Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald.

Subs: Paul Towey for Loftus, Paddy Durcan for Coen (both 48); Fenton Kelly for Duffy (56); Aidan O’Shea for O’Loughlin (58); Diarmuid O’Connor for Beirne (62).

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Dylan Byrne, Ryan O’Toole, Killian Lavelle; Aaron Carey, Dessie Ward, Conor McCarthy; Mícheál McCarville, Karl Gallagher; Ryan McAnespie, Mícheál Bannigan, Oisín McGorman; David Garland, Andrew Woods, Jack McCarron.

Subs: Max Maguire for McAnespie (inj., 24); Bobby McCaul for Garland, Ryan Wylie for Carey (both H-T); Stephen Mooney for McGorman (53); Fionán Carolan for McCaul (inj., 58).

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).

*See Tuesday's print edition for a full report and reaction.