Defeat against Tyrone means Mayo have to take scenic route to All-Ireland quarterfinals

Mayo will have to take the scenic route into the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarterfinals following their 1-18 to 0-22 defeat to Tyrone, writes Brian Gillespie.

O'Neills Healy Park in Omagh was bathed in sunshine for most of the Round 2A clash between two evenly matched teams, who were level on numerous occasions throughout 70 minutes of keen action.

There were never more than a few scores between the hosts and their visitors but Mayo appeared to have taken the turn for home when Sam Callinan fisted the ball over the bar two minutes from time to put his team a point up (1-18 to 0-20).

However, Tyrone responded with a two-point free from their goalkeeper, Niall Morgan, with around 90 seconds remaining, giving them the slender advantage with time running out.

Mayo gathered possession from the kick-out and worked an opening for a potential equaliser – which would have forced extra time as there had to be a winner on the day – but substitute Aidan O'Shea lofted his effort a bit short and Morgan was able to find a team-mate with his clearance, and that was that.

The game was level at half-time (0-8 apiece) but it was an encounter that really roared to life in the second half, lit up by some audacious scores. Youngsters Darragh Beirne and Kobe McDonald showed their class, the former with a classy finish to claim the game's only goal on 56 minutes, the latter having split the posts from outside the two-point arc not long beforehand with a beautiful strike.

Tyrone were always able to stay in touch, however. Darren McCurry came off the bench to land a flurry of scores as the game swung one way and then the other.

At the end of it all Tyrone had the one-point advantage and with the win came confirmation of their safe passage directly into the quarterfinals, where they join Cork, Galway and Louth.

Mayo, meanwhile, will learn their fate in the draw for Round 3 tomorrow (Monday) on RTÉ Radio 1 as part of Morning Ireland, after the news at 8.30 a.m.

Mayo and the other Round 2A losers – Armagh, Westmeath and Donegal – will be drawn against Round 2B winners – Monaghan, Kerry, Meath and Dublin.

The draw is subject in the first instance to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and, where possible, repeat pairings from Round 1. That means the following pairings cannot occur: Mayo v Monaghan, Donegal v Kerry, Armagh v Monaghan and Westmeath v Dublin. A separate draw will be held to determine which team has home venue. The ties will be played next weekend (June 20/21).

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