Mayo SFC: O'Donoghue in devastating form as Belmullet march on

Ryan O’Donoghue produced a performance of the highest quality as Belmullet eventually saw off Ballaghaderreen in an entertaining encounter at Ballina on Sunday, ensuring their place in the Connacht Gold Mayo GAA Senior Football Championship quarterfinals in the process, writes Eoin Horkan.

The Mayo star finished with a tally of 2-8, all bar three of those scores coming from play.

Belmullet knew victory was imperative and even then, their progress depended on the result of the other game in Group 4, with Breaffy taking on Knockmore.

All Belmullet had control over was their own performance, however, and they delivered against a game Ballaghaderreen side that had nothing to play for on the day bar pride.

There were just two points in it at half-time, Belmullet in the ascendency thanks to goals from Darragh Dixon and O'Donoghue.

Arainn McDermott was on song for wind-assisted Ballagh' in that first half, and the east Mayo side kept in touch during the second period, despite an early Rian Concannon goal for the Erris men.

A goal from Colin Moriarty left it tense for Belmullet, but when both management teams turned to their benches, it was the Erris replacements that made an immediate impact, James Lavelle finding the target from distance.

O’Donoghue then appeared to settle the contest with another two points, but Ballaghaderreen produced one final surge.

McBrien was on hand to finish a goalmouth scramble and put the ball in the net, while Belmullet 'keeper Shane Nallen was shown a black card during the incident.

With five minutes remaining and Belmullet reduced to 14 players, the momentum appeared to be swinging towards Ballaghaderreen.

Instead, Belmullet responded emphatically, substitute Lavelle converting a two-point score and O’Donoghue putting the result beyond doubt in spectacular fashion, rounding Ballagh' goalie Jamie Hunt before finishing to the net for his second goal of the evening.

Concannon added a final score to complete a memorable evening for the north Mayo outfit, sealing a 4-17 to 2-13 win and, with it, a place in the senior championship quarterfinals.

*Read the full report in The Connaught Telegraph print edition, on sale Tuesday