All-Ireland SFC 2013: Mayo’s route to the final

Roscommon have been the only side to have stopped a talented Mayo forward division from scoring a goal.

19 May: Connacht SFC quarter-final, Pearse Stadium

Mayo 4-16 Galway 0-11

A STROLL FOR Mayo at Pearse Stadium as they equalled the county’s record championship win against the Tribesmen and enjoyed their biggest victory margin since 1907.

Enda Varley and Cillian O’Connor combined for 10 points with goals apiece for Dnal Vaughan, Cathal Carolan and Andy Moran, playing his first intercounty match in 10 months after a cruciate injury. The lead was 12 points at the break and it would not get any better when play resumed.

Scorers for Mayo: Enda Varley 1-3, Cillian O’Connor 0-6 (0-4f), Donal Vaughan 1-1, Cathal Carolan, Andy Moran 1-0 each, Alan Dillon 0-2, Alan Freeman, Lee Keegan, Richie Feeney, Darren Coen 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Michael Meehan 0-5 (0-3f, 0-1 ’45), Danny Cummins, Sean Armstrong (0-1f) 0-2 each, Paul Conroy, Shane Walsh (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Enda Varley celebrates his goal against Galway. INPHO/Cathal Noonan

16 June: Connacht SFC semi-final, McHale Park

Mayo 0-21 Roscommon 0-9

James Horan’s men had 12 different scorers and they kept up their tactics of going hard and fast from the off. Before the Rossies knew what hit them, they were 0-13 to 0-4 down.

The jig was up at the break and Mayo’s replacements off the bench kept up the steady stream of points to reach the Connacht final.

Scorers for Mayo: Kevin McLoughlin 0-5 (0-4f), Alan Freeman 0-4 (0-3f), Colm Boyle, Darren Coen 0-2 each, Donal Vaughan, Keith Higgins, Alan Dillon, Richie Feeney, Enda Varley, Lee Keegan, Andy Moran 0-1 each.
Scorers for Roscommon: Senan Kilbride 0-3 (0-2f), Enda Smith 0-2, Kevin Higgins, Conor Devaney, Karol Mannion 0-1 each.

21 July: Connacht SFC final, McHale Park

Mayo 5-11 London 0-10

The fairytale came to an abrupt end for London as Cillian O’Connor, with three goals and three points, lacerated their defence. Alan Freeman and Darren Coen chipped in with goals to help secure the silverware.

Cillian O’Connor scores his side’s third goal despite goalkeeper Declan Traynor of London. INPHO/James Crombie

Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 3-3 (1-0 pen, 3fs), Alan Freeman 1-2, Darren Coen 1-0, Lee Keegan 0-2, Kevin McLoughlin 0-2 (1f), Andy Moran 0-1, Richie Feeney 0-1.
Scorers for London: Lorcan Mulvey 0-7 (6fs), Damien Dunleavy 0-1, Sean Kelly 0-1, Padraig McGoldrick 0-1.

4 August: All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, Croke Park

Mayo 4-17 Donegal 1-10

If football fans had not paid much attention to Mayo yet, they would be after a stupendous destruction of Donegal in he quarter final. Cillian O’Connor was the hero again as he finished with 3-4 and a unique honour of scoring successive hat-tricks.

Another game, another hat-trick for O’Connor. INPHO/James Crombie

The reigning All-Ireland champions were dethroned by a Mayo showing of pace, power and ruthlessness. O’Connor was among 14 scorers for the Green and Red and Aidan O’Shea’s late dismissal did little to dampen the feeling that destiny was calling.

Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 3-4 (0-2f, 0-1 ’45), Donal Vaughan 1-0, Alan Freeman, Alan Dillon 0-2 each, Keith Higgins, Colm Boyle, Chris Barrett, Seamus O’Shea, Kevin McLoughlin, Richie Feeney, Kevin Keane, Enda Varley, Andy Moran 0-1 each.
Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-6 (0-4f), Colm McFadden 1-0, Mark McHugh 0-2, Karl Lacey, David Walsh 0-1 each.

25 August: All-Ireland SFC semi-final, Croke Park

Mayo 1-16 Tyrone 0-13

Mickey Harte’s Tyrone were next on the menu but they proved to be tough for Mayo to digest. The Red Hand County led by a point a half-time but lost Stephen O’Neill and Peter Harte and ran out of gas.

A penalty, awarded for a foul on Colm Boyle, was converted by Freeman and Mayo never looked back. It took Tyrone 13 minutes to register a score in the second half but, by that stage, Mayo had raced into a five point lead and had made it to successive finals.

Scorers for Mayo: Alan Freeman 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Chris Barrett, Lee Keegan, Alan Dillon 0-2 each, Aidan O’Shea, Cillian O’Connor (0-1f), Kevin McLoughlin (0-1f), Enda Varley, Cathal Carolan, Robert Hennelly (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Tyrone: Darren McCurry 0-4 (0-2f), Sean Cavanagh (0-1f), Conor McAliskey 0-2 each, Stephen O’Neill, Kyle Coney, Ciaran McGinley, Aidan Cassidy, Ronan O’Neill 0-1 each.

Kevin Keane and Andy Moran celebrates after defeating Tyrone. INPHO/James Crombie

22 September:All-Ireland SFC final, Croke Park…. to be decided.