Mayo 3-13
Armagh 0-9
HOLDERS MAYO CAME good in the second half at Croke Park with 2-1 from Brian Reape to secure their All-Ireland Minor Football Championship semi-final place.
The Connacht champions were guilty of wasteful play early on and found themselves tied on 0-4 apiece with Armagh after 25 minutes despite carving out chance after chance.
But Fionan Duffy’s 26th minute goal sparked a scoring spree for the westerners and they deservedly led 1-6 to 0-4 at half-time.
They were far more clinical in the second-half, adding just a single wide to the 10 they’d kicked in the first-half.
Crucially, the continued to create the chances and Reape took advantage most with goals in the 38th and 41st minutes.
His first was a great finish across goals while his second was a clever finish from close range having appeared to lose control of the ball.
The third goal put Mayo 3-9 to 0-5 ahead and in the driving seat. Everything went against Armagh including a Hawk-Eye decision which cancelled a point that had been awarded by the umpires for Shane Conlon.
The beaten Ulster finalists were led by free-taker Oisin O’Neill who booted three frees in a row late on and went close with a goal chance.
But the game was long since up by then and further Mayo points from Sean Conlon, sub Conor Byrne and Oisin Horan sealed a fully merited win.
Scorers for Mayo: Brian Reape 2-1, Fionan Duffy 1-2, Cian Hanley 0-3 (0-1f), Matthew Ruane, Gary Boylan, Barry Duffy, TJ Byrne, Sean Conlon and Conor Byrne and Oisin Horan 0-1 each
Scorers for Armagh: Oisin O’Neill 0-4 (0-3f), Ryan Hughes 0-1 (0-1f), Ryan McKeown, Jarlath Og Burns, Caolan McConville and Conor Grimley 0-1 each.
MAYO
1. Matthew Flanagan (Balla)
2. Conor Kilkenny (Aghamore)
3. Seamus Cunniffe (Ballaghaderreen)
4. Eoin O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
5. Jason Forkan (Kiltimagh)
6. Barry Duffy (Balla)
7. Sean Conlon (Castlebar Mitchels)
8. Gary Walsh (Breaffy)
9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
11. Cian Hanley (Ballaghaderreen)
10. Gary Boylan (Belmullet)
12. Sharoize Akram (Ballaghaderreen)
13. Fionan Duffy (Crossmolina)
14. TJ Byrne (Kiltimagh)
15. Brian Reape (Bohola Moy Davitts)
Subs: 21. Conor Byrne (Bohola Moy Davitts) for Boylan (38), 17. Stephen Brennan (Claremorris) for Kilkenny (45), 19. David Clarke (Ballintubber) for Forkan (50), 23. Liam Byrne (Bohola Moy Davitts) for Duffy (55), 21. Oisin Horan (Kilmovee Shamrocks) for Conlon (58),20. Keith Hopkins (Crossmolina) for Ruane (59).
ARMAGH
1. Ryan Kearney (Pearse Og)
6. Cathair McKinney (Killeavy)
3. Aidan Rushe (Crossmaglen Rangers)
4. Cathal Donnelly (St Pat’s, Cullyhanna)
12. Kyle Mallon (Killeavy)
7. Conor McNicholl (Pearse Og)
2. Fergus Quinn (Belleek)
8. Jarlath Og Burns (Silverbridge)
10. Jack Rafferty (Ballyhegan)
9. Ryan McKeown (Armagh Harps)
14. Shane Conlon (St Pat’s, Cullyhanna)
15. Caolan McConville (Killeavy)
13. Ryan Hughes (Dromintee)
11. Oisin O’Neill (Crossmaglen Rangers)
21. Padraig Judge (Tir na nOg)
Subs: 17. Conor Cullen (Annaghmore) for McKeown (HT), 5. Cathal Boylan (Killeavy) for Mallon (45), 22. C Grimley (Madden) for Conlon (41), 20. Ciaran Higgins (Maghery) for Judge (33), 23. Conor Murphy (Armagh Harps) for McNicholl (47), 24. Paul Quinn (Killeavy) for Hughes (55).
Referee: P Neilon (Roscommon).
