Mayo 0-15

Roscommon 0-9

MAYO HIT SEVEN points without reply at the start of the second half to set up a comfortable six-point win over Roscommon in Castlebar on Saturday night.

Ryan O’Donghue led the way with six points over the 70 minutes in a contest that, at half time, looked like it could be a close encounter all the way to the finish line — but Roscommon failed to ignite at all in the final 35 minutes.

Just a point separated the Connacht rivals at half time with the hosts going in leading by 0-7 to 0-6; Roscommon inspired by Diarmuid Murtagh reeling off the last three points of the half and Mayo failing to score for the final quarter-of-an-hour.

Mayo had started the game brightly with Fergal Boland opening the scoring and Colm Reape stepping up from goal to drive over a point from beyond the 45m line from play, before Murtagh got Roscommon’s first score of the evening six minutes in.

O’Donoghue then bagged the next three points from Mayo, with two fine efforts from play and a free, with Daire Cregg keeping Roscommon in touch with a good effort to leave the score 0-5 to 0-2 after 16 minutes.

Aidan O’Shea and Donie Smith traded points, before Stephen Coen hit Mayo’s last score of the half on 21 minutes to have them 0-7 to 0-3 up. Roscommon then hit a purple patch landing three points on the spin, with Diarmuid Murtagh kicking two fine scores from play and also almost getting a goal when he spotted Colm Reape off his line and tried to chip him only for Reape to put the ball out for a ’45, which was converted by Conor Carroll.

That left just one between the sides at the break — and the promise of a close battle to the end — but that never played out as Mayo eased to victory in the second half.

Boland registered the first point of the second half and that was followed by a run of scores that included a hat-trick from O’Donoghue, a Enda Hession point from a mark and two on the spin from Donnacha McHugh to have Mayo 0-14 to 0-6 up with 57 minutes gone on the clock.

Conor Cox got Roscommon’s first score of the second half on 58 minutes, and the Eire Og man added on another before the end with Diarmuid Murtagh also pointing for his fourth of the day.

Cillan O’Connor rounded off the scoring for Mayo near the end to see the Green and Red pick up their third win in the league and break a losing run of two games.

Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue (0-6, 3f), Fergal Boland (0-2), Donnacha McHugh (0-2), Aidan O’Shea (0-1), Stephen Coen (0-1), Colm Reape (0-1), Cillian O’Connor (0-1), Enda Hession (0-1, 1m)

Scorers for Roscommon: Diarmuid Murtagh (0-4, 1f), Conor Cox (0-2, 1f), Donie Smith (0-1), Conor Carroll (0-1, 1 45), Daire Cregg (0-1)

Mayo

1. Colm Reape (Knockmore)

2. Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis), 3. Rory Brickenden (Westport), 4. Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites)

5. Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), 6. Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore), 7. Enda Hession (Garrymore)

8. Jack Carney (Kilmeena), 22. Eoghan McLaughlin

10. Bob Tuohy (Castlebar Mitchels), 11. Fergal Boland (Aghamore), 12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

13. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), 26. Paul Towey (The Neale), 15. Ryan O’Donoghue (Belmullet)

Subs

• Tommy Conroy (The Neale) for Paul Towey
• Darren McHale (Knockmore) for Bob Tuohy
• Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber) for Aidan O’Shea
• Matthew Ruane (Breaffy) for Jordan Flynn
• Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers) for Eoghan McLaughlin.

Roscommon

1. Conor Carroll (Oranmore/Maree)

2. David Murray (Padraig Pearses), 3. Brian Stack (St Brigid’s), 4. Niall Higgins (Elphin)

20. Tadhg O’Rourke (Tulsk Lord Edwards), 6. Eoin McCormack (St Dominc’s), 7. Dylan Ruane (Michael Glaveys)

8. Enda Smith (Boyle), 9. Shane Cunnane (St Brigid’s)

10. Robbie Dolan (St Brigid’s), 11. Diarmuid Murtagh (St Faithleach’s), 12. Ruaidhri Fallon (St Brigid’s)

13. Donie Smith (Boyle), 14. Daire Cregg (Boyle), 15. James Fitzpatrick (Oran)

Subs:

• Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses) for Shane Cunnane
• Conor Cox (Eire Og) for James Fitzpatrick
• Andrew Glennon (Michael Glaveys) for Ruaidhri Fallon
• Ultan Harney (Clann na Gael) for Tadhg O’Rourke.

Referee: Joe McQuillian (Cavan).