Mayo 0-21 (0-2-17)

Kerry 1-16 (1-3-10)

Colm Gannon reports from Hastings Insurance MacHale Park

MAYO PICKED up their second league victory of the season after a thrilling win over Kerry in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.

The Westerners dominated the first half and led by seven points at the break, but with 14 minutes to go, the game had been turned on its head and Kerry led by two points and were looking good to head home with the league points in their back pocket.

Mayo produced a strong first-half showing, where they pressed Kerry hard all over the field and caused plenty of problems for the Kingdom’s kick-outs.

The sides were level after the first five minutes of action with Mayo taking the lead inside the first minute through goalkeeper Colm Reape.

Kerry pushed themselves in front when they hit two points in 30 seconds, the first from David Clifford and then Paul Geaney who capitalised on a poor Mayo kickout.

Frank Irwin levelled the game up with a score from the right after Mayo picked up a loose ball following a restart from Shane Ryan.

By the time a quarter of an hour had passed in the first half, Mayo had worked themselves into a three-point lead, Frank Irwin started their drive kicking his second of the day to edge them back in front.

That was followed by a two-pointed free from Ryan O’Donoghue and the same man landed a single-point free not long after. Diarmuid O’Connor responded for Kerry to leave the score at 0-6 to 0-3 with a well-taken effort on the 15-minute mark.

Over the next 15 minutes, Mayo looked to have taken control of the game rattling off six unanswered points through Darren McHale (2), Matthew Ruane, Jack Carney, O’Donoghue and Sam Callinan.

Kerry looked to have sparked the fire back into their challenge when Brian O’Beaglaoich rattled the back of the net on 30 minutes, he burst past Stephen Coen with ease before finishing from a tight angle.

David Clifford pointed a free from 21 meters out after Matthew Ruane was punished for dissent and the ball was brought in to leave the score at 0-12 to 1-4.

However, Mayo landed their second two-pointer of the day right on the buzzer when Ryan O’Donoghue slotted over a sideline on the hooter to send his side in leading 0-14 to 1-4.

It was a much different Kerry that came out in the second half, and they wrested control of possession of the ball and controlled the tempo for most of the half.

Dylan Geaney laid down a marker of their intent with a two-pointer right after the throw-in, Paudie Clifford, David Clifford and Paul Geaney all followed suit with points of their own over the next nine minutes to cut the gap back to just two.

Ryan O’Donghue relieved the pressure with a needed score that went in off the post for Mayo and he followed that up with another excellent score to push the gap back out to four points.

Dylan Geaney replied almost instantly with his second two-pointer of the day and there was still 20 minutes to go.

Matthew Ruane and Paul Geaney then exchanged points, before Conor Geaney got in to cut the gap back to a single point when he fisted over from close range.

David Clifford swept over a fantastic two-pointer to put Kerry into the lead on 56 minutes and three minutes later he extended the lead out to two from a close-range free after Colm Reape got pinged for not taking his kick-out quick enough.

The momentum looked to be totally with Kerry, but Mayo dug deep David McBrien brought it back to a one-point game and Fergal Boland levelled it up with eight minutes to go.

Ryan O’Donoghue won his own free close in to goal on 63 minutes and pointed to edge Mayo back in front.

With three minutes to go, Kerry got a free dead centre just outside the two-point arc, David Clifford stepped up and had a go at it, but his effort was pulled down from over the crossbar by Colm Reape in the Mayo goal.

The final point came just before the hooter after a sustained period of possession when Matthew Ruane rounded off the scoring to seal the two-point win for Mayo.

Scores

Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue (0-9, 3f 1pt, 1f 2pt, 1sl 2pt) Matthew Ruane (0-3), Frank Irwin (0-2), Darren MacHale (0-2), Sam Callinan (0-1), Colm Reape (0-1), Jack Carney (0-1), Fergal Boland (0-1)

Kerry: David Clifford (0-6,, 2f, 1 2pt), Dylan Geaney (0-4, 2 2pt), Paul Geaney (0-3, 1f), Brian Ó’Beaglaoich (1-0) Paudie Clifford (0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor (0-1), Conor Geaney (0-1)

Mayo

1. Colm Reape (Knockmore)

2. Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis)

3. Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels)

4. Enda Hession (Garrymore)

5. Stephen Coen (Hollymount Carramore)

6. David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen)

25. Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites)

8. Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites)

9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)

21. Fenton Kelly (Davitts)

11. Darren McHale (Knockmore)

12. Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)

13. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)

14. Ryan O’Donoghue (Beal an Mhuirthead)

23. Jack Carney (Kilmeena)

Subs:

26. Seán Morahan (Castlebar Mitchels) for Callinan, 7. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport) for Kelly (Davitts), 22. Fergal Boland (Aghamore) for Flynn, 17. Bob Tuohy (Castlebar Mitchels) for McHale

Kerry:

1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)

2. Damien Bourke (Na Gaeil)

3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)

4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)

5. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)

6. Mike Breen (Beaufort)

7. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)

8. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil)

9. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks)

10. Darragh Lyne (Legion)

11. Paudie Clifford (Fossa)

25. Armin Heinrich (Austin Stacks)

13. David Clifford (Fossa)

14. Paul Geaney (Dingle)

15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)

Subs: 23. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes) for Heinrich, 26. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes) for Lyne, 19. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) for Bourke, 17. Conor Geaney (Dingle) for Paul Geaney, ), 21.Dónal O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan) for Dylan Geaney

Ref: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)