GAA: ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: Mayo 1-13 Cork 0-14A LEAGUE reprieve for Mayo while Cork's defence of their title has been put on hold for another week at least following what was a shock result from a blustery McHale Park in Castlebar yesterday before a crowd of about 5,000.
Maybe it was the hiding they took from the Rebel County in last year’s final which spurred Mayo in to an unlikely victory but the win has given them Division One security for another season and a stress-free trip to Monaghan for the final game next Sunday.
While James Horan praised a fine team effort this game turned on a score early in the second half from scoring ace Jason Doherty. “Jason is phenomenal player and he is growing and getting stronger in each game”, was the compliment from his manager.
Doherty scored his sixth goal of the campaign and this one couldn’t have been more timely.
Cork had just wiped out a one-point deficit inside a minute of the restart having trailed by 0-7 to 0-6 after playing into the teeth of very strong breeze and it did look as if it was only a matter of how much they would win by such was their superiority in strength and composure on the ball in that first half.
But Mayo hit 1-4 without reply, Alan Dillon (two), Aiden O’Shea, the latter flourishing in his new midfield role, and then the goal.
The Burrishoole man shrugged off the attention of three Cork defenders before getting the ball on to his favoured left foot and squeezing home from the tightest of angles.
When Dillon struck with another free a minute later Cork were looking into a 1-11 to 0-7 abyss and a little shell-shocked.
With eight of the All-Ireland winning team on from the start there was no sign of the panic button being pressed just yet and Cork brought on influential substitute, John Miskella, who kicked two fine points as they gradually chipped away at Mayo’s lead.
The superb freetaking of Fintan Goulding helped Cork narrow the gap to two with three minutes remaining as they went frantically in search of a match-saving goal. Eoghan Cadogan was denied at the death as his close-range effort came off a defender in a crowded Mayo goalmouth.
“They hit 1-4 at a crucial time and it was just too much for us to peg back given the way Mayo were playing,” admitted Cork manager Conor Counihan who said Mayo deserved to win.
MAYO: R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, A Feeney, K Higgins; R Feeney, G Cafferkey, L Keegan; A O'Shea (0-1), J Kilcullen (0-2); K McLoughlin, A Dillon (0-5, 0-4 frees), A Moran (0-2); C O'Connor (0-1, free), A Freeman (0-1), J Doherty (1-1). Subs: E Reilly for Cunniffee (half-time), J Gibbons for Kilcullen (55 mins), E Varley for O'Connor (59 mins), A Campbell for Dillon (65 mins), P Gardiner for Keegan (66 mins).
CORK: K O'Halloran; R Casey, J O'Sullivan, M Shields; S Kiely (0-1), N O'Leary, E Cadogan; A O'Connor, J Fitzpatrick; F Goold, K O'Driscoll, P O'Neill (0-2); D Goulding (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 45), F Lynch (0-1), P Kerrigan (0-1). Subs: D O'Sullivan for Kiely (54 mins), J Miskella (0-2) for O'Driscoll (52 mins), P O'Flynn for Fitzpatrick (59 mins).
Referee: R Hickey (Clare).
