MAYO CRUISED TO victory in Gaelic Park last night as they had fifteen points to spare over New York in their Connacht football championship opener.
Kevin McStay’s team triumphed 2-21 to 2-6 against New York in the provincial quarter-final, with Ryan O’Donoghue and Cillian O’Connor both finding the net.
The reward for Mayo is a Connacht semi-final against Roscommon in a fortnight on Sunday 21 April. Mayo were ahead 1-11 to 0-2 at the break, firmly in control of a game where O’Donoghue starred as he struck 1-13.
Mayo raced 0-5 to 0-1 ahead after the first quarter, O’Donoghue striking four of those points. Two Cillian Butler points were the total of New York’s resistance, and then they were damaged further by O’Donoghoue’s 21st minute goal. By the break O’Donoghue had contributed 1-9 out of his Mayo team’s 1-11 tally as they were ahead by 12 points.
Three early points stretched Mayo’s advantage, before New York had cause to cheer when Frank O’Reilly in the 42nd minute and Jamie Boyle in the 49th minute, both raised green flags.
But Mayo quickly countered with substitutes combining as Paul Towey was fouled and Cillian O’Connor converted the penalty to the net. Jack Carney finished the game with two points, O’Donoghue kept the scoreboard ticking over, and Mayo progressed to the Connacht last four, while New York are set for the Tailteann Cup.
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