Red Hands into Minor Decider

ESB All Ireland Minor Football Championship Semi Final
Tyrone 3-10 Mayo 0-16

Tyrone fought back from seven points down to beat Mayo in a thrilling All-Ireland Minor Football semi-final.

Mayo led 0-3 to 0-0 but Ronan O’Neill’s goal helped Tyrone fight back to lead 1-3 to 0-3.

However, Mayo hit seven unanswered points to lead by four at half-time and the margin was then extended to seven.

But Richard Donnelly’s goal got Tyrone back into the game and substitute Darragh Donnelly’s 1-1 helped the Ulster champions snatch victory.

Mayo notched the opening three points but O’Neill’s glorious finish into the top corner levelled proceedings by the seventh minute.

The Red Hands looked in control as John McCullagh, O’Neill and Richard Donnelly added further points to put them three up.

However to their credit, Mayo responded with seven unanswered points before the break as their pace and long-range shooting began to overwhelm the Tyrone defence.

Cian Costello’s point started the Mayo scoring burst and they were level after further points by Michael Forde and Darren Coen.

Coen’s levelling effort was reminiscent of Offaly legend Matt Connor and he dummied his Tyrone marker before lofting over the bar.

Another towering Coen point nudged Mayo ahead and Ryan Quirke, Cillian O’Connor and Jack McDonald increased the advantage to four at the break.

The advantage could have even been greater as O’Connor’s point skimmed just over the bar as he went for goal after bursting through the Tyrone defence.

Cillian O’Connor increased Mayo’s lead after the interval although Richard Donnelly responded to get Tyrone’s first score in 15 minutes.

But Coen’s third point of the game and another McDonald score increased Mayo’s advantage to six as the second-quarter pattern was maintained after the break.

Cillian O’Connor could have killed off Tyrone’s chances with a goal attempt which flew across the face of goal from a tight angle.

Michael Forde and Hugh Pat McGeary

Michael Forde gets a shot away despite Hugh Pat McGeary’s best efforts

Tyrone then had a glorious chance to get back into the contention but Ryan Devlin’s pointblank goal chance was magnificently turned onto the woodwork by Mayo keeper Paul Mannion.

To rub salt into Tyrone’s wounds, Mayo charged downfield to score another point with Cillian O’Connor supplying the finish.

But Tyrone were back in the game at only three behind when Richard Donnelly hammered in a glorious goal in the 42nd minute which was quickly added to by another Ronan O’Neill point.

Incredibly, the sides were level by the 48th minute as Darragh Donnelly blasted past Mannion after his own glorious pick-up on the run and a minute later, the Red Hands were ahead after an O’Neill free.

Mannion’s botched kick-out gifted John McCullagh another Tyrone as Mayo’s implosion continued.

Stefan Tierney had a chance to finish Mayo off in the 52nd minute but he blazed his goal chance over the bar to increase Tyrone’s advantage to three.

O’Connor’s free cut Tyrone’s lead but goalscorer Donnelly replied immediately with another Red Hand score.

Mayo got it back to two again but another O’Neill point in injury-time extended the margin.

The Connacht county had two goal chances in a frantic scramble in the dying seconds but the Tyrone defence held firm to complete a stunning comeback.

Tyrone: M McReynolds, S McGarrity, C Clarke, HP McGeary, N Sludden, M Donaghy, E Deeney, C Grugan, H Og Conlon, R Donnelly (1-2), T Canavan, R Devlin, S Tierney (0-1), J McCullagh (0-2, 1f), R O’Neill (1-4, 0-2f).

Subs: P McNulty for Donaghy, D Donnelly (1-1) for Canavan, L Gervin for Conlon, Conlon for Grugan, C McCullagh for McGeary

Mayo: P Mannion, B Harrison, N Freeman, C Twomey, R Quirke (0-1), C Walsh, C Horan, D Kirby, M Forde (0-1), C Costello (0-1), F Durkan, S Kelly, J McDonnell (0-3), D Coen (0-3), C O’Connor (0-6, 4f).

Subs: D Durkan for McDonnell, J Shaughnessy (0-1) for Costello

Referee: R Hickey (Clare).

Report: bbc.co.uk/ni