SECOND quarter goals from Patrick Harte and debutant Aidan O’Shea were the catalyst for victory as Mayo withstood a determined New York start to earn an impressive 15-point win in the opening game of the 2009 GAA Connacht Senior Football Championship.

JOHN O’MAHONY has given championship debuts to three players for tomorrow’s clash at Gaelic Park.

STAR players Anthony Lynch, Graham Canty and James Masters return to the Cork team for Sunday’s Allianz NFL clash with Armagh at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

IN Mayo they might be inclined to call this a start, something to be going on with after a patchy, morale-sapping league campaign.

Derry have enhanced their giant-killing reputation with a battling win over Mayo at Celtic Park.

THE Leinster Council is to investigate the controversial transfer of Thomas Walsh from Carlow to Wicklow.

LEITRIM 1-09 MAYO 1-10

Midfielder Ronan McGarrity and forward Billy Joe Padden are back in the Mayo team for Sunday's Connacht SFC semi-final against Leitrim (Carrick-on-Shannon, throw-in 3.30pm).

Mayo manager Mickey Moran has dubbed it "a potential banana skin" but the westerners' Connacht SFC quarter-final trip to London this weekend has afforded them licence to experiment.

NFL Division 1A leaders Mayo have made three changes to their side for tomorrow's final round test against Tyrone - but there is no place for last year's captain Ciaran McDonald (Castlebar, throw-in 3.30pm).

DUBLIN 4-10 MAYO 1-10

ALLIANZ NFL DIVISION 1A: HALF-TIME:

Basketball commitments mean midfielder Ronan McGarrity will play no part in Mayo's NFL Division 1A clash with Dublin tonight (Parnell Park, throw-in 7.45pm).

Mayo manager Mickey Moran has made two changes to his side ahead of Sunday's NFL Division 1A visit of Fermanagh to Castlebar (throw-in 2.30pm).

Tyrone 1-11 Mayo 0-16

John Maughan takes his Mayo charges to Croke Park today for an All-Ireland football final for the second time in six days - the question is, can he lift them after last week?

Tyrone 1-9 Mayo 0-9