Mayo survive a ’mare in London

AFTER extra-time, James Horan came mightily close to a losing championship debut as Mayo manager after his wasteful side almost came a cropper against London in Ruislip yesterday.

Many had envisaged this Connacht championship quarter-final to adopt a similar vein to events up the road at Wembley on Saturday night — a men against boys affair. How wrong they were. London never trailed during the 70 minutes of normal time and but for a 69th-minute equaliser from Kevin McLoughlin, would have recorded an astonishing victory, their first in the province since 1977.

But Mayo managed to pull clear in extra-time, their higher energy levels saving their bacon with what was an abysmal performance.