Keegan remains heartbeat of Mayo odyssey

After watching Kerry slowly grind out an all too familiar workmanlike quarter-final victory over Galway in the opening game, there was a sense around Croke Park going into the afternoon’s second game that Mayo would do likewise.

However, that sense was well and truly blow out of the water with Roscommon’s blistering start. Fintan Cregg set the tone with a well-taken point inside a minute and his defence followed suit.

Three times in the first seven minutes Roscommon turned over Mayo attackers, firstly Andy Moran was smoothered by three defenders while a similar welcome awaited Colm Boyle as he joined the next attack. The third defensive stand came when Brian Stack turned over Kevin McLaughlin and started a move that resulted in Enda Smyth splitting the posts with an expertly finished score.