Creative Mayo dominate to take Connacht final

Mayo 2-13 Roscommon 0-9

The creative brilliance of Kieran McDonald, fused with Conor Mortimer's sublime finishing, provided the potent mix which inspired Mayo to a first Connacht Football Championship title since 1999.

Mortimer's nine points tally and McDonald's vision and passing accuracy provided the highlights of an otherwise dull decider played in front of 34,790 spectators at Castlebar.

Roscommon failed to deliver in the key areas, unable to deal with the twin threat, and sadly lacking in attacking penetration.

They did threaten to make a game of it with a brief flourish early in the second half, but Mayo soon regained control of a game they had dominated from the outset.

The artistry of McDonald illuminated the first half, passes sprayed with accuracy and perception from all angles as Mayo took the game confidently to their opponents.

It was the in-form centre forward who threaded the ball through to centre back James Nallen for a wonderful 18th minute goal, Trevor Mortimer finishing superbly to the roof of the net.

That score opened up a three-point lead, Conor Mortmer having traded points with Frankie Dolan and John Hanley.

But Hanley's 13th-minute point was Roscommon's final score of the half. Despite the aerial dominance of Seamus O'Neill at midfield, they failed to get any attacking momentum going, although John Tiernan did miss a golden goal chance.

Mayo, with McDonald a stylish axis, grew in confidence, and tagged on points through Conor Mortimer, with three frees, and a spectacular long range effort from McDonald.

Central defenders David Heaney and Nallen were always ready to venture forward in support of the attack, as was wing back Conor Moran, whose injury-time point made it 1-7 to 0-2 at the break.

Mayo, with wind advantage in the second half, began with greater urgency, their attack freshened up their attack with the introduction of Nigel Dineen and Ger Heneghan, the former converting three frees to give his side fresh hope.

But that hope was to prove short-lived as McDonald and Mortimer began to weave their magic once again.

Mortimer continued to hit the target from frees and play, with scores also coming from his brother Trevor and Alan Dillon.

Ros' could offer little resistance either in defence, midfield or attack, and it was left to Heneghan to provide their only avenue to scores, bringing his total to five from frees.

And Mayo's title triumph was complete when substitute Austin O'Malley slid home their second goal in stoppage time.

Mayo: F Ruddy, C Moran (0-1), D Heaney, G Ruane, G Mullins, J Nallen, F Costello, D Brady, R McGarrity, J Gill, K McDonald (0-1), A Dillon (0-1, f), C Mortimer (0-9, 6f), T Mortimer (1-1), B Maloney. Subs: P Gardiner for Mullins, P Kelly for Costello, A Moran for Dillon, A O'Malley (1-0) for Maloney, D Sweeney for Moran

Roscommon: S Curran, J Whyte, M Ryan, J Nolan, D Casey, F Grehan, A McPadden, S O'Neill, S Lohan (0-1), G Cox, J Hanley (0-1), J Tiernan, J Dunning, K Mannion, F Dolan (0-1). Subs: N Dineen (0-1)for Dolan, G Heneghan (0-5, 5f) for Hanley, J Rodgers for Nolan, D Connellan for Dunning, R Cox for Tiernan

Referee: B White (Wexford)