Mayo fight back to draw with Donegal

DONEGAL 2-10 MAYO 1-13

Two points was the sum total of Donegal's second-half efforts as Mayo mounted a fantastic comeback to rescue a draw in this afternoon's Allianz NFL Division 1 encounter in Letterkenny.

Mayo were well out of contention when teenage corner forward Michael Murphy helped himself to two early goals. Donegal led by 2-08 to 0-05 at half-time.

Donegal had raced into an early 1-01 to 0-00 lead with Stephen Griffin pointing a first-minute free and then Murphy freed himself from Liam O'Malley before unleashing a powerful shot which swerved past Mayo goalkeeper David Clarke.

The returning Conor Mortimer bagged Mayo's opening point but the Mayo net was bulged soon after when Murphy fastened onto a David Walsh pass and beat Clarke once again.

Clarke's opposite number Michael O'Boyle saved at the feet of Barry Moran as Mayo pressed for a reply and further points from Griffin (0-02), Eamon McGee and Michael Doherty pushed Donegal into a nine-point lead.

But the visitors, with manager John O'Mahony making four changes for the second period, made a game of it and got up to speed in the second half.

Murphy had a third goal disallowed and Mayo soon took charge. The industrious Moran crashed home a well-taken goal and a point from substitute Mikey Sweeney put just four points between the sides.

With substitute Pat Harte influential in midfield, Mayo continued to press for scores and further efforts from Conor Mortimer (his sixth of the day), Ronan McGarrity and Trevor Mortimer made it a one-point game.

Ciaran Conroy, who came on for the yellow-carded McGarrity, then dashed Donegal's hopes of their first win in the 2009 league when he split the posts in injury-time.