Impressive Mayo get first win with seven point victory over Kerry
STAR TURN: Jordan Flynn of Mayo is tackled by Tadhg Morley of Kerry during the Allianz Football League Division One match at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Having made it to base camp safe and sound it was time Kevin McStay’s Mayo get a more accurate view of the champions and the mountain to be climbed. Here they showed while a rebuild is underway they will continue to follow their established route. A one-way ticket along the wonderful yellow brick road.
In recent years their showings could provide anything. On Saturday night they brought everything. For much of this blustery encounter they wheeled along unstoppably like a gazebo in the wind. Kerry were abysmal in the first half and fortunate to only be 11 down at the break. In the end it was a comfortable seven-point victory for the home side.
The air will be thinner this summer and Kerry will kick on immensely from this level, but it is nine years since Mayo beat them in Castlebar. Not season-defining, not nothing either.
Anyone wondering what these ties mean to the All-Ireland defenders should just look back on Jack O’Connor’s post-match demeanour in Tralee 12 months ago. “Kerry haven’t been winning these types of games,” he declared, trying and failing to stifle a satisfactory grin. They were out walking a dark pitch in Castlebar an hour and a half before throw-in. The only lights visible were from on the horizon as a Garda escort signalled Mayo’s arrival.
Kerry failed to heed that warning. By the time Dara Moynihan pulled a meek effort wide just before half-time, O’Connor had wheeled away in disgust and made for the tunnel before Sean Hurson’s whistle even sounded.
It started with five wides in as many minutes. Then the circus got up and running in its hometown. Come one, come all and marvel at the half-man, half-bear that is Aidan O’Shea. If his terror doesn’t do it for you how about the sorcery of Ryan O’Donoghue’s right peg? David McBrien played lion tamer for the second half and attempted to stop the unstoppable David Clifford. Stephen Coen and Sean O’Shea butted heads nearby in a tantalizing sideshow.
Aidan O’Shea’s power was on full display early on as Jason Foley struggled to contain him. First he collected a long ball and fed James Carr for a Ryan O’Donoghue free. In the 20th minute he let loose with a sensational long kickpass for an O’Donoghue mark. Every entry in his orbit resulted in excitement from the crowd and fear from the opposition.
Kerry’s structure disintegrated under Castlebar’s bright lights. The opening goal stemmed from a floating kick-out towards Pa Warren, broken and scooped up a sprinting O’Donoghue who circumvented Tadgh Morley to acrobatically tap past Shane Murphy. Morley later took one restart short and gave an aimless kick forward that was intercepted immediately. Diarmuid O’Connor opened the door for yet another sublime James Carr finish.
A carnival? For some. Kerry were lost in a house of horrors. They converted just three of twelve first-half scoring opportunities. Their turnover count was 14 in 35 minutes. So much of their play was lethargic even if it was February football. Time to get serious. At the turnaround they made three changes as Dylan Casey, Sean O’Shea and David Clifford came on for Warren, Micheal Burns and Donal O’Sullivan.
David Clifford did his damnedest to impose the emperor's rule, scoring immediately and getting booked straight after for pushing a hunched over Rory Brickenden. Colm Reape filled in for Rob Hennelly competently with a pair of 45s.
With a dull finish looming, Kerry did their best to inject some late drama. A long Paul Murphy floater found Barry O’Sullivan on the edge of the square for a green flag and Dara Moynihan popped over a point right after. Killian Spillane went for goal again in extra-time only for his shot to be blocked and glide into Reape’s grateful hands.
The stadium announcer pleaded with patrons not to enter the field after the final whistle so instead they invaded it. There was one more minor flashpoint as O’Shea and Casey continued to wrestle on the deck afterwards but in truth it was just one more bit of theatre for 15,726 paying spectators.
That is why they come. That is what Mayo will do. The great entertainers are still here.
Ryan O’Donoghue 1-3 (2 frees, 1 mark), Jordan Flynn 0-4, James Carr 1-2 (1 mark), Colm Reape 0-2 (2 45), Diarmuid O’Connor 0-1, Donnacha McHugh 0-1, Jack Carney 0-1.
Barry O’Sullivan 1-0, David Clifford 0-3, Sean O’Shea 0-2 (1 free), Darragh Roche 0-2 (1 free), Tony Brosnan 0-1, Paul Murphy 0-1, Dara Moynihan 0-1.
C Reape; D McBrien, R Brickenden, E Hession; S Coen, C Loftus, D McHugh; M Ruane, D O’Connor; F McDonagh, J Carney, J Flynn; A O’Shea, J Carr, R O’Donoghue.
B Tuohy for O’Connor (35), C O’Connor for McDonagh (50), J Coyne for Brickenden (50), C McStay for Carr (63), P Durcan for Coen (65).
S Murphy; G O’Sullivan, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; P Warren, T Morley, P Murphy; J Barry, B O’Sullivan; D Moynihan, P Clifford, M Burns; T Brosnan, D Roche, D O’Sullivan.
D Casey for Warren (half-time), S O’Shea for Burns (half-time), D Clifford for O’Sullivan (half-time) S Okunbor for Roche (55), K Spillane for P Clifford (63).
S Hurson (Tyrone).
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