Rafter the star as Mayo stunned by London
Fiontan Eastwood of London celebrates after his side's victory over Mayo. Picture: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
London shocked Mayo with an impressive win in their FBD league quarter-final and now go on to face Roscommon next weekend.
London were impressive from the off with a good defensive set-up and had the superb Shay Rafter, who scored six points on his senior debut for the Exiles.
The visitors got the first score of the game with a free in front of the Mayo goal to give Rafter an easy first kick of the game.Â
London captain Eoin Walsh took up a roaming defensive role making it difficult for Mayo to break down their rearguard.
It took Mayo eight minutes to open their account as Cillian O’Connor scored from a free to leave the score 0-1 apiece. In what was a cagey affair with both sides defending well, London looked the more comfortable in the opening exchanges.
They got the next score on the board when Rafter stepped up again from a free to put the Exiles back in front. London were on the attack with Liam Gallagher running down the sideline before attempting to fist the ball over the bar but was taken in by Hennelly and Mayo broke from defence with Jordan Flynn finishing off the play with the first score from play to leave the sides 0-2 apiece.
But London responded from the ensuing kick out with their first score from play from Rafter to put the Londoners back in front.
Cuba Callaghan, who was a last-minute change before kick off, turned over the ball from a poor kick from London goalkeeper Andrew Walsh with O’Connor finding Frank Irwin; he scored from play to leave the game level again, 0-3 apiece.
Mayo went in front for the first time in the 24th minute when Hennelly plucked the ball from a Rafter free, Mayo broke out and Flynn scored his second of the afternoon.
London responded with a point from captain Walsh and the impressive Rafter scored his fourth of the afternoon when he won a free on Conor Hunt in front of goal to level the score 0-4.
Mayo responded quickly with a Darren Quinn point to put them one up again but the lead was short lived with Rafter winning a free in front of goal and scoring to level the sides again.
Mayo took the lead in the 31st minute after a patient build-up ending with a free on the 20m line with O’Connor knocked over to leave the score 0-6 to 0-5 at half time.
The second half continued in the same manner. London were first off the mark with Aidan McLoughlin scoring from play to level the scores after five minutes.
London took the lead again when substitute Gareth McDowell took on the Mayo defence winning the advantage and putting the ball over the bar to give them a one point lead.
London went two-up in the 46th minute with a free from Rafter to leave the scoreline 0-8 to 0-6 and Mayo needing the next score. Donnacha McHugh got Mayo’s first score of the second half to slice the London lead to one. But Oran Kerr responded for London with a great score to put the Exiles two up once more.
A quick Hennelly kick-out was won by the hard working Flynn and spotted O’Connor inside who got round the London defence to hammer the ball into the roof of the net and put Mayo in front.
This Mayo revival was short lived and London replied with a score from Liam Gallagher from a 50m free to level the sides again.
Gallagher stepped up again in the 59th minute to give London the lead. Mayo were starting to win the London kick outs and a mark by Flynn was kicked in and Kevin Quinn won a free for Mayo which Conal Dawson slotted over to leave it all square with 10 minutes to go.
London scored the winning point as the game entered injury time off the boot of Rafter who won the mark.
Mayo had chances to level the game but went agonisingly wide.
London were well deserving of their win and will face Roscommon next weekend in the semis.
C O’Connor 1-2, J Flynn 0-2, D Quinn 0-1, F Irwin 0-1, D McHugh 0-1, C Dawson 0-1Â
: S Rafter 0-6, L Gallagher 0-2, E Walsh 0-1, O Kerr 0-1, A McLoughlin 0-1, DJ O’Flaherty 0-1
: R Hennelly, A McDonnell, K Callaghan, R Keane, T Fahey, C Hunt, E McLoughlin, J Flynn (C), D McHugh, C Reid, F Irwin, T O' Flaherty, D Quinn, C O’Connor K Quinn.
Subs: D Dolan, E O' Donoghue, C Boland, C Dawson, R Brickenden, T Conroy, D Reilly, F Kelly, C Beirne, E Henry, N CogginsÂ
: A Walsh, D Rooney, M Moynihan, F Eastwood, O Kerr, J McCann, C Cox, S Dornan, L Gallagher, A McLoughlin, D Clarke, DJ O’Flaherty, J Obahor, S Rafter, E Walsh (C).
Subs: T Barry, G McDowell, R Tohill, S Tucker, C McKeon, J McCann, M Miller, C Mulgrew, L Kelly, R O’Connell.
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