Mayo hang on for win after Monaghan fightback

Mayo survived a stunning Monaghan comeback, holding on by a point after leading by 11 at the break

Kobe McDonald scored 1-4 for Mayo against Monaghan. Pic:  Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

All-Ireland SFC round 1: Mayo 1-24 (1-6-12) Monaghan 2-20 (2-4-12) 

What magnificent chaos. Mayo went from being 11 up at half-time to holding on at the end in an absolute thriller at Clones.

The turnovers, the kicking, two awesome goals - it was a game that gave so much. In the end, a Max Maguire two-pointer with seconds left meant it all came down to the final kickout. Mayo won it, just.

After the considerable disappointment that was a hammering at the hands of rivals Roscommon, Andy Moran opted for significant changes to his team. Goalkeeper Jack Livingstone came in for a championship debut instead of Robbie Hennelly. Conor Loftus went back to centre-forward with David McBrien taking over at centre-back.

Livingstone was busy all day long. He did extremely well to deny Andrew Woods and was quick off the line to stop David Garland moments later. Much of Monaghan’s initial play showed signs of understandable lethargy after a taxing Ulster final.

Rory Beggan missed his first two 45s. It took ten minutes for their first score and another three for their first from play. They were too slow to react to Mayo’s early two-point attempts, with Jack Carney, Kobe McDonald and Ryan O’Donoghue taking advantage of that space. There were seven orange flags in the opening half, six for the visitors.

The AFL-bound prospect mimed gold from minimal possessions. He avoided the close attention of Dylan Byrne to snap a sweet effort from outside the arc. He rose above his man at the back post after Darragh Beirne did superbly to race in along the endline and first an inviting ball across. That completed a tricolour – a one, two and three from play – after just 26 minutes.

All of Mayo’s new faces were impressing. Beirne added a two-point free. Hugh O’Loughlin was a monster on kickouts. A stand-lifting two-pointer just before the hooter from O’Donoghue saw them race down the tunnel 1-17 to 0-9 clear.

Monaghan’s habit of dramatic comebacks meant the game was far from over. The introduction of Bobby McCaul and some direct ball yielded several goal chances with Livingstone producing some outstanding saves. Dessie Ward curled over a trademark two before a moment of pure theatre.

It began with a goal chance at one end. Beggan raced of his line to tip it away and instigate a counter. He picked out Stephen Mooney on the half-way line. He kicked again to McCaul on the square who finally found the net.

It was the sort of goal that had the crowd reeling back in wonder. That awe turned to sorrow when McCaul went down clutching his knee soon after.

Fellow substitute Stephen Mooney raced in to find the bottom corner and ensure a grandstand finish.

Scorers for Monaghan: J. McCarron 0-5 (1 tp, 2 free); B. McCaul 1-1; S. Mooney 1-0; R. Beggan 0-2 (2 45s); M. Maguire 0-2 (tp); D. Ward 0-2 (tp); C. McCarthy 0-2; A. Woods 0-2 (tp); M. McCarville, A. Carey, M. Bannigan (free), O. McGorman 0-1 each.

Scorers for Mayo: R. O’Donoghue 0-8 (1tpf, 1tp, 2f);K. McDonald 1-4 (tp); D. Beirne 0-4 (1tpf); J. Carney 0-4 (2tp); J. Flynn 0-2; C. Loftus, P. Durcan 0-1 each.

MONAGHAN: R. Beggan; D. Byrne, R. O’Toole, K. Lavelle; A. Carey, D. Ward, C. McCarthy; M. McCarville, K. Gallagher; O. McGorman, M. Bannigan, R. McAnespie; J. McCarron, A. Woods, D. Garland.

Subs: M. Maguire for McAnespie (26 – Inj); R. Hanratty for Gallagher (27-35, temp); B. McCaul for Garland, R. Wylie for Carey (both half-time); S. Mooney for McGorman (54); F. Carolan for McCaul (59 – Inj).

MAYO: J. Livingstone; J. Coyne, D. McHugh, E. Hession; S. Callinan, D. McBrien, D. Duffy; J. Carney, J. Flynn; H. O’Loughlin, C. Loftus, S. Coen; D. Beirne, R. O’Donoghue, K. McDonald.

Subs: P. Towey for Coen, P. Durcan for Loftus (both 49); F. Kelly for Duffy (58); A. O’Shea for O’Loughlin (59); D. O’Connor for Beirne (63).

Referee: D. Coldrick (Meath).