Cork v Mayo player ratings: Beirne and O'Donoghue shine
Darragh Beirne scored seven points for Mayo in their All-Ireland SFC quarter-final victory over Cork. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie
Produced his by-now expected great save early on and produced another more routine stop late in the second-half. Mayo struggled with their kickout rates on the day but then a goalkeeper is only one cog in that particular machine.
Spent the afternoon on Mark Cronin and kept the Nemo Rangers man quiet for long periods. He had one brilliant recovery ten minutes into the second-half when Cronin got in behind him, but only briefly.
The man with the toughest gig in the Mayo defence. Had to shadow Stephen Sherlock for 70 minutes and did a very decent job of it with the Cork dangerman limited to two points from play, one of them kicked with McHugh just inches from his face.
Forced off before the end of the first quarter with what looked like a leg problem. Started well and did well to recover and prevent a goal chance and made one powerful burst forward shortly before being replaced by Diarmuid Duffy.
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One of those who busted a lung from start to finish. Gave away a cheap early free for a tug on Sean Meehan’s shirt but supported the attack and helped McHugh on occasion as the latter dealt with Sherlock.
Won’t appear on too many match highlights but McBrien was immense. A pain in the ass to Cork all day with a tackle here and a run there. On the scene at both ends of the field and in the middle. An absolute dynamo.
Hession likes a run forward but he had his hands full here looking after the dynamic Chris Óg Jones after McGreal went off. It made for a brilliant battle with the Cork forward doing real damage and Hession getting the odd ‘W’ too.
Part of a Mayo midfield that struggled through the day in the air but Tuohy still put in a decent shift. Won one big catch late in the first-half and got a hand to a pass in behind that could have set Ian Maguire up for a goal. Replaced after 54 minutes.
Another middle third player who had to battle for a piece of real estate in the air but Carney was non-stop on the ground. Second week in a row where he nailed a huge two-pointer after an earlier miss. That takes guts.
Didn’t exactly see a whole pile of ball, Coen was wide with a two-point attempt from distance and could have hurt himself in barging Jones at one point. For all that, he ran his socks off for 49 minutes.
Some excellent foot passing early on from the Charlestown man was vital in giving Mayo a foundation in a game they started slightly nervously but his influence waned from there through to being replaced at half-time.
One of the Crossmolina man’s quieter shifts but Flynn was still eating in to his reserves in the last minute when punching forward and feeding Kobe McDonald for the wunderkind’s late goal chance.
What a performance from this guy. Fed McDonald for Mayo’s first point in the first minute and ended with the man of the match nod after hitting seven points of his own, three from play and a pair of two-pointers from dead balls. A menace in the corner all day.
What a footballer. Full stop. O’Donoghue seems to roam as he pleases and how do you stop that? Signed for eight points, four of them from play and had a wide, hit a post and a shot diverted as well as that. Mayo’s beating heart up front?
The teenage tyro’s big match debut in the big house and his response was no surprise. We expect this from him now. One delicious two-pointer in a four-point haul – all from play - a towering catch, bursting speed and assists. The lad has it all.
Diarmuid Duffy came on early for McGreal and took part in that brilliant battle with Jones and others. Got burned a couple of times, did his own burning at others. Had a goal shot blocked late on. One of eight men making their Championship debut in Croker.
Tommy Conroy needed some time to find his feet after coming on for Towey at the interval but his influence grew and he picked off a point for himself with it. Matthew Ruane’s impact was more instant on his arrival.
After Cork lost their opening three kick-outs, they retained seven of the next eight up to half-time. They finished securing 16 out of 23 overall, which was impressive. Doyle was also alert around the square to keep a clean sheet.
Varied between marking Ryan O’Donoghue and Kobe McDonald in the first half, though both went deeper in the second half as Mayo restructured their attack. Battled hard.
In tandem with Shanley tagged Mayo’s marquee forwards. Might have been worth switching him out to the half-back line in the last quarter.
Picked up Darragh Beirne, who clipped two fine first-half scores though Meehan did well on the front foot. Ended up on Tommy Conroy who also a real handful. Left isolated too often.
One of the more experienced campaigners in red, comfortable on the ball in the crowded middle third. Had a low-percentage goal chance smothered late on.
Powerful first half though he should have grabbed a point. Kept at it even when the game was slipping away. Cork’s best defender all season.
Late call-up to the starting 15 in place of Luke Fahy. Had a point and a wide but could have been more direct when Mayo backed off.
Deployed as a quasi-target man on Cork’s early attacking phases, scoring a point. He also made a key defensive block on a Ryan O’Donoghue shot. Midfield wasn’t Cork’s issue.
Strong in the air, grabbed a first-half point and should have had another. Cork needed him to break the lines a bit more but their build-up was often too slow.
Nailed a class first-half point after a dummy and fouled for Mark Cronin’s two-point free. Added two more second-half points and Cork’s highest scorer from play.
On the world of ball as Cork’s link-man early though he was regularly swarmed in possession. Quiet second half before being replaced.
Worked hard without getting a lot of possession. Cork needed a better return from deep when Mayo’s backs sagged off.
Converted a free from outside the arc but didn’t get any quality ball from play within range. Blocked down inside the 20-metre line early in the second half. Switched to centre-forward briefly when he looked lively before coming off.
His pace and directness were a threat. Forced Jack Livingstone into a save and hit a first-half point and added another after half-time. Fisted a wide after 59 minutes when Cork had the gap down to three points.
6
The marked man in the Rebel attack after his recent exploits and Donnacha McHugh stuck to him tenaciously. Clipped over two decent points but to win Cork needed him to be lively and McHugh rarely left him get into space.
First sub in after 47 minutes and added energy and directness. Fouled for two converted frees.
Couldn’t make an impact in the last 20 minutes and missed a couple of chances.
A point and a wide in a late cameo.
On too late to rate.
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