Mayo reach first All-Ireland final in five years after Louth blitzing

NO FEAR: Mayo's Kobe McDonald explodes in celebration after their emphatic All-Ireland SFC semi-final win over Louth at Croke Park. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Mayo 3-23 Louth 0-15

A blistering unanswered run of 2-7 catapulted Mayo to their first All-Ireland final in five years.

Louth, who failed to score for 28 minutes in a period across the two halves, were shellshocked by goals either side of the half by Darragh Beirne and Conor Loftus. Their kick-out platform was eroded by a pillaging Mayo who often pinned Louth in their own half.

Mayo leaped into a nine-point lead in the 46th minute. It could have been into double digits had either of the three goal chances that fell substitute Tommy Conroy’s way gone in. 

Conroy’s first spanked the crossbar and the other was kept out by Niall McDonnell as was Ryan O’Donoghue’s. Still, he had the consolation of kicking over an advanced mark.

With Louth completely on the rack and not having scored since the 28th minute, the margin inevitably climbed with Loftus’ goal after another driving Conroy run widened the opening. Another substitute Cian McHale stretched the advantage to 13.

Ciarán Downey ended Louth’s famine in the 56th minute, but Mayo picked off the four of the next five scores, Kobe McDonald bringing his second-half total to three points.

The hooter blew, the Mayo sideline entered the field, the first strains of “The Green and Red of Mayo” struck up on the PA system but O’Donoghue still had a two-point free to kick. And he did precisely to bring his tally to 1-11 and Mayo’s final win to 17 points.

Just as there was one change to each team from their respective quarter-finals, there was one to both announced sides. Paul Mathews was ruled out completely and Ciarán Keenan took his spot in the team. Loftus was replaced by Paul Towey.

RISEN: Mayo's Kobe McDonald rises to catch a high ball. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

The concern for Mayo going into the game was how they were going to deal with Louth’s strength on kick-outs, especially the opposition. Dara McDonnell enjoyed himself at times and Mayo won just five of 14 restarts but the disjointed nature of the half suited them royally.

It helped that Louth fluffed their lines at times and Craig Lennon had to go off with a serious knee injury in the 23rd minute but Mayo’s advantage was clear before then.

In the fifth minute, Darragh Beirne was slipped in by McDonald for a shot that McDonnell found easy to keep out, but he was beaten by O’Donoghue’s low effort seconds later. McDonald had subtly tapped the ball into his path.

With back-to-back two-pointers, the first from Downey from play followed by a Sam Mulroy thumping free, Louth moved into a two-point lead by the 17th minute.

LOFTY AMBITIONS: Conor Loftus gets the crowd going after the third goal at Croke Park. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Electric O’Donoghue responded with a brace to and after a Keenan point the Belmullet man boomed over Mayo’s first two pointer of the game. From the kick-out, McDonald fisted over a score and then Beirne punished a Downey foul on David McBrien.

Three points, two of them with one kick, by Conor Grimes brought Louth level in the 28th minute. They threatened a goal on the half-hour mark but Keenan hesitated and Ryan Burns’ shot was poor.

A Towey point smarted but their spoiled chance was particularly felt when Beirne hit Mayo’s second goal in the 32nd minute. Sam Callinan reacted quickly to a deflected point effort by Beirne who looped around to provide the option for his team-mate.

A Mulroy two-point free on the buzzer was sent wide and the difference remained four, 0-11 to 2-9.

Scorers for Mayo: R. O’Donoghue (1-11, 1tp, 2 tp frees, 0-2 frees, 0-1 mark); D. Beirne (1-2, 0-1 free); K. McDonald (0-4); C. Loftus (1-0); J. Flynn (1tp), C. McHale (0-2 each); P. Towey, M. Ruane (0-1 each).

Scorers for Louth: C. Downey (0-6, 2 tps); C. Grimes (0-4, 1tp); S. Mulroy (0-2, 1 tp free); D. McDonnell, C. Keenan, T. Durnin (0-1 each).

MAYO: J. Livingstone; J. Coyne (c), E. McGreal, D. McHugh; S. Coen, E. Hession, D. McBrien; B. Tuohy, J. Carney; S. Callinan, J. Flynn, K. McDonald; D. Beirne, R. O’Donoghue, P. Towey.

Subs for Mayo: T. Conroy for P. Towey (h-t); C. Loftus for S. Coen (42); C. McHale for D. Beirne (50); F. Kelly for E. McGreal (55); M. Ruane for J. Flynn (62).

LOUTH: N. McDonnell; D. McKenny, E. Carolan, D. Nally; C. McKeever, C. Downey, C. Lennon; C. Early, D. McDonnell; J. Maguire, S. Mulroy (c), C. Grimes; C. Keenan, K. McArdle, R. Burns.

Subs for Louth: T. McDonnell for C. Lennon (inj 23); C. Byrne for C. Keenan (40); T. Durnin for J. Maguire (46); C. McCaul for C. Grimes (53); A. Williams for C. McKeever (62).

Referee: D. Coldrick (Meath).