Mayo stand firm to book SFC final place
Mayo 0-19 Dublin 0-16
Mayo scored just one point in the closing 20 minutes, but the westerners stood firm to book a place in their first All-Ireland SFC final since 2006, following a hard-earned three-point win at Croke Park this afternoon.
The biggest Croker crowd of the summer was treated to an altogether entertaining contest, with the 81,364 spectators on the edge of their seats late on as Mayo braved seven minutes of injury time to reach the September showpiece.
Ten points ahead with 20 minutes remaining, Mayo looked to be in cruise-control, but Pat Gilroy's charges were not planning to surrender their All-Ireland title easily and firmly battled into contention.
Stephen Cluxton and Bernard Brogan's dead-ball accuracy helped to bring Dublin back into contention, but the Metropolitans' failure to deliver a goal, coupled with some excellent defending by Mayo, ensured a September date for James Horan's side.
Teenager Ciarán Kilkenny was handed his first Senior Championship start as a late replacement for Alan Brogan, while Chris Barrett slotted into the Mayo defence instead of flu victim Colm Boyle.
Mayo began this game in nervous fashion, as Dublin settled quickest with a brace of Brogan pointed frees ensuring a 0-2 to 0-0 lead after four minutes.
Mayo quickly shook off their early nerves to register five unanswered points and take a lead they would not relinquish.
Cillian O'Connor's dead-ball accuracy was simply sublime early on, with a brace of pointed 45-metre frees, while Michael Conroy, Alan Dillon and Barry Moran added some excellent points from play.
Dublin were unlucky not to have a goal in the 13th minute after Paul Flynn got around Lee Keegan, but the Fingallian's clubman was denied by the crossbar.
Dublin's 17-minute scoring deadlock was broken by Diarmuid Connolly, with his side's first score from play, although Dillon quickly cancelled out this effort.
Connolly and Kilkenny added some much-needed points from play as Dublin cut the gap to the minimum on a 0-6 to 0-5 scoreline 10 minutes before the break.
Mayo kicked on with six of the final seven points of the half. O'Connor, Enda Varley and McLoughlin were all in fine scoring form and all of the Mayo forwards were on target inside the opening 35 minutes.
Dublin manager Pat Gilroy introduced Alan Brogan, Kevin McMenamin and Philly McMahon early after the restart, but again Mayo looked hungry and gave a spirited display.
The Connacht Champions lost Enda Varley through a suspected broken nose injury in the 42nd minute, but continued to drive on.
The westerners boosted early in the second half after a superb save by goalkeeper David Clarke from a Diarmuid Connolly goal-shot.
O'Connor continued to ooze class in front of the posts, while substitute Richie Feeney and Dillon also chipped in with scores to ensure a 0-17 to 0-7 lead with 20 minutes of normal time left.
However, Dublin were not finished; a Stephen Cluxton-pointed 45-metre free in the 52nd minute kick-started their comeback.
Paul Flynn, Bernard Brogan and Cluxton slowly edged Dublin back into contention with four points between the sides with seven and a half minutes of normal time left on the clock.
There were goalshots galore from Dublin, but Mayo stood resolute.
Alan Freeman tracking back to block a Bernard Brogan shot in the 64th minute; a super save by David Clarke from another Brogan goal shot two minutes later, but Paul Flynn followed up with a point.
Just two points in it, and with at least five minutes of injury-time to follow it was going to be tough for Mayo to hold out for victory.
O'Connor registered Mayo's first score in 22 minutes with a pointed free in the 72nd minute.
Brogan kept his cool to deliver a 74th minute point for Dublin, but Mayo held out for a three-point win thanks to a late score from substitute Seamus O'Shea.
Mayo supporters, like their Donegal counterparts last weekend, certainly weren't keen for a quick Croke Park exit at the full-time whistle.
The Westerners savoured all the atmosphere in a heart-stopping day at GAA headquarters.
A history-making All-Ireland final awaits in three weeks time, as Mayo seek to end their long wait (since 1951) without a Sam Maguire triumph, while Donegal will be aiming to bridge a 20-year gap since their lone All-Ireland SFC success.
Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O'Connor (3 45', 3f) 0-7; Alan Dillon 0-3; Kevin McLoughlin, Enda Varley (1f) 0-2 each; Barry Moran, Michael Conroy, Richie Feeney, Seamus O'Shea 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Bernard Brogan (6f) 0-6; Stephen Cluxton (3 '45), Ciarán Kilkenny 0-3 each; Paul Flynn, Diarmuid Connolly 0-2 each.
David Clarke; Kevin Keane, Ger Cafferkey, Keith Higgins, Lee Keegan, Donal Vaughan, Chris Barrett; Barry Moran, Aidan O'Shea, Kevin McLoughlin, Jason Doherty, Alan Dillon; Enda Varley, Cillian O'Connor, Michael Conroy. Subs: Richie Feeney for Keegan (15); Alan Freeman for Varley (Blood) (42); Colm Boyle for McLoughlin (Blood) (54); Jason Gibbons for Feeney (61); Shane McHale for Keane (65);Kevin McLoughlin for Doherty (69); Seamus O'Shea for Aidan O'Shea (71);
Stephen Cluxton; Fitzsimons, Rory O'Carroll, Cian O'Sullivan; James McCarthy, Brennan, Kevin Nolan; Eamon Fennell, Denis Bastick; Paul Flynn, Michael Daragh MacAuley, Bryan Cullen; Ciaran Kilkenny, Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan. Subs: Alan Brogan for Cullen (HT); Philly McMahon for Fitzsimons (HT); Eoghan O'Gara for Bastick (49); Kevin McMenamin for Alan Brogan (53); Craig Dias for Fennell (72);
REFEREE: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
