Derry dig deep to secure All-Ireland quarter-final place with penalty shoot-out victory in Mayo!
Mickey Harte will take his team to Croke Park next week
Mayo 1-12
Derry 0-15
Derry win 4-3 on penalties
Derry overcame through a mammoth game in Mayo before securing their place in the Al-Ireland Quarterfinals via a penalty shoot-out victory.
Both teams refused to give in at different stages throughout the game, with Chrissy McKaigue scoring a last-gasp point to take the game to extra time, before Jordan Flynn saved Mayo late in extra time to take the game to penalties.
Cillian O’Connor and Shane McGuigan scored their kicks to get both teams off the mark, before Paul Towey’s miss allowed Conor Glass to put Derry into the lead.
Diarmuid O’Connor made it 2-2, before Ethan Doherty’s poor effort rolled wide, and Mayo celebrations were short-lived as Odhran Lynch then saved brilliantly from Ryan O’Donoghue. Ciaran McFaul took advantage, and although Conor Loftus scored Mayo’s final kick, Conor Doherty kept his nerve to seal a memorable win for a delighted and relieved Derry.
This was just the victory that Mickey Harte and his players needed after a difficult few weeks, and keeps alive All-Ireland hopes that had faded considerably after recent high-profile defeats. Yet, for much o this game Derry were on control and headed to a deserved victory.
Derry were in control in the first half with two points from Lachlan Murray and one from Shane McGuigan putting the visitors in control with a lead they kept until half time. Sam Callinan and Ryan O’Donoghue responded for Mayo, but the combination of Murray and McGuigan kept Derry ahead and only a late free from O’Donoghue prevented Derry from going into the half time break with a four point lead at 0-6, 0-3.
Mayo fought back strongly after the break and within 10 minutes of the second half, the Derry lead had disappeared with two points from Tommy Conroy and one rom Aidan O’Shea making it 0-6 apiece. The home side had all the momentum at this stage and another free from O’Donoghue put Mayo into the lead for the first time.
Derry responded well with Brendan Rogers and Gareth McKinless putting Derry back into the lead but the first goal of the game soon followed and the peerless O’Donoghue converted a penalty to make it 1-07, 0-8 on 50 minutes.
Mayo might have had a second goa, but Odhran Lynch came to his team’s rescue with a great save, after which O’Donoghue kicked another point, and at this stage Derry were doing their best to stay in touch, with Murray and McGuigan scoring again, to leave just one point between the side with time running out.
It looked as if Mayo had done enough to hang on, but at the end of four minutes of extra time, Chrissy McKaigue fisted over to send the game to extra time, the score 1-08, 0-11.
Derry were by far the most impressive of the two teams in the first half of extra time, and with Mayo legs tiring, Rogers and two from Etah Doherty put the visitors in control again. Jordan Flynn responded for Mayo but Derry were ahead by two at the break and looking good to hold on.
But this game took another twist as Mayo fought back again, Paul Towey and Conor Loftus sandwiching a point from McGuigan to leave just one point between the sides heading into the dying seconds. Derry had victory in their grasp, but Jordan Flynn scored with seconds remaining to send the game to penalties, where Derry eventually emerged victorious.