So Mayo march on to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, after coming from six points down early in the second half to win by five. Oisin Mullin’s moment of individual brilliance brought about the first goal, while Jordan Flynn punished Kildare goalkeeper Aaron O’Neill’s walkabouts for the second - adding gloss to the scoreline after a stuttering performance.
Kildare can take pride in their improved showing albeit against a misfiring Mayo team it’s an opportunity lost. Mayo have yet to find their best form but their fighting spirit remains, and they’re likely to improve as the summer goes on.
Scroll down to follow the action as it happened. The match report from Croke Park is incoming on the homepage so keep an eye out for that. For now though, thanks for joining us.
FT Kildare 0-14 Mayo 2-13
Mayo manager James Horan reacts: “How we started and our energy was very poor but what’s great for us is being able to turn that around. To keep grinding and showing the character, I’m hugely proud.
“We know where we are, but we’re still in an All-Ireland quarter-finals.”
FT Kildare 0-14 Mayo 2-13 Mayo finish with a second goal - Jordan Flynn lobs Kildare goalkeeper Aaron O’Neill who had joined his team’s final attack. A strong finish from last year’s All-Ireland finalists despite a very poor showing up to that!
Mayo play keep ball in their own defence. One minute remains . . .
Kildare 0-14 Mayo 1-13 (72′) Hennelly’s free from distance goes wide. Mayo lead by two with two minutes left.
Kildare 0-14 Mayo 1-13 (69′) Cillian O’Connor rifles a shot at goal but it blazes over. That was following a poor Kildare kickout. Darren McHale then extends the Mayo lead. Four minutes of added time to come . . .
Kildare 0-14 Mayo 1-11 (65′) Fergal Boland’s second point puts Mayo in front for the first time since the fifth minute! But not for long as Kildare full back Shea Ryan drives forward and fists an equaliser!
Kildare 0-13 Mayo 1-10 (62′) Mullin spins through a few tackles, and plays a one-two with Padraig O’Hora before roofing the net. GOAL for Mayo!!
Kildare 0-13 Mayo 0-10 (61′) Jordan Flynn replaces Aidan O’Shea for the final 10 minutes . . . as Hyland kicks an outside of the boot free from the right wing wide . . .
Kildare 0-13 Mayo 0-10 (57′) Patrick Durcan kicks Mayo’s eighth wide, usually so reliable in front of the posts he’s missed a few today. This one skimmed the wrong side of the post.
Kildare 0-13 Mayo 0-10 (53′) Diarmuid O’Connor loves to have a go down the right wing, he puts the head down, focuses on the connection rather than making an easier angle for himself, and nails it over the black spot! Daniel Flynn then wins a free which Hyland points.
Kildare 0-12 Mayo 0-9 (48′) Mayo close the deficit to three with a third point in a row, this time via Conor Loftus. Neil Flynn responds with an excellent score following a very good pass from Feely . . . and then Lee Keegan drives on to kick his second point. This one off his left boot, what a player!
Kildare 0-11 Mayo 0-7 (45′) Aidan O’Shea cuts out a Kildare kick out and sets up a Fergal Boland point. Enda Hession then denies Daniel Flynn a solo goal with an excellent block. Mayo counter, Cillian O’Connor plays a one-two and floats over a good point.
Kildare 0-11 Mayo 0-5 (41′) Mayo lose it coming out of defence and despite the attention of five Mayo players, Daniel Flynn points for Kildare. Jimmy Hyland then twists and turns, throws in a solo dummy and grabs his first score from play.
Kildare 0-9 Mayo 0-5 (36′) Mayo miss an early chance straight from the second half throw-in, Kildare at the other end make it a four point game via a fisted score from McCormack. They left Mayo out on the pitch for nearly five minutes before taking the field for the second period . . .
HT Kildare 0-8 Mayo 0-5 Carney’s powerful shot at goal is tipped over the bar. At the other end Kildare’s counter is headed by Daniel Flynn, he pops it to McCormack who wins a free which Jimmy Hyland slots. That’s the final act of the first half. Poor shooting by both teams, but Kildare’s attack has had more direction and they’ve shown a bit more composure and therefore deserve their three point lead.
Kildare 0-7 Mayo 0-4 (33′) A second point for O’Callaghan follows a superb mark by Daniel Flynn who was fouled before he could set up a goal chance. It was brought back and he kicked his point. Eoghan McLaughlin responds with a point for Mayo. As usual the Mayo defenders are carrying their greatest attacking threat!
Kildare 0-6 Mayo 0-3 (28′) Lee Keegan with a really inspirational score for Mayo after Kevin O’Callaghan had got beyond the play and into the D to kick a nice point. Mayo have just replaced Jason Doherty after less than a half an hour . . .
Kildare 0-5 Mayo 0-2 (25′) Ben McCormack kicks Kildare’s fifth wide and they haven’t scored in over 10 minutes. Carney responds with an immediate wide for Mayo. The shooting has been really poor at both ends so far.
Kildare 0-4 Mayo 0-2 (20′) One Mayo attack ends with an awful attempted crossfield pass, the next ends with a poor shot that drops short and nowhere near the Kildare goal. But they’re then awarded a soft free for Cillian O’Connor to convert.
Kildare 0-4 Mayo 0-1 (15′) Athy’s Kevin Feely backs himself from 40m as two defenders track Daniel Flynn and leave him with time and space to shoot.
Kildare 0-3 Mayo 0-1 (13′) Three points in a row for Kildare as Jimmy Hyland taps over his second point from a free he won for himself. Again Kevin Flynn was involved.
Kildare 0-2 Mayo 0-1 (9′) Darragh Malone taps over Kildare’s first point after some good patient build up with David Hyland heavily involved. Kevin Flynn then wins a free, which Jimmy Hyland converts.
Kildare 0-0 Mayo 0-1 (5′) Jack Carney from a tight angle in the left corner squeezes over a lovely point between two Kildare wides. Carr then claims a wonderful overhead mark but his kick drops short.
Kildare 0-0 Mayo 0-0 (3′) Flynn wins a mark inside but from close range his shot hits the post. James Carr then wins a free which Cillian O’Connor kicks wide.
Kildare 0-0 Mayo 0-0 (1′) GAME ON! Mayo win a free from the throw in. Rob Hennelly lines it up from way out, and he drags it wide. Oisin Mullin looks to be picking up Daniel Flynn.
Here’s a look back at the day’s earlier football qualifier where Clare pulled off a famous win over Roscommon thanks to some late heroics . . . Clare 2-15 Roscommon 1-17
Some more pre-match reading:
[ Despite supporter concerns, the Mayo bandwagon rolls back into Croke ParkOpens in new window ]
[ Kildare have to find a way to recover from yet another five-goal hammeringOpens in new window ]
The defeat to Dublin two weeks ago was Kildare’s fourth time giving up at least five green flags in a game since 2015. No other county has had it happen more than twice in the past quarter of a century.
It is however Croke Park and Mayo will enjoy getting back to the track where their athleticism gets full rein. Experience will also count but Kildare are better than we saw two weeks ago.
Verdict: Mayo
Read Sean Moran’s preview in full here
Teams
MAYO (as per programme): Robert Hennelly; Lee Keegan, Oisín Mullin, Enda Hession; Patrick Durcan, Stephen Coen, Eoghan McLaughlin; Aidan O’Shea, Matthew Ruane; Diarmuid O’Connor, Jason Doherty, Conor Loftus; James Carr, Jack Carney, Cillian O’Connor.
