Mayo boost Nicky Rackard chances with crucial win

Mayo greatly boosted their chances of reaching the Nicky Rackard Cup semi-final after coming through a battle against Sligo this afternoon in Castlebar, defeating their Connacht rivals 2-22 to 1-21.

The Yeats County elected to play with the strong wind in the first half but will be disappointed to have only led 0-12 to 1-6 at the break. Andrew Kilcullen was their biggest threat, scoring five points in the half while Conor Hanniffy, Paul O’Brien, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Thomas Cawley, Rory McHugh and Fionn Connolly were also on target.

Mayo had to work hard for their own scores, which included a stunning opener by Shane O’Brien and a free from Bobby Douglas inside his own 65’ while Cormac Phillips, Shane Boland and Ryan Duffy kept the scoreboard ticking for Mayo. Duffy finished off a fine move on 15 minutes to raise Mayo’s first green flag, but Sean Kenny would miss a penalty later on in the half for the Green and Red to draw level.

Mayo would score four of the first five points in the second half to level matters before Cormac Phillips finished from the penalty spot to put Mayo in front on 41 minutes.

That gap remained at three on 54 minutes but a pair of Shane Boland points soon extended the gap to five. Sligo, however, would make it a one-point game with five minutes of normal time remaining, with their dangerman Andrew Kilcullen hitting 1-3 in response to a further two Mayo singles.

But despite intense Sligo pressure, Mayo finished strongly and scores from Bobby Douglas, Corey Scahill and Eoin Delaney saw the hosts claim victory. Mayo will book their spot in the semi-final against New York should they avoid defeat away to Louth next Saturday.

*See Tuesday's Western People for full coverage