Mayo pay the penalty as they exit Nicky Rackard

There will be no trip to Croke Park for the Mayo hurlers as a devastating second quarter by New York saw them advance to the Nicky Rackard Cup final at the expense of the Green and Red on a scoreline of 4-18 to 1-18.

The sides were locked at 0-6 apiece, and had been level on five occasions, after 20 minutes. Shane Douglas impressed in the midfield for the visitors from across the Atlantic, scoring three of their opening six points while Cormac Phillips punished New York with a trio of frees, as well as points from Mayo teammates Adrian Phillips, Ryan Duffy and Shane O’Brien.

New York hit a purple patch from here, with Tipperary native Willis scoring three goals in the space of five minutes, while Douglas popped over another two points to put them twelve in front. But they failed to score again for the rest of the half as another two frees from Cormac Phillips and one each from Duffy, Shane Boland and Sean Kenny left seven between them at the break, 3-9 to 0-11.

Mayo’s accuracy then began to desert them, with their first three efforts of the second half all trailing wide. The teams exchanged two points apiece before Shane Douglas, moments after seeing an effort on goal saved, thundered in a penalty to put New York 4-11 to 0-13 ahead on 47 minutes.

New York would tag on the next four points before Mayo countered with 1-4, the goal coming from a Phillips penalty, to leave eight between them with ten minutes to go while New York were reduced to 14 men after Gerard Lean was shown a straight red card just two minutes after coming on.

But Mayo never looked like finding the goals required for an unlikely comeback, and a stunning effort by Sean O’Leary Hayes, followed by singles from substitutes Adam Loughlin Stones and Niall Coen, saw New York set up a showdown with Tyrone next Saturday afternoon in Croke Park.

*See Tuesday's Western People for full coverage