Mayo see off Rebel challenge to secure All-Ireland SFC semi-final place
Mayo’s Darragh Beirne celebrates scoring a point. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
Mayo are the first team to book their place in the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals after punishing a wasteful Cork this afternoon.
Kobe McDonald marked his Croke Park debut with a point inside 30 seconds, followed by Ryan O’Donoghue’s first of the afternoon.
Steven Sherlock (’45) and Colm O’Callaghan levelled it before Darragh Beirne nudged Mayo back in front, although that was helped by some early Cork wides.
A two-point free by Mark Cronin and a single by Ian Maguire put the Rebels in front and further scores from Sherlock and Paul Walsh kept Cork noses in front but a stunning two-pointer from McDonald and Ryan O’Donoghue’s second of the day levelled it for a second time.
Despite another Sherlock ’45 and Chris Óg Jones putting the Munster men back in front, a breach by Cork allowed O’Donoghue to level it at the break with a two-point free to leave it 0-9 apiece.
Cork nudged back ahead early in the second half, but a pair of two-pointers from Beirne and a point from McDonald pushed Mayo ahead. Cork went back in front with four of the next five points, but Mayo led by one, 0-15 to 0-14, with 51 minutes played.
A fifth two-pointer for Mayo, this time Jack Carney getting in on the act, and a point from substitute Tommy Conroy had the Mayo crowd rocking. There was still time for Cork to come back, with Steven Sherlock’s two-point free giving them hope, but Jack Livingstone’s brilliant save to deny Brian O’Driscoll.
From there, the Cork resistance petered out and another two frees from O’Donoghue either side of a Conor Loftus point secured Mayo’s place in the last four for the first time since 2021.
