Mayo stunned by Cavan in Castlebar
Aidan O'Shea of Mayo in action. Picture: INPHO/James Lawlor
Mayo’s chances of getting out of Group 1 in the All-Ireland SFC are already in danger after they were deservedly beaten by Cavan this afternoon in Castlebar.
It was an abject display from Mayo, who didn’t register their first shot until the midway stage of the first half. Cavan sent over the opening two points through Cormac O’Reilly and Ciarán Brady but a lengthy stoppage after what looked to be a serious injury to Barry Donnelly allowed Kevin McStay’s charges to regroup.
Ryan O’Donoghue finally opened Mayo’s account from a free on 17 minutes, which was met with a quick response from Oisin Kiernan. The hosts were level after a 4v3 breach, and O’Donoghue made use of the breeze to punish the Breffni men with a two-point free.
Darren McHale and Cormac O’Reilly exchanged points before Mayo were dealt another blow after Davitt Neary was shown a black card. However, the Green and Red finished the half strongly through two Stephen Coen points, the former on course for a two-pointer but Cavan goalkeeper Liam Brady got a touch, and one from Matthew Ruane to put them 0-7 to 0-4 ahead at half-time.
Cavan went in front three minutes after the restart after hitting 1-2, the goal coming from Gerard Smith. Mayo drew level through Ryan O’Donoghue and Dylan Thornton but once Cavan retook the lead through Oisin Kiernan on 43 minutes, only one team looked like they had the belief to go on from here.
A pair of Coen points kept Mayo on Cavan coattails, but the Breffni County hit four of the next five points to lead 1-13 to 0-12 going into the last ten minutes.
The biggest cheer of the day for Mayo was the return of Paddy Durcan after a year out with injury, but this was Cavan’s day, as late points from Cian Reilly, Paddy Lynch, Brian O’Connell and Cian Madden sealed a first championship win for Cavan over Mayo since 1948, with Aidan O’Shea’s goal in injury-time for Mayo scant consolation.
Mayo will be out again in two weeks time when they travel to Omagh to face Tyrone in Round 2 on Saturday, May 31, where a win is a must if they are to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
Scorers – Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-1-3 (1 tpf), Stephen Coen 0-0-4, Aidan O’Shea 1-0-0 Matthew Ruane 0-0-2, Darren McHale, Dylan Thornton and Fergal Boland 0-0-1 each Cavan: Cormac O’Reilly 0-0-4, Oisín Kiernan 0-1-2 (1 tp), Gerard Smith 1-0-0, Cian Madden 0-0-3 (1f), Ciarán Brady, Pádraig Faulkner, Dara McVeety, Cian Reilly, Paddy Lynch and Brian O’Connell 0-0-1 each.
Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Dylan Thornton; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Enda Hession, Stephen Coen, Matthew Ruane; Davitt Neary, Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn; Aidan O’Shea, Darren McHale, Ryan O’Donoghue. Subs: Fenton Kelly (for Carney 50), Paul Towey (for Neary 58), Paddy Durcan (for Hession 59), Fergal Boland (for Flynn 67), Frank Irwin (for McHale 69).
Cavan: Liam Brady; Cian Reilly, Brian O’Connell, Niall Carolan; Killan Brady, Ciarán Brady, Pádraig Faulkner; Barry Donnelly, Evan Crowe; Gerard Smith, Dara McVeety, Oisín Keenan; Cormac O’Reilly, Ryan Donohoe, Sean McEvoy. Subs: Cian Madden (for Donnelly 14 inj), Oisin Brady (for McEvoy 26 inj), Paddy Lynch (for Donohoe 55), Luke Fortune and Ryan O’Neill (for Brady and Kiernan 68), Luke Molloy (for Crowe 70+3).
REF: Paul Faloon (Down).
