Mayo see red in damaging Salthill Devon defeat
Team captains Calym Crowe of Salthill Devon, left, and Noe Baba of Mayo after the FAI National League Group 2 match between Salthill Devon and Mayo at the NFP Park, Salthill in Galway last month. Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Mayo FC's chances of making the FAI National League semi-final were all but ended this afternoon as they fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Salthill Devon.
The home side were poor in the first half and conceded inside three minutes when Ronan Kerin headed Salthill in front.
Mayo could get little going at other end but finished the half brightly. A chance for an equaliser went abegging just before half-time when Aron Heaney's cross picked out Darragh Forde, but his effort was saved by the goalkeeper.
A good start to the second half was needed but Mayo were reduced to ten men when defender Oisin O'Reilly was shown a straight red for a high challenge on Kerin. Matters were compounded on the hour mark when Kerin doubled his, and Salthill's, tally with a header from an inswinging corner.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Mayo showed well and pulled a goal back on 76 minutes. Guga Kokaia, Mayo's best player on the day, was brought down in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Upstepped Sean McAteer and he fired home.
Substitute Alfonso Barrios Sanchez should have levelled it on 85 minutes but his header from McAteer's inviting cross went wide, and their misery was compounded a minute later when Sanchez was dismissed after picking up a second yellow as Mayo finished with nine men on the field, while also losing Connor McCarthy to injury.
Mayo will finish out the group stage in two weeks time with away trip to Dublin side St Francis.
