Mayo 2-14 Galway 2-8: Second-half comeback sees Mayo retain Connacht Championship title

Mayo are Connacht champions once again

Mayo have retained their Connacht title and are through to another All-Ireland semi-final, after a 2-14 to 2-8 win over Galway at Croke Park.

James Horan's charges were in a tight spot at half-time, trailing by five points at half-time. But goals from Ryan O'Donoghue and Matthew Ruane helped turn the tide, as the Tribesmen badly faded after the break.

A potential showdown with Dublin is in store, should the All-Ireland champions overcome Kildare in the Leinster final.

Galway dominated the first half

Mayo enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, applying pressure on the Galway kick-outs. The Tribesmen struggled to retain possession on Connor Gleeson's restarts, with the goalkeeper twice putting it out over the side-line in the opening quarter.

Matthew Ruane, Ryan O'Donoghue and Paddy Durcan all kicked points from play for James Horan's charges, as they led 0-4 to 0-3 at the first water break.

However, Galway continued to push forward, and got their reward in the 19th minute. A Paul Conroy shot from wide on the right came off the post, and Shane Walsh was quickest to react, storming forward to collect the loose ball before burying it past Rob Hennelly.

Walsh turned provider moments later. He showed his searing pace down the right wing to breeze by Durcan, before drawing Hennelly and hand-passing out to Damien Comer. The Annaghdown man made no mistake, smashing it into the roof of the net.

Trailing 2-3 to 0-4, Mayo looked shell-shocked, going 22 minutes without registering a score. Cillian O'Connor's accuracy was sorely lacking, as the men in green and red amassed six first-half wides.

They did have a chance before the break to hit back, as a Conor Loftus found space open up down the middle with a storming run through the Galway defence. However, the Crossmolina man's shot blazed over the bar.

Matthew Tierney responded moments later, and Galway took a 2-5 to 0-6 lead into half-time.

Damien Comer celebrates his first-half goal

Mayo needed a shot in the arm, and enjoyed a dream third quarter, in which they outscored their opponents 1-4 to 0-0.

Ruane was brought down by Matthew Tierney for a penalty, which Ryan O'Donoghue duly dispatched.

Tommy Conroy, Ruane, Kevin McLoughlin and O'Donoghue added further points to take a 1-10 to 2-5 lead at the water break.

Robert Finnerty of Galway in action against Padraig O'Hora of Mayo

Pádraic Joyce's substitutions failed to swing the momentum, as Mayo added two more points after the water break.

A Tierney free in the 62nd minute opened the Tribesmen's second-half account and tagged on another to make it a two-point game.

But Mayo's big-game experience at Croke Park was telling as the contest turned for home. Matthew Ruane found himself in front of goal, after he was allowed to storm through the Galway defence, and coolly slotted it into the net.

A Rob Hennelly free pushed the margin out to six, and Galway were reduced to 14 men when substitute Michael Farragher was shown a second yellow card.

From there, the reigning Nestor Cup champs eased to the six-point victory, and in truth could have won by more.

Mayo live to fight another day, and await the Leinster champions in the All-Ireland semi-final. Another potential showdown with Dublin beckons.

Scorers

Mayo: Ryan O'Donoghue (1-3, 1-0p, 0-2f), Matthew Ruane (1-2), Conor Loftus (0-2), Tommy Conroy (0-2), Paddy Durcan (0-1), Darren McHale (0-1), Rob Hennelly (0-1, 0-1f), Kevin McLoughlin (0-1), James Carr (0-1).

Galway: Shane Walsh (1-1), Matthew Tierney (0-4, 0-3f), Damien Comer (1-0), Paul Conroy (0-2), Cathal Sweeney (0-1).

Teams

Mayo

1. Rob Hennelly

2. Lee Keegan
4. Michael Plunkett
3. Padraig O'Hora

5. Paddy Durcan
6. Oisin Mullin
7. Stephen Coen

8. Matthew Ruane
9. Conor Loftus

10. Bryan Walsh
14. Darren McHale
12. Diarmuid O'Connor

13. Tommy Conroy
11. Aidan O'Shea
15. Ryan O'Donoghue

Subs
Eoghan McLaughlin for Darren McHale (half-time)
Kevin McLoughlin for Bryan Walsh (half-time)
Jordan Flynn for Conor Loftus (temp - 45th-51st minute)
Rory Brickenden for Padraig O'Hora (temp - 57th minute)
Enda Hession for Michael Plunkett (65th minute)
James Carr for Aidan O'Shea (68th minute)
Conor O'Shea for Diarmuid O'Connor (76th minute)

Galway

1. Connor Gleeson

4. Liam Silke
3. Sean Mulkerrin
7. Johnny Heaney

5. Kieran Molloy
6. Dylan McHugh
8. Paul Conroy

2. Sean Kelly
9. Matthew Tierney

10. Damien Comer
11. Peter Cooke
12. Cathal Sweeney

13. Robert Finnerty
14. Shane Walsh
15. Paul Kelly

Subs
Finnian Ó Laoi for Robert Finnerty (17th minute)
Jack Glynn for Sean Kelly (26th minute)
Michael Farragher for Cathal Sweeney (51st minute)
Eamonn Brannigan for Paul Kelly (57th minute)
Johnny Duane for Shane Walsh (73rd minute)

Sky Sports' live GAA coverage continues next Saturday with a live All-Ireland SHC quarter-final. Watch Inside The Game, out midweek GAA discussion show, every Wednesday evening on Sky Sports Arena.