All-Ireland Under-21 FC Semi-final Tyrone 1-9 Mayo 0-9Seán Cavanagh masterminded Tyrone's hard-earned victory over Mayo in this gripping All-Ireland under-21 football championship semi-final at Markievicz Park, Sligo, yesterday.
The majestic midfield dynamo kept Tyrone on course for a double All-Ireland celebration with the superb match-winning goal early in the second half.
Tyrone senior player Cavanagh beat a solid Mayo rearguard for a splendid 37th-minute goal, and engineered a couple of second-half points that had a big bearing on the final outcome.
Tyrone were leading by 1-6 to 0-5 after 42 minutes when Cavanagh struck an important point after he was hauled down in the middle of the field before setting up Kelvin Hughes for a similar score eight minutes later, to open up a six-point gap.
Mayo never gave up and at times showed more craft and slicker teamwork than their opponents. But the Connacht champions' problems resurfaced in attack where only Conor Mortimer showed the sparkle required to break down a tenacious Tyrone rearguard. Mortimer accounted for seven of his team's points on a day when only two other Mayo forwards got on the scoresheet.
Tyrone caused panic in the Mayo goalmouth following a well directed 45 by Peter Donnelly in the third minute, before Donnelly himself opened their scoring.
Mortimer got Mayo off the mark after six minutes from a free. The Connacht side were playing well in defence and made it difficult for the Tyrone forwards to get close enough to goal; but two Tyrone points from Ronan Ward and Hughes put the Ulster champions 0-5 to 0-3 ahead at half-time.
Hughes stretched the lead two minutes into the second half, before Mortimer replied with a Mayo point.
Mayo were well in the game at that stage but the turning point came after 37 minutes when Cavanagh raced through a hesitant Mayo defence to blast an unstoppable shot past Fenton Ruddy.
Tyrone were now five points clear and from then to the finish Mayo were chasing the game. Three unanswered Mayo points between the 52nd and 56th minutes left a goal between the sides.
John Maughan's men were still only a goal behind entering stoppage time, but Tyrone held on for a deserved win.
TYRONE: J Devine, S Sweeney, K McCrory, D Carlin, O Devine, M Garry, P O'Farrell, P Donnelly (0-1), S Cavanagh (1-1, one free), L Meenan (0-1), J McMahon (0-1), K Hughes (0-3), R Ward (0-1), A McCarron , R McCann (0-1). Subs: M Penrose for Ward (half-time); A McDermott for Meenan (58 mins);
MAYO: F Ruddy, L O'Malley, R Walsh, D Geraghty, C Moran, E Devenney, D Costello, P Hart, P Nevin, B Regan, P Doherty (0-1), A Moran, C Mortimer (0-7, five frees), A Dillon, D Munnelly (0-1).
Referee: Pat Fox (Westmeath)
