Mayo’s forwards make hay to secure six-point victory over Kildare

Mayo 3-18 Kildare 3-12

A stunning attacking display from inside forwards Ronan Clarke and Niall Hurley, aided in no small part by four points off the bench from Oliver Gallagher, helped Mayo to overcome Kildare in the last of the weekend’s All-Ireland minor championship quarter-finals in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.

The foundations for the victory were laid in the first half, when Mayo were comfortably the better team and made it count on the scoreboard, taking a 3-5 to 1-7 lead into the dressingroom despite playing into a very strong breeze.

They started well and took an early 1-3 to 0-2 lead, their goal coming from Hurley, but in the space of six minutes Kildare fired 1-4 without reply to completely change the game. James Harris set up Ben Loakman for their goal and Joey Cunningham clipped over two good scores from distance. But their momentum was crushed when Hurley set up Clarke for a score, then fired in his second less than a minute later.

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Mayo controlled matters in the second half and pushed 11 points clear at one stage, thanks to Hurley, Gallagher and Zac Collins all hoisting over long-range points with the breeze.

However quickfire goals from Eoin Cully and Loakman (a penalty) ensured a nervous and dramatic finish, before Mayo’s progression to a semi-final clash with Kerry was confirmed.

MAYO: D Dolan; R Mortimer, J MacMonagle, L Silke; L Maloney, C McHale, P Gilmore; J Keane, L Feeney (0-1); J Maheady (0-1), D Hurley (0-1), D Duffy; C Keaveney, R Clarke (1-6, four frees), N Hurley (2-4, one mark).

Subs: O Armstrong (0-4) for Keane (38 mins), Z Collins (0-1) for Maheady (46), D Gallagher for D Hurley (50), S O’Dowd for Gallagher (59), C Kelly for McHale (60+6).

KILDARE: F Quinn; N Cramer, E O’Brien, J McGuirk; R Harris, E Lawlor, B Ryan (0-1); J Harris, R Sinkey (0-1); C O’Sullivan, J Cunningham (0-2), R Rainey; B Loakman (2-2, 1-0 pen, one free), K Browne (0-1, free), E Cully (1-4, one mark).

Subs: C O’Reilly for O’Sullivan (h-t), DJ Percival (0-1) for Rainey (41 mins), J Hanamy for Cunningham (46), D Hamill for Ryan, C Geraghty for Browne (both 56).

Referee: B Tiernan (Dublin).