Gaelic Games Connacht League/Mayo 1-11 Roscommon 0-9: It has been a case of the students being the masters in the Connacht league which saw NUIG take top spot leaving Mayo and Roscommon with little to play for but pride at Ballyhaunis yesterday where Mayo maintained their winning run over their neighbours with a five-point victory in this final round of league matches.

The only goal of the game came gift-wrapped and was accepted by Mayo's Damien Munnelly. The full forward intercepted a poor kick-out by Roscommon defender John Whyte deep in injury-time and then had the simple task of placing the ball in the empty net as Roscommon goalkeeper Shane Curran had left his post.

That saw the match end rather bizarrely as Curran was sent to the sin bin in injury-time for remonstrating with the referee over the goal being allowed to stand. The referee then blew the full-time whistle when the ball was kicked out.

Roscommon started well with the impressive Johnny Dunning nailing two early scores but the game had turned by half-time when Mayo were leading by 0-6 to 0-4, Eoghan Gallagher (two), Alan Dillon and newcomer Jim Kilcullen hitting the target.

The intensity of the game grew in the second half and Roscommon hauled themselves back after Kilcullen was sin-binned. Alan Nolan scored two points and Neil Finneran put them 0-9 to 0-8 in front with eight minutes remaining.

However, the cuteness of Conor Mortimer and accuracy of James Gill brought Mayo back. Gill put his side in front and goalkeeper Fintan Ruddy left his usual post to score the insurance point from a free in the 59th minute before the late goal arrived.

MAYO: F Ruddy (0-1); P Navin, P Kelly, A Moran; G Mullins, L O'Malley, A Roche; R Fahy, J Kilcullen (0-1); J Gill (0-1), A Dillon (0-1), M Conroy; C Mortimer (0-4), D Munnelly (1-0), E Gallagher (0-2). Subs: D Sloyan (0-1) for Conroy, C Holleran for Navin, P Gardiner for Roche, K Sheridan for Fahy.

ROSCOMMON: D Lennon; J Whyte, B McNeela, M Ryan; K Mahon, G Gallgaher, J Rogers; N Finneran (0-1), D Hagan; P Fox, E Kenny (0-1), S Heneghan; J Dunning (0-4), R Nolan (0-2), J Carlton (0-1). Subs: S Curran for Lennon, D Scahill for Fox, D Casey for Hagan.

Referee: P Joyce (Galway).