Healy bows out with head held high as Rebels make Mayo sweat
MAYO will hope to reach a seventh All-Ireland semifinal in a row when they take on Roscommon at Croke Park next Sunday, but another extra-time epic in Limerick has tested the mettle of Stephen Rochford’s troops.
Memories of 2014 and their AllIreland semi-final defeat to Kerry came flooding back for the huge Mayo support here, but this time their team kicked on in extratime and shook off the Cork challenge to win.
A goal from Luke Connolly sent the game into extra-time as Mayo, who had led by six points with 15 minutes remaining, took on the appearance of a team that was afraid to lose.
Cork then pulled ahead in the first period of extra-time as Paul Kerrigan came to the fore, but a powerful last 10 minutes, combined with Cillian O’Connor’s brilliance in front of goal and a dominant display from Aidan O’Shea sent Mayo into the last eight.
Next Sunday Mayo will need to tighten up at the back against an in-form Roscommon attacking threat, but Rochford knows they’re all big challenges from now on.
‘Cork created five goal chances in the Munster final and didn’t capitalise on them that day, they capitalised on two that they created today,’ he said.
‘Good teams, and believe you me, Cork have taken a bit of a battering over the last couple of weeks, maybe not all of it was fair; they are a damn good team and damn good teams run at you. Any of them are going to cause you a problem.
‘The boys have turned in some of their best performances over the last number of years there (Croke Park), but that’s history at the same time. Next week is going to be a massive challenge,’ he added.
Rebels manager Peadar Healy stepped down after the game but was able to take comfort in his team delivering the most complete performance of their summer — perhaps of his two-year term.
Injuries to James Loughrey and Aidan Walsh either side of halftime, and a black card for Jamie O’Sullivan before the interval were cruel setbacks for Cork, but ultimately they needed to take one more goal chance to win this one.
After 55 minutes Cork trailed 0-17 to 0-11 and Seán Powter cracked an unstoppable shot past David Clarke. Seconds later Cork should have pulled level, but John O’Rourke tried to pick out the top corner and his effort sailed wide.
Two minutes later Tomás Clancy was denied a goal when keeper Clarke flicked his effort over the bar, and although Connolly forced extra-time, those missed goal chances and a total of 15 wides proved costly for the Leesiders.
‘Going into the extra-time being ahead at half-time was vital and I actually felt we were in with a chance of winning it,’ said Healy.
‘We had two opportunities alright, Seán White and Michael Hurley, but look it didn’t come off and being honest with you I can’t but be proud of the players and the performance they put in there today.’
In the end, Mayo overpowered Cork in the last period of extratime when their impressive fitness levels gave them the extra yard required.
There were big impacts made by substitutes but more importantly, Mayo look to have an injury-free squad for the first time all year.