O’CONNOR GETS MAYO MARCHING
Qualifier record is smashed as Rochford’s men sound warning
MAYO 5-19 LIMERICK 3-7
CILLIAN O’CONNOR and Mayo laid down a timely marker that they have the stomach for another battle through the back door this summer as they chalked up their biggest-ever win in the qualifiers.
O’Connor hit 3-9 – the most he has ever scored in a Championship game for Mayo – and Footballer of the Year Andy Moran came on as a sub to slot home a brace as the AllIreland finalists gave their thousands of supporters in the crowd of 8,230 notice that another summer adventure could be on the cards.
Limerick, as feared, only offered token resistance and while they will take encouragement from hitting 3-7, Mayo should be equally concerned at conceding this amount from a Division 4 side.
Mayo’s path through the qualifiers has never been smooth and when Sean McSweeney slotted home a fourth-minute penalty for Limerick, the travelling fans must have feared for the worst.
But with captain O’Connor leading the way, the All-Ireland finalists took charge and quickly wore down the Limerick resistance.
O’Connor kicked three points from play to level the match after nine minutes and it was only a matter of time before they pulled away.
Limerick goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan did well to deprive Evan Regan after 13 minutes, while corner-back Paul Maher deprived O’Connor of another goal chance three minutes later.
But Mayo picked off three rapid points, O’Connor getting a 45 and then James Durcan, a late replacement for Moran, and Aidan O’Shea got in on the scoring act to lead by 0-6 to 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Limerick, who matched Mayo’s four wides in the opening half, got a brief reprieve when Iain Corbett pointed from the right, but Mayo finished the half very strongly.
Inevitably, O’Connor was involved in the opening goal, a neat flick putting Regan through and he unselfishly returned the ball to his captain who finished to the net from close range.
Chris Barrett, wing-back Colm Boyle and O’Connor again turned the screw to give Mayo a 1-10 to 1-1 lead at the interval.
It left Limerick with a near impossible task in the second half, with Mayo showing little sign of taking their foot off the pedal as their foot passing game kept them in charge.
Limerick corner-forward Jamie Lee pointed just 11 seconds after the restart but Aidan O’Shea brushed off a series of tackles to cancel it at the other end.
Mayo drafted in Lee Keegan for his first action since being injured in the League against Tyrone and the 2016 Footballer of the Year looked sharp when introduced.
Mayo continued to pick off points and led by 1-14 to 1-3 after 49 minutes. Limerick rallied and impressive sub Seamus O’Carroll got the first of his two goals but there was never any hope of a real comeback as Mayo led by 1-16 to 2-7 and cut loose in the final 16 minutes.
Mayo blitzed Limerick for 4-3 in a devastating 11-minute spell which saw O’Connor twice blast to the net inside three minutes.
Moran then took over, finishing to the net after being set up by O’Connor before quickly adding a second as the Limerick defence collapsed.
By the end 10 Mayo players found the target as they dished out a warning that they have stomach for the battle through the back door again this summer.
Another season is over for Limerick but at least they finished with a third goal when sub O’Carroll slotted home a penalty in the dying moments but it was not enough to stop Mayo chalking up a record qualifier win for them.
Tougher tasks await but Stephen Rochford could hardly have asked for a better start and the return of Keegan is more than timely as they bid to take the road well-travelled to Croke Park.
All eyes will now be on the draw but any doubt about Mayo’s hunger to undertake this journey will be repelled by this performance.