Mayo U-20s exit All-Ireland B championship with the last kick of the game

DOWN ended the Mayo U-20s season when their captain Finn Murdock sent over a skyscraper with the very last kick of the game this afternoon. 

Murdock’s winning score put an end to an erratic but entertaining afternoon of football where Mayo once again had the chances but couldn’t clinch the victory. 

Despite some good forward play, Mayo simply could not put the hammer down in an exciting final quarter. 

The concession of two goals to Down - both scored by the impressive Donal Scullion - were two major blots on an otherwise solid first-half display from Mayo. 

The second half provided more of the same. Mayo played well, but the Mourne men were never more than a point away from them as Jamie Doran and the aforementioned Scullion posed serious questions of the defence all evening. 

The game stuttered along, with both teams scoring regularly but neither looking like winning. 

Mayo got some morale-boosting scores throughout the second half, with Tom O'Flaherty kicking five throughout the game, while goalkeeper David Dolan hit an outstanding free off the ground from beyond the ‘45. 

However, as many expected, it came right down to the last minute, and ultimately the very last kick of the game. 

Down had just taken the lead through substitute Cormac O'Reilly when Mayo full-forward Oisín Cronin popped up with a beautiful score to level the game for the eighth time

Then, in a true act of leadership, Down’s captain Finn Murdock received the ball in a good position, composed himself, and sent the ball straight between the posts, and the Down supporters, players and management jumping for the heavens in the 65th minute. 

A full match report will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.