Hollymount-Carramore through to knockout stages after tight tussle with Castlebar Mitchels

Mayo Intermediate Football Championship Round 2

Hollymount-Carramore 1-16

Castlebar Mitchels B 1-14

In Hollymount

A game that was level eight times ended with a favourable result for Hollymount-Carramore, who are into the quarter-finals of the Mayo Intermediate Football Championship with two wins from two.

As expected, the hosts were pressurised right until the end before squeezing past their plucky guests by a slim margin.

Despite kicking seven wides - including one which the Mitchels’ bench seemed to think went over - the visitors were the better team in the first half.

Cian Walsh - a late addition to the starting team - and Mark Cunningham, electrified the game with their pace, with Walsh acting as provider for Cunningham’s goal in the fourth minute.

Hollymount responded with a Matthew Morris cúl that came after Conor Heneghan saw his initial effort smothered by Peter Basquille, who could do nothing about Morris’ rebound.

The sides were level five times in total in a tit-for-tat first half, where both teams’ defending was suspect on occasion.

Trailing by just a point at the break, Hollymount-Carramore were level twice before they pulled three points in front from the 50th minute onwards.

Jack Keane's free taking and leadership were crucial while Matthew and Dylan Morris also shone against a Castlebar side that made it a one-point game through two David Stenson frees.

The hosts tipped the scales again and secured qualification through two crucial late frees from Jack Keane either side of a Stenson effort.

Hollymount-Carramore and Davitts are through to the quarter-finals while Kiltimagh and Castlebar Mitchels will battle to avoid a relegation play-off in the third round.

A full report, plus reaction from both camps will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.