The battle for breaking ball between Mayo and Derry was savagely contested all afternoon. Pic: Sportsfile
ALLIANZ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Derry 1-17
Mayo 2-19
DERRY
MAYO are safe and Derry are relegated. Those are the simple facts from Celtic Park. Kevin McStay's men did a lot of good things in this entertaining encounter by the Foyle as they sent the reigning champions back to Division 2 after a couple of seasons in the top tier.
The men from the west were exciting in attack and created six goal chances as they pulled the Derry defenders hither and tither at times. There was very little of the lateral play which polluted Mayo's play early in the league and some of the scores kicked by the winners were top-drawer. Midfielder Matthew Ruane kicked six points, Jordan Flynn and Frank Irwin scored goals and Ryan O'Donoghue turned in a superb display at corner-forward. At the back, there were times when the Derry forwards were given a little too much time and space, but the visiting defenders were impressive going forward.
Of course, Derry had their moments too. Patrick McGurk lashed home a superb goal after only four minutes and the home side were four points up after 27 minutes after a purple-patch at midfield, but Mayo finished the half brilliantly to lead by three at the interval, 1-11 to 1-8. The most memorable score of the half arrived after the buzzer had sounded. O'Donoghue took the ball off a Derry man in the middle of the pitch and played Flynn in on goal. The Crossmolina man sent a screamer into the bottom corner and Mayo were buzzing.
They built on that momentum swing in the third quarter and were ten clear, 2-17 to 1-10, after 56 minutes. Frank Irwin blasted home a fine goal seven minutes after half time following good play from Aidan O'Shea, O'Donoghue and Enda Hession and Mayo seemed to have everything done and dusted at that stage.
However, Conor Glass then took centre-stage. The Derry captain kicked three two-pointers and Conor Doherty added a single to close the gap significantly and Mayo needed a response. They got it in the closing stages when O'Donoghue and Eoghan McLaughlin added points and the men from the western sea had sealed their spot in Division 1 for 2026.
A full match report and after-match reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.
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