Prendergast ignores orders to dump Burrishoole into junior football

MAYO INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION FINAL

Louisburgh 1-14

Burrishoole 0-16

In Islandeady

IT was arguably the most dramatic way to end this battle for survival in the intermediate championship.

Louisburgh's Dylan Prendergast slotted a two-point free in the dying moments, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Scenes of joy and delight from the men in black and amber filled the air after Prendergast's clean strike went sailing through the Burrishoole sticks.

WATCH: Wild scenes as Louisburgh hit last-minute two-pointer to stay up in intermediate

Louisburgh then turned over the Barony men in the last possession of the game, and the referee blew the whistle which relegated Burrishoole to junior football for the first time in more than a generation.

Two facts made this outcome remarkable: 

Firstly, the free given to Louisburgh was due to a Burrishoole foul close to the half-way line but the referee brought it forward.

Secondly, the referee's mark for the free was way inside the two-point arc. A simple tap over would have safely brought the game to extra-time, but Dylan Prendergast had other ideas:

"I could have taken the one point, go level for extra-time but I backed myself and kicked the two," Prendergast told The Mayo News after the match: "The coaches were telling me to go for one but I backed myself. If it hadn't gone over I would've been in a bit of a bother but it went over. I'm over the moon we're staying up in intermediate."

It had been a tough day in the office for Prendergast up to that point. He had missed four two-point frees during the game but that didn't deter the Louisburgh sharpshooter to go for glory with the last kick.

"I honestly wasn't thinking about the ones I missed. I have my process for taking a free, I went through it and thankfully it went over.

As the Louisburgh players were hugging and celebrating, the men in Burrishoole jerseys collapsed to the ground. 

They had chances to put the game to bed early. In the first half, Michael O'Malley and Jay Ryder hit the crossbar and squandered a huge goal chance. 

And early in the second half, Adam Reihill had his penalty saved by Louisburgh keeper Jason Corrigan.

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