Mayo dumped out of FBD by London

FOOTBALL FBD LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL

London 0-12

Mayo 1-8

In Connacht Centre of Excellence

A very disappointing Mayo performance ended with London securing their first ever victory over the home side in the University of Galway Air Dome today. Mayo were predictable and pedestrian at times and kicked more than a dozen poor wides as the more incisive guests deservedly made history.

London were much more direct in their attack and the approach paid dividends with some excellent scores from a variety of players, chief among them debutant full-forward Shay Rafter who ended the day with six points to his name.

Mayo had Cillian O'Connor leading the attack with Jordan Flynn around the middle and Donnacha McHugh at full-back. Rob Hennelly was in goal and Eoghan McLaughlin at wing-back, but apart from that, the team was very inexperienced.

London were the more prominent team for periods of the first half and were in front for long periods before late points from Darren Quinn and O'Connor gave Mayo a slender one-point lead at the break, 0-6 to 0-5.

London came out in determined mood after the resumption and kicked the next three points courtesy of Aidan McLoughlin, Gareth McDowell and the impressive Oran Kerr. The guests were doing well around the middle with Liam Gallagher particularly eye-catching as Stephen Dornan, Daniel Clarke, Daire Rooney and Eoin Walsh saw a lot of the ball.

Mayo were hesitant in possession and played the ball back and forth across the face of the London back line. However, one direct ball from the hard-working Jordan Flynn found O'Connor and the ace attacker won possession before racing through to blast home a much-needed goal.

That put Mayo in front, 1-7 to 0-9, but they would only score one more point in the remaining 24 minutes despite the best efforts of Conor Reid and Flynn around the middle.

London defended with great discipline and attacked at pace. Two pointed frees from Gallagher put them back in front going down the stretch before Mayo goal chances arrived for Kevin Quinn and McLaughlin but a great save from goalkeeper Andrew Walsh allied to brave interventions from his defenders kept the home side out.

Conal Dawson balanced the scores with a well-struck free from the right wing with eight minutes of normal time and five minutes of added time to be played, but the home side would not score again. Instead it was London who went and secured victory with a well-won and smartly-executed mark from Rafter to leave them a point clear as normal time ran out.

Mayo poured forward in the following five minutes, looking for the equaliser but a combination of poor shot selection and wonderful London defensive play secured a famous win for The Exiles and left Mayo out of the competition.

A full report and after-match reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News