Mayo Edge Out Kerry

National Football League
Mayo 0-16
Kerry 1-12

By Dermot Kavanagh

Championship games between these old rivals usually end in severe drubbings for Mayo. However in league encounters seem to be able to look Kerry in the eye and take them on without inhibition or any inferiority complex. This was the third year in a row when Mayo edged out Kerry to take badly needed league points when least expected to.

Mayo went into the game under a slight cloud with the announcement during the week of the retirements of Kevin O'Neill and David Brady, faithful stalwarts of the county over the last 15 years. Yet as soon as battle commenced it was evident that maybe an upset was on the cards, or that if Kerry were to win they would have to earn.

In a very entertaining high quality game Mayo matched in all facets of the game. Such was their composure and commitment that they were able to overcome the award of a very dubious penalty to Kerry as early as the 18th second which Brian Sheehan netted.

That Sheehan goal was to make the difference between the sides throughout the first half which ended with Kerry in front by 1 - 8 to 0 -8. With wind advantage to come in the second half Mayo were far from done.

Gradually Mayo pointed their way back to level pegging and on three occasions actually went in front, each time Kerry pulled them back and with minutes remaining Sheehan had a great opportunity to put his side ahead from a close-in free. He missed and it was the turn of Mayo to snatch the win. The chance fell to Austin O'Malley some 40 metres from goal. He took careful aim and dissected the Kerry post for a highly momentous win.

Tyrone 0-16 Laois 0-14

The main talking point after this game at Omagh was the return to the county colours of Tyrone's Brian McGuigan. Out of the fame for the past two seasons with a succession of near career ending injuries McGuigan came on in the first 10 minutes and as he has done so often previously in a magnificent career he set up the two moves from which Tyrone scored the winning points.

This win enable Tyrone to drag themselves off the bottom of the league Table and to take an important step to maintain their Division One status. Sadly for a battling Laois side no such escape seems likely as they are now bottom of the table with one point from 4 games.

Derry 1-6 Kildare 0-8

The die was cast as early as the 90th second in this game at Celtic Park. Derry's Mark Lynch availed of a slip by tow Kildare defence to fist the ball to the net to establish both the lead and the momentum that they would not surrender thereafter.

The game was effectively over at half time as Derry had steered their way to a 1.10 to 0.1 lead. A poverty stricken Kildare attack failed to register a score until the 18th minute and then failed to score again in that half.

Kildare's recent win against Donegal now appears as a "one off", rather than a demonstration that they are on the right course to re-establish themselves as a major force.

Donegal 1-12 Galway 1-11

Donegal fully deserved this 1 point win over league leaders Galway in a thrilling game at Ballybofey. Despite being reduced to 14 players for most of the second half Galway nearly pulled off a late draw. In hindsight it appears that the sending off of Galway's Damian Burke was the pivotal moment in a game that would have done justice to a championship setting such was the skill, commitment and quality of the sides.

Donegal just about shaded the first half exchanges and led by 0.9 to 0.6 at the break. When Brian Roper kicked Donegal's goal in the 55th min a 5 point gap was opened and a comfortable win looked a possibility. But Galway were back in the game within a minute when Michael Meehan punched to the Galway net to leave the game on a knife edge until the final whistle. Donegal just about deserved to take the points but a draw would not have flattered Galway.