Mayo crash out of All-Ireland SFC after thrilling penalty shootout defeat to Derry

On a dramatic evening Derry won their third big shoot-out by converting four of their penalties while Ryan O’Donoghue — who had scored a penalty in normal time — and Paul Towey failed to convert from the spot.

Their self-preservation instincts were at their sharpest in normal time when full-back Chrissy McKaigue fisted the equalising point in the sixth minute of injury-time. Derry led by three points in extra-time and although Mayo levelled at the death through Jordan Flynn it was all in vain.

So, after winning just two games in the championship, the league champions will contest next week’s All-Ireland quarter-finals while Mayo, who reached the Connacht final and were unbeaten in the Sam Maguire series, are gone.

Mickey Harte’s side face another big test next weekend against either Dublin, Kerry or Donegal — who put three goals past them and ended their defence of the Ulster title. They cannot be drawn against Armagh having played them in the round robin series.

After Paul Towey and Ryan O’Donoghue had missed kicks for Mayo, and Ethan Doherty for Derry, it fell to sub Conor Doherty to hold his nerve and win it for Derry.

From the start, Derry pulled everybody behind the ball as soon as Mayo won possession, which instilled fear into the hearts of the Mayo fans in the attendance of 13,955.

The game was in the eighth minute before we witnessed a shot, and it was a successful one as Lachlan Murray converted a mark.

Though defender Sam Callinan levelled for Mayo from distance less than two minutes later a brace of Derry points — a McGuigan free after McKinless was fouled and a brilliant effort from play from Murray gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage after 13 minutes.

Mayo were making absolutely no headway at breaking down the massed Derry defence as the team focused on keeping it tight at the back for the first time during Harte’s reign.

The Mayo fans finally had something to cheer about when Aidan O’Shea stripped McKeague of possession on the stand side. The veteran Derry full-back was fortunate not be shown a black card for his subsequent pull down on O’Shea.

Fourteen minutes after their first score Mayo finally added a second — an O’Donoghue free after a foul on Tommy Conroy. A mistake from Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch could have led to a Mayo goal soon afterwards. He dropped a shot from Jack Coyne but Stephen Coen poked the loose ball wide.

At the other end Lachlan Murray continued to torment the Mayo defence, firstly hitting a monster point from long range and then cutting inside to cover to fist over — it was his fourth point of the evening.

It gave the visitors a three-point advantage which, in the context of the game, was a significant lead. Mayo dispatched Sam Callinan to mark Murray. But then full-back David McBrien was adjudged to have pushed McGuigan and the All-Star knocked over the resultant free.

An off-the-ball foul by Brendan Rogers on O’Shea handed O’Donoghue a simple free in injury-time at the end of the half.

It was 0-6 to 0-3 in favour of Derry at half-time – the visitors were full value for their lead though it was Mayo’s worst first half championship performance under Kevin McStay with just three scores, five shots on goal and no forward scoring from play.

Mayo turned Derry over in possession after two minutes of the second half and their efforts were rewarded with Conroy converting a mark. Derry stopper Lynch soloed up to the Mayo 20m line but lost possession. Mayo were woefully slow to transition the ball but eventually Conroy found space and knocked over an excellent point.

It was level soon afterwards with O’Shea kicking an excellent point. Mayo took the lead for first time in the 42th minute with a O’Donoghue free but Rogers levelled it soon afterwards. McKinless restored Derry lead but then the game took a decisive turn when a Darren McHale assist put the increasingly influential Conroy through.

McKinless was guilty of a foot block on Conroy and O’Donoghue calmly rolled the penalty past Lynch to put the home side two up (1-7 to 0-8).

McKinless and Lynch missed chances to narrow the gap. Derry continued to dominate possession and Murray hit his fifth point of the evening to leave in a one point game again and Mayo’s nerves became more frayed when goalkeeper Colm Reape missed a long range free.

Lynch kept Derry in the game with a super stop from Matthew Ruane but the ball broke to O’Donoghue who knocked it over for a hugely significant score with nine minutes left.

O’Shea was operating in midfield for the home side who were absorbing a lot of pressure and depending on breakaways. It was a dangerous tactic and Shane McGuigan make it a one-point game again with a point in the 68th minute.

Three minutes into the allocated four minutes of injury-time, Callinan missed a chance to make it a two-point game when he fisted wide. Six days after coughing up a last-gasp equaliser, Mayo did it again.

Conor Glass’ effort for an equaliser rebounded off the upright in the 40th minute. Mayo couldn’t get hold of the rebound whereas McKaigue did and fisted over to send the tie into extra-time.

Derry looked the fresher side and their three turnovers yielded three scores through Brendan Rogers and a brace from Ethan Doherty.

A point from Paul Tuohy immediately after the re-start make it a one-point game again; Conroy missed a chance to equalise. Derry made Mayo pay with Shane McGuigan brilliantly fielding Lynch’s long kick-out and then making himself available to take a return pass the driving the ball over from distance.

Every possession counted now and Mayo sub Conor Loftus gave Mayo hope again with a point but Ryan O’Donoghue missed a chance to level the tie from a difficult free from the right flank after Conroy drew the foul.

But they got a second chance after Glass lost possession and Jordan Flynn kept his head to hit the equaliser in the 81th minute.

Scorers — Mayo: R O’Donoghue 1-4 (1-0 pen, 2f), T Conroy 0-2 (1m), A O’Shea, S Callinan, J Carney, P Tuohy, C Loftus J Flynn 0-1 each.

Derry: L Murray 0-5 (1m), S McGuigan 0-4 (2f), B Rogers 0-2, E Doherty 0-2, G McKinless, C McKeague 0-1 each

Mayo: C Reape; R Brickenden, D McBrien, S Callinan; E McLaughlin, D McHugh, J Coyne; M Ruane; T Conroy, D McHale, J Flynn; A O’Shea, J Carney, R O’Donoghue.

Subs: C Loftus for McLaughlin (ht); D O’Connor for McHale (53), E Hession for Coyne (58), C O’Connor for Ruane (68), P Touhy for O’Shea (70 +2). P Touhy for Brickenden (80), M Plunkett for Callinan (87)

Derry: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; C McFaul, E McEvoy, G McKinless; C Glass, B Rogers; E Doherty, E Bradly, P Cassidy; C Doherty, S McGuigan, L Murray.

Subs: E Mulholland for Bradley (44), D Gilmore for C Doherty (68), C Murphy for Cassidy (68), N Toner for Murray (70+2), R Forde for Baker (70 +3). ET Baker for Forbes, P Cassidy for Murphy (start of ET); C Doherty for Baker (83)

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).