Mayo vs Derry as it happened in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter ...
Conor Doherty was the hero of the hour as Derry won a nail-biting penalty shoot-out to book their place in next weekend’s All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-finals
The Derry defender held his nerve to convert the final spot-kick of a dramatic shoot-out to break Mayo’s hearts as missed efforts from Paul Towey and Ryan O’Donoghue cost the Westerners dearly in Castlebar on Saturday evening.
The prize for Mickey Harte’s men is a ticket to the last eight of the championship at Croke Park, despite the fact that they had already lost three games earlier in the campaign.
But they showed great character to emerge from this battle of wills
These two sides couldn’t be separated after more than ninety minutes of knock-out championship football in this All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final in front of a crowd of 13,955.
Kevin McStay’s Mayo looked set to win in normal time after they fought back from being three points down at the interval to lead by one deep into added-time.
But Derry clawed their way back from the brink to carve out an equaliser from veteran defender, Chrissy McKaigue, that sent an absorbing contest to extra-time.
The sides had been deadlocked at 1-8 to 0-11 after more than 75 minutes.
21:29Darragh Culhane
"One kick for the winners and the losers and Mayo didn't deserve to go out that way. i think in the future penalties won't be way to solve games like this.
"It was one of those games where it was a toss of a coin. We asked them for real passion in their play. There were questions over their character and how much they were up for this. They had to do something to erase that. It's a credit to them that they bore the brunt of all that loose talk."
21:21Darragh Culhane
"We couldn't see it out and it's been the story of our season, massively disappointing.
"We had the opportunity. We'll reflect on a season where we lost the Connacht final play of the game, didn't quality to a quarter-final with the last play of the game and now out of Championship with the last play of the game
"The other time is trying so hard to get an equaliser. The teams that are doing this to us are good teams. We've suffered badly in the last few weeks.
"We've lost two major games really and we lost them in the last kick of the games. It tells us we're close. Overall I'm going to say the comeback by the team twice to rescue the game was magnificent. The nerve to get the equalisers at the end was superb."
21:11Darragh Culhane
"We came here and knew what we could bring and we brought it. We're in the next round and that's it.
"When you're at the top or trying to get there you're going to criticism when you're not performing and some of it was maybe deserved.
"We sat down and looked at it in the camp and ironed it out. We knew coming down to Castlebar wouldn't be easy but we set up with a game plan and executed."
21:05Darragh Culhane
What a game! Mayo will be sick after having a lead at the end of normal time but a devastating way to be knocked out. Derry were patient and stuck to their game plan and held their nerve and progress to next week's quarter-final!
21:03Darragh Culhane
Conor Doherty to win it... IT'S IN AND DERRY ARE THROUGH!
21:02Darragh Culhane
Loftus has to score and he does! Derry have a penalty to win it.
21:01Darragh Culhane
Ciaran McFaul steps up and scores. If Mayo miss next they are out!
21:01Darragh Culhane
Ryan O'Donoghue's penalty is saved!
21:00Darragh Culhane
Ethan Doherty for Derry misses wide!
20:59Darragh Culhane
Diarmuid O'Connor scores
20:59Darragh Culhane
Conor Glass up next for Derry and he puts it top corner.
20:58Darragh Culhane
Paul Towey up for Mayo and hits the post
20:57Darragh Culhane
Shane McGuigan is up for Derry and fires it in!
20:56Darragh Culhane
Cillian O'Connor steps up for the first penalty and puts it top corner!
20:54Darragh Culhane
We are ready for penalties. Here we go!
20:51Darragh Culhane
The two sides are level after extra time and we are going for penalties.
What a game!
20:49Darragh Culhane
Odhran Lynch with the final kick out and Derry have it! They might get a shot off here but the referee calls it early and we are are going to penalties
20:48Darragh Culhane
Derry win the kick out and a score here surely wins it. Paul Cassidy brings it up field and now Derry happy to play around with it but they give it away!
Mayo now come forward and this is Mayo's last chance.
JORDAN FLYNN EQUALISES!!
20:46Darragh Culhane
Two minutes added time here...
20:46Darragh Culhane
Gareth McKinless fouls Tommy Conroy and this is on the 21 metre line but it's a free for a left footer that won't suit Ryan O'Donoghue.
This is a tight angle for a right footed taker. He puts it wide!
20:44Darragh Culhane
Mayo press up on the kick out but it's a great kick out by Lynch. Derry attack and know one more score could do it but Mulholland puts it wide
20:43Darragh Culhane
Mayo give the ball away as they try to work a score and this is playing into Derry's hands. Mulholland wins a free and Derry happy to protect the lead here.
Mayo are pressing high and win it back and they need a score here. Conor Loftus scores.
20:41Darragh Culhane
Shane McGuigan wins the kick out then works hard to get the ball back and pops it over
20:40Darragh Culhane
Tommy Conroy will want that one back, he gets into a great position but fires it wide.
20:39Darragh Culhane
Mayo press Derry high up the pitch, it's a dangerous game but one that works well for them. Derry do well to advance the ball up the field but kick it wide.
20:38Darragh Culhane
Mayo with a good turnover but Derry scramble to defend and then they reset. That was a chance.
They get a score!
20:36Darragh Culhane
We are back underway as Mayo trails by two.
20:33Darragh Culhane
Gareth McKinless sees his shot drift wide and Mayo breathe a sight of relief. They concede the kick out and Mayo have one last attack in this half.
Diarmuid O'Connor fires wide.
Lynch sends it long and Jordan Flynn is disgusted after fielding it as the referee calls for half time.
Derry lead by two.
20:30Darragh Culhane
Jordan Flynn from 45 metres out from play. Brilliant.
20:30Darragh Culhane
This first half of extra time is like a carbon copy of the first half of normal time with Derry slowing things down and Mayo wasteful with the ball.
Derry counter beautifully after Mayo needlessly kick the ball away and Ethan Doherty is the man at the end of it again.
