Mayo gave their best but champions Kerry proved too strong as they ran out 2-15 to 0-18 winners in this Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Football quarter-final at Croke Park to set up a semi-final clash with Munster rivals Cork.
A power-packed display in the third quarter, which helped them open up an eight points lead, was the key to the Kingdom's success. Mayo never quite recovered from the concession of a soft goal to Darragh Ó Sé six minutes into the second half.
But the Connacht side's courage cannot be questioned. The manner in which they battled right to the end, kicking five late points to narrow the deficit down to a single goal, has to be admired.
However, after five minutes it seemed as if Kerry were about to rout Mayo all over again, just as they did in last year's All-Ireland final. With only one other score on the board – a Mayo point – Colm Cooper drilled home a delightful goal after just five minutes having eluded all the Mayo defenders to net.
And Mayo fans were surely tearing their hair out when, four minutes later, Kerry were awarded a penalty when Mike Frank Russell was dragged back by David Heaney.
But Dara Ó Cinnéide pulled his low spot-kick left and wide, and Mayo responded with vigour to that let-off.
Though Kerry went into a 1-4 to 0-4 lead with scores from Marc Ó Sé, Liam Hassett, Russell and Declan O'Sullivan, Mayo kept in touch through Alan Dillon Austin O'Malley and debutant Barry Moran. And the westerners were growing in strength.
With Ronan McGarrity giving them a decided advantage at midfield and Kieran McDonald an effective target man, they gradually pegged back the deficit. McDonald and Dillon both steered over excellent scores, and when Dillon converted a stoppage time free, the deficit was down to one, Kerry ahead by 1-7 to 0-9 at the break.
But any hope in the dressing room was dashed back out on the pitch. With only six minutes of the second half gone, midfielder Darragh Ó Sé got in for a fortuitous goal when James Nallen had failed to hold a Cooper sideline ball.
Then Paul Galvin came off the bench to knock over three points in quick succession and shoot Kerry into an eight point lead, at 2-15 to 0-13 with 12 minutes to play.
But still Mayo never gave up. With McDonald leading by example and three superb points from O'Malley, they were brave and defiant right to the end.
Time ran out, however, and title favourites Kerry marched on to the last four. Jack O'Connor, though, will be worried about his side's defensive frailties before they meet Cork.
Kerry: D Murphy; M Ó Sé (0-1), M McCarthy, T O'Sullivan; T Ó Sé, S Moynihan, A O'Mahony (0-1); D Ó Sé (1-0), W Kirby (0-1); L Hassett (0-1), D O'Sullivan (0-1), E Brosnan (0-2); C Cooper (1-1), D O Cinneide (0-1, '45'), MF Russell (0-3).
Subs: E Fitzmaurice for T O’Sullivan, P Galvin (0-3) for Hassett, B Sheehan for Ó Cinnéide, D Quill for Russell, K Donaghy for D Ó Sé.
Mayo: D Clarke; D Geraghty, D Heaney (0-1), G Ruane; P Kelly, J Nallen, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, S Fitzmaurice; M Moyles, A Dillon (0-4, 3f), BJ Padden; B Moran (0-1), C McDonald (0-6, 3f), A O'Malley (0-5).
Subs: A Kilcoyne for Moyles, K Higgins for Gardiner, J Gill for Padden, C Mortimer for Kilcoyne, A Moran (0-1) for B Moran.
Referee: B Crowe Cavan
