Mayo qualified for the league semi-finals with an impressive 14-point winning margin, 3-16 to 1-08, against a lacklustre Westmeath outfit at McHale Park in Castlebar.
Although trailing 1-3 to 0-3 after 12 minutes after David Glennon crashed home a superb goal for the visitors, the Green and Red proceeded to outscore their disorganised opponents by 3-13 to 0-5 over the remainder of the game, thanks in no small part to the tireless work-rate of wing-forward Andy Moran.
The Ballaghaderreen man scored 1-5 of his sides total and was the instigator of many of Mayo’s best moves, including the one that led to Conor Moran’s equalising goal on the quarter hour.
Mayo led 2-10 to 1-3 at the break but their mission of an even larger winning tally looked to be put in serious jeopardy on the stroke of half-time when corner-back Liam O’Malley was red-carded for an off the ball incident with goal scorer Glennon.
Despite their numerical advantage, Westmeath were unable to improve their fortunes in the second half as the midfield dominance of Mayo’s Billy Joe Padden continued.
The latter’s run to the heart of the midlander’s defence with 10 minutes remaining led to the awarding of a penalty which Ciaran McDonald duly converted.
But it was Andy Moran who took all the plaudits when kicking the all important last point of the game that ensured Mayo’s passage to the semi-finals.
Scorers:
Mayo: Andy Moran 1-5, Conor Mortimer 0-4 (0-3f), Conor Moran and Ciaran McDonald (1-0p) 1-0, Billy Joe Padden 0-3, Trevor Mortimer 0-2, Patrick Harte and Damien Munnelly 0-1 each.
Westmeath: David Glennon 1-2, Dessie Dolan 0-4, Denis Glennon and Patrick Mulvihill 0-1 each.
Teams:
Mayo: David Clarke, Liam O’Malley, David Heaney, Keith Higgins, Conor Moran, Alan Roche, Peadar Gardiner, Ronan McGarrity, Billy Joe Padden, Andy Moran, Ciaran McDonald, Austin O’Malley, Conor Mortimer, Patrick Harte, Trevor Mortimer.
Subs used: Damien Munnelly (for T. Mortimer 34; yellow card), Dermot Geraghty (for Austin O’Malley 38), Michael Conroy (for Harte 57).
Westmeath: Aidan Lennon, James Davitt, David Mitchell, John Keane, Michael Ennis, David Kilmartin, Derek Heavin, John Brennan, David O’Shaughnessy, Denis Glennon, Peter Tormey, Colin Galligan, David Glennon, Martin Flanagan, Dessie Dolan.
Subs used: Pat Mulvihill (for Galligan 6, inj), Joe Fallon (for Torpey 20), Tommy Newman (for James Davitt 40; yellow card), David Duffy (for David O’Shaughnessy 44), Justin McAteer (for David Mitchell 54), Daniel McDermott (for John Keane 62; yellow card).
Joe Fallon 70; yellow card (no spare replacement).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
