Barring a change of heart, this afternoon's contest between Donegal and Mayo at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park will be the last ever round-robin game in the All-Ireland SFC, following the springtime decision to do away with the group structure.
These two counties certainly made sure it finished with a flourish, as they kept 18,731 supporters on tenterhooks throughout an incredible battle.
It culminated in Fergal Boland sending over a majestic equaliser on 69:50 that seemed to save Mayo’s season, followed by a Ciarán Moore score after the hooter that meant Cavan will take the Connacht county’s place in tomorrow morning’s preliminary quarter-final draw on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland.
Mayo’s championship exit comes at the end of a round-robin series in which they made a dismal start, and their greatly improved showings against Tyrone and this afternoon weren’t enough to save them.
This afternoon’s game in King and Moffatt Dr Hyde Park was a microcosm of that, with Mayo struggling to catch fire in the first half before dialling up the intensity after the interval, briefly taking the lead through a David McBrien goal and then rallying again after Donegal responded to the green flag by kicking the next three scores, one a two-pointer.
All year long, the lack of a two-point threat was a significant weakness in Mayo’s profile, and this afternoon that manifested again. While the audience of 18,731 supporters bathed in Roscommon sunshine, there was a deceptively strong breeze blowing down the ground in the first half, and Mayo made just three attempts on goal with that breeze behind them, failing to hit the target on any.
Donegal, for their part, were much more dominant than an interval score of 0-09 to 0-06 would suggest. Mayo outscored the Ulster county by three points to no score while Peadar Mogan was off the field after receiving a black card for a trip, but outside of that there was so much more cut and thrust to the Donegal attack.
Mogan and Caolan McColgan surged forward to kick early points for Jim McGuinness side, and once Mogan returned to the field in the 21st minute, they took over again to outscore Mayo by 0-6 to 0-2 before half-time.
With no one side dominating the kickout battle and plenty of turnovers in a game where Paul Faloon allowed the two sides to let their physicality flourish, Donegal’s ability to hold the ball for longer spells and engineer clear striking opportunities from 30 metres out was all important.
Moore and Finbarr Roarty came forward to make it four defenders on the scoresheet, whiole Michael Murphy also stroked over a two-pointer.
No single aspect of play could be pointed to as the key ingredient in Mayo’s resurgence after half-time, simply big individual plays that made an impact. Jack Coyne came up with some big turnovers, David McBrien’s battle with Michael Murphy rocked the stadium with neither man taking a backward step, and two excellent points from Conal Dawson put the tie right back into the melting pot.
It was a misplaced pass from Murphy, intercepted by Darren McHale and worked upfield for McBrien to squeeze the ball into the net off the goalpost that gave Mayo their only lead of the second half at 1-12 to 0-13, but it was short lived.
Dáire Ó Baoill sent a majestic kick over from the terrace side to level the game with a double, and with Mayo chasing the game, gaps opened up for Murphy and Shane O’Donnell to make it 0-4 without reply.
Not a single soul left the ground as heart-stopping moments started to flow with regularity.
Jack Coyne and Colm Reape combined to prevent Patrick McBrearty scoring what looked like a tap in, Shaun Patton made a stunning double save to deny Jack Carney and Paul Towey, and then with time winding down and Mayo desperate for an equaliser, Fergal Boland made his brief cameo role count with a sensational strike off the outside of the right boot to level the game, a remarkable impact with his one kick.
What drama! Donegal break Mayo hearts after the hooter - Cavan come third, the Green and Red are finished for 2025
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 15, 2025
📺 @RTE2 & @RTEplayer
📱 Updates - https://t.co/y3r6wIE1Tu #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/wrqtkNoF58
Rarely has sporting joy been so fleeting, as Shaun Patton’s kickout found Ciarán Moore on the left wing.
If the St Eunan’s man had just booted the ball over the sideline, Donegal would have finished in second place in the group. His decision to scythe past Seán Morahan and kick a point made no change to that eventuality, but it meant everything to Cavan, and to Mayo.
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Brendan McCole, Caolan McColgan (0-01), Finnbarr Roarty (0-01); Peadar Mogan (0-02), Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Ciarán Moore (0-02); Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan; Conor O'Donnell (0-02), Ciarán Thompson (0-02, 0-01 free), Ryan McHugh; Shane O'Donnell (0-01), Michael Murphy (0-05, 1tp, 1 45), Oisín Gallen.
Subs: Jason McGee for McFadden (52), Dáire Ó Baoill (0-02, 1tp) for Gallen (52), Patrick McBrearty for McHugh (57), Eoin McHugh for S O’Donnell (67).
Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh (0-01), Enda Hession; Paddy Durcan, David McBrien (1-00), Rory Brickenden; Stephen Coen, Matthew Ruane; Conal Dawson (0-02), Darren McHale (0-03), Bob Tuohy; Jack Carney (0-01), Aidan O'Shea, Ryan O'Donoghue (0-06, 0-05 frees).
Subs: Jordan Flynn (0-01) for Tuohy (23), Davitt Neary for McHugh (42), Seán Morahan for Hession (52), Paul Towey for Neary (55), Fergal Boland (0-01) for Coen (67).
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)
