Mayo are the All-Ireland Senior Football Champions for the first time since 1951.
They dethroned the reigning champions Kerry with a magnificent display in Croke Park ending in a final score of 1-20 to 1-17.
It was a sea of green and red in every corner of GAA HQ after the final whistle.
Kerry played into the Canal End in the first half.
Dylan Casey opened the scoring for Kerry after 90 seconds when he continued a run into the 20m line to shoot with the right foot from the left.
The first goal chance was in the fourth minute with Kerry midfielder Sean O’Brien shooting low but narrowly wide on the right of the post.
Kerry were defending well at the other end dispossessing Ryan O’Donoghue and defence was turned into attack getting the ball to David Clifford to score from 25 metres out on the right.
Almost six minutes in and Kerry win the breaking the ball down from the kick-out. Paudie Clifford finding David to fist over to make it 3 points to no score.
Mayo’s first score came from the fist of David McBrien coming up from centre back on the stroke of 7 minutes in the first half.
Mayo were moving the ball at pace but not scoring.
10½ minutes in – Concerning moments for Kerry when Dylan Geaney was treated for a knock, went to the sideline but was deemed well enough to continue.
Kerry finally scored their fourth point 7 minutes after the 3rd with a fine kick from Seanie O’Shea.
From the restart, Kerry pressed forward with Seanie O’Shea on the right, passing to David Clifford who went past his man and the goalie to bury the ball into the net.
Seanie O’Shea added another point to the tally two minutes later to open a 1-05 to 0-01 scoreline.
The first two-pointer of the All-Ireland Final came in the 17th minute with Mayo midfielder Jack Carney splitting the posts in front of Hill 16 from outside the arc on the right hand side.
Kerry had another golden opportunity to score a second goal when David Clifford passed to Seanie O’Shea who fumbled the ball and eventually got the score albeit a fisted point.
Mayo’s Ryan O’Donoghue finally got onto the scoreboard in style with a two-pointer.
The men in white were trailing by four but they narrowed the Kerry lead to one when Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue from a free and Sam Callanan got the next three scores.
At 29 minutes it was Kerry 1-06 to 0-08 ahead until Tom O’Sullivan made up for a couple of wides earlier pointing for the Kingdom on 30 minutes. It was Kerry’s first score since the 23rd minute.
Darragh Beirne pointed from a free to narrow the gap to one point and then Hawk-Eye confirmed that Tommy Conroy’s effort on 33 minutes was “Tá” to tie the game at Kerry 1-07 Mayo 0-10.
A point from Joe O’Connor after a patient Kerry build-up saw the defending champions go in at the break leading by a point.
Half-Time
Kerry 1-08 Mayo 0-10
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Great start from Mayo with a point from play by Darragh Beirne to level the game followed by a lovely 45 from Kobe McDonald to give Mayo the lead for the first time.
The next score was a goal for Mayo after turning Kerry over in their own defence and working the ball at pace to Darragh Beirne to hit the net.
Mayo 1-12 Kerry 1-08
Keith Evans, on for Tom O’Sullivan, calmed things for the defending champions with a fisted point on 42 mins to narrow the gap to three points.
Jack Carney’s second 2-pointer saw Mayo open a 5-point lead in the 44th minute and Kerry were on the ropes.
Paudie Clifford’s first attempt to score was deflected out for a 45 which he took himself and made no mistake to make it a 4-point game.
Mayo were sharp and had the fire in their bellies while Kerry were turning over the ball and losing the breaking ball from kick-outs.
They may have been sharp in desire but not in the kicking with a few wides while at the other end, the Cliffords were finding their range with a point a piece assisting each other respectively.
Mayo 1-14 Kerry 1-12
Graham O’Sullivan brought it back to a two-point game but after another turnover, Kobe McDonald found himself in front of the Kerry goal. His shot came off Shane Murphy’s face to deflect over for another Mayo point.
Tomás Kennedy, who was introduced in place of Dylan Geaney pointed to leave the minimum between them only for Jordan Flynn to score again for Mayo.
Mayo 1-16 Kerry 1-14
It was followed soon after by another point from play for Kobe McDonald. Mayo were motoring.
Briain O Beaglaioch came in for last year’s man of the match Gavin White with 12 minutes to go.
Another point from Kobe McDonald on 58 and then the possible clincher from Ryan O’Donoghue with a 2 pointer on the 62 minute mark.
Mayo 1-19 Kerry 1-14
Kerry couldn’t get a hand on the ball. It was all Mayo. Kerry needed a miracle.
David Clifford found the target with a 2-pointer to leave a goal between them and five minutes to go.
Patient play from Kerry led to a Paudie Clifford point. One score game!
Mayo 1-19 Kerry 1-17.
It was Mayo’s game to lose after David Clifford’s attempt for a two-pointer goes wide with two minutes to go.
A late Seanie O’Shea effort dropped into the hands of Jack Livingstone and from the next attack Mayo went up the field to score another point and they have won their first All-Ireland title since 1951.
Final Score
Mayo 1-20 Kerry 1-17
