McGee/Cronolly helps fire Donegal to Nickey Rackard Cup glory against Mayo 

Two goals from super sub Josh McGee/Cronolly helped Donegal snatch a dramatic victory over Mayo in a thrilling Nickey Rackard Cup final in Croke Park.

The Setanta ace struck twice in the space of three minutes to overhaul a Mayo team that had led from the off on Jones Road.

Those crucial three-pointers came in the 63rd and 66th minutes and turned a 0-20 to 1-13 deficit into a quite stunning four-point victory.

McGee/Cronolly's first green flag was a real cracker as he smashed the sliotar to the net after great work by another replacement, Ronan McDermott, to level the match at 2-15 0-21.

Two minutes later, he first-timed to the net to put Donegal ahead for the first time, since the tenth minute, on a difference of 3-15 to 0-21.

Mayo looked shell-shocked as a rampant Donegal finished out the match with fine points from the excellent Ruairi Campbell and Stephen Gillespie. It had looked bleak for Mickey McCann’s team when Mayo led by 0-15 to 0-9 midway through the second half.

Stephen Gillespie lifts the Nickey Rackard Cup for Donegal 

But a flicked Campbell goal from a Gerry Gilmore effort that dropped short gave them new hope and they had that surging finish where the power of their bench proved crucial.

Mayo had opened smartly with a well struck point from John Heraty in the third minute. This was added to by Eoin Delaney as Donegal struggled to settle.

But Brian MacIntyre got them off the mark with a well-struck point in the fourth minute and the lively Campbell levelled matters.

That set the pattern for a cagey first half where Mayo always looked the sharper side and by the midpoint wasteful Donegal had hit eight wides.

Danny Cullen and the accurate Shane Boland swapped points before Gerry Gilmore managed to nudge Donegal in front in the 11th minute.

Liam Lavin and Campbell then traded points. Mayo were gradually getting a foothold and another Boland effort put them 0-7 to 0-6 clear.

The Westerners' keeper Bobby Douglas then landed a mammoth free from 85 metres which seemed to lift the whole team.

A batted-out ball from the Donegal defence went straight to Cormac Phillips who converted to leave it 0-9 to 0-6.

Donegal’s Liam McKinney had a half chance of a goal but his effort was well saved by Douglas at the expense of a 65 which Gilmore converted.

But Mayo were increasingly finding gaps in the Donegal defence and Delaney and Sean Kenny made it 0-12 to 0-7 before a McKinney point left Mayo leading by four, 0-12 to 0-8, at the break.

McGee/Cronolly, Peter Kelly and Oisin Grant were introduced by McCann as Jack O’Loughlin, Sean Ward and Brian MacIntyre made way. 

But Mayo’s dominance continued as quick points from Boland and Sean Kenny extended their lead to 0-15 to 0-9. Campbell’s goal gave renewed hope to Donegal but Boland continued to pop over the points for Mayo.

It was then that Danny Cullen took a firm grip on proceeding along with another veteran, Sean McVeigh, who also hit some vital scores. 

Mayo continued to battle to the finish but there was no denying Donegal as McGee/Cronolly took centre stage to help win it for Donegal.

Donegal scorers: Josh McGee/Cronolly 2-0; Ruairi Campbell 1-3; Gerry Gilmore 0-6,4f; Liam McKinney 0-2; Sean McVeigh 0-2; Danny Cullen 0-1; Brian MacIntyre 0-1; Peter Kelly 0-1; Stephen Gillespie 0-1;  

Mayo scorers: Shane Boland 0-9,7f; Sean Kenny 0-3; Liam Lavin 0-3; Eoin Delaney 0-2; Adrian Phillips 0-1 John Heraty 0-1; Bobby Douglas 0-1; Cormac Phillips 0-1; Sean Regan 0-1.

Donegal: Luke White; Ciaran Curran, Stephen Gillespie, Gavin Brown; Steven McBride, Jack O’Loughlin, Sean McVeigh; Gerard Gilmore, Conor O’Grady; Conor Gartland, Liam McKinney, Brian MacIntyre; Sean Ward, Danny Cullen, Ruairi Campbell. 

Subs: Josh McGee/Cronolly for Jack O’Loughlin, Peter Kelly for Brian MacIntyre, Oisin Grant for Sean Ward (all ht), Ronan McDermott for Conor Gartland (50), Padraig Doherty for Gavin Brown (59).   

Mayo: Bobby Douglas; Daniel Huane, Oisin Greally, Conor Murray; Conal Hession, David Kenny, Eoghan Collins; Sean Kenny, John Heraty; Sean Regan, Adrian Phillips, Liam Lavin; Shane Boland, Cormac Phillips, Eoin Delaney. 

Subs: Kenneth Egan for Adrain Phillips (52), Joseph Burke for Cormac Phillips (59), Michael Farrell for John Heraty (62).

Referee: Peter Owens (Down).