Frenetic finish sees Mayo grasp a draw from Donegal in league opener

While death and taxes are the definites in life, an Allianz League draw between Mayo and Donegal has become something of a commodity in recent times.

Mayo 0-11
Donegal 0-11

A free from Robbie Hennelly, the Mayo goalkeeper, in the fourth minute of injury time turned out to be the equalising score with the penultimate kick of the match of a lively Division 1 opener. It came after his opposite number Shaun Patton was deemed to have fouled the ball in the frenzy.

It meant a third draw in succession and fourth between the sides in the last six meetings. A bit like in 2020 when James Durcan bolted one into the top corner of Patton’s net, or when Kevin McLoughlin took the 12 steps to heaven to relegate Donegal in 2018, it was Declan Bonner’s side who left the field who felt like the team that lost. When football gets frantic, it suits Mayo. 

The match turned on a penalty save from Hennelly, who dived low to his left to turn away Patrick McBrearty’s effort on 52 minutes. A goal would’ve put Donegal 1-9 to 0-6 up within touching distance of two points on the road.

The save galvanised Mayo - who were down to 14 with Stephen Coen picking up a second yellow for the foul on Michael Murphy for the penalty - a side familiar with living on the edge. Murphy put over the 45 that followed with ease to establish a 0-10 to 0-6 lead.

With the water-break now a head-scratcher for table quizzes in the years ahead, around the time when the bottles would usually be flung out, Donegal could’ve done with an extension of the rule. They’d only score one more from then until the end, through the stylish Michael Langan, who, along with his captain, was the standout performer.

Mayo substitute Bryan Walsh got on the end of a brilliant Tommy Conroy run and although the goal wasn’t at his mercy, there was a collective gasp and somehow the show skewed wide of both a goal and a point.

Paddy Durcan and Jason Doherty - on his first appearance for his county since 2019 having suffered two cruciate injuries - contributed five points between them.

There were vehement protestations from Donegal who claimed the penultimate score by Ryan O’Donoghue had drifted wide. The umpires seemed to disagree, with one seemingly giving half a wave for wide, with the other stooping for the flag. Up went the flag.

Anyone who's ever been to a game in Castlebar, or shared Croke Park with the green and gold, would know their support has a shriek that no others’ have. It’s a kind of energy that can fill a Mayo player with encouragement and anxiety in equal measure.

Moonlighting in Markievicz today with trips to Roscommon and Carrick-on-Shannon to come till McHale Park is relaid, those same sounds were in the air and it was Donegal who shivered.

In the latter stages, there was a shower so heavy you couldn’t see the nearside linesman, never mind Benbulben in the distance. Donegal were carrying the ball into contact, hemmed in. Jeaic McCeallabhuí was black-carded with three to play.

In the first half and for parts of the second, Donegal, who made a competent start, left the bulk of the estimated 9,000 crowd relatively muted. They pushed up on Hennelly from the start and Mayo, minus the suspended James Ruane - sent off in the All-Ireland final - and with Aidan O’Shea on the bench, Donegal were controlling things.

From the first 10 kick-outs of the match, Donegal got their hands on eight and it built a foundation that saw a 0-5 to 0-1 lead only 13 minutes in, with Murphy excelling, Conor O’Donnell scoring and Langan opening his account.

Hennelly made two vital early saves, firstly from a break that ended with Ódhrán McFadden-Ferry’s shot and then getting a palm onto a Langan slap. Donegal lost their captain for 11 first half minutes to due a cut over his left eye that needed a scoot to the dressing room and back.

Then, following 15 scoreless minutes, Ryan McHugh, lining up in the centre-forward position, scored and Lagan’s second - another stylish score - had Donegal 0-7 to 0-2 up late in the half. Mayo’s only two scores were O’Donoghue frees before Eoghan McLaughlin hit their first point from play in the 35th minute. They trailed by four at the break.

It ended just like the last two meetings, a match Donegal should’ve won and could’ve lost.

Mayo scorers: Ryan O’Donoghue (0-4, 3f), Jason Doherty (0-3), Patrick Durcan (0-2) Eoghan McLaughlin (0-1), Robbie Hennelly (0-1, 1f).

Donegal scorers: Michael Murphy (0-4, 1m, 1f, 45), Michael Langan (0-4), Patrick McBrearty (0-1, 1f), Conor O’Donnell and Ryan McHugh (0-1).

Mayo: Rob Hennelly; Brendan Harrison, Stephen Coen, Padraig O’Hora; Paddy Durcan, Donnacha McHugh, Eoghan McLaughlin; Conor O’Shea, Conor Loftus; Fionn McDonagh, Aiden Orme, Diarmuid O’Connor; Tommy Conroy, Jason Doherty, Ryan O'Donoghue. Subs: Subs: Aidan O’Shea for Orme (half-time), Bryan Walsh for McDonnagh (half-time), Sam Callinan for McHugh (56), Jordan Flynn for Loftus (59), Paul Towey for C O’Shea (63).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Caolan Ward, Brendan McCole; Ódhrán McFadden-Ferry, Paul Brennan, Tony McClenaghan; Caolan McGonagle, Ciaran Thomspon, Peadar Mogan, Ryan McHugh, Michael Langan; Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Conor O’Donnell. Subs: Jason McGee for Thompson (10) Jeaic McCeallabhuí for Ward (51), Niall O’Donnell for C O’Donnell (56), Ethan O’Donnell for McClenaghan (59), Eunan Doherty for McFadden-Ferry (63).

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).