Late Mayo surge ends Oscar Traynor Cup hopes for the Donegal League team

There was heartbreak for the Donegal League side who fell short to a Mayo League team in the quarter-final of the Oscar Traynor Cup in Swilly Park on Sunday afternoon.

Eamonn Sheridan's men will be left wondering where did it all go wrong despite dominating the proceedings, but they couldn't find the break when put under serious pressure and left chasing the game coming into the final minutes.

There was hope from the off that the Ulster side would replicate last season's journey and no doubt be into the last four of the national competition by the time the final whistle would go, but instead, the final play saw Mayo's Ben Edeh slip past the Donegal defence with ease to nail home his team's fourth goal on the 96th minute to land a 4-2 victory on the road.

The home side made it look so easy, and it was a surprise to everyone in the ground that they were trailing 1-0 at the break. 

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Ryan Cunningham and Eoin Logue were causing problems early on in what looked like it was going to be a long day for the Mayo men. Johnny Robb would join the party with some half chances of his own, but all were cleared away or stopped by Stefan Hester in the nets.

The opening 20 minutes saw some moments of brilliance as the crowd were left wondering how Donegal couldn't find the net. 

Their first real chance was when Stephen Black slipped the ball through to Eddie O'Reilly who found himself in plenty of space, but Hester was on the button to clear away for a corner with a mighty save.

Gareth Harkin was playing well as the supplier, in his attempt to set up Cunningham, whose shot just fell wide, and Seamus Friel, who leaped the highest following a freekick into the box, but his bullet header also swayed to the left and wide.

More chances were falling the home side's way as the half progressed, with Mayo still unable to get a full shot away on Mark McGinley. Cunningham attempted an effort of a volley which landed safely into Hester's hands, while O'Reilly swung across the goalline and was inches from finding the net.

Mayo found two chances before the clock struck 45 minutes, with Edeh swinging the ball into box in the hope of finding his teammate Niall Brennan, but the effort was too high and was safely cleared by McGinley.

Kevin Kitterick attempted a cut inside to find Edeh running in on the back post, but again, McGinley was on hand to keep Donegal safe.

Then came the Mayo goal just before the half-time whistle when Kitterick attempted a shot on the left side of the box. The resulting effort saw the ball hit off the hand of Keith Cowan and deflect out to Edeh at the back who sailed the ball into the net to leave it 1-0.

Donegal never gave in, and there was still that niggling feeling of a goal coming their way. Five minutes into the second half, they found the equaliser when O'Reilly cut in on the left side and simply passed the ball with ease across the goal to Robb who nailed home.

It was nearly a disaster moments before that when Cowan miskicked the ball, seeing the effort fall behind him and leaving Kitterick open in the back to fire to the net, but Black put in a crunching tackle to prevent a further Mayo lead.

On the hour mark it looked like Donegal were really in control. They nearly took the lead when Jack Parke swung in a great ball to Eoin Logue who fired to the net but Hester pulled off what was the save of the match. 

Moments later, the great momentum for Donegal all fell apart when Mayo grabbed their second goal when Oran Groarke took the ball from a throw-in, and as cool as you like, controlled the ball, turned, fired from outside of the box, and celebrated as Mayo again took the lead.

They made it 3-1 on the 77th minute as the bodies began to tire. Again Groarke was involved in front of the Donegal goal, but instead, this time he placed it out left and wide to Edeh, who crossed the ball in low to Kitterick who tapped it home. 

Eighty minutes played and under serious pressure, Donegal found a lifeline. After O'Reilly's hard-hitting shot fell out for a corner, the next play saw the Fanad player land his team's second goal when Parke's corner was placed just on top of the goal, leaving a scramble of bodies to fight for the ball, with O'Reilly hitting it last and it falling into the net.

The comeback was on . . . but only briefly, as Mayo kept their cool to see the game out, and even found their fourth goal when Edeh hit home his second in the 96th minute as Donegal, at this point, abandoned the defending in the hope of getting as goal, but ended with the Mayo man having the last say as the Connacht team advance to the last four.

Donegal League: Mark McGinley; Jack Parke, Keith Cowen, Seamus Friel, Stephen Black; Gareth Harkin, Eddie O'Reilly, Paddy Carr (Lee McMonagle, 77), Eoin Logue (Shane McGinty, 60); Ryan Cunningham (BJ Banda, 70), Johnny Robb.

Mayo League: Stefan Hester; Cillian McGlade, Cathal Coyne, Mark Cunningham, Andrew Shally (Cillian White, 50); Oran Groarke, Kevin Kitterick (Michael Fahy, 81), Johnnie Cocozza, Nathan Reilly Doyle (Jack O'Connor, 68); Niall Brennan, Ben Edeh.