By Frank Shouldice

A USEFUL warm-up for the Connacht championship, and clearly nobody wanted to lose this NFL semifinal at Croke Park. Played in April sunshine before a disappointing attendance of 23,209, Mayo had enough guile to edge out their local rivals, but the way John O’Mahony’s triumphant charges trudged off the field you’d have to wonder what the League means to these players when championship is around the corner.

Alan Dillon put in a big performance and it was his goal – latching onto a rebound after Conor Mortimer’s penalty was saved by Paul Doherty – that swung it Mayo’s way in the final quarter. Up to that Galway had kept in touch, with Cormac Bane (1-2) promising and Padraig Joyce posing a constant threat for James Kilcullen. Michael Meehan was less effective thanks to a good marking job by Keith Higgins.

Mayo forwards hit 2-4 from play – full-forward Ger Brady raided for the opening goal – but the team’s busy style of play invites midfielders and half-backs to steal upfield for scores. Their lead was cut to the minimum and Joyce’s late effort at an equalizer tailed narrowly wide.

Mayo are now in the final and even with a more intense encounter with Galway yet to come, O’Mahony will look to capturing silverware next week to keep their progress on track.

Donegal 1-13 Kildare 1-11

DONEGAL secured their berth in the NFL final, but they made heavy weather of seeing off Kildare. Padraig O’Neill had a chance to force extra-time in the 70th minute, but he blazed his shot over the bar when a goal was in sight.

It took Kildare 27 minutes to score from play when Tadhg Fennin slotted over a point from a tight angle on the left. By then they were trailing 0-3 to 0-6 and had lost midfielder Killian Brennan with a serious knee injury.

Neil Gallagher and Kevin Cassidy took a vice grip and Donegal used the ball well but failed to translate their superiority into scores.

Full-back David Lyons and wing-back Emmet Bolton put in a big effort for the Lilywhites, but even after Brendan Devenney limped off Colm McFadden posted a couple of points to put three points between the sides at halftime.

It was a lean return for the Ulster side, but they were unable to stretch ahead. Adrian Sweeney replaced Brian Roper in the 40th minute and hit a fine point with his first touch.

Although he didn’t look fit, Sweeney took a pass from Michael Hegarty to put McFadden inside three minutes later. He offloaded to lively sub Kevin McMenamin who blasted past Enda Murphy.

Ahead by 1-8 to 0-5, Donegal should have buried it. Instead they stepped off the pace and allowed Kildare hit back.

Goalkeeper Paul Durcan made a scintillating stop to deny William Heffernan after Mark Hogarty and Bolton created an opening. The Lilywhites were really back in contention after Fennin won a penalty which marksman John Doyle drove into the left corner.

Doyle added a couple of frees and a point from play to bring his own tally to 1-6, but McFadden (0-6) kept Donegal in front so that even the dismissal of Kevin Cassidy six minutes from time failed to alter the outcome.

Offaly 1-16 Roscommon 4-11

A BLEAK day for Offaly football when the Faithful were consigned to Division Four football next season.

Roscommon ran up a big score at Tullamore to clinch a berth in Division Two, but they were pushed all the way and were grateful to see Karol Slattery and Scott Brady miss clear chances on goal. Despite Ger Heneghan’s first half goal Offaly led 0-11 to 1-5 at the break.

Ros then opened up, first with a Heneghan penalty and then a goal apiece by Cathal Gregg and Enda Kenny. Neville Coughlan replied for the home side on a day two famous football counties found themselves heading in opposite directions.

Longford 2-10 Clare 0-10

PAUL Barden’s penalty and a smashing goal by Liam Keenan gave Longford a first half cushion that means Clare slide into Divison Four and are also out of contention in the championship qualifiers.

The margin at Pearse Park might have been greater only for heroics by goalkeeper Joe Hayes, who made a series of stops to deny Brian Kavanagh, Brian and Paul Barden, Padraig Berry and Kevin Smyth. Somehow Clare were only three points in arrears 12 minutes from time when Frank O’Dea landed a point. However, Longford closed it out for a more comfortable finish . . .

ELSEWHERE in Division 2A table-toppers Monaghan edged out Leitrim at Cloone by 1-14 to 2-10. Ciaran Hanratty’s early goal and a six-point burst in the second half clinched a 100 percent record for Eamon McEneaney’s side. They now face Meath in the playoffs . . .

LONDON enjoyed their first League win in three years by trouncing hapless Carlow in Ruislip. Two goals by Chris Donnellan paved the way for the Exiles to a 13-point victory and rounds off a dismal season for the midlanders.

Waterford 1-19 Cork 1-16

NOBODY cared to remind these teams it was only the NHL. Waterford and Cork seved up championship quality fare at Semple Stadium, and in the end it was the Decies who edged home after a very memorable battle.

The Rebels were without Joe Deane and Cian O’Connnor so Ben O’Connor and Shane O’Neill were drafted in as replacements. Cork opened brightly, and Ben O’Connor tapped home after Clinton Hennessy made a good block on Eoghan Murphy. Jerry O’Connor and Kieran Murphy extended Cork’s lead to six points with the Decies misfiring badly up front and striking eight wides.

By the second quarter they began to find their rhythm, and James Murray closed down Pa Cronin. Ken McGrath rapped over two massive frees – late in the game he converted one from all of 108 yards! – so that Waterford went into the break leading by 1-10 to 1-8. The game swung back Cork’s way thanks to Ben O’Connor and Timmy McCarthy.

With the game really in the balance both teams produced magnificent scores – John Gardiner struck long-range frees and Ben O’Connor converted a lineball while Eoin Kelly held his nerve from frees and McGrath defied geometry from his own half.

However, it was closing points by Seamus Prendergast and Dan Shanahan, both directed from the touchline, that clinched it. Waterford fancy their chances this year and the NHL final against Kilkenny will test their standing.

Kilkenny 2-22 Wexford 2-7

TALK of Wexford’s renaissance proved premature as they crumbled against the All-Ireland champions. Even without Henry Shefflin Kilkenny did serious damage after just 22 seconds, with Aidan Fogarty thumping to the net. Fogarty claimed a second before halftime while Darren Stamp’s goal tried to stem the tide.

The game was really over by the interval, Wexford trailing by 1-3 to 2-10. The Cats showed a fearsome appetite for the game, scoring at will and finding Derek Lyng in fine form in centrefield.

Stamp swivelled to fire a beautiful goal just before the end, but many Wexford fans would have already left the ground by then. “We are just not up to their pace, that’s the bottom line and has been for the last ten years,” admitted a disappointed John Meyler . . .

Offaly’s Division One playoff collapse against Limerick won’t help the situation. With their footballers doomed to Division Four, the county hurlers tumbled into Division Two after taking a 17-point pasting at Nenagh. The game was tight enough at the break, Offaly behind by 0-10 to 1-11 but five goals – two apiece by Sean O’Connor and Barry Foley and a penalty by Andrew O’Shaughenssy – cut Offaly to ribbons, to put Limerick in command by 6-20 to 1-18.