A 0-17 all draw in Roscommon between Dublin and Mayo was enough to see the current holders through to the SFC quarter-finals while Mayo will have to settle for the preliminary quarter-finals where they will face one of Monaghan, Cork or Derry.
It looked as though Mayo would get the win that they needed to avoid playing next week but a late point from Cormac Costello levelled the scores and gave the Dubs the result they needed to move straight on.
Dublin had ten different scorers with only Costello with seven and Colm Basquel with two getting multiple scores. Mayo also shared the scorers around with eight different men in green and red raising the white flags. Ryan O’Donoghue had seven which included five frees and it looked as if the last of those would be enough to win it for Kevin McStay’s men before Costello popped up.
Dublin led 0-07 to 0-06 at the break and extended that lead to three points early in the second but Mayo pegged them back and that was the biggest the gap got for either side. After this deficit was clawed back, the two sides traded blows in what was a pulsating tie.
Mayo had plenty of chances and also had multi-point games from Tommy Conroy and Matthew Ruane but missed many a chance that could have seen them over the line and made Dublin’s late salvo meaningless.
However, as they so often do, Dessie Farrell’s side hung in there and dug out a result. While Costello will steal the headlines, they had big impacts from the likes of Brian Fenton, Paul Mannion and Ciaran Kilkenny as well as the classy Basquel.
The reigning champions will join the side they defeated in last year’s decider, Kerry in the quarter-finals as well as Ulster sides Donegal and Armagh. These four will have home advantage in the last eight ties to be played on the 29th and 30th of June.
The draw for the preliminary quarter-finals will be made tomorrow (Monday) morning and will see Mayo join Tyrone, Galway and Louth in pot one for home advantage while they will welcome one of Cork, Derry, Monaghan or Roscommon with repeat ties from the group stages avoided where possible.
These ties will be played this coming weekend 22nd and 23rd of June.
