Castlebar Mitchels and Ballintubber met in McHale Park tonight in the semi-final of the Mayo Senior Football Championship - and what a match it was!
Played under the lights, a pulsating affair between the 2014 county champions Ballintubber, and the champions every year since Castlebar, went to extra-time after the initial hour failed to separate them.
Discover more about the history of the All-Stars on the official PwC All-Stars App. Download here
FT Mayo GAA @ConnachtGold SFC Semi-Final: @MitchelsGaa 1-09 @BallintubberCLG 1-09 we have extra time!!!! #mayogaa #gaa
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) October 6, 2018
With Castlebar leading 1-9 to 1-6 and time-running out, this mammoth score gave Ballintubber the necessary foothold to allow two further points to come.
What a huge moment as @MitchelsGaa go three clear after two end to end moves. They added another point immediately to lead 1-9 1-6 but @BallintubberCLG hit back with a huge score! Listen live now https://t.co/Jp9hV1BY1U pic.twitter.com/xh5PRVfIPG
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
Who else but Cillian O'Connor to do the necessary and level things up for Ballintubber?
We're LEVEL!!! IT'S ALL OVER! ALAN DILLON WINS A FREE AND CILLIAN O CONNOR CONVERTS IT!! A DRAW! 1-10 1-10. WHAT A GAME OF FOOTBALL!! pic.twitter.com/QSzR7FrPFs
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
Sending the game into extra-time in McHale Park, the intensity scarcely abated there.
It's so intense here in Castlebar even our big game analyst @nigelreape is getting cramp! Straight to @TheSISMClinic with him after this!
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
In a very tight first-half of extra-time, it was Ballintubber who grabbed the solitary score; Jamsie Finnerty looking like he had half an eye on going for goal here.
One solitary point in the first half of extra time and it came for @BallintubberCLG via Jamsie Finnerty! This is gripping. Listen LIVE to the final ten minutes here https://t.co/Jp9hV1BY1U pic.twitter.com/X6SG7SCoSL
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
Grabbing a second score to put the reigning champions two-points behind with time running off, two quick scores assured they were level soon enough.
Barry Moran levels it!! We're LIVE with @TheSISMClinic https://t.co/Jp9hV1BY1U pic.twitter.com/A0y2FA05Dj
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
Barry Moran was back on defensive duty for Castlebar soon enough, kick-starting this incredible move that would leave the Mitchels with a lead to protect.
Incidentally, the brilliant nature of this well-worked score would surely fail the three hand-pass rule that may soon be trialed in Gaelic football.
And now Barry Moran wins possession in his own full back line and sets in train an Anthony O Boyle score! They lead! pic.twitter.com/NffuHNQUf4
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
Not that leads were for protecting in this county semi-final - Cillian O'Connor tapped over the equalising free shortly after.
In the end, that was that - 1-12 to 1-12 and both sides will have to play it out all over again. Not that anyone who was in Mayo tonight will be complaining.
It's all over! 1-12 1-12! A game that was so intense that Diarmuid O'Connor thought his side had won it at the end! It was an epic battle and one no one deserved to lose. They'll do it all again and so will we! pic.twitter.com/yTr7ahlkYF
— Mid West Radio (@radiomidwest) October 6, 2018
Going to extra time. What a game of football. My god.
— Cormac O'Malley (@cormacpro) October 6, 2018
Credit to Mid-West Radio for the amazing footage.
