All-Ireland Minor final will be all-Connacht affair after Mayo get past Kerry

It will be an all Connacht All-Ireland Minor football championship final after Mayo saw off Kerry by two points in O'Connor Park in Tullamore to set up a third championship meeting with Galway this year, with Mayo having won the previous two meetings.

The Connacht champions held on despite missing a number of point-scoring chances late on to see the game out - with goalkeeper David Dolan’s save from Paddy Lane midway through the second half proving crucial in keeping their noses in front down the home straight.

Mayo were leading by a two at the break, despite Kerry dominating the ball for large periods of the opening half, but the Kingdom’s shooting let them down in hitting a number of poor wides when they were on top in the game.

Mayo opened the scoring three minutes in through a Cathal Keaveney pointed a free, but Kerry responded with the next three scores on the spin through Darragh O'Connor, Cormac Dillon and Donagh O’Sullivan to open a two-point lead.

Mayo netted the first goal of the game through their ace marksman Ronan Clarke, who fielded a ball that looked to be going wide before working his way along the end line and and finishing low to the net.

Kerry hit back with three more scores on the spin through Odhran Ferris, Dillon and the impressive Paddy Lane to go back in front by two again - but they were reduced to 14 players after Donagh O’Sullivan was shown a black card.

Mayo then took over with Ronan Clarke pointing two frees on the spin and Dara Hurley, Jack Keane and James Maheady all raising the white flag to send Mayo in leading 1-05 to 0-06 at the short whistle.

Clarke pushed the gap out to three points with a free early in the second half and eight minutes in David Dolan had to pull off an excellent save from