Mayo repel late Louth rally for back-to-back victories in All-Ireland SFC

A largely uneventful and lacklustre game ended in a welter of excitement as rank outsiders Louth almost ambushed Mayo at a sun-splashed Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.

The Westerners had been expected to cruise to victory on home ground against the beaten Leinster finalists, who had also lost their opening group game to Cork seven days earlier.

But instead Mayo ended up scrambling over the line as a 75th minute goal from Conall McKeever and a point from Conor Grimes saw Louth just pipped at the post.

Had the game continued for a little longer, Mickey Harte's men could well have snatched a draw so Mayo were relieved to hear the final whistle blow shortly after Grimes’ effort had sailed over.

In front of a crowd of 11,347 supporters, and in stifling heat, Kevin McStay's side didn’t hit the same heights as they had against Kerry a fortnight earlier.

Louth’s defensive system frustrated the homeside for long spells and they stayed within striking distance all through a cagey encounter.

Mayo had led at the end of a slow-burning first half by 0-07 to 0-04, and a fine save by Colm Reape to push Leonard Grey’s goalbound effort over the bar meant the locals were still three points in front after 55 minutes, 0-11 to 0-08.

The teams had swopped scores four times during the third quarter with the best of them coming from Mayo’s Matthew Ruane and Aidan O’Shea (a well-struck free) and Louth’s Ciaran Downey and Niall Sharkey. In an effort to break the stalemate, Kevin McStay sent on substitutes Paddy Durcan, Enda Hession, Tommy Conroy and Fionn McDonagh to bring pace and energy to Mayo’s play.

The changes had the desired effort too as a string of scores followed from Durcan, Aidan O’Shea (free) and McDonagh to edge Mayo five