Mayo withstand Roscommon rally to extend unbeaten start

Mayo's unbeaten start to the season continued as they kept a second-half Roscommon comeback at bay to run out deserving winners at Dr Hyde Park.

Kevin McStay's side laid their foundation for victory in the opening 19 minutes when they hit the first seven points of the contest to build up a commanding lead.

By the midway mark, they were 0-09 to 0-04 ahead, and when a mix-up between Colin Walsh and Conor Daly gifted a 48th-minute goal to Mayo centre-forward Jack Carney, the visitors were 1-12 to 0-07 ahead and cruising.

But Roscommon never threw in the towel and an Enda Smith goal, which was followed by another green flag for Conor Cox in injury-time, made for a grandstand finish.

However, Mayo made sure of victory when Matthew Ruane clipped over the insurance score, although Diarmuid O’Connor made a last-ditch block to deny Ben O’Carroll a sensational winning goal for the Rossies.

Mayo made five changes to their starting line-up beforehand, with Tommy Conroy, Cillian O’Connor and Paddy Durcan returning to the side for their first league starts of the season.

On the other hand, Roscommon lacked energy and were extremely passive during the opening half. A number of cheap turnovers allowed Mayo to feast on some eyecatching scores as Conroy, O’Connor (three frees), James Carr, Fionn McDonagh and a ’45 from goalkeeper Rory Byrne opened up a seven-point advantage.

Roscommon stemmed the bleeding somewhat from there until the end of the half as Diarmuid Murtagh (3) and Conor Daly got their side up and running, but further points from Carr and O’Connor (free) handed the visitors a comfortable 0-09 to 0-04 advantage at the interval.

Ciaráin Murtagh’s introduction ignited the Rossies somewhat, but the game’s general trend continued, and