Monaghan survive yet again after Castlebar victory

The Monaghan footballers pulled off another great escape as they produced a match-winning performance to preserve their top-flight league status at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.

Veteran attacker Conor McManus was the star of the show yet again, shooting 1-7, including converting a penalty with the last kick of the game to seal another famous last-day victory to keep Monaghan up in front of 10,686 spectators.

Mayo, who had already qualified for next weekend's League Final against Galway, fielded a shadow selection but still looked like they might condemn the visitors to relegation when they drew level in the 65th minute.

But McManus (who won and converted two brilliant marks in the final minutes) and company had other ideas and they finished with a flourish to engineer invaluable scores from Conor McCarthy and Stephen O’Hanlon that edged them towards safety.

The issue was finally put beyond doubt when McManus tucked away a penalty with the last kick of the game — in the sixth minute of added time — to seal the deal.

The win was no more than Vinny Corey’s team deserved, and was the fifth time in nine seasons that Monaghan have got the result they needed to stay up in the last round of the competition.

Mayo’s much-changed XV also played their part in an enjoyable contest, with Kevin McStay making 11 changes to the side that beat Donegal a week earlier.

They were right in the hunt all through the game and looked like they might take the initiative midway through the second half when coming from three points down to draw level thanks to scores from Paul Towey (who finished with six points from frees), Darren McHale and Jordan Flynn.

But Monaghan dug deep in the last quarter to retake the initiative.They had also led