Cork 0-18

Mayo 0-23

MATTHEW HURLEY REPORTS

JOHN Cleary was left frustrated as shooting let his Cork team down in their All-Ireland SFC quarter-final defeat to Mayo.

The Rebels had more attempts, with 35 compared to Mayo’s 30, but their lack of killer edge in front of goal cost them dearly in Croke Park.

Cork kicked 16 of their shots on target (45 percent). Mayo kicked 18 (60 percent). Those figures were the difference.

In addition, Mayo’s electric full-forward line of Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue and Kobe McDonald accounted for 0-19, more than the entire Cork team.

‘Frustrating. I bring it down to efficiency. We had plenty of the ball,’ Cleary admitted.

‘Under 50 percent conversion rate on our shots. I think Mayo were up somewhere around 70 percent. We weren’t good in front of the goal and we didn’t get the scores. Mayo were much more efficient and they got the scores.

‘That’s the reason they got over the line and we didn’t. We just scored 0-18, which is not enough to win a quarter-final in Croke Park on a fine evening. We’d be disappointed about that.’

In general, Cork dominated possession and kick-outs but couldn’t make the most of it.

The lack of a plan B proved detrimental too, as Steven Sherlock was well marshalled by Mayo full-back Donnacha McHugh.

Castlehaven's Christy Collins and Dan Buckley made the trip to Dublin to support Cork.

‘There were a lot of things (that went wrong). Mayo had five two-pointers. We had two and none from play. They had been a feature of our game all year,’ the Cork boss explained.

‘In fairness, Mayo pushed up and they tackled ferociously. For that alone and their efficiency, they probably deserved to get over the line. We would have a lot of regrets on what we left behind us, scoring-wise.’

After quarter of an hour, Mayo led 0-3 to 0-2 as their deadly trio began their scoring spree but a Mark Cronin two-pointer free gave Cork the lead on 17 minutes.

Ian Maguire doubled the Leesiders’ advantage before Sherlock and Paul Walsh added to the scoresheet. Some poor wides kept the Connacht side in the game and an excellent McDonald two-pointer and O’Donoghue score made it 0-7 apiece on 27 minutes.

Sherlock and Chris Óg Jones looked to have put Cleary’s team into a two-point half time lead but after Cork were penalised for a breach, O’Donoghue punished them with a two-point free, 0-9 each at the break.

The story of the second period was Cork’s continued erratic shooting and Mayo’s brilliance in front of the posts.

Andy Moran’s team managed to convert 11 of their 18 shots in the closing half as substitute Tommy Conroy caused Cork a lot of trouble.

In the last quarter, Cork only managed 0-4, including a Sherlock two-point free. Mayo kicked 0-8 in that time.

It was three two-pointers from the victors, courtesy of Beirne (two) and Jack Carnery that pushed Cork further behind and a five point defeat ended what was a progressive season for Cleary’s charges.

Scorers

Cork: Steven Sherlock 0-7 (2 45s, 1 2ptf, 1f); Paul Walsh 0-3; Chris Óg Jones, Mark Cronin (2ptf) 0-2 each; Colm O’Callaghan, Ian Maguire, Rory Maguire, Brian Hurley 0-1 each.

Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-8 (2f, 1 2ptf); Darragh Beirne 0-7 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf); Kobe McDonald 0-4 (1 2pt); Jack Carney 0-2 (2pt); Tommy Conroy, Conor Loftus 0-1 each.

Cork: Patrick Doyle (Knocknagree); Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty), Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), Seán Meehan (Kiskeam); Brian O’Driscoll (Carrigaline), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk), Rory Maguire (Castlehaven); Ian Maguire (captain, St Finbarr’s), Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg); Paul Walsh (Kanturk), Dara Sheedy (Bantry Blues), Seán McDonnell (Mallow); Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Chris Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire), Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues) for S McDonnell (48); Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers) for D Sheedy (50); Brian Hurley (Castlehaven) for M Cronin (60); Seán Brady (Ballygarvan) for R Maguire (62); Seán Walsh (Mitchelstown) for P Walsh (65).

Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne (captain), Donnacha McHugh, Eoin McGreal; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Enda Hession; Bob Tuohy, Jack Carney; Stephen Coen, Paul Towey, Jack Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald.

Subs: Diarmuid Duffy for E McGreal (12, inj); Tommy Conroy for P Towey (ht); Conor Loftus for S Coen (49); Matthew Ruane for B Touhy (53); Rory Brickenden for D Duffy (65).

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).