Mayo are through to the Connacht final following a devastating performance that yielded a 3-18 to 0-07 win over a disappointing Roscommon this evening. The match was over as a contest after fifteen minutes and by half time Mayo lead by 18 points. For Roscommon, it was a devastating defeat and it will be hard for them to regroup ahead of the qualifiers. Mayo entered this match as strong favourites, but Roscommon were out to defy the odds in this clash. A place in the Connacht final was at stake as both sides gave it their all. This was the first meeting of the sides in the Connacht championship since 2005. The Mayo team saw five changes from that which defeated New York in the opening round. Goalkeeper David Clarke failed to recover from a groin strain and was replaced by Kenneth O'Malley, while Aidan Kilcoyne, Keith Higgins, Donal Vaughan and David Heaney also came into the starting line-up. Despite recovering from a broken hand, Conor Mortimer has to be content with a place on the subs bench with Leaving Cert student Aidan O'Shea continuing at corner forward. The only unchanged line of the team from the New York game is the half forward line where team captain Trevor Mortimer is flanked by Pat Harte and Alan Dillon. The experienced David Casey replaced the injured David Keenan in the Roscommon team. The Boyle clubman, who made his name at full back a few years ago, was named at left half back in the absence of St. Barry's clubman Keenan, who dislocated his shoulder in the quarter-final win over Leitrim, but indeed as expected he filled the number three role. Meanwhile, Senan Kilbride failed to recover from an ankle injury to take his place at full forward, while neither Cathal Cregg nor Seamie O'Neill were considered due to injury. Mayo were first off the mark and it came courtesy of an Aidan Kilcoyne 45 metre free in the third minute and the same player followed this up with a well taken goal a minute later as Mayo's tactics of kicking long balls into Barry Moran and Aidan O'Shea was causing Roscommon problems. Alan Dillon was very prominent early on and he added to Mayo's tally with a point from a free after Peadar Gardiner was fouled, 30 metres from goal. Then Kilcoyne, kicked another '45 to leave the score 1-3 to 0-0 after ten minutes. Roscommon's woes got worse when the excellent Kilcoyne played in Donal Vaughan and the defender was brought down in the small square leaving the referee with no option, but to award a penalty, which Pat Harte duly blasted to the net. Kilcoyne, had laid down his marker early on and anyone that questioned the decision to start him instead of Conor Mortimer were silenced as he kicked a fine point from play to bring his tally at this stage to 1-3 and Dillon fired over another soon after. Roscommon now trailed by 2-5 to 0-0 with 15 minutes played. The Rossies had a chance to open the scoring when Paul Kelly shot from close range, but Kenneth O'Malley got down well to save and the danger was cleared. The failure to deal with the long balls into the full forward line was continuing to cause no end of problems for Roscommon and Mayo's eighth score of the match came when Moran was fouled on the 20 metre line and Dillon scored his third point of the match. By the 21st minute, the score was 2-7 to 0-0 when Mayo captain Trevor Mortimer kicked a fine point off his left foot and despite playing against the breeze, Roscommon were in serious trouble. Mayo were on top all over the field, particularly at midfield. A cracking goal by O'Shea left this match a one-sided affair. The youngster raced through and latched on to a pass from Dillon, before firing past goalkeeper Geoffrey Claffey. Roscommon just had no answer and Ronan Garrity added a point to leave a massive 17 points between the sides after only 24 minutes. The Rossies finally broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Conor Devaney pointed from a close range free to loud cheers from both the home and away supporters. Andy Moran was the first player to be booked for a foul on Gary Cox, but Donal Shine's effort from the resultant free kick drifted wide. At this stage the game seemed to be over as a contest and it looked as if the crowd new this as they became very quiet. A fourth point by Dillon was a well worked move involving Pat Harte and Donal Vaughan. At this stage Roscommon were praying for the half time whistle and a chance to regroup, but it was Mayo that got the last score of the half when Gardiner fisted over to leave the half time score 3-10 to 0-1. The gap was so great that some of the Roscommon supporters left McHale Park early, but Roscommon needed a big second half to build confidence ahead of the qualifiers. The Rossies did open the scoring in the second half when Devaney kicked another close range free to give them some hope. However, Mayo hit right back and Moran kicked an excellent score after good work by Moran. A second point for McGarrity stretched the lead even further as Mayo once again began to dominate at midfield. Harte then made it 3-13 to 0-02 after 40 minutes. There was a lapse of almost six minutes before the next score and it was Roscommon's first from play when midfielder Brian Higgins tapped over from close range. The Rossies had a further goal chance when substitute Fintan Cregg's shot was well smothered by the impressive O'Malley. Every time Roscommon got a score, Mayo seemed to hit back immediately and it was no surprise when Gardiner kicked an excellent score from distance. Mortimer made it 3-15 to 0-3 with a fisted point as the grounds increasing became more and more emptier. Roscommon free taker Donie Shine may not having the best of days, but he did manage to convert a placed ball in the 57th minute for the Rossies' fourth point of the evening. Once again Dillon responded straight away from another free and one from play which was his sixth point of the match. In the 62nd minute, Gary Cox kicked his first point of the game and five minutes he added another as the Roscommon skipper tried in vain to help his side finish with a flourish. Claffey made a great save from Parsons in the last minute of injury time, but Mayo kept coming forward and a Trevor Mortimer shoot back off the post and substitute Mark Ronaldson tapped over. Karl Mannion responded with a point for the losers in injury time, which was to be the last score of the game as Mayo prepare for yet another Connacht final. Mayo - K O'Malley; D Vaughan, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; P Gardiner (0-2), T Howley, A Moran (0-1); D Heaney, R McGarrity (0-2); P Harte (1-1), T Mortimer (0-2), A Dillon (0-6, 3f); A Kilcoyne (1-3, 2'45), B Moran, A O'Shea (1-0). Subs - T Parsons for Heaney (53), C Mortimer for Kilcoyne (63), M Ronaldson (0-1) for Harte (67), K McLoughlin for Vaughan (68), BJ Padden for Dillon (69). Roscommon - G Claffey; P Domican, J Nolan, P Kelly; S McDermott, D Flynn, D Casey; M Finneran, B Higgins (0-1); G Cox (0-2), K Mannion (0-1), D Shine (0-1); C Devaney (0-2, 2f), C McHugh, J Dunning. Subs - P Gleeson for Flynn (41), J McKeague for Kelly (43), F Cregg for Finneran (45), D O'Gara for McHugh (50), P Duignan for Nolan (51). Ref - Brian Crowe (Cavan). Tweet

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