Three first-half goals propel Mayo to All-Ireland MFC last four
June 12, 2022
Mayo's Niall Hurley celebrates after scoring a goal as Kildare's Niall Cramer looks on dejected. ©INPHO/Tom Maher.
Three first-half goals fired Mayo to a 3-18 to 3-12 victory over Kildare in their All-Ireland MFC quarter-final clash at O'Connor Park in Tullamore.
The westerners are the only provincial champions left in the Tom Markham Cup race, joining Kerry, Derry and Galway in the last four.
Niall Hurley, who scored 2-5 and proved to be a handful for the Kildare defence all afternoon, and Ronan Clarke, netted the Mayo goals as they led by 3-5 to 1-7 at half-time.
Hurley's opening goal on 13 minutes pushed Seane Deane' side into a four-point lead, but the Lilywhites responded well to that early setback to go 1-3 to 1-5 infront with Ben Loakman raising a green flag at the other end.
However, a brace of sucker-punch goals in the run-up to the interval took the wind out of Kildare's sails.
Niall Cronin's charges never gave up and grabbed a couple of goals of their own towards the end to put a bit of respectability back on the scoreline.
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