World News – UK – Mayo hero Cillian O’Connor shoots 4-9 for Tipperary on a gloomy day

Mayo 5-20 Tipperary 3-13

Mayo faces Dublin for the fifth time since 2013 in an All-Ireland final after Tipperary was demolished in fog-covered Croke Park.

Cillian O’Connor scored an impressive 4-9, his fourth goal came in the 45th. Minute when Mayo scored 3-1 against Tipperarys 2-0 in the 12 minutes that Lee Keegan was sent off for a black card.

Eoghan McLaughlin was concerned for James Horan and hobbled off the field before the water break in the second half. At this stage Mayo yawned with 20 points, 5-17 to 1-9.

David Clarke was so good at denying Tipperary that he was 55 years old. Minute was beaten by substitute Paudie Feehan, as was Conor Sweeney in the 70. Minute, but it was little comfort for a team that only converted three of eight chances to score.

If Tipperary had scored the two goals they had in the first nine minutes, this game might have turned out differently. Michael Quinlivan’s fifth-minute shot was skillfully saved by Clarke, while Conor Sweeney’s goal hit him four minutes later. Steven O’Brien also missed an easy opportunity.

At the other end, Mayo was showing his opponents how to attack when Aidan O’Shea and Tommy Conroy teamed up with O’Connor to get on the net after a mistake by Kevin Fahey. At least the goal was quickly lifted when Brian Fox’s drop shot trickled over the goal line after a mazy run.

However, Mayo sent the next four points when Kevin McLoughlin began running the show in the middle. The lead was four points on the first water break, but after a persistent purple mayo stain he jumped in the 25th. Minute to nine when O’Connor used some quick hands from O’Shea and Eoghan McLaughlin’s run to beat Evan Comerford.

O’Connor finished his hat trick after half an hour when Mayo wrote a couple of Tipperary defenders in the right corner and O’Connor intercepted Liam Casey’s kick pass.

The router continued with almost the last act of half as Diarmuid O’Connor chased his brother’s 45 who were about to score a goal. At 4-12 to 1-5 Mayo could already look to Dublin.

Goalscorers for Tipperary: C Sweeney (1-9, 0-8 exempt); B Fox, P Feehan (each 1: 0); C O’Riordan (0-2); S O’Brien, K Fahey (0-1 each).

Mayo: D. Clarke; L.. Keegan, C.. Barrett, O. Mullin; P. Durcan, E.. McLaughlin, S.. Coen; Loftus C, Ruane M; D O’Connor, R O’Donoghue, K McLoughlin; C O’Connor, A O’Shea (c), T Conroy.

Subs for Mayo: J Flynn for D O’Connor (43); P O’Hora for C Barrett (47); M Plunkett for E MacLaughlin (inj 53); T Parsons for RO’Donoghue (55); D Coen for C O’Connor (66).

Black card: L Keegan (38-50).

TIPPERARY: E Comerford; A Campbell, J Feehan, C O’Shaughnessy; S O’Brien, L Casey; C O’Riordan, Conal Kennedy, B Fox; Colman Kennedy, C.. Sweeney (c), M.. Quinlivan.

Subs for Tipperary: E Moloney for L Casey, P Austin for B Fox (inj) (both h-t); P Feehan for R Kiely (53); D Brennan for J Feehan, L Boland for Colman Kennedy (both 56).

Referee: D Gough (Meath).

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All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, Mayo, Tipperary GAA, County Tipperary, Gaelic Athletic Association, Mayo GAA, Ireland, Tip