Mayo SFC: Garrymore's McGreal emerges victorious after fascinating duel with Kobe

by John Paul Heaney

A Mayo SFC quarterfinal clash that will live long in the memory for everyone involved with Garrymore GAA Club transpired under lights as the south Mayo side advanced to the last four with a narrow two-point win over Crossmolina, 0-14 to 0-12.

Like all four quarter-finals over the weekend, this one was hard to call, and the game went along expected lines, with extra time looking very much on the cards as the sides were level on 0-12 with time almost up.

However, the four minutes of injury time added on proved enough for Garrymore to snatch victory, with points from substitute Mark Gibbons and Cathal Slattery sealing a victory that will be long talked about.

The sides were also level on 0-7 apiece at half-time, played in front of an attendance that nobody present had ever seen before at the iconic Garrymore venue, with the hottest property in Gaelic football right now, Kobe McDonald, adding a huge draw to the venue.

He scored 0-3 in total, one from play late on to draw the sides level and two splendid ’45’s in the opening half.

His duel with All-Ireland winner Eoin McGreal was fascinating to say the least.

This is the first time Garrymore have advanced to the last four since 2021, when Knockmore defeated them at the Centre of Excellence.

But Garrymore can now focus on ending a 40-plus-year wait for a place in the final, and with the year it has been, who knows, that wait could end soon.

* See full analysis in Tuesday's print edition of The Connaught Telegraph.