2006 All-Ireland semi-final: Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-16
MAYO’S first Championship win over Dublin - 100 years after the first meeting - was a genuine classic that went right to the wire. The Dubs were favourites, but Mayo signalled their intent by heading for the Hill 16 end of Croke Park to conduct their warm-up in front of a light blue swarm of irate Dublin supporters.
Ciaran McDonald recalled: “We got down there and people said there’d be holy hell. A few of the senior lads were saying ‘what are we going to do?’ I said: ‘We have to stay now, we can’t be going up the field like a shower of pups’.”
Dublin emerged from the tunnel none to pleased to find Mayo warming up on their patch. Led by Ciaran Whelan, they marched towards the Hill 16 end, but Mayo stood their ground and Dublin had no option, but to conduct their pre-game drills alongside them.
Things quickly became heated and Dublin manager Paul Caffrey barged into Mayo trainer John Morrison before a stray football struck Mayo dietician Mary McNicolas, who received treatment while the teams warmed up around her.
When the game started what commentator Joe Brolly had described as “an empty gesture” didn’t detract from Mayo’s performance and they led by four points to no score after 15 minutes. The Dubs replied and trailed by just one point - 0-9 to 1-5 - at half-time and Jason Sherlock’s goal early in the second-half saw them establish a 2-6 to 0-9 lead.
Points from Alan Brogan and Mossy Quinn followed and, when Conal Keaney extended the lead to 2-11 to 0-10 after 46 minutes, it looked like it could all be over. But the game swung again. Andy Moran scored his first Championship goal to leave just two between them after 51 minutes and, by the 54th, the sides were level.
With substitute Aidan Kilcoyne outstanding, Kevin O’Neill and Alan Dillon posted points and the sides were still locked together at 2-12 to 1-15 with three minutes of normal-time remaining. In the breathless finale, Ciaran McDonald stroked over what proved to be the winner and Mark Vaughan missed two frees as Mayo held on for a famous win.
2012 All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Mayo 0-19 Dublin 0-16
WHEN they led by 0-17 to 0-7 with just under 20 minutes to play, it appeared Mayo were about to wipe the floor with the reigning All-Ireland champions.
But that’s not the Mayo way. Instead, they were left to thank goalkeeper David Clarke for a stunning late save from Bernard Brogan as the westerners narrowly avoided the most painful of capitulations. James Horan’s side led by six at the interval and pushed 10 clear by the 51st minute, but Dublin kept coming and were back to within two with moments to play, only for Seamus O’Shea to seal it with a late score.
2013 All-Ireland SFC final: Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-14
IT WAS a one-point final in name only as Dublin held Mayo at arm’s length to gain revenge for the previous year’s semi-final defeat and claim their second title in three years. On the day, both Dublin and Mayo played well below their best - but Dublin, inspired by two-goal hero Bernard Brogan, were slightly better.
The underdogs led by 0-8 to 1-4 at the break, but Jim Gavin’s side produced a strong third-quarter to eke out a lead and, although Mayo responded again, Brogan palmed home a second goal that made it 2-9 to 1-9, after which they held on with relative comfort.
2015 All-Ireland semi-final
Dublin 2-12 Mayo 1-15
THERE is remarkable symmetry about draws between these counties. They have come every 30 years - 1955, 1985 and 2015.
It required a heroic comeback from Mayo to claim a share of the spoils in the most recent stalemate. Diarmuid Connolly’s penalty and Kevin McManamon’s poachers’ finish had inspired the Dubs into a 2-12 to 0-11 lead after an hour.
But these games so often hinge on momentum and Mayo replied with a brace of points and, though John Small had to clear off the line to deny Andy Moran a repeat of his 2006 goal, the westerners kept coming. Alan Freeman reduced the deficit to four and Mayo were awarded a penalty, which Cillian O’Connor rammed home.
Andy Moran levelled with 30 seconds left and then Stephen Cluxton had a late free that might have won it. He missed, so the sides met again the following Saturday.
2015 All-Ireland semi-final replay: Dublin 3-15 Mayo 1-14
THE first meeting had been cagey at times, but the replay was played at 100mph from the throw-in. Cillian O’Connor converted a free to leave it 0-10 apiece at the end of a hammer-and-tongs first-half and the same player landed the first power punch of the match seven minutes into the second-half, with a scissor-kick finish into the back of the Dublin net.
Lee Keegan missed a gilt-edged chance to extend the Mayo lead but, when Diarmuid O’Connor scored, Mayo led 1-12 to 0-11 with 18 minutes remaining. Victory was within Mayo’s grasp, but nerves began to set in and the westerners became over-cautious and over-elaborate in possession.
Once again, the momentum shifted in a flash. James McCarthy pulled a point back and, when Bernard Brogan slid in to score the first of three Dublin goals, suddenly it was all-square. It didn’t stay that way for long though - with Mayo’s tank emptied, further goals followed from Philly McMahon and Kevin McManamon and the Dubs ran out 3-15 to 1-14 winners.
