All Ireland MFC round-up: Roscommon, Kerry, Tyrone and Mayo secure semi-final places

Provincial champions Roscommon, Kerry and Tyrone all booked their places in the semi-finals of the All-Ireland minor football championship on Saturday, while Mayo ensured that one of the champions, Offaly, bowed out with a dramatic win at Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon on Sunday.

It leaves the All-Ireland semi-final pairings of Kerry v Mayo and Roscommon v Tyrone, down for decision in two weeks time.

Mayo had to rally late to beat Leinster champions Offaly by 3-13 to 4-7, kicking the final four points after trailing by a point with eight minutes left.

Mayo were in bother early on with the wind on their back and Offaly deservedly led by 1-4 to 1-1 after 12 minutes, with Conor Hession and Ruarí Woods exchanging the goals. The Leinster side, however, didn’t score again in the first half as goals from Dara Flanagan and Conor Caghill helped Mayo to a 3-7 to 1-4 half-time lead.

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Second-half goals from Tony Furey, Cian McNamee and Dylan Dunne put Offaly on the cusp of a win but a two-point free from Conor Hession and injury-time kicks from Ben Joyce and Oran Murphy saw Mayo home.

The game of the weekend was the clash of Connacht champions Roscommon and Leinster runners-up Louth in Cavan on Saturday. This went right down to the wire with extra-time required before Roscommon survived by the tightest of margins, 1-19 to 2-15.

Penalties were looming until Dan Curran kicked the winning point for Roscommon right at the end, breaking the hearts of a very gallant Louth team who were bidding to reach their first All-Ireland semi-final since 1953.

Roscommon trailed by 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time after playing against the breeze but Louth played very well in the second half and it took late points from Shay McGuinness and a Dan Curran free to force extra-time.

A black card for emerging midfield star Tom Maguire dealt Louth a big blow just before the end of normal-time but they made a dream start to extra-time with a Michael McGlew goal. Roscommon recovered well and a Luke Shally goal helped them to a 1-16 to 1-14 lead at the break. They crept across the line in the end after Jack Martin got a second Louth goal at the start of the second period.

Kerry were forced to dig deep before edging out a very brave Cavan in Portlaoise, 0-14 to 1-9. A point up at half-time, Kerry got on top in the second half and it took a Matthew Duffy goal to keep Cavan alive. Kerry were 0-13 to 1-5 ahead heading into the last 10 minutes and Cavan rallied powerfully before a late Liam O’Brien point helped the winners home.

Tyrone showed why they are so fancied with an impressive 1-21 to 1-12 win over Cork in Portlaoise. They made a flying start as Cathal Farley got in for an early goal, led by 1-13 to 1-7 at the break with Ben Corkery getting the Cork goal, victory for the Ulster side never in doubt.