Roscommon overhaul Mayo at the death to win dramatic Rackard Cup
Brendan Mulry will be the toast of Roscommon hurling after capping a remarkable Croke Park fightback with a dramatic winning point to steal the Nicky Rackard Cup title.
Trailing by four points in the 68th minute of a rollercoaster game, it looked as if Roscommon were set for another loss to Mayo after National League and Rackard Cup group game defeats.
But points from substitute Ben McGahon, joint captain Conor Mulry and Eoin Kiernan tied the game, laying down the platform for Mulry to snatch the winning score with just seconds of stoppage time remaining.
It was a dramatic ending to an exciting game that swung back and forth though Mayo, the Division 3 champions and pre-match favourites, will kick themselves for letting victory slip through their hands.
Aside from coughing up that late advantage, they also blasted 20 wides over the 70 or so minutes as they slipped to agonising back-to-back final defeats.
Sean Canning, Robbie Fallon and Mulry all finished with 1-02 each for Roscommon who have fought back superbly in the competition after losing their opening game to Mayo and drawing their next match.
Roscommon operated in Mayo's slipstream in their previous two meetings, losing that group opener by seven points and conceding 3-25 when they met in the league.
Both of those games were in Castlebar admittedly though it looked as if things may go a similar way at neutral Croke Park.
Mayo were 0-09 to 0-03 ahead at the end of the opening quarter and dominating proceedings.
With a near patent on possession, they racked up point after point and Tooreen's Liam Lavin helped himself to three of the scores.
Eoghan Collins drilled one over too and then set up Eoin Delaney for one of his two scores as Ray Larkin's side turned the screw.
The only concern for Mayo was all the wides they were also tallying with far too many chances squandered.
They finished the first-half with a whopping 11 wides and another couple of point attempts that dropped short.
Roscommon seemed to draw energy from Mayo's difficulties and suddenly came roaring into the contest in the second quarter.
They outscored Mayo by 2-5 to 0-2 between the 19th minute and half-time to take an unexpected three-point half-time lead, 2-8 to 0-11.
Canning tortured Louth in his previous outing for Roscommon, striking a hat-trick of goals in that final round group game, and blasted 1-02 during the blitz.
It was his fourth game in a row to score at least one goal and he posted notice of his blistering pace with an earlier point after a speedy solo run.
Canning's 28th minute goal was a trademark powerful strike, coming at the end of a darting run in from the left.
Brendan Mulry's goal in stoppage time was more fortunate as he went up to contest Conor Cosgrove's long delivery and smiled as the sliotar deflected in off him.
Collins drew a great save from Roscommon goalkeeper Enda Lawless after the restart as Mayo chased scores.
Shane Boland, football star Fergal's brother, clipped two points to help reduce the gap to three after 45 minutes, 2-11 to 0-14.
Mayo had the deficit down to just one with under 20 minutes to go but were rocked by Roscommon's third goal from full-forward Robbie Fallon.
An amazing game still had a couple of crucial turns to take.
Mayo once again wrestled control of the game, reeling off 1-05 without response to take that three-point lead, 1-21 to 3-12, thanks in part to Eoin Delaney's 57th minute goal.
But just as Mayo seemed certain to get their hands on the silverware, they had it whipped from their grasp in the form of four Roscommon points in a row and that dramatic Mulry winner.
Roscommon: Enda Lawless; Adam Donnelly, James Dillon, Mark Ward; Micheal Hussey, Conor Cosgrove (0-01, 0-01f), Darragh Finn; Eoin Fitzgerald (0-03), Jack Donnelly; Finn Killion (0-01), Conor Mulry (0-02), Cian Murray; Sean Canning (1-02), Brendan Mulry (1-02), Robbie Fallon (1-02, 0-02f).
Subs: Liam Og Coyle for Killion 47, Ben McGahon (0-02, 0-01f) for Hussey 50, Jack Dowling for Murray 54, Ryan Conlon for Fitzgerald 58, Eoin Kiernan (0-01) for Fallon 62.
Mayo: Bobby Douglas (0-01); Connor Murray, Oisin Greally, Conal Hession; Simon Thomas, David Kenny, Eoghan Collins (0-01); Danny Huane (0-02), Shane Boland (0-06, 0-03f); Cormac Phillips, Ryan Duffy (0-01), Liam Lavin (0-04); Kieran McDermott (0-01), Eoin Delaney (1-03), Joe Burke.
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