Knockmore, powered by top scorer Padraig Brogan, who hit 1-4, lifted their eighth Mayo senior football title at McHale Park, Castlebar yesterday, where they retained their crown against outsiders Kiltimagh, who were appearing in their first final.
A major upset looked on the cards when Kiltimagh chalked up six points with the breeze behind them before Knockmore got their first score in the 23rd minute of an entertaining and vigorously contested first half.
Significantly, it was Brogan who found the target, indeed the former Mayo player scored all of their three first half points to leave them trailing 0-6 to 0-3 at the break.
Shane Gilmartin, the powerhouse in a great Kiltimagh defence, got their opening point from play while Peter McNicholas, Adrian Forkan and Brendan Mooney all contributed as Kiltimagh left Knockmore floundering in the first twenty minutes of a game watched by around 5,000.
However, five minutes into the second half Ray Dempsey got the vital flick to put the ball into Brogan's path and he rounded the Mayo keeper Peter Burke, to slot home the only goal of the game. When Kevin Staunton put Knockmore into the lead for the first time a minute later the champions never looked back as Kiltimagh began to fade and points from Peter Cawley (two) Shane Sweeney, Ray Dempsey and Joe Davis saw Knockmore pull away to a comfortable win in the end.
