Castlebar Mitchels pushed hard by Mohill before pulling away late on

Leitrim champions were level with Mayo side with 15 minutes to go

Danny Kirby and Eoghan O’Reilly of Castlebar Mitchels battle for breaking ball with  Shane Quinn and Darren McLoughlin of Mohill during the AIB  Connacht club SFC quarter-final at Elvery’s MacHale Park in Castlebar. Photograph: Dave Farrell/Inpho
Danny Kirby and Eoghan O’Reilly of Castlebar Mitchels battle for breaking ball with Shane Quinn and Darren McLoughlin of Mohill during the AIB Connacht club SFC quarter-final at Elvery’s MacHale Park in Castlebar. Photograph: Dave Farrell/Inpho

Castlebar Mitchels (Mayo) 0-16 Mohill (Leitrim) 0-11

Mayo champions Castlebar Mitchels had to call on all their experience and resources to finally see off the challenge of Leitrim side Mohill in Saturday’s Connacht club SFC quarter-final at MacHale Park.

The winners booked a semi-final place with Tourlestrane of Sligo at the same venue next Sunday.

Mohill were well in this game with 15 minutes remaining as the sides were tied at 0-9 apiece but the three-in-a-row Mayo champions found a new gear and a string of points from Neil Douglas (three), Cian Costello (three) and Danny Kirby helped to get the Mayo champions over the winning line

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Castlebar kicked the first two points of the game from play inside four minutes and also had the last two points in the half to hold an interval lead of 0-7 to 0-5, with David Stenson nailing his third free and Eoghan O' Reilly scoring the best point of a half which saw Mohill lead briefly-0-5 to 0-4.

Keith Beirne was top man for Mohill and he kept them in the game until the three-quarter mark when the Mayo champions kicked on.

CASTLEBAR MITCHELS: R Byrne; C Kyne, G McDonagh (0-1), D Newcombe, R O'Malley (0-1); N McCarney, E O Reilly (0-1); P Durcan, A Walsh (0-1); B Moran (0-2), J Durcan, D Kirby (0-1); C Costello (0-3), D Stenson (0-3, three frees), N Douglas (0-3).

Subs used: S Irwin for McCarney, A O'Boyle for Walsh, M Towey for O'Malley, M McCormack for Moran

MOHILL: P Tighe; J Mitchell, R Gallagher, O Madden (0-1); D Gordon, C Canning, C Kennedy; D McLoughlin, S Quinn; D Beck, S McGowan, K Keegan (0-1); R Kennedy (0-2), K Beirne (0-7, six frees), A McLoughlin.

Subs used: D Mitchell for D Gordon (inj), R Gordon for Beck, E Harkin for Madden.

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).