Nickey Rackard Cup Final

DONEGAL 3-17 MAYO 0-22

By Stuart Tynan at Croke Park

Donegal won a record-extending fourth Nickey Rackard Cup after a brilliant second half comeback saw off the brave challenge of Mayo in Croke Park this afternoon.

Josh Cronolly McGee was every bit the super sub as his goals in the 60th and 63rd minutes were ultimately the difference while Mayo could not make the most of the goal opportunities that came their way second half.

It was an excellent turnaround from Donegal, who, despite having the wind in the first half, scored just eight points from 23 shots. Mayo were much more effective in their use of the small ball, converting 12 points out of their 14 attempts in the first 35 minutes.

Central to their output was Tooreen sharpshooter Shane Boland, who finished with 0-9. He was a marked man all afternoon, with Donegal duo Jack O’Loughlin and Danny Cullen both picking up yellows for fouls on Boland in the first half.

The first 20 minutes were an even affair with the sides level on five occasions by the 20th minute. Mayo, however, would begin to take full advantage of Donegal’s misfiring attack as they would outscore them 0-6 to 0-2 in the final 15 minutes of the half through Shane Boland (two), Bobby Douglas (free), Cormac Phillips, Seán Kenny and Eoin Delaney to lead 0-12 to 0-8 at half-time.

Donegal manager Michéal McCann rang the changes at the break, with Josh Cronolly McGee, Peter Kelly and Oisín Grant all coming in and Kelly brought the gap back to four following a Mayo point by Liam Lavin.

Mayo stretched their lead to six through Shane Boland and Sean Kenny before Sean Regan missed a golden chance to find the net after running through the centre of the Donegal backline only to make a mess of the shot.

After a Liam McKinney effort, Ruairí Campbell made no such mistake as he flicked Conor Gartland’s pass into the net on 44 minutes for Donegal’s first goal.

Mayo responded well and brought the gap back to six through a trio of Shane Boland efforts and one each from Sean Regan, Liam Lavin and Sean Kenny on 53 minutes.

Yet they would score only more point for the remainder of the final. Donegal hit 1-3 in four minutes to draw level with ten minutes remaining. The goal a swift counter that was finished by McGee before he repeated the trick three minutes later, with late points by Stephen Gillespie and Ruairí Campbell sealing Donegal’s place in the Christy Ring Cup for 2025.

Scorers for Donegal: Josh Cronolly McGee 2-0, Ruairí Campbell 1-3, Gerard Gilmore 0-5 (2f, 1 65’), Liam McKinney 0-2, Danny Cullen 0-2, Seán McVeigh 0-2, Stephen Gillespie 0-1, Peter Kelly 0-1, Brian McIntyre 0-1.

Scorers for Mayo: Shane Boland 0-9 (2f), Liam Lavin 0-3, Sean Kenny 0-3, Eoin Delaney 0-2, Cormac Phillips 0-1, Bobby Douglas 0-1f, John Heraty 0-1, Seán Regan 0-1, Adrian Phillips 0-1.

Donegal: Luke White; Ciarán Curran, Stephen Gillespie, Gavin Browne; Steven McBride, Jack O’Loughlin, Seán McVeigh; Gerard Gilmore, Conor O’Grady; Conor Gartland, Liam McKinney, Brian McIntyre; Seán Ward, Danny Cullen, Ruairí Campbell.

Subs: Josh Cronolly McGee for O’Loughlin h/t, Peter Kelly for McIntyre h/t, Oisín Grant for Ward h/t, Ronan McDermott for Gartland 47, Pádraig Doherty for Browne 59.

Mayo: Bobby Douglas; Daniel Huane, Oisin Greally, Conor Murray; Conal Hession, David Kenny, Eoghan Collins; Sean Kenny, John Heraty; Sean Regan, Adrian Phillips, Liam Lavin; Shane Boland, Cormac Phillips, Eoin Delaney.

Subs: Kenny Feeney for A Phillips 51, Michael Farrell for Heraty 63, Joseph Burke for C Phillips 67.

Referee: Peter Owens (Down).