Mayo end a 75-year wait for the county's fourth All-Ireland Senior Football title with a 1-20 to 1-17 victory over Kerry in a captivating and intense final that went down to the wi…

Mayo outlasted Kerry in a scintillating final to lift the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time since 1951 Mayo ended a 75-year wait for the county's fourth All-Ireland Senior Football title with a 1-20 to 1-17 victory over Kerry in a captivating and intense final that went down to the wire at a raucous Croke Park. In remarkable scenes, the emotion came pouring out of the Mayo squad and supporters as they lifted three quarters of a century worth of pain with a ferocious and tireless performance that denied Kerry a second straight title. Mayo, who came into the game having lost 13 finals - including two replays - since their 1951 triumph, suffered a slow start and fell 1-6 to 0-3 behind in the opening exchanges as talisman David Clifford's goal helped Kerry establish early dominance. But Mayo bounced back and trailed by only a point at 1-8 to 0-10 at half-time before surging clear in the third quarter, with Darragh Beirne's goal helping the Westerners build a five-point lead. Kerry clawed their way back and sat just two points down as they chased a late leveller, but they failed to strike before Tommy Conroy's score capped a famous win for Mayo. It also provided an unforgettable conclusion to a whirlwind first season under manager Andy Moran - who lost six finals during his Mayo playing days - and sends starlet Kobe McDonald off to Australia an All-Ireland champion at just 18 years of age. "We kept the faith. We're All-Ireland champions," said an overjoyed Mayo captain Jack Coyne.