The county’s Minor footballers lost out to Kerry by three points at Cusack Park in this afternoon’s All-Ireland semi-final. They only did so, however, after a real battling performance, as Kerry eked out the vital scores at the death to seal victory by 1-19 to 3-10.

There was a strong swirling wind blowing around the Ennis venue today and, in this era where the breeze carries with it the opportunity to bag two-point scores, that reward always had the potential to prove decisive, in particular given how well matched the teams were. That’s how it proved, with Kerry’s four two-pointers with the wind behind them in large part the reason why they prevailed.

We had that wind at our backs in the first half. When we reached the halfway mark just a point to the good, however, you got the feeling then that we hadn’t made optimum use of the conditions.

Mind you, although we hadn’t got the umpire reaching for the orange flag, his colleague standing against the other upright had by then waved the green flag twice as we bagged two first half majors. Kerry, meanwhile, had a first half goal of their own to celebrate at the other end.

Our first goal, smashed home by Cian May after a mazy run from out the field, was a real tonic for us. They’d got the game’s first two scores, from the excellent Ben Kelliher (I make it that he weighed in with nine points in total, including two of his team’s four two-pointers) and the goal came a minute after Ben Holmes had clipped over our first score ten minutes in.

The sides then traded scores for a while. Dara Flanagan – our lead scorer today, operating from centre-forward – and Conor Hession, who shot over on the rebound after his goal effort was blocked, scored for us.

When Ó Sé found the net for them, after he was spotted inside and a long ball delivered pin-point to him, Kerry were two to the good and seemingly well in control.

Ben Holmes hit back with a boomer from distance and then a few minutes later the same player won a long ball in and fed Tony Carey who was bundled over in the square.

Kerry’s goalkeeper, Ruairí Kennedy, was somewhat harshly black-carded for the foul and so it was their replacement ‘keeper Seán Sargeant who had to face Dara Flanagan’s spot-kick. The Eastern Gaels player made no mistake with the penalty and we were back in front.

We traded scores quickly after that – Tony Carey getting ours – and then a Kerry free left just one between the teams at half-time.

Kerry’s better use of the wind was laid bare within minutes of the resumption. Kelliher and Griffin (a free) landed two two-point scores in quick succession and so they were now three in front.

Their next score, also from Griffin, was another two-pointer. We were barely hanging in there now.

That prompted a number of changes, with Oran Murphy and Ben Joyce both coming on, as a Dara Flanagan point for us helped to staunch the bleeding somewhat.

Kelliher landed another one for them but they then went thirteen minutes before scoring again. In the interim we added 1-3 to seize back the lead.

Dara Flanagan kick-started this scoring spree with a point from play. Then Conor Hession knocked over a free and soon after Oran Murphy came galloping through the middle and finished calmly to the net. Conor Hession then added another point, following another strong burst by Oran Murphy.

With all the momentum behind us, our lads now looked the likelier to prevail. They eventually pulled level – inevitably, it was Kelliher (a free) who got the score – but a minute into injury time Ben Holmes put us back in front for what proved to be the final time.

Then Kerry came with their late, decisive surge. White got the leveller, sub Lacey edged them in front and, with the last kick of the game, Kelliher landed a two-point free to complete a three-point win and send them on to the final against Tyrone.

It was a tough ending to the game and to the campaign for a Mayo team that showed real battling qualities at Cusack Park today. This is a team that has grown in stature over the last number of weeks and today came within a whisker of reaching the All-Ireland final.

Commiserations to them on today’s defeat but well done to them for the way they represented the county with distinction this year.

Mayo: Thomas Williams; Conor Coghill, Barry Langan, Cahair Tighe; Ryan O’Donnell, Declan Duffy, Eoghan Dever; Adam Kelly, Cian May (1-0); Rhys Neary, Dara Flanagan (1-3, penalty goal), Conor Jordan; Ben Holmes (0-3), Conor Hession (0-3, two frees), Tony Carey (0-1). Subs: Peter Quinn for Coghill (blood), Oran Murphy (1-0) for Carey, Ben Joyce for Neary, Fionn Ó Cinsealla for Hession.