Tyrone leaped to third spot in the All-Ireland minor football championship roll of honour, after digging deep in extra-time to ensure this five-point victory at PearsePark in Longford.
Level on eight occasions in normal time, including three times in the first half, Tyrone produced the goods in extra-time, holding Mayo scoreless in the opening period as they led by 0-17 to 0-14 at the break.
A goal within 20 seconds of the restart from Conor O’Neill after a mistake by Mayo keeper Robert Hennelly, propelled Tyrone to victory.
Despite midfielder James Cafferty fisting home a 79th-minute goal for Mayo to cut the gap to four points, this was mere consolation for his side as Tyrone ensured a first ever senior-minor All-Ireland double for an Ulster side.
AFL prospect Kyle Coney (0-05) claimed the man-of-the-match award, and held the Red Hands together at vital stages in this replay.
Afterwards, joint captains Ronan McNabb and Ryan Pickering accepted the Tom Markham Cup from GAA President Nickey Brennan.
Both Tyrone manager Raymond Munroe and his Mayo counterpart Ray Dempsey had named unchanged sides from the teams that had started the drawn encounter.
However, Tyrone’s Ruairi Keenan earned a late call-up in place of midfielder Martin Rodgers.
Munroe’s charges settled well in the opening stages, with points from Conor O’Neill and defender Ronan Tierney inside two-and-a-half minutes.
In contrast, Mayo’s nerves showed with Aidan O’Shea erring in front of the posts. The Breaffy half-forward missed an early chance that Tyrone half-back Stephen MacRory cleared to safety.
Eager to make a positive start and in ideal conditions, Tyrone muscled into that early two-point lead.
Mayo managed to cut the deficit to a point at the end of the opening quarter, thanks to scores from Aidan Walsh and Ray Geraghty.
But the Connacht champions fluffed two early goal chances with O’Shea and Geraghty both wasting opportunities.
The first of three first half points from the highly-rated Coney propelled the Red Hands into a 0-04 to 0-02 lead on 17 minutes.
However, a resolute Mayo side dominated possession over the next seven minutes as team captain Shane Nally led by example.
Nally, Walsh and his fellow defender Eoin Reilly all converted chances to ensure a one-point lead for their side as the interval approached.
But as they have shown already in this year’s championship, Tyrone can bounce back time and again and they did just that, dominating midfield before half-time.
Scores from Coney (0-02), Ronan McNabb and Niall McKenna, as against a lone Mayo free from full-forward Walsh, gave Tyrone a 0-08 to 0-06 interval lead.
The second half offered more of the same fast-paced football.
Tyrone maintained their buffer as scores from Ciaran Gervin and O’Neill cancelled out efforts from James Cafferty and O’Shea.
Nonetheless, Mayo dug deep as three points in as many minutes from Walsh (0-02) and O’Shea propelled them in front for the first time since the 24th minute.
Tyrone’s spirit shone through until the end. With the sides level on four occasions in the closing 12 minutes, extra-time looked likely.
And a 62nd-minute Aidan Walsh free – his sixth of the game – meant the sides were all square at the end of normal time.
The sun may have drawn in for extra-time, but Tyrone certainly turned on the heat in the opening period as they began to dominate possession.
They contained Mayo to just brief spells on the ball and the Red Hand defenders were also winning their individual battles.
Two wides and two missed scoring opportunities were the sum total of Mayo’s statistics in the first half of extra-time.
During that time, a brace of Paddy McNeice frees and a fifth point from play from Coney shot Tyrone 0-17 to 0-14 ahead – that was the first time a three-point gap had been opened up in the contest.
Just as Tommy McGuigan fired home an early goal on the restart in last weekend’s senior encounter, Conor O’Neill replicated this in the second half of extra-time.
The goal came after just 20 seconds of play when Mayo goalkeeper Hennelly made an error under a high ball from McNeice.
O’Neill was on hand to capitalise on the rebound and fire to the net, bringing his match tally to 1-02.
Although Cafferty claimed a late goal, it was mere consolation as a resilient Tyrone side battled to their country’s seventh All-Ireland MFC title.
All-Ireland MFC Final Replay: Tyrone 1-20 Mayo 1-15
Tyrone – T Harney (Glenelly), S McRory (Errigal Ciaran), G Teague (Ardboe), F McQuaid (Augher), R McNabb 0-1 (Dromore), P Harte 0-1(Errigal Ciaran), R Tierney 0-2 (Errigal Ciaran), N McKenna 0-2 (Donaghmore), R Keenan (Gortin), C Gervin 0-1 (Derrylaughan), D McNulty (Gortin), M Donnelly 0-2 (Trillick), K Coney 0-5 (Ardboe), P McNeice 0-3 (Coalisland), C O’Neill 1-3 (Dromore). Subs: K Mossey (Gortin) for McRory, M Rodgers (Beragh) for Keenan, S Warnock (Greencastle) for McNulty, B McGarvey (Gortin) for Tierney
Tyrone 0-14 Mayo 0-14
Tyrone – T Harney (Glenelly); F McQuaid (Augher), G Teague (Ardboe), R Pickering (Cookstown); S McRory (Errigal Ciaran), P Harte (Errigal Ciaran), R McNabb (Dromore); N McKenna (0-1) (Donaghmore), M Rodgers (Beragh); C Gervin (0-3) (Derrylaughan), D McNulty (Gortin), M Donnelly (0-1) (Trillick); K Coney (Ardboe), P McNeice (0-6, 1f) (Coalisland), C O’Neill (0-3, 3f) (Dromore).
Subs – R Tierney (Errigal Ciaran) for MacRory (49), S Warnock (Greencastle) for Rogers (53), B McGarvey (Gortin) for McNabb (56).
