A heroic and talented group of teenagers swept to triumph over Tyrone to bring the Tom Markham Cup back to the western seaboard.

Goals on either side of half-time from Tommy Conroy and Darragh Doherty laid the platform for a full deserved three points victory, which would have been greate but for Conor McKenna’s last gasp Tyrone goal.

Tyrone had early scores from Lee Brennan, from a free, and two excellent efforts from midfielder Ronan Nugent, but each time the westerners responded, with full forward Liam Irwin converting three 13 metre frees in the opening quarter.

Tyrone were fortunate not to have a penalty awarded against them when Tommy Conroy was pulled back as he took aim for goal, getting on the end of a move involving Stephen Coen and Conor Loftus.

Tyron e deployed Frank Burns as a sweeper, and he broke up a series of raids, but with an extra man at the back, Mayo were able to work short kick-outs which were a platform for many of their attacks.

Eddie Doran and Seamus Cunniffe defended solidly as Tyrone swept forward, but the Red Hands made the pressure count as they opened up a two points lead through skipper Ruairi McGlone in the 24th minute.

Mayo weathered the storm, and after Irwin had thumped over a superb free, they got in for a 30th minute goal.

Wing back Michael Hall pushed forward and slipped a pass to Conroy, who skipped past two defenders before unleashing a wicked shot. Goalkeeper Sean Fox got a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent it from flying into the top corner of the net.

That score sent the westerners in with a 1-4 to 0-6 lead, and they made and explosive start to the second half, hitting 1-4 inside the opening eight minutes to put themselves firmly in control.

Darragh Doherty helped himself to two sumptuous points, and in the 38th minute, grabbed his side’s second goal.

The corner forward slipped in behind the cover to collect Coen’s pass and drill a low shot past Fox for a massive eight points lead.

Shell-shocked Tyrone managed to compose themselves for Brennan and Daire Gallagher to clip over frees, and they adopted a more offensive approach, trimming back the deficit with scores from substitutes Philip Donnelly and Cathal McShane.

When Brennan slotted his fourth point in the 49th minute, just a goal separated the sides.

But Mayo steadied the ship, and an excellent Loftus scores was followed by another from Conroy as the noise levels around Croke Park rose with the arrival of legions of additional supporters ahead of the senior game.

Enda Gilvarry’s side pushed for home with scores from Conroy and Conor Byrne, undeterred by McKenna’s last gasp fisted goal.

Mayo: M Mulligan, E Doran, S Cunniffe, D Kenny, M Hall, S Coen, S Conlon, V Roughneen, D O’Connor, C Loftus (0-03, 1f), M Plunkett, P Prendergast, D Doherty (1-02), L Irwin (0-04, 4f), T Conroy (1-02).

Subs: C Byrne for Doherty, H Cafferty for Plunkett

Tyrone: S Fox, C Byrne, R Quinn, C McCann, S Hamill, C Morris, P McGirr, R Nugent (0-02), F Burns, D Mulgrew (0-01), C McKenna (1-02), R McGlone (0-01), L Brennan (0-04, 3f), D Gallagher (0-01, f), S McGrath.

Subs: C McShane (0-01)for McGlone, P Donnelly (0-01) for McGrath, M Lynn for McGirr, C O’Donnell for Gallagher

Referee: C Lane (Cork).