Mayo knocked biggest rivals Galway out of the championship as a tremendous rally after the break saw them advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals by a single point.

Kevin McStay's men struck for 1-05 without reply after the restart as they put a poor first-half display, despite a bright start, behind them, then did enough to hold on and keep their season alive.

The 2022 All-Ireland finalists bowed out after a year which promised so much.

Galway should have led by more than 0-08 to 0-03 at the break having played with the wind and they paid the price after the interval as Mayo, with Diarmuid O’Connor leading the way, they did just about enough to edge out their neighbours at a packed Pearse Stadium.

Galway, boosted by the availability of captain Seán Kelly and Damien Comer, won the toss and opted to play with the strong breeze towards the city end of the Salthill venue.

Galway made one late change, with Seán Fitzgerald coming into the defence in place of corner-forward Ian Burke. John Daly was pushed up into attack.

Mayo made four changes with Padraig O'Hora not included in the matchday squad: Conor Loftus, Mattie Ruane and James Carr also made way as Eoghan McLaughlin, Kevin McLoughlin, Jason Doherty and Tommy Conroy came in.

The exchanges were intense from the outset, with Mayo making the stronger start against the breeze as they opened up a 0-03 to 0-01 lead after seven minutes. Stephen Coen fisted them in front before Tommy Conroy and McLoughlin kicked points after Peter Cooke got Galway off the mark.

But Mayo failed to build on that solid start and remarkably did not score again for the remainder of the opening half, during which time they kicked four wides and rarely troubled the home defence.

Shane Walsh landed a free to reduce the margin and after Comer had a shot saved by Colm Reape, the Annaghdown man tied the sides after 14 minutes.

Comer continued to cause plenty of trouble for the Mayo full-back line and he helped set up John Maher to fist Galway in front for the first time at the end of the opening quarter.

Matthew Tierney made it five points in a row for Galway when he first scored after a turnover and then tapped over a mark having gathered a good delivery from Paul Conroy.

Walsh, who hit four of Galway’s six wides in the opening half, extended their lead with a free but then missed what seemed an easier kick before Cillian McDaid ended their barren spell when he pointed five minutes before the interval to push the lead to 0-08 to 0-03 at the break.

Galway suffered a big blow when Comer, troubled by a hamstring all summer, went off at the break and former All Star Ian Burke came on to replace him, while Mayo also made a change, Enda Hession coming on for Doherty.

David McBrien lashes to the net

The tough exchanges continued, both on and off the ball, with Ryan O’Donoghue getting Mayo’s first score in 34 minutes when he tapped over a free.

O’Donoghue then cut the gap to a goal with an excellent effort from the left and their superb start to the second half got even better when full-back David McBrien rifled the ball to the net to tie the match at 1-05 to 0-08 after 44 minutes.

The Mayo supporters erupted and had further cause for celebration when former All Star Cillian O’Connor announced his arrival on the field with the lead point.

Galway responded but Reape produced another good save, this time to deny Tierney, before Mayo came downfield and Paddy Durcan doubled their lead with a point from distance. That made it 1-07 to 0-08 after 48 minutes.

Galway, with skipper Kelly continuing to struggle with the ankle injury picked up in the closing stages of their loss to Armagh last week, got their first score of the second half in the 55th minute from the experienced Paul Conroy after Durcan had got his second point of the contest.

That left Mayo 1-08 to 0-09 ahead with 15 minutes left. Tommy Conroy fisted a point for Mayo and Walsh responded with a free to leave two between them with seven minutes remaining.

Another free from Walsh cut the gap to the minimum as the match slipped into four minutes of added time before James Carr gave Mayo a two-point cushion in the 73rd minute.

A dejected Cillian McDaid leaves the field

Galway came with a final surge which saw a McDaid flick knocked away for a 45 by Eoghan McLaughlin.

In the final onslaught a snapshot from Maher flew over the bar as Mayo marched on to the last eight.

Mayo: Colm Reape; Sam Callinan, David McBrien (1-00), Eoghan McLaughlin; Jack Coyne, Jason Doherty, Paddy Durcan (0-02); Stephen Coen (0-01), Aidan O’Shea; Diarmuid O’Connor, Kevin McLoughlin (0-01), Jordan Flynn; Ryan O’Donoghue (0-03, 0-01f), Jack Carney, Tommy Conroy (0-02). Subs: Enda Hession for Doherty (half-time), Cillian O’Connor (0-01) for K McLoughlin (45), Matthew Ruane for Carney (59), James Carr for O’Shea (63), Donnacha McHugh for Coyne (73)

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Seán Kelly, Cian Hernon, John Daly; Paul Conroy (0-01), Matthew Tierney (0-02, 0-01f); Cillian McDaid (0-01), Peter Cooke (0-01), John Maher (0-02); Johnny Heaney, Damien Comer (0-01), Shane Walsh (0-04, 0-04f)

Subs: Ian Burke for Damien Comer (half-time), Cathal Sweeney for Johnny Heaney (48), Robert Finnerty for Cian Hernon (63), Tomo Culhane for Peter Cooke (69)

Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone)