Ciaran Moore broke Mayo hearts at Dr. Hyde Park this afternoon, knocking them out of the Championship with an after the hooter winner.
Fergal Boland had equalised seconds earlier, just before the hooter, with his wonder score off the outside of the right into the breeze appearing to have saved Mayo's season.
But Shaun Patton got his kickout away before the hooter, going long to the wing. Ciaran Moore came onto it at pace and roared through the Mayo defence before cutting inside and pointing off his right foot.
A draw would have been enough for both sides to progress. Donegal would have finished second on score difference anyway, so perhaps the sensible play from a Donegal perspective would have been to hit the kickout dead in case it was turned over and Mayo countered to win the game, which would have seen Donegal finish third, but such clarity of thought in the heat of the moment would have been a big ask. In the end, Moore's winner saved Cavan's season while sending Mayo home.
Donegal now have a home preliminary quarter-final against a third placed side at MacCumhaill Park next weekend. The nightmare draw in that one is Galway, with the draw set to take place tomorrow morning.
David McBrien's goal had given Mayo hope, coming when Michael Murphy hand passed the ball to an opponent, but the Donegal talisman fairly hit back, kicking a 45, striking another off a post, winning a kickout and having a hand in two more scores in a superb final 15 minutes.
Donegal controlled the ball for much of the opening half and led by three points at the break, 0-9 to 0-6. Peadar Mogan was black carded early on but Donegal made light of that to dominate possession and pick off points with Mayo really struggled to create scoring opportunities.
But Stephen Rochford's side came out fighting in the second half and had the relentless Jack Carney converted one of two goalscoring opportunities it might well have been a different story as Aidan O'Shea really came into the game after the break as a focal point for the Mayo attack.
Donegal also had their goal chances with Colm Reape clearing Patrick McBrearty's effort off the line with what looked like a foot block, so it should have been a penalty. Jim McGuinness' side had serious second half displays from Murphy and Moore in particular as they just about got the job done in the end.
Key Events
Jim McGuinness reaction
"We responded every time there was a bit of adversity there, particularly the goal. And then at the end there, they were a wee bit ruthless there. They went for the jugular and just finished it off.
"All these teams are top teams. It's hard to put Mayo out of the Championship. They ask a lot of questions of you. We are delighted.
"We are where we want to be. We play next weekend again and we want to be in the game after that as well. We will focus on recovery now."
Stephen Rochford reaction
"When you play in a league format, you get what you deserve. Over the course of the three games, the league table doesn't lie.
"In the first half we didn't get to the pitch of it. Much better in the second half, much crisper, brought the game to Donegal.
"We feel that we are competitive and we can challenge with the best teams. It comes down to a kick of a ball.
"It's mid-June and we are out, it's very, very disappointing."
On questions over his future and that of the team, Rochford replied: 'Look, Kevin McStay is still the manager of the team. I'm standing here as manager on an interim basis. We will review the year, as appropriate."
Shaun Patton reaction
"Chaotic finish there. I was glad to get the ball to hand in that last phase of play. We are into knockout football from now on so just grinding out results is the aim over the next few weeks, hopefully."
On matchwinner Ciaran Moore, Patton added: "He's a hard working and honest fellla so I'm delighted for him."
When asked by Tomas O Se of the biggest challenge over the next few weeks, Patton said: "Just keeping the body right is probably the most difficult part of it."
All-Ireland knockout stages and draw will look like this
All-Ireland Quarter-Finalists: Meath, Monaghan, Tyrone and Armagh
1st Seeds (Home Preliminary Quarter-Final next weekend): Dublin, Kerry, Donegal and Down
2nd Seeds: (Away preliminary quarter-final next weekend): Galway, Cork, Louth and Cavan.
The draw will take place tomorrow morning for the preliminary quarter-finals and will feature two pots. The first seeds will be in one and have home advantage with the second seeds in the other.
Repeats of group final games which won't be allowed are Donegal v Cavan, Down v Louth, Kerry v Cork and Dublin v Galway
The late drama
What a finish here. Sensational winner from Ciaran Moore who relaly impressed late on in the game and ultimately broke Mayo hearts and ended their season
What drama! Donegal break Mayo hearts after the hooter - Cavan come third, the Green and Red are finished for 2025
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 15, 2025
@RTE2 & @RTEplayer
Updates - https://t.co/y3r6wIE1Tu #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/wrqtkNoF58
Donegal finish second in the group
Tyrone thumped Cavan in the other game by 0-31 to 0-18 to top the group and go straight through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, with a fortnight's break to look forward to.
That means Donegal finish second and will have an All-Ireland preliminary round tie in MacCumhaill Park next weekend against a third place side.
The nightmare third place draw is Galway. Donegal, Kerry and Dublin will be keen to avoid them.
Full-Time Donegal 0-19 Mayo 1-15
It looked like Fergal Boland had saved Mayo's season, but his shot came just before the hooter.
Shaun Patton got his kickout away just before the hooter. What a run from Ciaran Moore at this stage of the game as he points off his right.
Should Mayo have held the ball until after the hooter for the shot?
Fergal Boland with a crazy shot to level it
But what a score off the outside of his right foot
69 Minutes: Donegal 0-18 Mayo 1-14
Mayo have to get the ball back or they're out. Donegal are moving it around.
Goal Chance Mayo
Jack Carney has another chance, but he hits it straight at Patton. The follow up from Paul Towey was blocked, but Mayo get a free
67 Minutes: Donegal 0-18 Mayo 1-13
Michael Murphy nails the 45.
Fergal Boland is in for Mayo.
Goal Chance Donegal
How did Patrick McBrearty miss that goal. It was surely a foot block from Colm Reape and a penalty. The referee missed that one. Credit to Reape who was out the field for the kickout when Shaun Patton's monster restart took him out of the game.
65 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-13
Huge score from Jordan Flynn to give Mayo hope. Darren McHale with a nice switch off a kick.
65 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-12
Patrick McBrearty finds Michael Langan, who kicks it wide. He wanted it back on the loop there.
64 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-12
The clock stopped for a lengthy spell there with Donegal's Jason McGee receiving treatment.
Mayo have the ball. Paddy Durcan drives it off the right and it goes wide.
Michael Murphy wins a serious Shaun Patton kickout. Huge play by the two of them.
62 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-12
It felt like Mayo needed a score there but Dawson hits his second wide. This one was on, off his left. The earlier one of the right, not so much.
61 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-12
A draw would see both sides go through here, but Donegal will want to win to secure a home preliminary quarter-final, assuming Tyrone stay ahead against Cavan.
Mayo have to draw or they're out.
60 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-12
Murphy is driving on here. He plays in Ciaran Moore, but Mayo stop him and the ball goes out for a 45, which Murphy fires off a post.
59 Minutes: Donegal 0-17 Mayo 1-12
Dawson's mistake in dropping the ball short ends with a Shane O'Donnell goal chance at the other end but he taps it over, after Michael Murphy set him up and blocked off O'Donnell's man.
57 Minutes: Donegal 0-16 Mayo 1-12
Michael Murphy atones for his error on the goal, firing a point. Then Conal Dawson drops one short for Mayo.
57 Minutes: Donegal 0-15 Mayo 1-12 - Daire O Baoill two pointer
Now Tyrone are top of the group as Daire O Baoill nails a two pointer, Donegal's second of the game, after a brilliant Ciaran Moore run.
Mayo are now top of the group!
What a last 15 minutes we ahve to come.
Davitt Neary is off for Mayo. He must be injured. Paul Towey is in. He's capable of sniping a point or two.
Brenda McCole was down injured there but has recovered.
David McBrien also scored a huge goal against Galway in the Championship two years ago.
Mayo GOAL
David McBrien goals after Michael Murphy fisted a pass away at the other end.. Jack Carney fed him and his scuffed shot came off the post. That's a two point lead for Mayo.
54 Minutes: Donegal 0-13 Mayo 0-12
Conor O'Donnell with a wide there and Sean Morahan wins the break off Mayo's kickout. Frantic Mayo attack and Ryan O'Donoghue drops his shot short with Donegal pushing them out and applying serious pressure.
52 Minutes: Donegal 0-13 Mayo 0-12 as both sides ring the changes.
Lovely finish from Darren McHale off his left from a tight angle. He's having a good year.
Enda Hession is off injured with Sean Morahan on.
Daire O Baoill and Jason McGee are in for Donegal with Oisin Gallen and Hugh McFadden off.
Goal Chance Mayo
Shaun Patton with a two step missile to Hugh McFadden there and Donegal are on the attack, but Dawson and O'Shea do really well to turn Langan over. Jack Carney's effort was poor enough, hit straight at Patton.
48 Minutes: Donegal 0-13 Mayo 0-11
Wide off his left foot from Mayo's Jack Carney there.
The first goal will be massive here as Michael Murphy wins the kickout, but Donegal have breached the three up rule and Ryan O'Donoghue taps over.