Mayo booked a placed in the Connacht Football Championship semi-finals but they were made to work for victory by Sligo in Castlebar.
It was the Yeats County who opened the scoring on three minutes when David Quinn pointed for the visitors but the sides were soon level through Davitt Neary.
Sligo looked to have settled early on when captain Niall Murphy pointed to retake the lead but the resulting kick out saw Mayo score the opening goal of the match as Colm Reape picked out Neary and he in turn found Darren McHale as he passed ball into Ryan O’Donoghue.
Mayo tagged on three more points to lead by five points after 18 minutes of play with player of the match Aidan O’Shea on the mark for the home side.
The hosts lead by five points as the game approached half time but Sligo regrouped and points from Alan McLoughlin and Niall Murphy left the score 1-08 to 0-08 at the break.
The Green and Red had the perfect start to the second half with Aidan O’Shea finding the back of the net after David McBrien found Jack Carney in the lead up to the goal.
Mayo went seven points clear when debutant Dylan Thornton fisted a point. Sligo kept themselves in touch when they netted a goal of their own as Luke Towey punched home from a Pat Spillane pass.
The was six between the sides when Murphy had an effort to reduce the gap but it dropped short.
Mayo looked like they were coasting when they added three points without reply with substitute Fergal Boland among the scorers,
The visitors never gave up and a goal from Cian Lally gave them hope of coming back into the match with seven minutes to play.
Mayo looked like they weathered the storm once again with another three points without reply with O’Donoghue and Conal Dawson getting scores for Kevin McStay’s side.
Sligo made it an exciting finish of the game with firstly a point from Oisin Flynn and two excellent two pointers from McLoughlin and Murphy but time went against them as the hooter went as Mayo booked a place in the semi-finals against Leitrim.
Meanwhile Sligo will head to the Tailteann Cup which will begin in a month.
Mayo: Cormac Reape, Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession (0-01), Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Stephen Coen (c), Jack Carney (0-02), Matthew Ruane (0-1), David Neary (0-01), Darren McHale (0-04), Fenton Kelly, Aidan O’Shea (1-03), Dylan Thornton (0-01), Ryan O’Donoghue (1-04,4f)
Subs: Diarmuid O’Connor for Matthew Ruane 43, Fergal Boland (0-2) for Fenton Kelly 54, Niall Coggins for Davitt Neary 60, Sean Morahan for Donnacha McHugh 61, Conal Dawson (0-01) for Enda Hession 66, Paul Towey for Dylan Thornton 71
Sligo: Daniel Lyons, Evan Lyons, Eddie McGuinness, Paul McNamara, Brian Cox, Nathan Mullen, Luke Towey, Canice Mulligan, Patrick O’Connor, Cian Lally (1-01), David Quinn (0-01), Alan Reilly, Alan McLoughlin (0-05,1tp,1f), Niall Murphy (c) (0-07,1tp),Pat Spillane (0-02)
Subs: Ross Doherty for David Quinn 46, Shane Deignan for Pat Spillane 65, Lee Deignan for Paul McNamara 65, Oisin Flynn (0-01) for Alan Reilly 66, Mikey Gordon for Patrick O’Connor 71
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)
