I would be wary of a Galway team from whom little is expected - Martin Carney's view
THE Connaught Telegraph's GAA analyst Martin Carney, who works with RTÉ sport during the championship season, has tipped Mayo to defeat Galway in tomorrow evening's Connaught SFC semi-final at Elverys MacHale Park in Castlebar - but he is not without concerns for the hosts.
MARTIN CARNEY'S ASSESSMENT
IT’S only a short time since Mayo last played a Saturday night championship game.
Limerick in 2014, on a bittersweet evening, hosted a classic where Kerry edged out Mayo in a gladiatorial contest.
Saturday night fever returns at 7 p.m. this weekend when Galway visit Elverys MacHale Park for their semi-final game with Mayo.
Traditionally, championship games with Galway come packaged with a special magic. With respect to others in the province, this game is Connaught’s version of the Old Firm derby.
Whereas in the past Mayo folk cast envious looks at successful Galway teams the wind of change has in recent years seen Mayo dominate the province. This quest for six-in-a-row provincial crowns has elevated their status to a plateau that for Galway footballers is, for now, but a mirage.
Saturday is due to provide a real feast of sport. International rugby and soccer appetisers will leave fans in Connaught baying for the main course later that evening.
Galway’s recent spectacular fall from grace may deter some of their less committed from travelling but guaranteed to swell the attendance will be the fanatical hordes who currently follow Mayo.
Make no mistake about it, expectation for the tribesmen from among their own ranks is at an all-time low such has been their performance curve over the last few years.
Permanently rooted in Division Two of the National League since 2012, without a Connaught title since 2008 and only occasional diners at the top table when the business end of the season has unfolded in Croke Park, little has gone well with the tribesmen to raise the spirits of their supporters.
At face value Mayo have little to fear and every reason to feel confident of victory. They have competed with the best and through hard work and perseverance have been consistently ranked as one of the top three teams in the country over the last five years.
With the exception of Dublin and Kerry and possibly Donegal, none possess the depths of experience, the accumulated fitness levels nor the ambition of the Mayo men.
In specific terms they have beaten Galway in each of their last four championship meetings since 2011. Admittedly, last year’s four-point win in Pearse Stadium was the closest that Galway have come in a while but I don’t think that this display was a precursor of any great improvement with the tribesmen.
Since then they only managed two wins in the National League, one against Laois and the other against Derry. Their cause hasn’t been helped by the losses of Johnny Duane and Michael Lundy and I get a sense that the hoped-for improvement from some of their successful Under 21s of recent times hasn’t materialised to the standards expected.
That outstanding underage midfield pairing of Tomas Flynn and Fiontan O’Currain have to date found it hard to push on as senior players. Perhaps too much was expected from them but certainly their graduation to the senior ranks has been underwhelming when compared to what they did at underage.
If fit, both will man the central sector alongside Paul Conroy. More than any others, Galway hopes will rest on the performances of this trio. Here they will have to cope with the physicality of the O’Shea brothers and Tom Parsons.
From witnessing his club form this year one can clearly detect improved levels of mobility and movement in Aidan O’Shea and I expect him to wield a huge influence around the middle.
As an alternative, his power and bulk can be harnessed in a role close to goal if the occasion demands but primarily I think he will be deployed in areas where he can exert maximum influence.
David Wynne, Declan Kyne, Liam Silke and Gary O’Donnell have been ever present throughout Galway’s recent league run. Wynne and Kyne are inexperienced at this level which is something that Cillian O’Connor will have noticed.
With his ruthlessness close to goals he can trouble Galway and Mayo must get him, and indeed Evan Regan, on the end of movements.
Over the last few years Mayo’s strength has been centred on its running game and the team’s capacity to play with demonic intensity. From the new management I would expect a broadening of the tactical options and systems, with an increased emphasis on delivery with the foot.
Teams with a singular and predictable attacking system leave themselves vulnerable so I would expect some interesting variations in the Mayo attack.
Nothing saps the energy more than attempting to execute a continuous running game so Mayo must be smart by mixing styles and strategies.
Apart from Chris Barrett, who is a definite absentee, all the other defenders are available for selection. The choice for centre-back will command much attention but I expect Lee Keegan to man the pivotal position.
Though they tried the experiment repeatedly in the league few seemed comfortable in the role of sweeper. Colm Boyle revels in trench warfare and Patrick Durcan is hard-wired to attack.
It looks to me that Keith Higgins may be most suited to the role and may have to accept this responsibility with the other five defenders going man to man.
Damien Comer, Gary Sice and Shane Walsh can cause problems.
Remember Sice’s goal last year and the persistent threat carried by Comer. If this trio catch fire things could become interesting.
Galway will come on Saturday with an undisguised determination to frustrate Mayo’s quest for this historic six in a row.
Though they have nursed some real hurt over the last few years I still cannot see them shunting Mayo off course. One can never discount the unforeseen or the unpredictable in sport.
A bad decision, a red card or an unforced error can often scupper the best laid plans. Time will tell if Mayo can summon the same hunger, belief and ambition as in the past.
Though I would be wary of a Galway team from whom little is expected, Mayo, with their superior strength and experience, should win the game by a reasonable margin.