Tuesday, 16 April 2013 13:41

Mayo's Colm Boyle found it difficult to find space agains Dublin duo Kevin O'Brien and Michael Darragh MacAuley during last Sunday's Allianz national football league semi-final clash at Croke ParkTHIS time the pain didn’t seem to cut as deep. Perhaps that is the difference between losing in the league and the championship.

But the pain from another defeat in Croke Park did not seem to hurt as much this time round, although the Mayo players were clearly disappointed having failed once more at headquarters and leaking two goals and failing to score one themselves.

Mayo’s appearance in the league semi-final on Sunday was always a bonus for the injury-hit side as James Horan looked at the glass as being more than half full after a sixpoint defeat against Dublin, the second time they have lost to the blue army in this year’s league.

Goals were always going to count and Mayo coughed up two to go 10 points behind having led at one stage by three points. They did create two very good goal-scoring opportunites of their own but execution has been their problem in a league in which they have scored just two goals.

However, it was the nature of their comeback and their refusal to drop their heads which impressed the manager most as he plots for the defence of a Connaught title in Pearse Stadium on May 19.

Horan was happy to be back in Croke Park and getting an extra game.

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 13:25

Dubin 2-16 .. Mayo 0-16 .... AND so, the final curtain in the national league for Mayo came down in Croke Park on Sunday, where the Connaught champions were ultimately outclassed by a Dublin side who have the engine well warmed up for a good run at the championship.

Mayo would appear to be suffering from the dirty petrol syndrome. They began well, only for the engine to cut out, and when they got going again, well, Dublin had refuelled and taken off with two goals, and the moans and groans from Mayo supporters in a disappointing crowd of 24,941 on a dry but windy day could be heard back in Blacksod.

In fairness, we didn’t expect miracles from a team that is being groomed for the championship and were up against a side that is currently in redhot form and has a pick from a million plus population. But, in essence, Dublin looked awesome at times. Mayo looked average at best.

Mayo were always in bonus territory from once they salvaged their division one status and qualified for a league semi-final, but the question now is are they any better off than they were this time last year?

I’d venture to say nothing really has changed, and while Mayo are expected to have another good run at the championship, and did go into this game missing at least three key players, they still have some distance to go before their ultimate championship ambition can be realised.

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 13:12

BEFORE Mayo first played their opening league game against Kerry at the beginning of February the aim was to keep their division one status and anything after that was going to be a bonus.

After indifferent performances in the group stages of the league (Mayo won just three of the seven games), Mayo, after a good away victory against Cork, not alone kept themselves in division one but earned a semi-final place. So, on two fronts their goal had been achieved - a place in the elite division one for next year and the bonus of a semi-final game in Croke Park.

It was generally felt the game against Dublin in the league semi-final would answer a lot of questions as to where Mayo are now at in terms  of being able to challenge for Sam Maguire this year. These questions were certainly answered in no uncertain manner on Sunday after Dublin gave Mayo a six-point beating.