Cillian and the Doc to be back for Mayo’s ‘runaway train’ season

IN what he described as a runaway train season ahead of Mayo, with the championship coming hot on the heels of the National League, Mayo manager James Horan said he expects both Cillian O’Connor and Jason Doherty to see some league action in the near future.

Both players missed most of last season due to injury, Doherty seeing no action at all at inter-county level, but both are back in training and will see some league football, according to the manager.

Manager James Horan said O’Connor expects to be back straight away having trained last week with the squad, but the medical team may feel he needs a bit longer.

"Cillian has been training and I expect will see some league action, while Jason could not be here tonight but is back in full training," Horan explained.

The Mayo manager added that the senior panel remains open-ended, and he also lauded the efforts of seven debutants who featured against Galway, particularly the two who played in defence, Castlebar’s Donnacha McHugh and Ballina’s Sam Callinan.

"We haven’t gone to a number of the club players because they are still involved in club competitions," said Horan.

Asked about Mayo having to concede home advantage to play three of their National League games at neutral venues because of the revamp of MacHale Park in Castlebar, he said that was something they hadn’t even discussed.

"That is out of our control but Markievicz Park, Hyde Park and Carrick-on-Shannon (the three venues for Mayo’s home games) are all fine pitches and we will just get on with it," he said.

What he is looking forward to is what he called a ‘rocking house’ at Hastings MacHale Park when Mayo face Galway in the preliminary round of the Connacht championship.

"It is going to be a runaway train of a season, with the championship straight after the league, but we are looking forward to a rocking house in MacHale Park for the game against Galway," he said.