Time for Mayo team to shine
Can the Green and Red down the Kingdom?
TYNAN'S TAKE
A generous description of Mayo’s championship so far would be underwhelming.
You can feel it anywhere you go across the county. For so long the biggest story and draw in the All-Ireland, there is a now a lull and a sense of when, not if, Mayo’s latest quest to bring Sam back stretches into its 72nd year for 2023.
That feeling is amplified when they take on many people’s favourites Kerry this Sunday in the All-Ireland quarterfinal, the very same team that dished out a tanking when the two last met in Croke Park for the league final earlier this year.
Yet some perspective is needed on it. Mayo did themselves few favours with a very flat performance but they were also without the services of Rob Hennelly, Oisin Mullin, Eoghan McLaughlin, Paddy Durcan and the O’Connor brothers. There is no team in the country that would not miss their presence and barring any issues in training recently, all six will be in Mayo’s starting lineup.
The Green and Red will also thrive in the form of being underdogs. Few will be giving them a prayer of taking Kerry down but much was also said about Mayo facing Dublin in last year’s semi-final and we all know how that turned out.
How Kerry are coming into this game also is anyone’s guess. Bar 45 minutes in the Munster semi-final, they have hardly been made to break sweat so far and in what looks to be a near sellout at HQ, Kerry coming into the Croke Park cauldron undercooked against a battle-hardened Mayo team could spell trouble for the Kingdom.
Nonetheless, they have wonderful talents. Gavin White was a menace for the Mayo backline with his pace and power from the half-back line. Sean O’Shea is a sweet a striker from dead ball situations as anyone while David Clifford put Padraig O’Hora through hell the last time two met. Should Clifford have a similar impact, it could be a long afternoon.
But if there is a time for Mayo to step up, it’s now. Lee Keegan – unquestionably Mayo’s player of the year so far – has led from the back with some inspirational performances this year. Enda Hession is beginning to come of age while Mullin’s decision not to go Down Under has reaped huge rewards for Mayo so far.
It’s further up the field that Mayo have had problems. Mattie Ruane has had an underwhelming year so far in the middle of the park. Conor Loftus, Brian Walsh and James Carr have been inconsistent and the presence of Ryan O’Donoghue has been sorely missed due to injury. A lot of us will be saying prayers and lighting candles that the Belmullet man is fit again.
They will all need to fire on Sunday. Displays like the ones against Galway, Monaghan and Kildare will be ruthlessly punished. If the real Mayo does not stand up, it will be our last trip east for a while to come.