A winning start would fit the bill perfectly for McStay's charges

by Martin Carney, Mayo GAA's foremost columnist

NONE, bar one, quite raises the temperature.

With respect, labelling the opening 2024 Allianz National Football League fixtures Dublin v Monaghan, Kerry v Derry and Tyrone v Roscommon as crowd-pullers is slightly overstating matters.

They're more run-of-the-mill league fixtures, and this isn’t meant being disrespectful or attempting to diminish their importance.

Doubtless the headline-writers will target Tralee for Mickey Harte’s latest incarnation in management.

Dublin’s state of health is always an issue; testing their current pulse rate will interest all. Monaghan and Roscommon – remarkable in their own unique way – will remain consistently competitive; year after year they prove a match for most.

With respect, then, standing proud on the opening day is the western classic, Galway v Mayo.

Sunday afternoon’s clash in Pearse Stadium is a perfect fit to start the season and, hopefully, will attract a healthy attendance.

Lovers of football in Connacht look to this clash annually for signs of health, traces of potential and indicators signalling which of the two stand the best chance of making waves in a footballing sense.

The old chestnut 'Sure it’s only the league’ won’t matter a jot on Sunday as both will strive to start the season on a positive note.

Aside from setting in train a winning habit, victory in the opening game builds confidence, helps to foster an early season sense of self-belief and allows fringe players, in particular, to grow.

Beating one’s oldest and greatest rival simply adds that bit of extra lustre.

Every year is a big one for Mayo football.

Few counties boast a public with such a strong bond with their senior team.

Last year’s league win was a great start to Kevin McStay’s time at the helm but, with respect, this year hopes and expectations will rise a notch or two.

Championship will be actively prioritised. At a recent launch for the competition, ace forward Ryan O’Donoghue made the point that winning the 2023 league was a mixed blessing.

While the success was welcome, he felt it came at a cost.

Due to the team’s schedule that required an opening championship game with Roscommon seven days later, it meant that the team was ill-prepared for the test.

The impression he gave was that Mayo this year will be happy to build a team, retain their Division 1 status and tackle the Connacht championship with all their might.

Achieving these with the added bonus of being heavy-hitters in the race for Sam would give all involved cause for satisfaction. Still, staying in the top flight is important.

Pitting oneself against the best week after week is guaranteed to raise standards.

That not-so-small matter of determining one’s seeding in the later All-Ireland competition is conditional on league placing.

From a purely football perspective, that mix of self-belief, confidence and awareness of one’s worth grows with successes against the top teams.

Hijacked by injury last season after a promising opening three games, Rory Brickenden will welcome the chance to get centre-stage once more.

Eyeing matters long-term, Kevin McStay would love, I’d say, to see him manning and holding down the full-back position.

Fergal Boland is also back in side but the necessity to unearth new talent is acute and giving them meaningful game time is vital.

Never in recent seasons has this assumed the same level of importance.

Every game in Division 1 is daunting. Points will be hard earned. Attention will focus on changes in style, strategies and structure.

Monitoring the impact that the newly introduced will command huge interest; it’s a route that Kevin McStay has to explore.

More than anything, a winning start and leaving Pearse Stadium with two points harvested would fit the bill perfectly.