Mayo captain Jack Coyne happy everyone is 'driving in the same direction'

“It's a great honour to be captain of Mayo and I'm absolutely privileged to have the role.”

MAYO captain Jack Coyne has said the new-look county team a nice blend of young players and those with a touch more experience, all driving in the same direction and hungry to get better.

Coyne, who has produced some sparkling displays at corner-back for the Green and Red during the 2026 championship, was appointed captain when Andy Moran took over as manager last year.

The Ballyhaunis club man said he is true to himself in the new role.

“I would say the most thing it (captaincy) entails is probably being true to yourself. It's who you are. Andy Moran kind of expressed that when I got the role.

He said to me, 'You got this position for a reason and don’t try and change your personality'.”

What about his style of captaincy? “I would have a quiet word with a player here or there and I wouldn’t speak for the sake of speaking.

"If I see something and I feel like there's a need to talk about it, I would. But I think if you're speaking constantly without a reason behind it, it loses the impact. So, it's just kind of being a support to lads.

“A player might be injured, whatever, be struggling for a bit of form, and I might also be there offering support to them.

“It's a great honour to be captain of Mayo and I'm absolutely privileged to have the role.”

Jack mentioned previous captains who are still in the Mayo panel. “I'd be fairly comfortable in myself, and I've just been the same person I've always been.

But, again, we've had some great captains who are still in the squad. I think of the likes of Stephen Coen, Paddy Durcan, Aidan O’Shea, Cillian O’Connor, Diarmuid O’Connor. They are just great lads.

“And, in fairness, they're still contributing to the group, both on the field and off the field, which is hugely important because their experiences are invaluable to us.”

Coyne is a qualified PE teacher and spent two years in Ballyhaunis Community School before deciding to take a career break and went back to NUIG, where he completed a higher diploma in business studies.

“I was a PE teacher and then this year I took a break from that and went back to college and did a HDip in business studies. I've always had an interest in that kind of world, and I just wanted to maybe explore it a bit and see if there's anything in it for me.

“So, at the minute, I'm kind of on summer holiday mode. I will wait and see where I will be in September, and I will cross that bridge when I come to it.”

The captain has had a dream year so far being Mayo captain and he is now preparing to lead his county out at Croke Park on the greatest stage of all.

“I suppose the year has progressed fairly well and I think the key thing I've thought of is that the year has been so fast. The nature of the new game – or the new structure, I should say – is like you're rarely without a two-week period without a game, which is class, because it just comes so fast.

“You are recovering from a game and then go back to training and then there is a game. It has been busy.

“My dream was always to play for Mayo and I am doing that now, so it has been a great experience.”

INSPIRATION

As a young player growing up, Jack took inspiration from his fellow Ballyhaunis club man and former Mayo captain, Keith Higgins.

“I would have been inspired by Keith. He'd probably hate me talking about him and I've done it enough! But look, Keith is a four-time All-Star and just a great fella.

What a player he was for Mayo at both codes, and the club also. I would have looked up to him a lot, and how he conducted himself off the field as well.

“We are fortunate that he is involved in the group now as well, and I can still get his insights – particularly as a corner-back. That advice is invaluable.”

Coyne has also been impressed with the huge support the team has received from the Mayo supporters in the All-Ireland series.

“I think the crowd was really getting behind us in Monaghan, and I think we fed off that. And then in Tyrone, we came out the wrong side of the game that day but they were still there, and they cheered us on, and then when we came out here against Meath, that second half, the roar, we got that.

“It's probably the first time I really experienced it in MacHale Park playing for Mayo and there is great energy from the supporters, and it definitely helps us perform. We have also had great support in Croke Park as well in the quarterfinal and semi-final.”

The Mayo defensive unit has been steadily improving game by game in the All-Ireland series. Jack feels that the Mayo rearguard are improving and learning together.

“I suppose that kind of comes with the familiarity to maybe guys who you're playing alongside, like, say, young Eoin McGreal, who has come into the team and taken to the game like a duck to water.

"I’ve really enjoying playing beside Eoin. He is full of confidence, both going forward and as a defender, and I'm learning so much off him, the way he plays the game. And the more time we spend together as a collective unit, you're obviously going to become more connected. It's just enjoyable and we put a lot of work into it.”

Garrymore’s Enda Hession has been one of Mayo’s standout performers over the course of this championship Odyssey. Coyne described his fellow defender as 'an incredible talent'.

He added: “Enda would have been a corner forward on the Mayo minor team in 2018, and he's always been an incredible footballer, but he's also an exceptional defender.

"Playing in the half-back line with the new rules, it's probably given him the licence to escape the back three and get up the field and contribute. But I always knew Enda was capable of that. So, yeah, he is just a great guy, and he is performing really well.”

Jack also said that there is a great bond and team unity within the Mayo group.

“We spend four or five nights a week training together and the lads are best friends. You meet up for coffee with these lads and socialise with these lads. It is always enjoyable playing in MacHale Park or an away trip, and there is always a great team spirit in the camp.”

As a defender, Coyne is enjoying the new rules.

“In the one v one battles you really test yourself, and if you are not up for the match you will get caught out. But for me, there's no better feeling when I am on it and I'm tackling away, especially the individual one v one duels.”

Coyne said that after the defeat to Roscommon in the Connaught Championship, everyone in the camp was eager to get back on track.

“We all came back to the first training session after that game with an appetite to improve. We have excellent coaches in Andy Moran, Colm Boyle, Paddy Tally, Keith Higgins and Paul Durcan, and they’re all great lads with a fountain of knowledge.

“One thing I will say about the group is that everyone is hungry to get better and there is a nice mix of youth and experience. We are all driving in the same direction.”

* Check out the 28-page All-Ireland SFC final supplement in this week's issue of The Connaught Telegraph.