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03 Apr 2007 11:04 AM
KEVIN McSTAY In Spain for the Dublin match, we commandeered a few internet stations and surfed for Ireland.
HARSH WORDS A Dublin supporter vents his anger towards referee Michael Hughes during a brief spot of crowd trouble in the second half of Sunday’s game between Mayo and Dublin. Pic: Michael Donnelly
Home thoughts from abroad
Kevin McStay
I WAS unable to get to Castlebar due to a prior commitment to my annual warm weather training. School was out, holidays in and the children insisted Mayo must take a back seat this time. But before I left for the sun and sand I was following the build-up to our latest confrontation with the Dubs with much interest. The press coverage might carry some sense of how both sides were approaching this crucial tie. Paul Caffrey had insisted a week or so ago that it would be silly to mix up the importance of league and championship games and thus no real significance should be attached to this one. Sure Paul. Revenge in the context of GAA rivalries is a motive that keeps matters alive as we wait for the next time. And there always is a next time.
Then, late in the week, a sub-editor of a national paper displayed a wicked sense of humour (or, more probably, was fed up to the gills with more GAA team news) and lashed out the first headline he thought of: ‘Injury-ravaged Mayo name unchanged 15’. I laughed out loud and knew for sure it was game on – first strike to the politician. Brian Talty, the Dublin mentor, got his reply in quickly and it all read a little tetchy. He felt the state of the Mayo ER was nothing compared to that of the travelling side and anyway, this is classic Mayo under the new manager –play things down so low, they’re underground.
Not too many of the local Spanish population here are interested in the fortunes of Mayo fotball and even though they know it´s Sunday, their transistors sounded as if they were tuned to the Barcelona and Real matches. I do not know this for sure as I do not speak the language well, but I stayed for a minute or two without hearing a mention of a Mortimer or a Dillon. The local bars promised live GAA matches but alas, the Heineken Cup quarters are everywhere and not a sight of Round 6 of the NFL to be found.
But we are fanatics and the fanatic will stop at nothing. So, we commandeer a few internet stations and start surfing for Ireland. It may have cost a little more than the ticket into McHale Park but the sites visited produced average to good entertainment. One has the option of RTE, GAA, Hoganstand and possibly the best of all, gaaboard.com to get into the thick of the action. There you will find the varying views of fellow minded (NOT!) Gaels before, during and after the big matches. I cannot say of course how accurate their views are, but if you arrange for a mobile texter, on site at the game, then you are sure to get a decent picture of events all those miles away.
Though playing away from home, I did expect Dublin to win this one. But it appears they really are a fragile squad; once again, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. And once again, they collapse in a heap with the finishing line in sight. A penalty miss added to the growing sense of frustration for all – the management, the players and especially the supporters.
Mayo pulled off yet another superb effort to secure the points and while I am well aware the recent performances are not in keeping with the bucket full of league points harvested, one has to admire their resolve. This determination and resilience when reproduced in championship fare will be some asset to a team that has yet to click.
Mayo have qualified a game early for the NFL semi-finals and this achievement must be viewed in the context of the early season debate about the toughest division in this league. The only team we lost to (Donegal) are sitting pretty also and so with all the big guns to one side, the title is wide open and whoever wants to kick for home will win it.
It would provide an early season confidence booster and with Galway likely to get to a semi also, we do not have to worry about a solo exposure too close to the May deadline date. I believe we can win this if the ambition remains the same as up to this point. It would be an obvious boost and confirm once again that when it comes to league football, we are possibly the most consistent team of recent years.
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPS TO RETAIN CONNACHT TITLE
I CAN honestly say my years involved with Mayo U-21s as the team manager were the best times I experienced in football management. Involvement with a team at a high level is a very demanding job these days but it really helps if the people playing under you are ‘on side’. And possibly the most reassuring conclusion I drew from that time is this: despite many disappointments over a long period of time for many teams in championship action, Mayo players retain a great desire to prepare properly and play to their best ability for the honour of wearing the county jersey. They still train diligently, make many sacrifices and give of their best and this approach to training and discipline ensures we continue to play the game in the right spirit.
The U-21 crop of 2007 appears to be cut from the same granite as their immediate predecessors and, having tasted glory last year, are keen on a repeat. Next weekend promises a very good provincial decider – I have mentioned here before that Roscomon are working very hard in this crucial area in an attempt to produce more and better senior players.
Just now, Mayo might well be a little bit ahead of them. We retain nearly half of last year’s gang while the Rossies have dipped deep into the minor All-Ireland champions of 2006 for inspiration. A year or two difference at this level can count for a lot and unless you are something very special the step up straight from minor is not easy. We know many of those winning Ros minors are indeed special, but the feeling here is they will have to wait a little while longer.
While Roscommon hammered Sligo last week, Mayo had a better and more demanding match against a reasonably fancied Galway side. That game will stand to the current champions and together with a dedicated management (in the sense they do not have senior commitments to contend with) should ensure a better overall package for Mayo.
With the remaining three provinces throwing up some surprise results this under 21 championship has opened up and the winners from Connacht will have a big say in where the cup rests. It is certainly not a time to slip up but Mayo will have to play a lot of football to win this one. I expect they will.
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TAP TO READ MORE
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