Are mayo genuine contenders for the sam maguire
THE Connaught Telegraph's GAA analyst Martin Carney, a former Mayo and Donegal footballer, has given his assessment on how good the Connaught champions are and whether or not they are genuine contenders for the Sam Maguire Cup this year.
He stated: 'In nearly every position on the field against Sligo in the provincial final, Mayo were able to win the fifty-fifty contests and guarantee a liberal supply of the ball to their forward line.
'Their opponents, with the honourable exception of Pat Hughes, were repeatedly knocked off the ball and stripped of possession.
'The accumulated experience of big occasions was light years ahead of anything that Sligo had previously encountered. With a display of calculated and cold ruthlessness Mayo went about their business in a manner that gave their ever faithful support base many reasons to be cheerful.
'Chief among these was the display of the forward line. Performances, or indeed the non-performance of this much maligned sector, have been offered as the reason why success has repeatedly eluded the county. How often have we heard the monotonous refrain that if only we had a marquee forward our troubles would disappear!
'Let’s say it loud and clear then, that at this point in time, Mayo has a forward line on a par with the other main contenders for the All-Ireland.
'It was this sector with its fusion of athleticism, power, pace and teamwork that established a platform that Sligo could not match.
'Diarmuid O’Connor and Jason Doherty roamed the field in search of work, often helping out with their defensive duties before joining up with the attack. Their constant movement and judicious use of the ball pulled apart any prearranged plan that Sligo may have hatched to contain the attack.
'The industry of Kevin McLoughlin was also admirable but no matter how you look at it, it had to be the contribution of Mayo’s man-of-the-match, Aidan O’Shea, that caught the eye. This was a day where his every touch triggered a degree of panic and helplessness in the Sligo rearguard.
'His reign of terror never abated for the duration of the game. Having set up the first goal for Cillian O’ Connor he then turned provider for his brother Seamie before deciding to add two of his own. With less than a half an hour played the result was inevitable. His hat-trick was completed by the 50th minute and just to spread things around he then, along with Cillian O’ Connor, provided the assist for Lee Keegan. This was the performance of a Colossus who is enjoying his best ever spell of football. And to think that I had doubts about his ability to play the position effectively!
'Adopting a deeper role than usual, Cillian O’Connor gave notice that he is nearing once again the levels of performance that we expect from him. His link play, accuracy and reliability from free kicks is something that Mayo need and now that he appears to have put his injury woes behind him, we can expect more of the same as the journey progresses.
'The one worry that still lingers is the fact that the defence is still leaking more scores than is healthy.
'A concession of two goals and 11 points in a game where they enjoyed near total dominance is a cause for concern. I felt that the half back line was more disciplined than in previous games.
'They held their line impressively and didn’t attack with the regularity that we sometimes see. Though they gave good cover to their full backs, more gaps than are healthy are still appearing.
'We seem less than assured in dealing with the high ball coming into the sector and before the next outing against the winners of Donegal and Galway, much work is needed.'