Battle lines drawn for Mayo-Roscommon showdown

A DIFFERENT TAKE

IF the league encounter between Roscommon and Mayo at a packed Dr. Hyde Parke last Sunday (official attendance 12,491) was a dress rehearsal for what lies further down the road, then bring on the championship.

Okay, it wasn’t without its blemishes as Mayo eased into a seven-point lead before Roscommon got a score on the board after 20 minutes, but the awakening of Roscommon from their slumber in the second half would suggest the next meeting – now unlikely to be a league final – should be an enthralling encounter at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park next month.

What happens in the meantime makes for an interesting league, with Mayo now secure on eight points and Galway, following their win over Monaghan with Shane Walsh on board, now emerging as one of the contenders for a place in the final on six points, with own or two more also queuing up in a league that is becoming ultra competitive and really tight at the bottom end, the win by Tyrone over Kerry adding a bit of spice to a few games that remain in the final two rounds.

The bones of Sunday's game in Roscommon were fairly straightforward. Tommy Conroy marked his return to the starting 15 having been brought on as a sub against Tyrone with the opening point, much to the delight of the crowd, to set the tone for the first 20 minutes as Cillian O’Connor stepped up to the mark with some superb frees and one brilliant point with the outside of his boot.

Throw in two points from James Carr, one from Fionn McDonagh and a Rory Byrne 45', and you have a Mayo team in complete control, the defence completely on top and Matthew Ruane and Diarmuid O’Connor calling the shots at midfield.

Diarmuid Murtagh kept Roscommon just about in the game with two frees and a point from play, while full-back Conor Daly made sure the Rossies had a fighting chance at the break with a fine point to leave Roscommon on 0-4 to Mayo’s 0-9.

At least nine turnovers that we counted in that first half were to prove costly for Roscommon, but it was the unforced error by the defence with a stray pass that was gobbled up by Jack Carney who fired to an empty net which suggested this game was over with the scoreboard 1-12 to 0-7 in favour of the visitors.

Not so. As it turned out, the game was only starting for Roscommon as the reinforcements arrived in the form of Ciaráin Murtagh, Donie Smith and Conor Cox.

STARTING TO TURN

The game was starting to turn in Roscommon's favour as goals from Enda Smith (55 minutes) and Cox (71 minutes) turned this game on its head.

The goal from Enda Smith made a three-point game but a superb score from substitute Bob Touhy settled Mayo and as five minutes of injury time was announced, Cox, who had kicked a 45' within a minute of coming on as a sub, finished off another good Roscommon move to the net, with the Mayo defence backtracking, and suddenly just a point stood between the sides.

Leadership was needed and it came at both ends, Matthew Ruane easing the pressure on Mayo deep into injury time with a great point and at the other end it was one of the sentries that were guarding the gates to Rory Byrne’s who got a boot to a shot from Ben O’Carroll which seemed destined for goal, Diarmuid O’Connor coming to Mayo’s rescue yet again.

That dramatic finish might have been avoided if Tommy Conroy had finished the slam-dunk goal chance set up for him by Ryan O’Donoghue but The Neale’s man effort effort came back off the crossbar. Otherwise Conroy was excellent, and I can see that partnership with O’Donoghue, O’Shea and Cillian O’Connor working well further down the stretch.

If it was hard for us to catch our breath, I’m sure manager Kevin McStay must have had a myriad of thoughts bouncing around his head afterwards when he faced the media. As always, however, McStay picked on the positives of a journey that is taking us to some strange place as this Mayo team continues to evolve under the new manager.

A voyage of discovery, for sure, and a roller coaster of a ride thrown in for good measure.

“It was a game that had a lot of ingredients,” said McStay. “I felt we had been in a good spot once or twice but maybe – maybe, I’m not sure – we may have rested on our laurels a little. I’m not sure. We will have to look at the tape on Tuesday but I’m delighted we got the two points as that puts us safe now in the division.”

LEADING TEAM

Sunday Game pundits Colm ‘Gooch' Cooper and Ciaran Whelan felt Mayo continue to be the leading team of the current league in terms of fitness and footballing ability.

The Kerry legend said the high number of changes from both managers suggested perhaps neither wanted to show their full hand ahead of the championship next month, which drew the question from anchor woman, Joanne Cantwell, as to whether they would be holding back even at provincial level and planning for the group stages instead.

Said Cooper: “Both managers would bite your arm off for a Connacht title and I don’t think they will be holding back.”

Whelan felt there was a bit of a flatness to the game apart from the dramatic finish as the sides know each other so well.

Said the former Dublin player: “Mayo controlled the first half, Roscommon had a lot of turnovers and lost most of their kickouts. I think Mayo took their eye of the ball for a while in that second half.”

Both agreed that Tommy Conroy and Cillian O’Connor looked in great shape and are likely to play a major part in Mayo’s championship bid.

The questions for McStay will be whether he uses Cillian O’Connor from the bench or from the start, with Ryan O’Donoghue and Aiden O’Shea likely to be key components of Mayo’s attacking force. This game has done the Ballintubber man the world of good in terms of match fitness.

BYRNE’S BABES

We’ll just have to wait and see but another big Mayo support is expected to be in Ballybofey to face Donegal on Sunday week, and the Byrne’s Babes – who are back with a bang after the long absence since the pandemic – will be making their way over the Hills of Donegal.

Team captain Mick Byrne sent a strong team to Armagh for their first outing and that was strengthened further for the Roscommon game, with a back-up bus to cater for the new babes that have joined the crew which now numbers up to 70.

“As you might say, a great mixture of youth and experience with a bit of beauty and no shortage of class thrown into the mix!” said the Big Fellow, or Auld Stock, as he is better known, who added: “It’s great to be back following Mayo.”