Colm Boyle is special guest at Mayo v Galway pre-match chat in Salthill
Staying in Division 1 of the Allianz National Football League is the first priority for Mayo manager Kevin McStay this season, according to Colm Boyle.
The legendary Mayo defender believes that the defending champions will be looking for ‘a consistency of performance’ above everything else when they take on Galway at Pearse Stadium today (Sunday, January 28) at 1.45 p.m.
Boyle, a four-time All-Star winner, is appearing alongside former Galway forward Seán Armstrong at a free ‘Up For The Match’ event at Blackrock Cottage Restaurant, at the end of the Salthill Promenade, at 12 noon today to preview the big game.
The Davitts star says that Kevin McStay will have a number of key objectives that he will be trying to achieve over the course of the National League.
“They’ll be looking to stay up and everything after that is a bonus,” said Boyle. “Finding some players to add on to the 18 or 19 lads who featured against Dublin last year will be a priority as well. Finding lads who can push for places later in the season.
“Kevin will also be looking to strengthen his midfield partnership options. We need to get somebody who’s aerially dominant in there. Plus, find some forwards who can step up if the front-line players get injured.
“Consistency of performance is going to be very important too,” he added. “The style of play is not something I’m going to be hugely looking out for, because as we saw last season, that will change come championship. It’s more the consistency of performance.
“To beat Galway in Salthill would be a big morale-booster and would set the team up for the All-Ireland champions (Dublin) coming to Castlebar in round two.”
Boyle believes that the current rivalry between Mayo and Galway ‘is probably as healthy now as it’s ever been’ but it convinced that Padraic Joyce and his players are hurting after last season’s high-profile defeats to their neighbours in both the Division 1 League final and in the preliminary quarterfinal of the All-Ireland championship.
“The two teams know each other inside out, they’ve played each other so many times at this stage,” he said.
“Mayo got the upper hand on Galway in the league final and in the championship last year, so Galway are going to be determined going into next Sunday’s game to put things right and put down a marker.
“All the players will know that there’s a big chance they will meet again in a knockout championship game down the line.
“But both teams are so evenly-matched at the moment, there’s never much between them.”
Boyle is looking forward to seeing how Bob Tuohy fares out in his second season at this level and is also excited about the prospect of returning to Pearse Stadium, a venue where he enjoyed one his best days in a Mayo jersey against Galway.
“The first round of the Connacht championship in 2013 up in Salthill was very enjoyable,” he smiled. “We were really on it that day and the result was beyond doubt after about 15 minutes. But we kept the foot to the floor and won convincingly. It was one of those days.”