Mayo must quickly start weaning themselves off the old ways

by Martin Carney, Mayo GAA's foremost columnist

ON a day that attracted nearly 13,000 patrons to the ground, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park bore witness to one of the most one-sided encounters between Mayo and Galway for some time.

That 10 points separated the teams at the hooter is one thing. That Mayo were a distant second best is another altogether, and one that is worrying both in the short and long term.

Galway won this at their ease. Physically bigger, more in tune with the new requirements and displaying levels of cohesion and understanding that befitted a team of their experience, they simply blew Mayo off the park after the change of ends.

The new game with its radically reconstructed requirements has everyone on a learning mission.

Referees, to begin with, seem somewhat uneasy with their application. David Gough, their official spokesman, said as much in a weekend interview when he declared they weren’t, by that stage, in possession of the new official rule book. Strange to say the least!

Players, the most important group, are equally trying manfully to come to terms with the new demands. On that score Galway, seemed far ahead of their opponents and more in tune with what was expected from them.

To begin with they have clearly spent time focusing on the importance of the new two points reward for a score posted from beyond the arc.

With seven of these to their credit as against one for Mayo on Sunday, they established an advantage that the hosts never looked like bridging.

Their marked physical superiority allowed them a foothold in the middle that maintained a fertile supply of possession to their forwards, in particular throughout the second period.

Here, Cillian Ó Curraoin, with three, and Shane Walsh, with four, had the kicking skills to make the most of the opportunities presented.

A pair of their seven two-pointers came as a consequence of infringements of the 3/3 rule. That a technical infringement like this can result in a two-point reward from a free at the other end seems a disproportionate punishment for the infringement.

As for the game itself, it never quite moved out of second gear. Though Sean Morahan’s early point gave reason for hope, Mayo could never quite build on this this and establish a lead that made use of their wind advantage. Indeed, Galway had the better overall of the opening quarter and a Cillian Ó Curraoin point gave them a three-point lead by the 20th minute.

Mayo’s Paul Towey and Conor Reid, on the right flank, had five of their six scores. Their contribution prompted an improvement late in the half. One of these was the lone two-point score registered by Mayo over the course of the game.

Restarts particularly were different to what we have been used to.

On the limited evidence to date, the new requirement that requires them to travel beyond the 40-metre arc has resulted in longer strikes with an increase in high fielding and scraps for broken ball. In both instances Mayo were badly beaten.

John Maher lent his considerable bulk in this sector and proved a more that useful ally for Paul Conroy. Galway hoovered up the majority of broken ball and showed a much greater appetite for the fray in this regard.

Throughout the period, efforts to involve and free up Ryan O’ Donoghue repeatedly failed due to Johnny McGrath’s policing.

Terrier-like, the Caherlistrane man snapped at the Belmullet man's heels throughout and rendered him scoreless from play.

In a forward line that is heavily dependent on O’ Donoghue, once he is contained the team in general suffers.

Mayo’s single point advantage at the break was about all they deserved. Whether or not the complexion would have altered had Donnacha McHugh taken full advantage of a fine goal-scoring opportunity is anyone’s guess.

Struck wide, one of nine in total, it was one of the few created by either team over the course of the game.

There was a marked increase in wind strength during the second half and Galway took full advantage.

They did what they liked. Whether it was pinning Mayo back on their own restarts with their high press or monopolising possession around the middle, they made Mayo look very ordinary.

At one stage their lead extended to 12 points and from a long way out there was only one likely winner.

Personnel changes made little difference. Diarmuid O’Connor’s introduction lasted little time.

A late tackle meant that he sustained what looked like a bad shoulder injury, which could sideline him for some time.

I perfectly understood Kevin McStay’s post-match annoyance when he complained that the perpetrator got off scot-free in the circumstances.

To be fair, some of the newcomers continued to compete manfully. One of them, Davitt Neary, ended up with three points to his credit for the afternoon.

Put along with the brace he scored against Dublin, it represents a solid start to his inter-county career. Conor Reid and Paul Towey had their moments, while Enda Hession was possibly the pick of a defence that never mastered the tasks they faced.

Possibly one collective issue they will address is how and where to best set up their defensive screen. It seemed in the second half that too often they played too deep and gave Galway the necessary room to unload their long-range missiles, which proved decisive in the end.

Mayo, correctly so, prided themselves on their consistent competitiveness throughout the 2024 season.

Though beaten in some crucial games they were never more that a few points adrift of their opponents. Spiky, clever and willing to give all for the cause, they were value for money.

Though one has to make allowances for the absence of big guns Patrick Durcan, Aidan O’ Shea, Jordan Flynn and Tommy Conroy, this defeat revealed a passiveness not normally associated with the team.

None of the aggression that is a given in derby games was there and too often Galway simply swatted aside their Mayo counterparts which is unacceptable.

With a weeks to go to their next outing with Tyrone, Mayo have time to address the many deficiencies evident against Galway.

Becoming more familiar with the new regulations is an imperative.

Weaning themselves off the old ways and transforming themselves into a team that recognises and prioritises the importance of scoring two-pointers is as good a place as any to begin.

But above all, reacquainting themselves with that doggedness that has been their trademark is vital. It is the quality they cannot do without.