Two changes to Mayo team for visit of Donegal on Sunday
Mayo manager Kevin McStay has made two changes to the team that started against Derry last weekend for the final round of the Allianz National Football League clash with Donegal this Sunday in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar (throw-in 3.45 p.m.).
The two changes see Davitt Neary and Darren McHale replace Conor Reid and Jack Carney.
Stephen Coen will again captain the team on what will be a milestone occasion for the Hollymount/Carramore man. Stephen will make his 125th league and championship appearance on the day, which puts him in joint 10th place alongside Cillian O'Connor on Mayo's all-time list.
Mayo and Donegal have met in league action on 18 occasions since their first meeting in 1940. Donegal hold the upper hand with seven victories to Mayo’s five, while there have been six drawn encounters.
Fourteen of the meetings between the counties have taken place in the last 20 years; before that they seldom met in league encounters. Ten of the meetings have taken place in Donegal venues Ballybofey (six), Ballyshannon (three) and Letterkenny (one).
Of Mayo’s six home games, four were played in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, with the other two played in Ballina.
The 2007 final meeting was played in Croke Park, while the 2022 meeting, a home game for Mayo, was played in Markievicz Park, Sligo, while the Hastings Insurance MacHale Park pitch was being upgraded.
Four of the drawn meetings have taken place in the last nine years, which shows that encounters between these two west coast counties are generally very competitive.
Sunday should be no different as both counties gear up for the championship season ahead, with the winners having a good chance of making next weekend’s league final.
The game, to be refereed by Cavan's Joe McQuillan, will be shown live on the TG4 YouTube channel, and will also be broadcast on Midwest Radio, with Michael D. McAndrew and Colm Boyle on commentary. Additionally, there will be live updates across all Mayo GAA social media platforms on Sunday afternoon. Tickets for the match can be purchased on the Ticketmaster platform.
The Mayo team in full is as follows: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Fenton Kelly; Stephen Coen, Matthew Ruane; Davitt Neary, Darren McHale, Jordan Flynn; Aidan O'Shea, Frank Irwin, Ryan O'Donoghue.