McStay says Roscommon are ready to join football’s elite counties
Retaining their provincial title and earning a fast-track ticket to the Super 8s will put Rossies among the elite for years to come, says McStay
KEVIN McSTAY insists his Roscommon side are playing for more than just the Connacht title this weekend — they are playing for their futures.
After McStay effectively forced the Connacht Council into reluctantly fixing the final for Dr Hyde Park with his post semi-final declaration that Roscommon would not be for moving, it could be argued that he is duty-bound to use his skills of persuasion to get bums on seats.
If so, he has done his bit by suggesting that this could be one of the most important Connacht finals in recent times and there appears to be substance to his sales pitch.
For many reasons, Sunday’s final offers the kind of riches to the winner that have not been on offer in the past.
Mayo’s waning grip on the West — after five straight title wins they have failed to make the last three finals — means the province is in a state of some flux and the Roscommon manager sees an opening.
It is 27 years since the county last retained a Connacht title and should they to do so on Sunday — with a young team — then it sets them up at the front in the game’s starting grid.
‘That nexus has been reached where we think we are a coming team, Galway think they are a coming team and Mayo aren’t sure where they are right now, so there is a big prize. Whoever comes away with the title this year is likely to have a big say for the next few years,’ he insists.
However, winning the Nestor Cup this year is the smaller dividend with the jackpot the golden, fast-track pass to the Super 8s.
While they will get two shots at it from here, the new format is likely to be a less rewarding experience if they access it through the qualifiers — as it would put them into a group which is likely to feature both Dublin and Donegal.
Win Connacht and it is more likely that they will just have Kerry (of the big hitters) for company and whatever the qualifiers throws at them.
‘If we can retain our title then we have three quarter-finals and my view is those three quarter-finals will develop us hugely going into next year’s Division 1 campaign.
‘We would have said three months ago, we have one ambition which is to win two Championship matches in 2018. If we can accomplish that we know we are in the mix. We have won one of them, we have two left minimum. If we can win one of those two matches we are going to have a really good development season as a group.
‘That is all that we want. We are not going around here saying we are going to win the All-Ireland,’ adds the Roscommon manager.
But Sunday’s importance extends beyond that as this may also represent a battle for how the game should be played.
These are two teams with contrasting approaches, although hardly polar opposites. Roscommon play with structure — Niall Kilroy usually their sweeper of choice — but Galway have invested their faith in a system-based game- plan, spear-headed by a forward line designed to draw blood.
Galway have conceded just two goals in 10 games this season, while Roscommon, operating in a lower division, leaked 12 in nine matches.
That demands insurance cover is taken out but McStay, on both practical and aesthetic grounds, is not for changing.
‘I don’t think we have the size or power to pull off an attritional defensive game, we would be more into foot-passing, moving the ball at speed but we won’t be taking our eye off our defensive requirements in the final either.
‘I know there is a lot of talk about our defence but I would remind people Leitrim scored two points in the first half and bar locking them into the dressing room you
could not do much more. ‘I accept that Leitrim are no Galway but it is still a huge effort to keep any team to two points.
‘If you are winning, supporters will excuse anything but if the day comes and you lose while playing ultra-defensive football you only have to look around the county to hear people complaining about “I am not going to watch this stuff”, so that is what you are faced with,’ he explains.
In any case, McStay is not of a mind to coach that way and he’s sure the players wouldn’t take to it either.
‘Last year, Leitrim had a bit of a cut off us and we beat them by 17 points, this year they had 13 behind the ball and we beat them by 14 points.
‘If I was throwing out that gameplan and telling Conor [Devaney] you are in the D, do you think that they are going to train four times a week for Diarmuid Murtagh to play at right half-back for us?’
So, it is safe to expect no mass defence then from Roscommon on Sunday — or it might just be a double bluff from their canny manager?.
‘We will be looking to throw something different at it. The one thing I know is that what won last year’s Connacht final will not win this year’s.’