COMING TO BOYL AGAIN
Colm and Mayo warming up after long winter
VETERAN defender Colm Boyle believes the long break caused by their early exit from the Championship last summer could stand to them in 2019.
For the first time in eight years Mayo did not have an All-ireland semi-final or final to look forward to last summer.
The pain of that premature exit has started to ease six months down the road and Boyle says he’s raring to go again with James Horan at the helm.
The 32-year old captained Mayo on Sunday when they exited the FBD Connacht football league following a penalty shootout against Galway at Tuam Stadium, but the Davitts club man says he is excited about 2019.
“We’re really looking forward to getting going. That gave me a bit of a taste for it. It’s been a while since I played in front of a crowd like that, a bit of an atmosphere,” said Boyle.
“There was a good buzz around the place, Mayo and Galway, a local derby. I haven’t played a big Championship game in six or seven months now so it was good to be back.
“It gave us time to get other stuff done maybe off the pitch. That’s where I found the time, other things in life got taken care of in the six or seven months off. It was great in that side of it.
“But it’s great to be back at it. Only time will tell down the line whether the rest was a good thing.”
Boyle has been one of Mayo’s toughest defenders since he made his debut in 2008, but it was under Horan’s leadership that he played his best football in the county shirt.
Alongside Lee Keegan and Donal Vaughan, Boyle was part of a brilliant half-back line that brought Mayo to All-ireland finals in 2012 and 2013 under Horan, and he says it was an easy call to give it another shot with Horan back in charge.
“I was delighted to be asked by James for a trial game. There’s good excitement around the place, lads are moving well. We are looking forward to the start of the League.
“We’ve a big game against neighbours Roscommon on a Saturday night, so there is everything to play for as the start of the league comes.”
Mayo had two outings with the new rules but Boyle is not a fan.
“I wouldn’t be. I haven’t talked to a player yet that is. It suits a team that set up defensively and want to get numbers behind the ball. It plays into their hands so I wouldn’t be a fan.”