Pride’s key for Mayo
MAYO’S home record in the League over the last 10 years hasn’t been good – but it’s been abysmal against Dublin, with no home win since 2012.
To me, this is a must-win game for Mayo, not because a victory puts them in a better place for later in the summer or anything close to it.
It’s more so due to personal pride and marking your territory in front of what I expect to be a big crowd at Machale Park.
Mayo had a good win in Salthill last Sunday (above) but any serious analysis of that game has to begin with how poor Galway were.
They will face a very different test tonight against the All-ireland champions, who surprisingly came a cropper in the closing minutes against Monaghan.
Dublin will come to Castlebar fully loaded and I expect a share of the spoils.
WHAT a performance by Monaghan last Saturday, with Stephen O’hanlon maybe giving the best individual display of the weekend.
This won’t be lost on Kerry boss Jack O’connor, who will likely detail Gavin White to negate O’hanlon’s (right) piercing runs from deep.
This is a huge opportunity for Monaghan if the Cliffords are still not back but I think Kerry still might do it.
Meanwhile, the bad news for Roscommon is that Galway can’t be as bad as they were against Mayo.
But the good news is that their League record against Galway is quite good. I fancy them to get two points against what looks to be a depleted Tribe squad.
I PREDICT fireworks at Celtic
Park as Mickey Harte pitches his Derry side into battle against his native county. It’s a game I’d love to attend as there won’t be enough cameras to pick up all that’s going on off the ball. Ex-tyrone players have made no secret of their dismay at Harte crossing the divide and you’d have to think at least some of the current personnel feel the same. I expect Derry to prevail in what could be a very niggly affair.