Rochford’s crew can sail into Salthill and exact revenge on old foes
SIX of the eight Division 1 teams lost to lower-ranked opposition in last year’s championship, which either made it an oddity or a sign that the bands are tightening.
Cork lost to Tipperary, Monaghan and Down to Longford, Donegal to Tyrone, Mayo to Galway and Roscommon to both Galway and Clare.
Of course, Stephen Rochford’s troops remounted successfully after their fall against Galway in the Connacht semi-final but that result as still very significant, ending a green-andred dominance that had applied since 2011.
With the exception of Carlow’s win over Wexford, the results from the 14 games so far in this year’s championship have followed league placings. And that was scarcely a big surprise since Carlow were only just behind Wexford on the Division 4 table.
Last year notwithstanding, league placings generally count in the championship, which is one of the reasons why Mayo have to be fancied to beat Galway tomorrow. They have come through another tough Division 1 campaign, losing out for a place in the final on scoring difference, which will have served them well.
That’s not to ignore Galway’s win in Castlebar last year but, as subsequent events suggested, it may have been something of an aberration on Mayo’s part.
Galway went on to win the Connacht final, beating a Roscommon team whose stock was falling rapidly, before imploding against Tipperary.
Mayo regrouped and swept into the All-Ireland final where Dublin edged them out in a replay. That relays nothing of the circumstances, which included Mayo’s generous contribution to their difficulties on both days.
For all that, they came within a few feet of taking the replay to extra-time when Cillian O’Connor’s late free-kick drifted wide. Who knows what would have happened in another 20 minutes?
Indeed, Mayo might well be heading for Pearse Stadium tomorrow as AllIreland champions, with few questioning their capacity to beat Galway for the sixth time in their seven meetings since 2009.
Instead, doubts are being magnified, especially as there’s a view that Galway have improved since last year. They were certainly better in the league, finally escaping from Division 2 as champions.
It needs to put in context, of course, since none of the other seven counties in the group are seen as serious All-Ireland contenders. Mayo, meanwhile, are third favourites behind Dublin and Kerry. A big issue for Galway is whether they have sorted out the defensive fault lines that undermined them so spectacularly against Tipperary last August.
Strong, direct running loosened Galway’s bolts with surprising ease and when Tipperary opted for an alternative, they profited from hoisting high balls towards the goal area. Mayo will have noted how successful both approaches were and while Galway have carried out repair work, it wasn’t stress-tested to the limit in the league. That comes tomorrow.
“Mayo are real contenders again. They have pace and power all over the pitch,” said Sligo manager Niall Carew after the quarter-final.
The Galway forward line will raise more serious questions of the Mayo defence than Sligo did – indeed if the home side are to win, their front line will need to not only take their chances but also apply consistent pressure on Lee Keegan and Patrick Durcan to stop them surging forward.
There’s growing confidence in Galway that Kevin Walsh is constructing something really substantial and while that may be true, Mayo are more advanced and can make it count in a closerun contest.
Verdict: Mayo