WHO DAIRS WINS
O’connor: Rossies will play on the edge so we must fight fire with fire
MAYO ROSCOMMON TV TIMES: Live on Sky Sports Arena 7pm (6pm red button) THE bad news for Roscommon tonight is that Mayo captain Diarmuid O’connor is raring to go again.
The Ballintubber star has recovered from the fractured eye-socket that kept him out of the Westerners’ quarterfinal win in New York earlier this month, and has been restored to the team for tonight’s derby in Castlebar.
O’connor (24) says the prospect of qualifying for their first Connacht final in four years next month is a huge source of motivation for everyone in the Mayo camp.
“It’s been a few years now since we played in one, it’s there for us, and it is an extra incentive to win the game,” he said.
“But our motto this year is to take one game at a time, and it’s a Championship game against Roscommon. It’s huge.
“We got a taste of them in the League this year already, with a one point win.
“Conditions weren’t great, and they made it very tough for us that day. They played on the edge, and we’ll expect them to do the same this time.
“We just have to be ready for it and bring our ‘A’ game.”
Mayo’s 21-point victory over New York and subsequent training camp has already been filed away by Mayo boss James Horan (inset).
But O’connor can’t hide his satisfaction with how everything went in
America, despite not being able to take part in any contact work on the training ground.
“It was a great trip,” he smiled. “The game itself was ‘job done’ although there were areas for improvement in the performance.
“There are always a hundred little things you can improve on.
“I thought the lads started the game very well, and in the second half got a bit sloppy. Turnovers were the main thing, whether it was down to skill execution or decisionmaking.
“That was the probably the main thing I took away from it anyway, that our turnover count was too high. We’ll be looking to bring that down.
“But the trip itself was very beneficial.
“It was the first time I really got to know some of the newer lads off the pitch, it brought the whole squad together as well, and we took a lot of learnings from the week.
“There’s a great positivity around the group now. It’s probably from the week that we stayed on in New York.
“It went really well, we took a lot from it, and getting back into Machale Park has been great.”
O’connor returned to full training with Mayo last weekend, and will lead his county out this evening as he makes his 64th senior appearance, ready to make up for lost time.
“It’s frustrating missing any game – I don’t like missing an ‘A’ versus ‘B’ game in training or a Championship game.
“I’m just delighted to be back.”