EXPECT CONFIRMATION OF NEW ORDER IN CONNACHT

I HAVE had my ear reddened so many times for writing off Mayo — most recently in March when I tipped them to be relegated — that I call today’s mouthwatering clash against Galway with trepidation.

If you asked me last month, I would not have hesitated in calling it Galway’s way but there is resilience about this Mayo team which makes them such dangerous opponents when they are written off.

The prospect of losing a third successive Championship game to their Connacht rivals is likely to trigger something primal and I expect them to rally today.

The thing is, though, when you take emotion and spirit out of it, tactically and personnel-wise it is hard to see where they will get the scores they will need to win.

Mayo need big games from Cillian O’Connor (left) and Andy Moran, but Galway’s defence is built to deal with such isolated threats.

Their recent form against Mayo is not some temporary aberration, but most likely represents a changing of the guard in the west.

At the risk of incurring some more Mayo ire, I expect that to be confirmed today.