Boland’s no late bloomer; well-seasoned club observers have always known his ability

Boland’s no late bloomer; well-seasoned club observers have always known his ability

Fergal Boland in action for Mayo against Cathal Sweeney of Galway during last Sunday's Allianz Football League Division 1 clash at Pearse Stadium. The Aghamore man marked his return to the panel with three points from play. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Potatoes weren't always a staple of French cuisine. In fact, the French had turned their noses up at the crop for years. The vegetable, which many referred to as "hog feed" in the 18th century, had even been banned for a period in France after it had been introduced to Europe. It took a French pharmacist named Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who realised the nutritional benefits of the starchy root vegetable in a prisoner of war camp, to convince his fellow countrymen of the benefits of the spud. Even then, they took a lot of convincing.

Parmentier's preaching had fallen on deaf ears until he planted a field of the potatoes and hired heavily-armed guards to protect it. Only then did the French begin to yearn for the crop they were apparently forbidden to have. Little did they know, the guards were instructed not to prevent thieves from raiding the plot of land. From that moment, the French have been eating potatoes.

Similarly, Mayo never truly appreciated the football acumen of Fergal Boland when he was on the fringes of the panel. Even though he usually delivered a few scores whenever he was called upon, there seemed to be an unspoken acceptance that he simply didn't have the consistency or body frame for a permanent spot in Mayo's starting XV. And looking back on his career in a Mayo jersey, he never truly had a terrible game.

Castlelyons' Anthony Spillane fending off the attention of Tooreen's Fergal Boland in the 2023 All-Ireland club hurling semi-final. Picture: Ger Rogers
Castlelyons' Anthony Spillane fending off the attention of Tooreen's Fergal Boland in the 2023 All-Ireland club hurling semi-final. Picture: Ger Rogers

There was still a prevailing sense of shock when he was dropped from last year's panel. With so many veterans departing the intercounty scene, it was perhaps felt that a role for Boland could surely be found. But all was forgotten when Mayo began steamrolling through Division One with an almost unbeaten run, only losing to Monaghan after they had already earned their spot in the league final.

By the time the latter end of the championship came along, Mayo were chugging and in need of a well of inspiration, a player that could provide a score from nowhere when it mattered, a man who can spot a pass a split second before everyone else in the stadium. No Mayo player fits that mould as snugly as Boland. So it was only natural that there was widespread delight when news of the Aghamore man's return to the Mayo panel emanated from MacHale Park over the last few weeks.

At a time when many French men and women were in abject poverty, they couldn't afford to ignore potatoes. And Mayo cannot dismiss players like Boland when the county has regularly been maligned for a lack of creativity in attack.

The returning East Mayo man still had to prove his worth and, after earning his first Mayo appearance since June 2022 against Galway on Sunday afternoon, he immediately rewarded his management team. Within two minutes, he dipped inside Cathal Sweeney and clipped over the first score of the game. A neat and effective way to mark a return to the Mayo fold.

Fergal Boland in action for his club Aghamore in 2019. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Fergal Boland in action for his club Aghamore in 2019. Picture: David Farrell Photography

And as the first-half developed, he had a hand in almost every Mayo score. Most of those contributions were simple but it was the precision and timing with which he carried them out that stood out. A beautifully weighted handpass from the forward allowed Eoghan MacLaughlin to turn his gears and bury a daisycutter in the bottom corner of Connor Gleeson's net. At first viewing, the pass was by no means an earth-shattering moment. It was a simple lofted pass above the heads of two Galway defenders. It was never going to blow up on social media. But if the pass had gone a second earlier, McLaughlin would've been swallowed up by Galway defenders. Had the ball been released a second later, it would most likely have been intercepted.

That sums up Boland’s game – a collection of simple contributions carried out with efficiency and garnished with the odd dazzling highlight. Boland’s imprint was emblazoned across the opening 35 minutes as Mayo played into a typical Salthill gale. He was Mayo's primary source of creativity, popping up on every square inch of grass in his half of the field. Even if positions in the modern game are more fluid than they used to be, the game seemed to revolve around the prodigal son.

And when he happened to be surrounded by maroon jerseys, he was able to get a pass away to safety just before a turnover was conceded. All of these minor moments amounted to a very impressive performance from a player who could be excused for being rusty in the intercounty arena.

Meanwhile, Galway's fountain of creativity, Shane Walsh, was being well-marshalled by Sam Callinan at the other end of the pitch. The home side’s inability to do likewise with Boland essentially gave Mayo a four-point cushion at the break. It was thus only fitting that Boland made the last statement of the first-half. With Ryan O’Donoghue standing over a free along the 45-metre line, Boland skipped away from his man and earned one of the easiest scores he'll ever register in the intercounty game. A second ahead of everyone else again.

Fergal Boland takes on Galway’s Dylan McHugh in the 2022 FBD League semi-final, Connacht GAA Air Dome. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Fergal Boland takes on Galway’s Dylan McHugh in the 2022 FBD League semi-final, Connacht GAA Air Dome. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

While the 28-year-old was quieter in the second-half, the damage had already been done. It was time for Mayo’s defence to stand up as Galway went searching for parity without what must have been a seven- or eight-point wind at their back.

Yet, once again, it was Boland who scored the opening salvo of the half, selling a cute dummy before nailing a clinker from distance on the stand side of the pitch. It was undeniably the score of the day. But he has been executing that trick regularly over the years, particularly at club level. The well-seasoned club observers in Pearse Stadium will have instantly recognised the move.

After Mayo tagged on another couple of early scores, their defenders bolted the front door entirely. Galway attacked without ever really threatening the Mayo goalmouth and they were forced to work hard for any point that came their way. And when Mayo turned their hosts over or won a free, Boland was more often than not the first player to the ball hoping to get a quick counterattack off.

A county like Mayo should be looking to find one or two young players every year to strengthen their squad – but finding an improved version of Boland who can flourish in a roaming role could be considered a solid off-season of work. There aren't many players who can carelessly amble deep before collecting a ball and fizzing it forward a split second before opponents are out of the starting blocks. And when he isn’t starting the move, he’s finding it.

Allied with his vision, accuracy and work ethic, he has menacingly quick feet that could dance across gossamer. Had he been born in another climate, he could well have become a globally renowned ice skater.

And though he’s in his late 20s, he still has years to offer the Mayo cause.

Siberia's loss is Mayo's gain.

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