Bunty was dead right to stick it to us

Meatloaf once sang that “two out of three ain’t bad”. For Mayo club football fans, one out of three will have to do.

I must have been asked a million times since moving to Galway and playing my club football here, which club championship is stronger – Galway or Mayo? Last weekend was supposed to provide a definitive answer on that question as the best club teams from both counties faced off.

After all the thrills and spills, I don’t think we are any wiser. At the very top grade, Galway definitely have more elite club teams capable of threatening at All-Ireland level. Mayo’s senior sides are currently nowhere near that. But down the grades, it is much of a muchness and in recent seasons a kick of the ball has often decided these Galway-Mayo intermediate and junior battles.

I felt that Corofin were much the better outfit against Ballina Stephenites but was impressed by Ballina’s doggedness and resilience. It looked very much like a team who has been there, done that and worn the t-shirt against relative greenhorns. The Stephenites’ novices, however, didn’t wilt or capitulate after a tough opening and will be all the better for Saturday’s experience.

If they had their time again Ballina would probably have elected to play with the wind in the first-half, to give them a real foothold in the match. Losing their two most experienced outfield players certainly did not help their cause and who knows how the game would have transpired had Ger Cafferkey and Padraig O’Hora been fully available.

In their absence, Mikey Murray and the Irwin brothers battled hard and took the fight to a slick Corofin side. Ballina’s midfield really got traction in the second-half but they had not much threat up front. Evan Regan ploughed a lone furrow in the forward line and can be happy with his day and season. He gave Cathal Silke a toasting and Kevin Johnson was quick to move the brother Liam closer to him in the second-half when Regan was causing big problems. The next step in the development of this Ballina team is to unearth more sharp and threatening forwards who can take the pressure off Regan and give them a different point of attack.

Corofin are still an outstanding team though and I always feel uplifted after watching them play. They are the antidote to shite football. The ball skills, handling and kicking of every one of their players is exemplary. When you marry those razor-sharp skills with their hard and controlled tackling, then you’re on to a winner. I thought maybe that their production line was beginning to slow a little bit as names like Farragher, Sice, Lundy and Burke are reaching the twilight of their careers but then you see them sprinkle in some new young gems to rejuvenate their ranks. Neither Jack McCabe or Patrick Egan have reached their 20th birthday but both were exceptional at the weekend.

Those 19-years-olds were ably abetted by a 39-year-old too. Gary Sice was my man-of-the-match. What a player he is! I played Sigerson with Sice in university when he was a raw, attacking wing-back. The way he has become a stylish, prolific forward is a lesson to all players on the power of a growth mindset. He is such a skillful but cute player who can play it any way you want. When Corofin were flying he was up in the full-forward line throwing shimmies and pinging balls over the bar. When they were under the cosh, he made his way back to the middle of the park to win some breaks, get on ball, orchestrate affairs and take the sting out of the game. He is a man for all seasons and one of the greatest club players ever.

Overall, it was a highly enjoyable game in spite of the miserable conditions. While Galway GAA are demolishing the hayshed in the grand old venue of Tuam, they should see if there is any way of putting a dome over Pearse Stadium. Too many games played there are adversely affected by an Atlantic gale. As it was, Corofin mastered the conditions better by using their impeccable skill to kick fourteen points from play (from sixteen chances). Ballina won’t be too despondent as this was a very decent first foray into the provincial series for this young team. The trick now is to get there again and build on it.

Kilmeena, on the other hand, will be sick that they did not overcome Monivea-Abbey in Tuam. They will be cursing their slow start and their wastefulness in front of goal. Besides the last minute penalty miss, they also fluffed some easy frees. Monivea-Abbey looked better for three-quarters of the game but Kilmeena’s tour de force in the last quarter was magnificent stuff. Against the wind, they pushed high and totally hemmed Monivea in their own half. The Galway club’s heads were spinning as Kilmeena pressed and pressed but they could just not get level. If it went to extra-time, there was only going to be one winner.

Monivea-Abbey and their manager, Francis ‘Bunty’ Roche, were mightily relieved to escape to victory. Oh how Kilmeena fans and players would have rubbed Bunty’s nose in it if they pipped them at the post. And rightly so! But I have to admit that I absolutely loved Bunty’s incendiary comments ahead of the game where he called Kilmeena “a cocky crowd” and Mayo people “a cocky people”. A nice dig at us Mayo men and women; I could hear the cries of “pot kettle” come all the way from Blacksod!

It was a great pre-match interview all the same. Much better than the usual anodyne tropes we get from managers with lines such as “Lookit, Kilmeena are a great team and we’ll have to be at our very best to beat them,” yada, yada, yada. You can be sure John Prenty and the Connacht Council were delighted by his remarks as it certainly increased interest in the game and sold a few hundred more tickets.

This was heart on the sleeve honesty from a man who clearly does not like Mayo football. And nor should Galway people like Mayo football. We are their biggest rivals and of course there is no love lost. In our heart of hearts, we would all admit that we don’t like Galway much either but it is refreshing to see managers come out and say what they really feel. Neighbouring football teams and counties should not have much time for one another other. When driving to the county finals in Mayo a few weeks back, I was aghast to see clubs put up banners and erect signs wishing teams from their neighboring parish luck in the county final. So disingenuous!

There should be an enmity and jealousy there that means you never want to see your sporting neighbour succeed. Of course, it is petty and childish but what is sport if it does not make children of us all. Let’s be honest, a lot of our enjoyment from sport derives from watching our rivals fail. My mood is infinitely better on weekends when Liverpool or Man City don’t win! Let’s have more of these cards on the table, candid interviews from all managers and players. If the football is going to be dull, the media stuff should at least be spicy!

The junior match between Lahardane and Menlough was another close run thing in a weekend of tight tussles. It’s a good job that Lahardane won as it would have been hard for Galway folk to stay so humble had they recorded a clean sweep.