Early bout of shadowboxing in store for age old rivals

The first piece of 2026 silverware is on the line for both Mayo and Galway this Sunday as the old rivals meet for the first time this year in Tuam Stadium and for the first time since the Tribesmen claimed a fourth Connacht SFC title in-a-row at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park last May.

But given that these two will meet only a week later in their National League Division 1 opener, Mayo’s approach will need to be ‘smart’. That was the word used by selector Colm Boyle when speaking to the media after their one-sided victory over Roscommon last Sunday.

Jack Coyne, Dylan Thornton, Eoin McGreal, Cian McHale, Brian O’Malley, Nathan Moran, Kuba Callaghan, Fenton Kelly and Colm Lynch, who appeared in the win over Sligo two weeks ago but missed the Roscommon encounter, may come back into contention.

Meanwhile, Jack Livingstone, Kobe McDonald, Sam Callinan, James Carr, Jordan Flynn and Finbarr McLaughlin have yet to feature in the FBD League, and Colm Boyle said management are conscious of the upcoming National League, as well as Sigerson Cup, with quarter-finals to be played this week.

“I think there will be loads of factors coming into it. I don't think anyone will be under the illusion that the big game is the first round of the league in Salthill rather than next weekend but absolutely we'll use next weekend for what it is. It's a great chance to see boys again in a bit of a pressure environment against a really good team,” said Boyle.

Another factor is players like Lynch and Tom Lydon are primarily training with Keith Higgins’ under-20 side. Niall Hurley and Darragh Berine are also still eligible for the under-20 squad but being parachuted into the senior team has done them no harm nonetheless.

“They're used to playing with each other, the Niall Hurleys, the Tom Lydons, Darragh Beirnes. These fellas, they're used to playing with each other all through the years and you can see them even at this level when they come in at senior, their link-up play is still absolutely excellent.” 

Boyle, who retired from senior inter-county football in 2021, is back in the setup now after over four years away. So has he seen much change?

“I don't know. It's hard to know. I haven't played in about four or five years and there's always little things that are stepping up and improving all the time. I wouldn't say it's hugely different.

“More so than I did when I was playing four or five years ago, ten years ago, whenever it was, boys are probably thinking a bit more about it now which is great. You're having these really good conversations with them, and they can almost see the things before you can or see the things before they happen on the pitch or when you're training, which is really, really good.” 

Boyle added: “Anytime you're involved in the Mayo team, for me it's an absolute privilege and an honour. So when [Andy Moran] asked me there were no second thoughts about it really. Delighted to be back in but it's work now and it's hard work.

“There's no hanging about. There's no time to enjoy anything, there's no time not to enjoy anything, because you're so focused on what's the next thing that needs to be done. So, it's absolutely brilliant to be involved but it's hectic going.” 

On the pitch, it has been so far, so good. Mayo ran away in the end with victories over Sligo and Roscommon and Boyle has been impressed with the type of football being played given the inclement conditions.

“It's not easy to play football as you can see but to be honest with you, we were happy with the forecast today that it was going to be wet and windy because you need exposure to that, especially with what's coming in the National League for the first early round.

“It was great to see boys in that kind of environment today and the way they were able to work the ball and put pressure on their opponents as well which is really, really good.

“I think actually a lot of the groundwork was done with the first-half performance against the breeze, the fact that we held Roscommon to the three scores and the pressure that our lads were putting on the Roscommon all over the pitch.”