Larkin happy that league learnings are put to good use
Adrian Phillips has returned to the Mayo senior hurling panel having spent last season with the senior footballers.
From the big underdogs in the National League to heavy favourites in the championship, it is from one extreme to another for Ray Larkin’s side.
Mayo were relegated from Division 2 after competing against the likes of London, Laois and Westmeath, all of whom are playing two tiers above them in Joe McDonagh Cup this year. But for the Green and Red, Nicky Rackard success is the number one aim in 2026.
“We were really looking forward to this game for the last four or five months since we were back training,” said Mayo boss Larkin after his team’s comprehensive win over Armagh in Round 1 on Saturday. “We knew we were up against it in the league. We put the league down; we knew what was going to happen in the league. The lads wanted to go today and express themselves and we put up a decent score there.”
With a strong gale at their backs, Mayo led by ten at the break, with the only complaint being two soft goals they conceded in the first-half. Armagh, however, could not make the wind count in the second-half, and Corey Scahill’s goal midway through ended whatever faint hopes they had.
“The two goals, we switched off for a free [for the first]. The second goal, the ball hung in the air and your man ran in but that's one thing we've been working on. But it's been loads of positives and we're in a good spot.”
Cormac Phillips was Mayo’s top scorer on the day with 1-9 but it was another Phillips that caught the eye before throw-in. Cormac’s brother Adrian is back with the Mayo senior hurlers after a year spent goalkeeping with the Mayo senior football panel last year.
Ray Larkin is delighted to have the Ballyhaunis man back, while he lauded the impact of championship debutants Oisin Duffy and Fionn Delaney.
“It’s great to have him back. He’s disappointed he got dropped from football, I suppose. You know, we gave him a couple of weeks off and we kind of touched base with him and we coaxed him back in again. It’s great to have him back. He's back training, he's driving on the rest of the lads.
“Oisin Duffy there from the under-20s, he started today and young Fionn Delaney he started as well. Two debuts, Alex Evans a newcomer as well.” Mayo will have home comforts next Sunday when they welcome Tyrone to Castlebar. A good omen for the hosts is that the last time both were in the Nicky Rackard Cup, Mayo went on to win it, even defeating the Red Hands in the 2021 final.
Tyrone will provide a much stiffer test, but Mayo have had more than their fair share of challenging competition this year and the manager believes it will stand to them.
“We didn't take the foot off the throttle [against Armagh], that's our key thing. This year, sometimes we went ahead and faded away.
“Kerry had us beat in the first-half, but they kept going and that's what we need to do, drive on and it's putting competition for places on the team and there’s a few lads to come back yet.”
