Letter from America: O’Shea to set record as McStay takes no chances with Mayo team

Kevin McStay looks determined to take no chances with Sunday’s Connacht SFC quarter-final as the Mayo manager has named an exceptionally strong team to take on hosts New York.

There’s not a single championship debutant selected by McStay, who was in charge of Roscommon when they scraped past the Empire State boys by one point in 2016.

Eoghan McLaughlin has returned to fitness and takes his place in a half-back line that also features Stephen Coen and team captain Paddy Durcan, who will make his 100th Mayo appearance.

David McBrien moves from defence to midfield where he partners Matthew Ruane, with Jack Carney and Bob Tuohy flanking an in-form Fergal Boland on the half-forward line.

Colm Reape gets the nod between the posts after Mayo used three goalkeepers during the Allianz Football League while the full-back line of Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden and Sam Callinan remains as the preferred first choice of management, as does the full-forward line of Aidan O’Shea, Tommy Conroy and Ryan O’Donoghue.

The game at Gaelic Park in the Bronx on Sunday will be Aidan O’Shea’s 185th Mayo appearance in league and championship, surpassing the record of Andy Moran. It will be his 85th championship game, with only Kerry brothers Marc and Tomás Ó Sé, Tyrone’s Sean Cavanagh and Stephen Cluxton of Dublin having made more championship appearances.

Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, Sam Callinan; Paddy Durcan, Stephen Coen, Eoghan McLaughlin; David McBrien, Matthew Ruane; Bob Tuohy, Fergal Boland, Jack Carney; Aidan O'Shea, Tommy Conroy, Ryan O'Donoghue. Subs: Rob Hennelly, Aaron McDonnell, Cillian O'Connor, Conor Hunt, Conor McStay, Darren McHale, Enda Hession, Fenton Kelly, Michael Plunkett, Padraig O'Hora, Paul Towey.