Mayo captain on course for league return
Mayo captain Paddy Durcan's rehab from a cruciate injury is progressing very well, according to manager Kevin McStay. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher
Mayo will be without key attackers Tommy Conroy and Aidan O’Shea for the opening two rounds of the 2025 Allianz Football League, nor captain Paddy Durcan for longer – despite his good progression from injuring his cruciate in the All-Ireland Series against Cavan last May.
“He was doing very well over the last few weeks, he has his own little goals and objectives that he wants to hit but I think in an overall sense we are happy where he is at. He is a super, super athlete,” Mayo boss Kevin McStay has said.
“He applies himself particularly well to what the rehab program is so we're expected to see him certainly before the league is out.
“Aidan had booked holidays and we thought it would be a good time. He had a little tidy-up procedure, it’s fine and we’ll see him now in the early rounds of the league. Tommy, we won’t see him in round one or two, he has a bit more work to do, but I’d be very hopeful to see him before the league is out,” the manager added.
The challenge match against Monaghan on January 4 will be the first played under new rules and McStay is optimistic about what they’ll bring to the game.
“My opening position is I'm pro them until I see otherwise. I was lucky to be involved in the FRC games, the Railway Cup games, so I got to see them first hand and of course I got the various briefings that were going around.
“It's going to be the same for everybody. Perhaps it is a new game, but maybe it's not either. We’ll know when the rubber hits the road now in Croke Park at the end of January, and all the teams will be the same.
“We're working on a few challenge games for January so that will continue right up to throw in against Dublin, but I think it's an exciting time for everybody. I think we're all pretty open minded about them, and of course there's the end of the league tweak, so that's kind of a safety net for all of us if some things just don't work. But I think we'll all approach it the other way, that they look positive. I think we're all agreed they're well worth trying.”
