Mayo confidently mix the manic with maturity

God loves a trier so He would have loved Mayo’s super-human effort against Dublin at the weekend. In the build-up, we all wondered if Mayo should play the long game, rest a few and have bodies fresh for the probable home preliminary-quarter-final next weekend. Many reasoned that even with a full team going full-tilt it was unlikely that we’d beat the awesome Dubs.

As it transpired, they were right but Mayo are in a much better place now than if they shipped a tanking at the weekend. Bodies may be a little battered and bruised, spirits could be a little dented after coming so close to victory but Mayo should take great confidence from that performance which should sustain and inspire them over the coming weeks.

All things considered, Mayo were the better team and probably should have won the game. It was a full-blooded, committed showing as we once again went toe-to-toe with the Dubs as only Mayo can. But it wasn’t just blood and thunder either. There was good quality and maturity to the display.

It’s a long time since Dublin created so few goal chances in a match. I can’t remember too many clear openings apart from Eoin Murchan’s strike that hit the bar and flew over. Credit must go to Mayo’s defensive shape and system but also their one-on-one marking. David McBrien did as good a job on Con O’Callaghan as anyone has in recent seasons. The same can be said for Donnacha McHugh who snuffed out Brian Fenton’s considerable threat. He really is the designated man-marker around the middle now and is assembling an impressive hitlist of stars he has kept quiet in 2024.

Taking Dublin out of Croke Park was a definite leveller. They looked ill at ease in their new surroundings and the Hyde Park turf seemed to cause them all sorts of issues with their footing. Mayo’s intense work-rate was as much a reason for Dublin’s discomfort as the venue though.

That outstanding attitude was typified by the team’s positive start against a stiff wind. It reminded me of the opening half against Dublin last year in the All-Ireland quarter-final in that Ryan O’Donoghue and Tommy Conroy were razor-sharp and set the tone. The pair, as they did in that game in Croke Park last year, just kept running directly at the Dublin defence. Eoin Murchan and Sean McMahon, their direct opponents, were under serious pressure.

Mayo’s finishing in the first-half wasn’t brilliant but their intent was and going in at half-time you could tell that they smelled blood. I worried though that Dublin would just flick a switch and glide through the gears in the second-half as they always do – but Mayo had other ideas. Unlike last year in Croker, there was no second-half collapse. Dublin tried to up it but the breeze and Mayo’s shape meant that they were never going to kick scores easily.

In response to Dublin’s increased effort and output, many Mayo players really stepped up to the plate too. Conroy and O’Donoghue both continued to show well. Conroy’s repositioning to the half-forward line was a masterstroke. It got him on lots of ball facing goal and running at teams rather than with his back to play being driven away from the danger zone. ROD’s finishing in the second-half was sublime too.

Although the free he won in stoppage time was on the soft side, the manner in which he secured possession before being fouled by Mick Fitzsimons was incredible forward play. He dived on the ball as if his life depended on it. The way he nailed that free deserves huge praise too and shows the bottle of the man. He missed a much easier one on the same side earlier in the game but his confidence and quality are never in doubt. In an age where so many teams are afraid to lay a glove on the Dubs, this former boxer has the daring and chutzpah to have a real cut at them and they don’t like it.

Mattie Ruane is another man who loves playing against the All-Ireland champions. He has really re-discovered his form of late and is having a great season. He’s running freely again and his scoring record this campaign is back where it was circa 2020/2021.

The other Breaffy man, Aidan O’Shea, is also bang in form. It’s a small thing but he is beginning to get more frees from refs. For years, I thought he would have to be decapitated to be awarded a free but refs are starting to spot the soft jersey pulls, tug backs and nudges that big men are as entitled to as smaller ones. Similar to O’Donoghue and Conroy, he was running directly at the Dublin defence, taking them on, drawing men and popping passes to create opportunities. Tellingly, he played a full 70 minutes. He has been one of the first to be withdrawn in matches recently but management couldn’t hook him on Sunday given his huge impact on proceedings. Crossmolina pair Jordan Flynn and Conor Loftus also came up trumps in the second-half with some good finishing and link play.

While they somewhat underwhelmed as a team, Dublin, of course, had star individual performers too. Cormac Costello took home the man-of-the-match gong and deservedly so. I, like all Mayo folk I’m sure, cannot wait to see the back of Costello! He has caused Mayo untold damage down through the years and seems to reserve his best displays for us.

On an intercounty football pitch, there is pace everywhere but when Jack McCaffrey runs at full tilt it looks like he has activated Sonic the Hedgehog’s super-boost function that leaves everything else in his wake. What a sub to bring on when bodies are tiring and lungs are burning. Maybe he hasn’t the gas for a full 70 anymore but he can still do opposition teams terminal damage in a fraction of that time. McCaffrey and Ciaran Kilkenny’s contributions to pull the draw out of the fire in the last play were acts of heroism. Winners do what winners do.

If you’re wondering whether teams cared about finishing first or second in their groups take a look at Mayo’s downbeat reaction at the full-time whistle and equally Armagh’s jubilant dances in Sligo on securing top spot. Mayo and Galway should successfully navigate next weekend’s home prelim tie but it’s only when we play the quarter-final the following week that we’ll realise whether or not these draws were fatal.

If successful in their next fixture, Dublin, Kerry or Donegal await Galway in the quarter-finals the following weekend. A big ask. The good news for Mayo is that we cannot meet Dublin again for a few more rounds. The bad news is that that possible encounter will be back in Croke Park. They’re a different team there and it would be a different game entirely.

Talking to people post-match, we didn’t know if we felt mad, sad or glad after a stirring performance that just fell short. Mayo didn’t get the desired result but such a courageous effort should at least now get fans on side and get some love back for this team. Interest and hope had waned recently but Sunday’s classic encounter offers encouragement going forward.

That’s the level now though. Mayo have to back it up from here. If they do, it’ll be an exciting few weeks ahead.

One more thing … 

Mayo versus Dublin is considered one of the great Gaelic football rivalries of modern times but Galway and Armagh have a rivalry that is developing nicely too. Their last three tussles have seen a draw in 2022 (Galway won on penalties), a one-point Armagh win in 2023 and another draw last Sunday.