Mayo's defensive frailties are cause for great concern

At least it’s never dull.

This was a new-look Mayo, but some familiar old problems reared their ugly heads.

This encounter had many of the same features as the league match between these sides a few months earlier at the same venue: a Kobe goal, a Kobe and Ryan masterclass, a rake of Mayo two-pointers into the Hill end, some impressive Mayo fetching in the middle third and, most worryingly, an extremely porous defence.

The match also bore many similarities to Mayo's clash with Galway in Round 1 of the NFL in Salthill at the end of January. On that day, too, Mayo looked slick in attack but coughed up far too many gilt-edged goal chances. Checking my notes from that game revealed that Robbie Hennelly made six top-class one-on-one saves. Monaghan went two better on Sunday, spurning eight big chances and making Jack Livingstone look a hero.

It was a brilliant debut for the Breaffy man. He made some fantastic, brave saves, making himself big and closing down shooters rapidly. Andy Moran would have liked his goalkeeper to be less busy, but he will be extremely heartened by his new netminder’s display. His kickouts were good too. He confidently placed them into areas for Mayo players to attack and Mayo’s middle third duly obliged.

Another debutant, Hugh O’Loughlin, renowned for his fetching skills, lived up to his reputation and plucked plenty of ball from the sky. Following the Roscommon midfield collapse, Mayo needed somebody – anybody – to get their hands on possession, so O’Loughlin’s performance will have been exactly what Moran and his management team wanted to see.

From the throw-in, Jack Carney seemed to have the bit between his teeth. He looked in the zone and produced a really good shift, particularly in the first-half.

Mayo’s most impressive line was the full-forward line. Kobe McDonald, Ryan O’Donoghue and Darragh Beirne dovetailed beautifully. Each player possesses pace and is a natural finisher. Mayo used them superbly in the opening half, when they combined for 1-12. Good, direct, long ball was delivered regularly, and the inside trio maintained excellent depth in their play, stretching Monaghan’s defence and giving their opponents the runaround.

It is hard to believe that Kobe began his Leaving Cert this week. He is already such a complete player. His pace, kicking ability and aerial prowess are all operating at an elite level. I genuinely think he is further along now than David Clifford was in his first year at senior inter-county level.

All of that makes his imminent departure even more galling. If he can handle a Bic pen as well as he can handle an O’Neills, then the State Examinations Commission won’t know what hit them. We wish him well and have to commend his dedication to the cause in lining out for his county in the midst of such an important phase of his life.

While Kobe ran the show in the first-half, Ryan O’Donoghue stepped up to the plate just before half-time and carried that brilliance into the second-half. His two-pointer on the stroke of the interval proved to be an absolutely vital score.

His duel with Ryan O’Toole in the second-half was a real humdinger. With their fair hair, pale complexions and battle-hardened demeanours, the pair looked like Scandinavian Viking warriors named ROD and ROT as they tore strips off one another in a proper mano-a-mano battle during the final quarter.

To his credit, O’Toole gave it everything and did as well as he could as the irrepressible O’Donoghue kept running and running at him. Not only was he taking the fight to Monaghan with his direct, hard running, he was also applying the finishing touch on numerous occasions to keep Mayo ahead.

Kobe’s magnificent last-minute fetch, coupled with the free that ROD won in front of goal after initially losing possession seconds earlier, were pivotal moments in those dramatic and chaotic closing stages.

Darragh Beirne also had a nice game. Every time I see him line out, he looks completely comfortable at this level. Critically, his left foot gives the attack great balance.

But alas, as so often happens, Mayo mixed the sublime with the ridiculous.

Mayo have been kicking two-pointers for fun all season and look like a really well-oiled machine in attack. That makes the problems at the back even more frustrating. The full-back line came under serious pressure whenever Monaghan went long and direct, and the marauding Bobby McCaul looked capable of instigating a comeback almost single-handedly.

However, those defensive frailties cannot be laid solely at the door of the full-back line. A defensive system, by its very definition, involves more than just three players. It requires a whole cohort working in tandem. One cannot blame the full-back line for the number of runners from the middle third who galloped through the centre of Mayo’s defence at will.

Had Monaghan been more clinical in front of goal, I fear Mayo would not have escaped with victory. Mayo converted 19 scores from 26 shots, including six two-pointers, while Monaghan managed just 18 scores from 36 attempts. That statistic tells a story all of its own.

The work done to get the forward line functioning so cohesively deserves enormous credit and is a remarkably impressive achievement in just six months. However, everyone will be hoping for the implementation – or development – of some strategy to shore things up defensively.

I don’t have the answers, but if the Mayo management can find a way to make this team harder to score against then Mayo will be a very dangerous proposition given the firepower they possess.

Mayo’s substitutes experienced varying degrees of success. Paddy Durcan was moving well in his brief cameo, kicking a fine score, but Mayo lost some momentum with the raft of changes made during the final quarter. The composure of the excellent Conor Loftus was notably missed after his substitution with 20 minutes remaining.

One of those substitutes, Aidan O’Shea, made his 100th championship appearance on Sunday – the most by any outfield player in Gaelic football history. That is a phenomenal achievement.

O’Shea has been a lightning rod for criticism over the years, but nobody can question his commitment and dedication to the cause. To make that many championship appearances over the guts of two decades takes a special kind of character.

While many of us spend our weekends enjoying more relaxing pursuits, O’Shea has consistently placed himself front and centre in Mayo’s quest to reach the Promised Land. He could be socialising with friends, enjoying family days out, or lounging in front of the television watching sport like everyone else. Instead, his weekends – and indeed much of his life – have revolved around Mayo and his utter devotion to his county. Then he gets up on Monday morning, goes to work and does it all again. For almost twenty years. Respect.

So what comes next for Mayo in the 2026 Championship?

I haven’t got a clue.

This Mayo team are incredibly difficult to analyse, which makes their fortunes equally difficult to predict with any certainty.

We may as well just strap ourselves in and enjoy the ride.