McStay calls for 'big reaction' against Roscommon

Western People sports editor Anthony Hennigan aptly described last week’s defeat to Kerry as pointless but positive’. Replace positive with concerning and that would be an accurate description of the loss to Tyrone.

Mayo were run ragged in the second half by Darren McCurry and Darragh Canavan – the latter described as ‘different gravy’ by Kevin McStay after the game – but as Tyrone found a second wind in the third quarter, Mayo were left behind although McStay felt they didn’t get the rub of the green either.

“It was a tough second half for us. The first 15, 20 minutes after half time, we were in a very good position even though we hadn't played particularly well in the first half. W got ourselves into a three-point lead. In the National League is a decent position and we were sure, we were convinced we'd be able to build on it.

“But the first five or six minutes second half. We got a few very hard calls, we got the wrong side of them. It was a line ball, the very first play down here, a line ball ends up over the bar. Now you're giving a bit of oxygen back to Tyrone and then they got momentum with the goal of course and then drove it on. Put a big gap then in the third quarter, it was hard for us to make it back.” 

Mayo’s lacklustre display was evident in the vast number of changes made, eight in total. Ryan O’Donoghue and Aidan O’Shea dropped to the substitutes bench, the latter not seeing any action whatsoever against the Red Hands. But McStay stressed that the majority of replacements who came in were not rookies either.

“It’s the halfway stages of the League, we need to look at fellas. We’ll be looking at the panel over the next 10 days, a fortnight’s time and you have to give them chances.

“The changes weren’t the issue at all and they weren’t changes where it was rookies we were putting on. I think six of them played in multiple All-Ireland finals.

“You’re giving fellas minutes because they’re training hard and training well and deserve the opportunity. By and large, they weren't bad at all.” Overall it was a disappointing evening in Healy Park and McStay said he wants a ‘fairly dramatic’ reaction from Mayo when Roscommon come this Saturday evening.

“Well, we still need two points. I think six will be what will get us there and the next two are on offer. We need to see a reaction on next Saturday night against our fierce rivals in the province who cut us fairly short last year in the championship. We need to see a big reaction because tonight wasn't good enough in terms of performance or the result, that's all of us now.

“I have to go back to Mayo now and figure out why it panned out this way and then resolve to do something about it. So, I’d be expecting something fairly dramatic next Saturday night against our fierce rivals in the province.” 

As well as the defeat, Mayo lost Diarmuid O’Connor to a leg injury within five minutes while Paddy Durcan, who has missed the last two game, is also a doubt for the Roscommon game. One positive was a first start for Enda Hession in a year and he was one of Mayo’s brighter performers on the day.

“That's nearly the worst result of the trip for us now (with Diarmuid),” conceded McStay. “We were chasing the two points, we were chasing the win, and then when they're gone, the next result then is Diarmuid. I don't know what it is. It could look like a muscle high up in the leg.

“It's a muscle injury (for Paddy). He didn't react as well this week now as we thought it would so again we couldn't chance him tonight but we'll know a little bit more now. We'll see how he does when he goes out in the field next week.” “(Enda) is a very good player and it’s great to see him see out the game. That's one big positive and then Diarmuid gets the knock. That was a bit of a setback and we’ve a few other niggles now that we have to mind as well.

“If we can get two points soon, we can start thinking about the championship road and we need to do that very quick now. We've three opportunities left, we need a victory.” Should those two points come against the Rossies, McStay and Mayo can breathe a bit easier.

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Allianz NFL Division 1 – Roundd 5 

Saturday, March 2 

7.30pm 

Mayo v Roscommon 

Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar