McStay delighted with performance but dreading upcoming panel decisions
Allianz Football League Division 1, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, Mayo 2/3/2024 Mayo vs Roscommon Mayo manager Kevin McStay Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Evan Logan
Mayo boss Kevin McStay was thrilled with his sides second half performance against Roscommon that seen them to victory against their provincial rivals.
Mayo doubled their half-time tally of 0-7 to 0-14 by the 55th minute and that left Roscommon, who failed to score during this period, well and truly in the rear-view mirror.
Speaking to the local media following Saturday's six-point victory, McStay said he thinks that Mayo will need at least one more point from their remaining games to make fully sure of their Division 1 status for 2025. He added that the result in Omagh the previous weekend put a little bit more pressure on his team to pick up a positive result at home to Roscommon.
“We probably need seven for survival, six could be enough but you wouldn’t know how it would work out mathematically.”
“We had set out to beat Tyrone of course, but losing in Tyrone upped the ante here and we were at home as well. We’re trying to win games here in Castlebar and make it difficult for travelling teams.”
He said Roscommon showed their quality in the second quarter which brought them to within a point of Mayo by the break.
“We had a very good opening 20 minutes but fell off it a bit then and they were shooting the lights out. Their conversion was very high from distance but they have that, that’s why they are a team that contends.”
“I’d say in four- or five weeks time, it is going to be some fun once we get back up against Roscommon but we have to negotiate New York first of all.”
McStay praised his team’s improved second-half performance and said it is among the best spells of football his team have played.
“It was a great start to the second half, we targeted that at halftime, we went after it bald-headed as we did at the start of the game.”
“Overall, I’m thrilled with the second half. The opening 20 minutes was as good as we’ve played and we took some very good scores.”
“We slowed the game down a bit the last ten just to manage it ourselves and see how we got on, just trying something a little bit different but it was a good effort. We got Conor Loftus back out on the pitch and that was good as well.”
The Ballina man was uncertain about the extent of a potential injury picked up by Eoin McLaughlin, who was subbed off looking quite gingerly as he left the field of play. McStay said it looked like a muscle injury but it would have to be assessed. He had a positive update on Paddy Durcan and David McBrien.
“I think we’ll see them for the Derry squad and for the Monaghan match, something like that. That’s what we’re hoping.”
“With Doc, Diarmuid O’Connor, he has a bit longer to go but he might be back for the New York game perhaps.”
The Mayo manager will make a call on his panel for the All-Ireland Championship in the coming week. McStay said that this is a part of the job that he hates.
“It’s terrible. It’s the one part of the job I hate. Even I told ye what these players do to try and play for Mayo, you wouldn’t believe all they do. It’s a life choice, a commitment that anyone would find it very hard to give.”
“Then you have to tell them that despite their four months of hard going and long nights working, it is going to be next year before we look at them again. That is very hard on them.”
“But they’re great and always want to know what they can do to improve and maybe make an impression next year.”
McStay said that while the door remains open to bring a player back to the panel, it is not easy to bring someone in halfway through the year in modern Gaelic Football.
“The door is always open, technically, but is it really though? How do you bring a fella in? You can’t really. He hasn’t got the work done and he just wouldn’t survive out there now.”
“It’s not like in our day, you might get away with it then but nowadays you’d get killed.”
Roscommon manager Davy Burke said his team looked ‘lifeless’ in the second half against Mayo.
Speaking on the Roscommon GAA social media channels at full time, Burke said that he thought his team would be more competitive in the second half after starting the first slowly but finding a way back into the game.
“We started very slowly, really, really poor we’d be disappointed with our start. Mayo were toying with us. Things changed around the 20-minute mark and the introduction of Niall Daly helped in that regard.”
The game went in 7-6 at half time and I thought we’d come out and be in the contest but ultimately, we weren’t, it wasn’t good at all and we have plenty to do.” He said that his team looked short on energy after they came back out for the second half.
“We looked like we had no energy, looked a bit lifeless and Mayo were full of it.”
“Both teams were on the third game of a three-week run so there is no excuse there. there was no team more energetic than the other so we’ll have to look at our preparation, the players will have to look at their preparation and we’ll have to look at the whole thing.”
Burke is hoping for a positive response at home against Kerry on St Patrick’s weekend. Roscommon currently sit in the bottom two and they face a tough ask against the Kingdom and Division 1 leaders Derry in the final round of the League if they are to avoid relegation.
“We’ll have a couple of days downtime now and then we’ll get ready for Kerry coming to the Hyde in two weeks. We love playing in the Hyde and we’ll look forward to that game.”
