O'Shea returns to starting lineup for Mayo trip up north
Mayo’s Aidan O'Shea. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
Mayo senior football manager Kevin McStay has made two changes from the team that started against Tyrone last time out for Round 4 of the Allianz National Football League game against Armagh today (Saturday) at 5pm in the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.
Aidan O'Shea and Ryan O'Donoghue return to the starting line ahead of Paul Towey and Cian McHale. Stephen Coen of Hollymount-Carramore will captain the team on the day.
This weekend's meeting will be the 17th League meeting of Mayo and Armagh, with the first coming in 1979, which means the rivalry between the counties is a recent one. Armagh hold the upperhand with eight wins to Mayo's 5five, with three drawn games in 1981, 1997 and their most recent meeting in 2023.
Seven games have been played at Armagh venues, with the Athletic Grounds hosting six meetings, and Lurgan the 1981 drawn game. Mayo have enjoyed home advantage on five occasions, Charlestown (three), Ballyhaunis and MacHale Park in 2012 hosted these games.
Four games have been played at neutral venues, with Croke Park hosting the 1986 Quarter-Final and 2005 Semi-Final, Carrick-on-Shannon for the 1988 Relegation Play-Off meeting, and Hyde Park the 2022 meeting, which was a home game for Mayo when MacHale Park was unavailable due to pitch improvement works.
In addition to the League, Mayo and Armagh have met twice in the championship, the 1950 All-Ireland semi-final, and a 2019 Round 3 Qualifier game which was played in MacHale Park, with Mayo winning both of these games.
Barry Tiernan from Dublin will officiate at the game.
The game is live on TG4 with coverage starting at 4:30pm, while there is live commentary on Midwest Radio with Michael D McAndrew and Austin O'Malley. Mayo GAA will have live updates across all social media channels on Saturday.
