O'Shea's remains a key man for Mayo 

Mayo's meeting with Roscommon on Saturday evening failed, for a number of reasons, to generate much hype in the build-up.

Central to that appears to be the general disconnect between the public and the new All-Ireland format, until things get properly serious when the knockout stuff arrives. Before that, though, the general case seems to be that the public would take it or leave it.

In any case, Saturday's match was one of consequence on a couple of fronts - not least that it primes Mayo for a crack at the Dubs with the pressure largely off with two wins already under their belt in the group.

That's a game Mayo can really attack now and their performance there will tell a lot, I think, in terms of what's to come later in the summer. A win over the Dubs may be unlikely on current form but Mayo usually come with at least one big, big performance each year in the Championship. A victory over the reigning champions could open up several doors for the Green and Red and help their summer catch fire.

Beyond the result last Saturday, it was, as Colm Keys in the Irish Independent pointed out last Friday, a day of real significance for Aidan O'Shea, who became the second all-time appearance holder in championship football by donning the Green and Red for the 89th time. Only Stephen Cluxton, now on 124, has made more appearances in the Championship.

It’s quite a remarkable feat on a number of fronts.

It's always intriguing to follow the narrative around the Mayo team, from those both inside and outside the county. You don't need me to tell you that it's a county fanatical about the game and everything around it, and that lends itself to powerful debate when it comes to the fortunes of the team because it means so much to so many.

In many of those debates, a major sticking point is Aidan O’Shea. The Breaffy man has been an ever-present for Mayo since 2009 and has had many standout days since. There have also been difficult ones, too.

The consistent debate around a marquee forward in the Mayo team is not one we want to rehash here, but I think it's fair to say that when the majority of folk countrywide think of Mayo, the first player that springs to mind is Aidan O'Shea.

He is one of the most recognisable faces in the game, the same way we think of David Clifford when we think of Kerry or Stephen Cluxton when it comes to Dublin and so on.

The difference is, can you pinpoint Aidan O'Shea's position? We know when David Clifford plays for Kerry, he'll be in the full forward line. Stephen Cluxton won't venture too far from goal for Dublin. Damien Comer and Shane Walsh will be close to goal for Galway, invariably. So will Paddy McBrearty for Donegal or Conor McManus down through the years for Monaghan. But, at various ages during the last decade, Mayo seemed to have an issue when it comes to nailing down a consistent position for Aidan O'Shea.

This is both a blessing and a curse. O'Shea shouldn't be punished for his versatility, in fact, it should be lauded.

I make it that he has played in every line bar goalkeeper (having played at full-back versus Kerry in 2017 before starting the replay at centre half back). He has won an All-Star at midfield, centre-forward and full-forward.

But it probably clouds our view of him - and our perception of his performances. It's not easy to slot into those positions like that, especially when you're operating at the very top of the inter-county game. So to be able to do so is a reflection of his ability.

In his Irish Times column after the 2021 All-Ireland final defeat, the now Mayo manager Kevin McStay wrote the following: “Nobody, but nobody, can agree where Mayo should play him and what his best position is, yet he has been playing for over a decade.

“Maybe Mayo have done O’Shea a disservice here. Has his role ever been clarified for him? Or has he been asked to be all things for too many Mayo teams down the years? His game has suffered because of that.” 

It’s well documented that O’Shea has maybe not delivered all that was expected of him on All-Ireland final day in the past, but him consistently becoming the lightning rod for criticism for the ills of the Mayo team is a tad unfair.

People within Mayo will have their opinions, but here’s mine. Aidan O’Shea, to those preparing to play Mayo, strikes the most fear into opposition when he’s stationed close to goal.

The man is a real handful for defenders when it comes to his physicality; has great hands, a good skillset and tackles really well. I actually think the latter is a point that often goes unnoticed - O’Shea is superb in getting in there and making physical contact with opposition players, often forcing turnovers in dangerous areas.

Most teams will spend time in the lead-up to playing Mayo on how to stop him. Does his presence in a full-forward line stifle other forwards? Is he mobile enough to leave space for Ryan O’Donoghue or Tommy Conroy to operate in?

O’Shea is 34 this year and is coming towards the end of his career. Might a role closer to goal suit him? I think it would. Would it suit Mayo? That’s up for debate. But I think when O’Shea does retire, his worth to the team will become more apparent when he’s absent.

“He’s going to be breaking all sorts of records if he just keeps breathing for another while,” Kevin McStay said of O’Shea post-match on Sunday.

“He’s just an incredible servant to us and one of our great players to wear the jersey and we’re just delighted that we have him in our group.” Mayo may not be frontline All-Ireland contenders for many pundits right now - but they have a much better chance of landing the big prize with O’Shea in the team.