Edwin McGreal
1. Questions remain about leadership
WHILE the appointment of James Horan as Mayo manager was seen as a clean break from the Mayo model of 2010 which lost in the championship to Sligo and Longford, Sunday showed that some lingering issues remain.
A lack of leaders has long been an issue and not enough stood up in this regard on Sunday.
The issue of Mayo having a soft underbelly arose too. London’s man of the match Paul Geraghty spoke after the game of how London felt Mayo were ‘vulnerable’ if they were drawn into a battle.
That was apparent on Sunday and that has to play on the minds of the players.
2. Mayo don’t have enough forwards
YOU might say this is hardly a startling statement, but on Sunday Mayo had only one out-and-out forward on the bench — Cillian O’Connor.
The start of extra time saw Peadar Gardiner and Kevin McLoughlin, best known as wing-backs, in the half-forward line. Injuries to Enda Varley and Neil Douglas didn’t help the Mayo cause, but lack of options in attack is a worry.
The dropping of the likes of Aidan Kilcoyne and Mark Ronaldson earlier this year was seen as a brave move by the Mayo management and many agreed with it at the time.
However, is it a problem when forward cover is left so thin on the ground as a consequence.
3. Free-taking is a problem, once again
THAT Mayo had seven different free-takers in Ruislip speaks of the ragged nature of their efforts on Sunday. Alan Dillon, Aidan Campbell, Alan Freeman, Andy Moran, Jason Doherty, Robbie Hennelly and Cillian O’Connor all had a go at different stages with indifferent results.
Not having a specialised free-taker is a big problem for Mayo and will certainly count against them when they play better opposition. The longing for a Maurice Sheridan ‘type’ is unrealistic; he was a rare and brilliant free-taker — but Mayo appear to have a very ad-hoc approach to frees.
It’s a big concern, especially with Galway waiting in the wings.
