MAN AT WORK Long-serving Mayo GAA steward Dan Hoban from Newport is pictured on duty at MacHale Park, Castlebar on Sunday. Pic: Michael McLaughlin
Mayo’s supporters didn’t have much to shout about on Sunday
In the stand
Ger Flanagan
THE ecstatic roar that echoed from the stand in MacHale Park at full-time on Sunday was a familiar sound for anyone who’s a regular at Mayo matches.
Fans jumping out of their seats, with faces full of elation, producing a noise level that would wake any sleeping baby, is fairly routine in Castlebar.
But this time it was the away fans – not the home support – that were doing the shouting.
In hindsight, it provided us with an indication of just how much Cavan’s victory over Mayo meant to their army of boisterous and friendly supporters.
But for the Mayo crowd, the hum of frustration, with a little bit of anger thrown in was palpable at the final whistle.
And for many of the crowd of 8,565 in MacHale Park, the disappointment and frustration was gradually building up throughout the contest. Cavan’s aim of thwarting the Mayo attack with a heavy blanket seeped into the stands too.
One rather enraged elderly Mayo supporter, situated just beneath the press box, took particular exception to the ‘sea of blue’ as he bemoaned the ‘puke football’.
Mind you, that very same man was calling for Stephen Rochford to substitute Danny Kirby early in the first half, sighing: “I’ve seen enough of him today, time to get him off”.
Literally no more than 30 seconds had passed when Kirby swung over a cracker off the outside of his right foot, much to the joy of our observer’s companions.
The atmosphere in the opening 35 minutes reflected the football being played by Mayo.
It had looked early on like this was going to be a run-of-the-mill runaround for the men in green and red, lacking any real buzz and excitement, but getting the job done.
Even at half-time, shortly after Gearóid McKiernan’s goal, the majority still felt that a routine Mayo victory was on the cards. There was certainly no sense that a shock defeat was on the cards. Little did we know!
There was a stark difference in the emotions of the two sets of players and management down in the tunnel after the game too.
The Mayo players had their heads down, hoping to avoid any unwarranted attention. The Arctic-like breeze that blows through the tunnel did nothing to quell the frosty, slightly awkward atmosphere either.
Even the ear-to-ear grins and the numerous high-fives and bodychecks from the Cavan players couldn’t sweeten the mood.
But the contrasting emotions of Stephen Rochford and Mattie McGleenan gave the most honest reflection of the game you could have gotten.
Rochford, probably not exactly enthused by having to fulfill a plethora of media obligations after such a shock defeat, was his typically steely, reserved self as he acknowledged his side were second best.
The Cavan manager, Mattie McGleenan, eventually made his way into the tunnel, at least 20 minutes after the final whistle as he greeted the hoards of fans looking to congratulate him on a masterclass.
Even An Taoiseach Enda Kenny offered the Tyrone man his best wishes and congratulations, fresh from his St Patrick’s Day trip to the White House.
You couldn’t help but ponder if congratulating the man who could possibly have sentenced your home county to Division 2 league football was anywhere near as awkward as shaking the hand of one Donald Trump!
McGleenan spoke confidently, showing no surprise that his side had toppled Mayo in their own back yard as he heaped praise on his players, avoiding any notions of boasting.
Donald Trump certainly wouldn’t have been that humble!
