‘We are in the chasing pack’ – Liam McHale

MAYO Ladies manager Liam McHale insists his side are still in the chasing pack after snatching a draw from the jaws of defeat over Kerry.

With one win, two losses, and now a draw to his name as manager, the Ballina native insists that his side will mix it with the best of them come summertime.

“I said to them at half-time, don’t let go of the rope, it’s going to be a dogfight. They were great, they did that,” McHale told The Mayo Football Podcast after the draw against Kerry.

“We rode our luck a little bit with the two goal chances, but even though with the goal chances we were still fighting, we were still trying to get blocks, still making it difficult for them to get those shots off. Laura [Brennan] was phenomenal there at the end too.

“It’s great for us, it’s a massive point, we probably could have got a shot off there at the end to steal it but I’m really really happy with the girls. I’m delighted with them.”

McHale later admitted there was work to be done on conditioning and the rate of turnovers they are conceding.

But, true to his nature, the former Mayo footballer was unwaveringly positive in his outlook.

“I really do believe we’ll be hard to beat come the summer time,” McHale said.

“Meath, Kerry and Dublin are the standard bearers. They are very good, very well-conditioned, big strong physical teams. We believe that we are in the chasing pack and that we are not a million miles away. So that gives us energy, it gives us enthusiasm, it gives us confidence and belief that we can go and challenge as long as we keep applying ourselves properly and keep trying to get better.”

Confidence and belief are two qualities Liam McHale will never be short of anyway.