Two years ago, my friends and I made our first visit to the Orchard County, and it still ranks as my favourite Mayo GAA away trip ever. The weather was glorious, the game thrilling, and the Armagh people incredibly welcoming.

It felt unlikely a return trip could match it. Reader, it is with great joy that I can confirm last Saturday’s visit outdid the last. The weather was even warmer, the game even more entertaining (for 25 minutes at least), and remarkably, Armagh’s hospitality seems to have grown even more since their All-Ireland win.

PHOTOS: Action from Mayo's gripping weekend clash with Armagh

Mind you, there was a bit of a wobble. After a good early departure from Ballina and a divine breakfast in the Bees Knees Café in Enniskillen, we had three simple stops planned: Asda for essentials (cheap paracetamol and pork scratchings), the O’Neill’s superstore for great value, and finally, a hotel check-in, a bite to eat, and maybe even a nap before throw-in.

Imagine our dismay when the hotel informed us check-in wasn’t until 4pm—an hour before throw-in. “Four-o-clock?” came the horrified echo, as dreams of a snooze evaporated. “Are you watching the match here in the bar?” the receptionist asked sincerely. Four green-and-red-clad faces stared blankly back. The occasion was clearly lost on her. 

Fine, we said, let’s go for a stroll. We returned to The Mulberry, a lovely bistro we had enjoyed last time, under St Patrick’s Cathedral. The food and welcome had been outstanding then, and it didn’t disappoint this time either. Away trips are as much about the food as the football for some of us, and Cormac and his team once again elevated the experience. Those loaded fries will live long in the memory. If all goes to plan, we’ll be back again in two years’ time.

Enough about food. On to the business of the weekend. The Box-It Athletic Grounds is exactly the kind of stadium many of us wish MacHale Park was. Its 18,500 capacity, with a covered stand and terrace, creates an intimate, electric atmosphere—especially when Armagh are in full flow. And we got our fill of that in the first half.

ABSENSCE OF HOPE

I won’t lie. By half time, the faith of nearly four decades had deserted me completely. I was done. The towel was thrown in. All hope for the season ahead had evaporated.

I am, of course, a victim of the Mayo high-to-low mentality and I’m far from alone in that, but I had hit a rock bottom of pure despair that I hadn’t even hit at 5pm on September 11, 2021 when Tyrone won another All-Ireland final we should have come home with. 

I’m not proud to admit it, but this column is meant to document the fan’s journey on every level - physical, mental and spiritual, so I feel obliged to be honest - but with the way we were playing, I found myself wishing that if we were going to lose, that we would lose spectacularly, in the hope of it forcing some kind of a change.

In short, I thought in my despair that the best possible outcome in the long run might be a bit of a pasting. Do I feel bad about this? Guilty? Of course.

It seems ridiculous now, but it was a thought that occurred in the absence of any evidence in that first half that we were going to play in any other way than that unbearable, laboured and fruitless regime of lateral handpassing. 

Enter Stephen Coen. Stephen Coen is one of those players that every so often pops up with a wonder point, or even once, an unexpected goal, that reminds you of his depth. His scoring a two-pointer from outside the 45 had not been on my bingo card, nor, I imagine, on many others. 

RETURN OF HOPE

And suddenly, the Mayo machine cranked back into life, and before we knew it, there was chaos on the pitch, chaos in the stands, and utter confusion among the opposition supporters.

Mayo fans were hugely outnumbered on Saturday, and it felt unusual for us. But beside us, an Armagh family was having troubles of its own. Mayo were rocking, Davitt Neary had just popped in the goal, and the couple beside us were hitting the rocks.

“COME ON MAYO!” roared the wife, as the husband and mother-in-law swept around in utter disgust… “I’m from Tyrone”, she whispered conspiratorially to me. “I don’t know why I ever married you in the first place!” exclaimed the husband. Oops.

We all know what happened in the end, but it’s hard to be disappointed with a draw given the half time despondency. Among the positives were the upward trend in physicality and aggression levels, Ruane’s return of three points, Coen’s leadership, O’Donoghue being on song again, and Neary’s tenacity.

It was far from perfect however – the ongoing rule breaches, the lack of return from Reape’s forays into the opposition half and Boland’s unforgiveable error at the end were negatives for us, along with Jack Carney’s interesting moustache.

GOING ROGUE

But it was enough to assure Mayo fans that there is much more in the locker, and that despite the dour displays to date, that maybe there is a masterplan in the making.

Not that the management was getting much credit, mind – several times I heard people suggest that the players had gone rogue and thrown off the shackles in defiance of instruction - a theory so daft, it could only emerge in Mayo. 

It does not appear that such a plan is in place for the Mayo Ladies however, and another sub-par performance means that relegation beckons. There has been much talk about the attrition rate from the men’s team, but very little focus on the altogether more dire drain of female talent in recent years.

Serious questions need to be asked about why young women do not want to play for Mayo at the moment, and urgent action is needed. But with a new and ambitious executive in place, don’t be surprised to see that happen sooner rather than later.

The warmth of the adjoining Na Piarsaigh Ógs clubhouse was welcome afterwards, and the draw had not dampened the spirits of the Armagh faithful. They are still absolutely buzzing off their All-Ireland win and are only too happy to share the feeling.

It is a joy to witness, albeit slightly bittersweet. Caught up in the emotion of it all, one old man proclaimed, while banging his fist off the table for emphasis: “If we don’t win it this year I’d love to see Mayo win it this year. Or some year!” You and me both, buddy.

That was the common refrain over the evening in the city as the home crowd went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The well wishes were nice, but god, it was hard not to feel envious.

READ: Mayo grab crucial point in Armagh