Kevin McStay names Mayo team to face Sligo in Connacht championship opener

Mayo senior football team manager Kevin McStay has named two changes to the team that lined out against Kerry in the Division 1 league final. 

Darren McHale and Davitt Neary - who were named to start the final - have been named in the half-forward line in place of Eoghan McLaughlin and Conor Reid, who started the league final in their place. 

READ: Five players who caught our eye during Mayo’s league final defeat to Kerry

Mayo will face Sligo on Sunday at 3.30pm in the opening round of the Connacht Senior Football Championship in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar in the sixtieth championship meeting of the counties.

Their very first meeting took place in the 1905 championship, which was played on April 29, 1906 in Claremorris. Their most recent clash was during the 2021 Connacht championship in Markievicz Park in Sligo, when Mayo cantered to a 3-23 to 0-12 point victory in front of a very small crowd due to Covid-19 restrictions. 

Five players who started that game, Enda Hession, Matthew Ruane, Darren McHale, Jordan Flynn, Aidan O’Shea and Ryan O’Donoghue, have been named to start Sunday’s game.

Aidan O’Shea scored 2-2 in that game in 2021. The same day, Darren McHale struck 1-5 while Ryan O’Donoghue hit five points as Mayo marched to a Connacht title and, eventually an All-Ireland final. 

Mayo come into this game one week after a 1-18 to 1-12 Division 1 National Football League final defeat to Kerry.

There is no place in the match-day squad for Tommy Conroy or Paddy Durcan, who are still recovering from injury. 

Colm Reape, who went off injured in the final, has been named to start in goal behind an unchanged full-back line and half-back line.

Kevin McStay has also kept faith with Jack Carney and Matthew Ruane at midfield while Neary and McHale, who came on in the second half of the Kerry game, start in the half-forward line. 

The Mayo full-forward line is again comprised of Aidan O’Shea, Ryan O’Donoghue and Frank Irwin.

Mayo team named to start against Sligo is as follows: Colm Reape (Knockmore); Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis), Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels), Enda Hession (Garrymore); Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites), David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen), Stephen Coen (Hollymount Carramore); Jack Carney (Klmeena), Matthew Ruane (Breaffy); Davitt Neary (Breaffy), Darren McHale (Knockmore), Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers); Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites), Ryan O’Donoghue (Béal an Mhuirthead).