McHale and Mayo relishing Galway challenge in Connacht Final

On Sunday at 1 pm, Mayo will take on Galway in the Connacht Ladies Final in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. Galway are hot favourites, but Michael Gallagher visited a Mayo training session this week and found a group brimming with excitement.

It's early morning, and the sun is beating out of the heavens. On a back pitch in Bekan, the excitement and effort of a group of footballers is clearly audible from a distance away. The flashing runs, the intricate movement, and the sound of leather on leather echoes across the plain as the Mayo Ladies senior squad go through yet another training session.

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In the midst of it all is Liam McHale. The former star midfielder in the men's jersey has been in charge of the women's team for the past two seasons, and he's preparing his team for next Sunday's Connacht Final against Galway.

It's a big task for his side, but they're chomping at the bit to get out on MacHale Park and have a cut at their nearest neighbours. It promises to be a memorable encounter, and McHale's squad were going at full tilt last Sunday morning.

“We're hugely looking forward to it, as you can see out there on the pitch. The girls are buzzing. They're moving well, and they are counting down the days. Of course, they know the challenge waiting for them. Galway are very, very good. They're improving every year, and it's a big ask for us, but we're really looking forward to taking them on in Castlebar, and we'd love to see a big crowd out there on Sunday.”

The former Ballina and Mayo star loves to study the way teams set up, and he and his backroom team have spent a lot of time analysing the women in maroon jerseys. It's not easy to find weaknesses in the Galway team, and McHale is honest in his appraisal.

“They've a very slick side with a lot of good footballers. They're able to hold onto the ball while mixing a hard-running game with slick movement, and that tires teams out. They've a lot of good forwards and lots of Kilkerin Clonberne girls who have won a load of All-Ireland club titles.

“They're rightly one of the teams fancied to win the All-Ireland, and we're hoping that they might be looking past us and they might be a wee bit off and for us to be at the top of our game.

We'll be hoping to make it a close game and be in position going into the last ten minutes to have a real cut at them. We tried to do that two weeks ago when we played them in the round-robin, but they scored 2-4 from our turnovers, and that kills any team. We have to learn from that,” he added while praising Galway's offensive approach.

“Galway play a very high line and they're not worried about leaving their defenders isolated. They gamble on winning the ball back. We have a tendency of rushing things and turning the ball over, which comes from inexperience, but that takes time. Everyone is trying to do the right thing, and that's exactly what we encourage them to do.

“I'm long enough around now to understand that's the way sport is, and there's no point dwelling on any mistakes, because players have to have the confidence to try things. Don't get me wrong. We'll be going out on Sunday to give it absolutely everything to win the game – there's no doubt about that. It's a Connacht Final. It's Mayo versus Galway and we're really looking forward to it.”

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Mayo have had a poor National League campaign and ended up getting relegated to Division 2, but championship is a different animal, and McHale and his crew have a spring in their step.

“We try and stay optimistic. Our sports psychology coach, Denis Coen, is working tirelessly with the players and has really given so much of himself to this group. He encourages them not to get too high or too low from anything and just to find the enjoyment and the expression. We've lost a lot of games this year. But we've been good for big chunks of those games, and we're just seeking consistency. When these players get that consistency, they will be very good and have great careers in the game. They're striving so hard to be the best they can be, and that will come.”

How does the balancing act between praise and criticism work in his group?

“You critique and you coach, but we also show them what great football they're capable of when they're fully engaged and on the ball. We run a very positive ship here, but this takes time. The Galway team are three or four years down the road and have bags of experience.

“We were just two points down last year against them in the Connacht Final in Kiltoom in the last minute when they got a goal. They've built their strength in depth since then, and we've lost a lot of experience – there's no doubt about that. We've lost 13 players since last year and 12 the year before. That's a huge turnover, but Kerry won the All-Ireland last year, and they've lost 12 of that team. It's so hard to retain players in Ladies' Football.

It's disappointing to lose players, but if a girl is away from home, it's not simple to get here for training or games. Things are improving, but it's not easy. There are no shortcuts in this group. They train three times a week, they're in the gym twice a week, we'll have a primer session on Saturday, so it's very similar to the men's game in that regard,” he adds as his players file by on their way to food and a video session.

How does the leadership of the team work?

“Danni's (Danielle Caldwell) our captain, and has led the team so brilliantly. She was a player who would take defeats badly and show that emotion, but now she realises she has to be strong and show a good example to the younger girls. She has been amazing.

“That's the type of women we have playing for Mayo next Sunday, and we would love to see a big crowd in MacHale Park because the girls deserve it. I'm very confident that we'll be in the game with ten minutes to go, and that's when the big home crowd will be needed. We'll go hell for leather for it. The players are very determined. They want to put in a performance. They know the opposition well and understand the task ahead of them, but it's a two-horse race, and if we get everything right, we'll be right there.

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“The pride and passion for Mayo is the exact same for these girls as it was for me when I was playing. There's nothing like playing Galway. I was always excited the week before a game with Galway, and it's the same now. We can't wait.”

"We've had a tough league, and we need to have a good championship."