Three key battles to keep an eye on as Mayo take on Tyrone

There will be drama, spice, and plenty more besides as Mayo head north to take on Tyrone in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Here, we take a look at three of the most intriguing matchups Mayo will need to come out on the other side of to emerge from Healy Park with an all-important win.

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Ryan O’Donoghue v Michael McKernan

WHERE would Mayo be without Ryan O’Donoghue? It’s worrying to even think about it, but thankfully, the Belmullet man is available and has credit in the bank. Mayo would be in a much worse position than they are in currently if the sharpshooter was absent.

There is no doubt about it, O’Donoghue is Mr Consistent in this Mayo side, and not many others can be included in that bracket. 

A return of nine points against Leitrim and Galway was a good personal tally for the Mayo ace, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to get over Galway. He kicked five points from placed balls against Cavan. 

Next Saturday will see Mayo travel north to Omagh to meet the Red Hand County. Tyrone have always been tigerish in defensive areas and expect more of the same when these two sides clash at the weekend.

The Tyrone man most likely to be tasked with minding O’Donoghue will be Coalisland’s Michael McKernan.

A top-class footballer in his own right, the physical defender loves to get forward on every possible occasion, and he certainly knows where the goalposts are located. The 27-year-old may adopt more defensive tactics this weekend as O’Donoghue will cause danger, as he does to every defensive unit.

If Mayo are to get the win they so badly need, the man they call Rod will need to be in top form.

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Donnacha McHugh v Darragh Canavan

PETER Harte, Darragh Canavan, and Darren McCurry are a collection of players that Mayo can only dream of having at their disposal. There must be good football blood running through the Canavan DNA, given the fact that Darragh’s father, Peter, was one of the greatest forwards ever to play the game.

Now his sons Darragh and Ruairi are on the inter-county scene. The eldest of the Canavan brothers, Darragh, is a class act. The way he creates space for himself is joyful, and his pinpoint accuracy comes in addition to his bravery and excellence. 

The Errigal Ciaran clubman certainly knows how to score and Mayo’s chosen man-marker will be busy this weekend. Going by recent clashes over the years, it seems Donnacha McHugh is most likely to be assigned to opposition’s best attackers.

The Castlebar Mitchels man has been given the task of marking some of the very best footballers out there, including when he picked up David Clifford in the league campaign. This weekend Mc Hugh will have to stick like glue to Canavan because he simply cannot allow the Tyrone dangerman to create space.

If he does, the white flag will be raised on numerous occasions as Tyrone build score after score.

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Colm Reape v Niall Morgan

THERE is no getting away from the fact that Colm Reape’s kickouts have caught the eye of many in recent times. It’s not only in the last two or three games that Mayo have struggled in the kickout department, there have been concerns right from the start of the league campaign. The ability to win their own kickout and retain possession in the middle areas has been a massive problem for Kevin McStay’s men all year.

Some of the problem has to be laid at the feet of the midfielders, especially when the breaking ball is there to be won, but Reape has to be assigned some of the blame too.

In the recent shock loss to Cavan, there were stages, especially in the first half, where Reape struggled with his restarts. It’s evident the Knockmore shotstopper opts for caution in most cases, but maybe things would improve if he was more risk-averse.

Up the other end in Healy Park on Saturday night will be Niall Morgan, one of the finest goalkeepers of the modern era. The Edendork man is one of the best strikers of a ball in the land and has shown on countless occasions he can kick like a laser, and his precision is off the charts. 

With Tyrone having big physical men around the middle, many will be expecting the hosts to dominate kickouts, but Morgan offers more than just pin-point restarts. If Tyrone secure a free from anywhere between 35 and 60 metres,

Morgan will be trotting up the field while Mayo will be praying the Tyrone number one will have an off-day. Nowadays, goalkeepers have a huge part to play in the modern game, and the contest between the two stoppers on Saturday night may have a huge bearing on the outcome.