GAA COLUMN: Embrace the madness of Mayo county final day

In many ways, it's a blessing that Ballina and Westport have just a week to prepare for the Mayo county final.

Not that it’s the right decision (an argument for another day).

The buildup to a county final can be the longest fortnight of your life. But also one of the best, for which you only truly realise in the benefit of hindsight and years under your belt. 

Looking back at my own county finals with Balla, I spent those weeks a nervous wreck. The 2020 intermediate final, the 2018 and 2016 junior deciders. I was in my mid-20s and couldn't see past the anxiety.

I should have been enjoying every second.

Instead, I tried to keep my head down and my mind busy. You avoid certain people because you know where the conversation is heading. They'll tell you what you're doing wrong. They'll say if you just kicked the ball more or handpassed it less, you'd win the game.

They're grade A doses, who mean well, but you avoid at all costs. Exercise the classic smile, nod and ‘goodluck’ strategy. 

Those conversations never end well.

RIGHT APPROACH

I always found the trick is spending time with your teammates. Go for coffee. Meet for breakfast. Take a dip in the sea. Being around the lads keeps you relaxed. It keeps your mind off the match without pretending the match doesn't exist.

I'm not sure if Westport went for a few pints on Saturday evening after beating Crossmolina. Lord knows they deserved them after 90 minutes of football. But recovery is the name of the game right now.

Every hour matters when you've only got seven days.

Westport and Ballina’s preparation this week will look completely different to what it might have been with a two-week break. There's no time for hard sessions or high-intensity work. This is about getting bodies right, ironing out niggles.

Killian Kilkelly limped off for Westport at the end of Saturday’s epic and they’ll  be hoping it’s just cramp and nothing more serious because there’s no wriggle room left. 

The work is done at this stage. It's all about sharpness now. Get on the pitch, get loose, maybe tinker with a few positions or tactics. But you can't reinvent the wheel in six days.

ENJOY IT

Ballina are in a slightly different headspace. Four years in a row they've been in this territory. It's their norm now. A privileged position that only great teams earn, but one that brings its own pressure. They know what it takes. They know how to handle county final week.

Kevin Keane spoke brilliantly on the Mayo Football Podcast after the game. He's a wise man with experience beyond his years. He talked about how rare county finals are and how hard they are to get to.

He's right.

Kevin and Lee Keegan will be in a whole different mindset than their younger teammates. That kind of perspective only comes from clocking up serious miles on the clock. They've seen it all. They know what matters and what doesn't.

The younger lads would do well to watch how those boys carry themselves this week.

The nerves will be there. That's normal. But they disappear when the ball is thrown in. Trust that.

If I had my time back, I'd enjoy those couple of weeks a lot more than I did. I'd embrace the anticipation instead of running from it. I'd stop worrying about things outside my control.

County finals don't come around often. Even for the best teams, they're rare. You might get one chance, maybe two if you're fortunate. Ballina and Westport players need to soak it in.

The game will look after itself.

Enjoy the madness while it lasts.

WESTPORT RISING

Westport versus Crossmolina was the game of the season.

Massively entertaining from start to finish. High intensity, serious physicality, top-level skills, brilliant scoring, and defending that had you on the edge of your seat. Kobe McDonald. 

Had it all. 

The modern game was built for matches like this. The rules are fundamentally designed for forwards and scores. Being a defender right now is brutal. All the aces are in the attacker's sleeve. You need to do the basics right and do them well. Even then, teams will rack up scores and good forwards flourish. That's just how the game is designed.

And we saw that in Charlestown.

MY BIG TIP

When teams execute high-level kick passing and have forwards with pace and style, defenders are in trouble.

And there was some style on display on Saturday.

A couple of weeks ago, I narrowly tipped Crossmolina. I felt the exclusion of goalkeeper Paddy O'Malley would play a huge part. Honestly, without him, I'm not sure Westport would have won.

But I sent a message into a WhatsApp group with some well-versed football men just before the game nailing my colours to the cross for a Westport upset (want proof, I will show you!). I felt the extra week and O’Malley back would make them better because Westport are a team getting better with every game. 

Kevin Keane spoke brilliantly after the match. He highlighted the fact that all the talk was on Crossmolina being a big advantage to Westport. I’ve no doubt that message would have been driven home hard in training in Westport over the past few weeks. 

To bring on a player like Keane at that stage of the game is a weapon. He would have been disappointed to be dropped, but his input in extra time was critical to Westport getting back to a county final.

FINE MARGINS

Look back at how close they were to going out against Breaffy. For 40 minutes, it looked like they were heading for a hiding. The margins are fine. The turnaround has been impressive.

Now they want the fortunes to go their way as they chase a first title since 2022. The team they beat that day was Ballina.

Ballina are chasing three in a row. An incredible achievement if they pull it off.

You need to be impressed with how they dispatched Knockmore at the weekend. They went through the motions, never really had to hit top gear. Professional job. Clinical. A standard we’ve come to expect from them. 

Knockmore were disappointing. They got their setup wrong from the start. Stood off Ballina. The decision to play a plus-one Kieran King dropping cost them dearly.

That tactic has paid dividends for Knockmore over the years. It was one of the main factors in them winning those titles. But the game has changed. 

Who wins the county final then?

You have a perennial force in Ballina. A team that does very little wrong. Ever. They're the benchmark.

Then you have Westport improving, hungry, and playing with massive belief after beating Crossmolina.

I have a funny feeling it's going to be their day next Sunday.