National Football League preview: Voyage of discovery awaits Mayo GAA and Moran

Mayo set off on their National League voyage next Sunday in Salthill and it promises to be one of the most interesting journeys for quite some time.

The intrigue of opening the competition against one's biggest rivals is sure to whet the appetite of supporters and see a big crowd pack into Pearse Stadium.

The fact that Mayo have a new man on the sideline in manager Andy Moran and the whiff of an expansive attacking strategy in the nostrils will also catch the imagination.

That said, winter weather is no friend of good forward play and it may be closer to the summer before Mayo's attacking strategy is more clearly evident.

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Sunday in Salthill, and numerous other league games, may be a battle of wills therefore the importance of developing a style and building squad depth should be viewed kindly if results go awry.

Division 1 is always a hugely competitive space and that's certainly the case in 2026. Andy Moran brings his squad to the seaside on Sunday and they will be at home in Castlebar the following Sunday against Dublin.

Two weeks later Mayo travel to Letterkenny to play Donegal and are in Ulster again on February 22 to take on Monaghan.

On March 1 the Green and Red are at home against Armagh before going to Kerry for a Saturday afternoon meeting with the home side on March 14.

They will be back in Castlebar for the final round of the league on Sunday, March 22 when Roscommon come to town.

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