COLUMN: Moran's Mayo a smart blend of trust and opportunity

In last week’s column, I started by talking about how I hadn’t been looking forward to Mayo games in recent seasons, and how I was genuinely excited heading into the Galway game.

Both the Galway game and the Dublin game have done very little to change that feeling of expectation and adventure.

It has been a brilliant start to the league, and there is no doubt about that. When league fixtures are released, managers tend to view the opening games as a defined block, with clear point targets for the first three games.

Making a strong start is critically important, and from that perspective, Andy Moran could not have asked for more.

Mayo have taken on two high-quality teams, both of whom would traditionally have been considered favourites against them at this time of the year, and emerged with four points.

Whether at home or away, that return represents an outstanding outcome and provides immediate momentum.

Purely in terms of points on the board, Moran deserves an A+ for his opening two games, and the preparation that led to this position has clearly paid off.

DEFINED ROLES

Looking more closely at the team’s structure, what stands out is the clarity of Moran’s thinking in his selections and roles.

Bob Tuohy has been established at midfield with a defined brief. David McBrien has been influential all over the pitch, contributing energy and scores.

Ryan O’Donoghue has operated in the forward line in a fluid role — at times a scorer, at times a creator — allowing him to show the full range of his skills.

I’ve always made a case for keeping him closer to goal, but doing so would risk limiting his overall influence, given how effective he is as a playmaker.

O’Donoghue has been the standout player over the opening two games, which is no surprise. At this stage, he is Mayo’s most reliable performer — someone who can be trusted in big moments to create or convert chances.

There may be a touch of Belmullet bias in here, but when I meet people here in Armagh, Ryan is the first player I mention. He is truly great to watch.

He has been well supported by Jack Carney and Jordan Flynn, two men who have played important roles. Along with Tuohy and McBrien, that gives Mayo a settled and productive middle third.

Most of these players are contributing scores, and the balance of work rate, ball-handling, power and forward running has been central to Mayo’s strong start.

MAN MANAGEMENT

Another area where Andy deserves significant credit is in his management of the wider panel. New managers often lean heavily on familiar faces.

However, we have already seen a smart blend of trust and opportunity.

Established figures such as Aidan O’Shea and Paddy Durcan have been rotated intelligently, while players like Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, and Fergal Boland have been introduced alongside a strong core.

Speaking of Paddy Durcan, it was great to see both him and Diarmuid O’Connor returning from injury. Having such experienced players coming on adds to the depth of the panel for games going forward.

Bringing players into a settled team, rather than making wholesale changes, allows them to grow into roles with confidence, and Moran has handled that balance well.

This approach has also been evident in the way Darragh Beirne and Cian McHale have been used.

It’s great having two left-footed, composed, capable free-takers, and having one on the field at all times has been beneficial.

Beirne, in particular, has shown impressive composure at just 19 years of age. Managing his minutes carefully, and giving him 50 minutes each game is a good way to bring him up to speed with inter-county fare.

FRONT FOOT

From a tactical and mental perspective, Mayo also seem better equipped to deal with momentum swings.

Modern games can turn quickly, and no lead is secure until the closing minutes. Mayo handled Dublin’s second-half resurgence well, continuing to play on the front foot rather than retreating into caution.

The emphasis on continuing to attack when space presents itself feels more in tune with the realities of the modern game than attempting to simply slow things down.

That attacking mindset has been supported by a clear focus on kickout strategy. Mayo have put pressure on opposition kickouts and shown a willingness to contest longer restarts, winning breaks and second balls.

This approach worked against Galway and again proved effective here. As short kickouts become increasingly risky under high pressure, being strong on long kickouts and breaks looks like a smart area of emphasis.

Players such as Jordan Flynn, Jack Carney and others have shown they are well suited to that battle.

Encouragingly, Mayo’s scores have been spread throughout the team, with contributions from midfield, the forward line and the bench.

That balance makes them more difficult to contain and points to a healthier attacking structure overall.

RENEWED ENTHUSIASM

Finally, the response from supporters has been telling. A strong attendance in Castlebar reflected renewed belief and enthusiasm around the team.

Supporters have clearly been encouraged by both the results and the style of play, and they were rewarded with another positive, attacking performance.

Taken together, these opening weeks suggest more than just a good start. They point to clear planning, intelligent squad management, and a team developing an identity that looks capable of lasting beyond the early rounds of the league.

There's no doubt about it, these two games have given everyone a boost and energised us. I can't wait for the Donegal game in a couple of weeks when we play a team that obviously is going very well too.

They obviously want to bounce back from a poor All-Ireland final performance last year and they certainly seem to have done that so it will be a really really good test for Mayo.

It's great to be excited about Mayo games again.