COLUMN: Mayo learn hard lessons in League defeat to Kerry

GOING into this game, the feeling was that it was something of a free shot for Mayo. If they won, it would be a big scalp.

If they lost, it probably wouldn’t change a huge amount in the overall picture of the league.

In fact, some supporters might even have thought that dropping points in Tralee wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if it meant avoiding the pressure of chasing a league final.

There were structural concerns too. The team had to make several changes in defence for this one, and when you start adjusting a settled backline, it inevitably affects balance and cohesion.

That was always going to make things difficult against a side as clinical as Kerry.

Still, the opening quarter gave plenty of encouragement.

Mayo won the toss and played with the wind, something they’ve become very used to in recent weeks. For the first 15 minutes, they looked comfortable.

The ball was kept in Kerry territory, possession was moved well, and Mayo were able to build scores from distance.

The two-pointer has clearly become a major part of their attacking game. Once again, it was a big feature.

Jordan Flynn opened the account, while Ryan O'Donoghue and Jack Carney also struck from outside the arc.

In isolation, that development has been hugely positive.

Mayo struggled badly with two-point shooting last season, but in this league campaign, there has been obvious work done on it. You can see it in the players’ technique and confidence.

Carney’s strike in particular showed that — slowing himself down, setting the body, and striking cleanly from distance. But there is another side to it.

Because so many of Mayo’s recent games have been played in windy conditions, and because the two-pointer has been such a valuable option with the breeze behind them, it has naturally become the main focus of the attack.

That approach has worked at times, but it also seems to have slowed the development of other ways of breaking teams down.

That issue became clearer as the game progressed.

ATTACK STILL DEVELOPING

Even in the first half, there were chances that might have been handled differently. Kobe McDonald and Darragh Beirne both had goal attempts that were probably forced.

In McDonald’s case, after his initial effort was blocked, the safer option might have been to pop the rebound over the bar. Beirne’s chance was always difficult with both a defender and the goalkeeper in his path.

They were understandable decisions from young forwards eager to make an impact, but they were also reminders that the attack is still developing.

The second half highlighted the challenge even more. Playing into the wind, the two-pointer became far harder to use.

Kerry adjusted well, defending the central channels and making long-range shooting extremely difficult. Once that option disappeared, Mayo struggled to find an alternative route to scores.

For long stretches, their only return was the occasional free.

Against the wind, the attack lacked variation, and Kerry were able to squeeze the space.

Defensively, the reshuffled backline also faced a difficult task. With key players like Paddy Durcan and Enda Hession absent, Mayo had to ask others to fill unfamiliar roles.

Players such as Rory Brickenden offered effort and physicality, but Kerry’s quality eventually began to tell.

The long kick pass into the forward line caused particular problems. Kerry are extremely effective at that type of play, and Mayo looked vulnerable when those deliveries arrived quickly.

It’s also something Mayo themselves don’t rely on heavily, so it can take time to adjust to defending it.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect, though, was what happened when the momentum turned.

FRUSTRATING BASIC ERRORS

Once the game began to drift away, Mayo’s structure and concentration slipped. There were a number of basic errors — misplaced handpasses, kicks drifting behind teammates, and defensive breaches.

From a coaching perspective, those moments can be more frustrating than conceding scores.

They often come from pressure and frustration rather than a lack of ability.

For the younger players involved, however, it was an invaluable learning experience.

McDonald’s first start brought plenty of positives. He scored well, made a strong catch in the first half, and continued to work hard even when the game became difficult.

One moment early on summed up the learning curve.

After a clever sidestep outside the arc, he looked ready to strike for a two-pointer but bounced the ball first, giving the defender time to close him down.

At this level, that split second can make all the difference.

Those are the types of lessons players absorb quickly.

Beirne also showed flashes of what he can do — clever movement to win possession and the ability to change pace to create space.

Conal Dawson faced a tough afternoon at wing-back in a reshuffled line, and situations like that are never easy for a young player, especially when experienced support around them is limited.

It’s always simpler for emerging players to make an impact when they are introduced into a settled unit rather than when several positions are changing at once.

Around midfield, Mayo were not quite as dominant as in recent weeks. Their own kick-out came under more pressure, and there were moments where the decisions taken could have been different.

These are organisational details that the management team will review carefully.

There were also reminders of the defensive work required across the entire team.

VALUABLE LESSONS

Kerry had defenders like Tom O'Sullivan and Paul Murphy pushing forward regularly, and when forwards don’t track those runs, it creates overlaps that good teams punish.

In the end, the defeat will not bring Mayo much satisfaction.

But it may still prove useful.

Games like this highlight the areas that need attention — improving defensive organisation, sharpening communication, and adding more variety to the attack so that the team is not reliant on one method of scoring.

Those are natural steps in a team’s development, particularly only two months into a new season under a new management group.

For Mayo, the important thing now will be to park this result quickly and turn attention to the next challenge against Roscommon.

If anything, the game also reinforced the potential within the younger players coming through.

Experiences like this accelerate their learning. And in the long run, that could prove just as valuable as the points that were on offer.