Mayo “can’t wait” for Donegal game, says Horan

GAME ON


James Horan and Jim McGuinness face  off again as Mayo and Donegal prepare to do battle in All-Ireland Final rematch

Daniel Carey

JAMES Horan says Mayo “can’t wait to get cracking” as they return to Croke Park to play Donegal in the All-Ireland quarter-final next Sunday (4pm).
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday night, the Mayo manager said his team are “definitely” in a better place now than before last year’s All-Ireland final, which they lost to Jim McGuinness’s side.
“I think we’ve a stronger team, a stronger panel,” he said. “I think we’ve a better understanding of our game, and what’s needed to play at the top level. We’ve a lot more experience under our belt.”
While Mayo supporters are savouring the chance of gaining revenge on the Ulstermen, Horan says  it “doesn’t really matter” who his team got in the draw. “We’re just delighted to be in the quarter-final,” he insisted. “What you see is what you get with Donegal … they’ll play their game and we’ll play ours … we can’t wait to get cracking.”
Horan confirmed that injured goalkeepers David Clarke (hamstring) and Kenneth O’Malley (ankle) are “out for a number of weeks”, but said Michael Conroy is “not out of contention” yet despite a “niggling” hamstring problem.
Tickets for the game, which will be refereed by Cavan’s Joe McQuillan, are available from the Mayo GAA Board office in MacHale Park, Castlebar; online at gaa.tickets.ie, and from selected Centra and SuperValu stores.
Meanwhile, The Mayo News has learned that Alan Murphy, Brian Gallagher, Brendan Harrison and Keith Rogers were all released from the Mayo squad last week in the wake of the Connacht final victory over London. Evan Regan also left the panel earlier this month.
Elsewhere, Mayo minors play Westmeath in their All-Ireland quarter-final next Monday in O’Connor Park, Tullamore (throw-in: 2.15pm).
Their main injury worry is Seamus Cunniffe. The Ballaghaderreen full-back missed the Connacht final with a hamstring injury and is “probably 50/50” to play, according to manager Enda Gilvarry.