O’Shea picks club over country

O’Shea picks club over country as countdown starts to Sunday


Mike Finnerty

BREAFFY midfielder Aidan O’Shea has given his full commitment to his club ahead of their first Mayo SFC Final next Sunday by deciding not to play with Ireland in the second International Rules Test against Australia next Saturday night.
The All Star nominee informed Ireland manager, Paul Earley, of his decision yesterday afternoon (Monday) and will now be concentrating fully on Breaffy’s historic clash with Castlebar Mitchels next weekend.
“The choice was entirely Aidan’s, he made the call on it, and I don’t underestimate how big that call was for him,” Breaffy manager Declan O’Reilly told The Mayo News last night.
“I know he’s very proud to be part of the Ireland squad, he’s a big personality within their panel, and he enjoys being part of it.
“It was a huge call, and we would have backed him 100% if he had decided to play with Ireland. But we’re delighted now that he’s concentrating fully on the County Final.”
Meanwhile, Castlebar manager Pat Holmes says he’s ‘confident’ that his injured stars Barry Moran (hamstring) and Aidan Walsh (ankle) will both be available for selection next Sunday.
“Barry is due to train fully with us this week and Aidan is back running so we’re hoping that they’ll both come through the week okay,” he told The Mayo News.
Holmes is also hoping that Tom King, who will be lining out in a League of Ireland First Division play-off with Mervue Utd on Friday night, comes through that game unscathed.
Mitchels will be contesting their third final in four years, but Holmes, who was part of the last Castlebar team to win the Moclair Cup in 1993, doesn’t believe that past experience is a factor.
“It really is all about how you perform on the day,” said the former Mayo boss. “I’m not convinced that things like history, and what’s happened in the past, makes any difference.
“It’s a different team to two years ago. Guys like Tom King, James Durcan, Patrick Durcan, Ray O’Malley and Ger McDonagh weren’t involved in our last County Final so they’re all looking forward to it as a new group. We’d be hopeful that next Sunday will be our day.”
Declan O’Reilly, who actually played with his Castlebar counterpart at both St Jarlath’s College, Tuam and during their Mitchels days, doesn’t believe Breaffy’s inexperience of County Final day will be an issue either.
“I’d be hoping that the game will be in the mix with ten minutes to go, and if it is, it’s anybody’s game. The reality is that there’s nobody out there on the field with a county medal. “It’s going to be the same for everybody with ten minutes to go.”