Mayo team picked

The guessing game continues


Edwin McGreal

THE selection of the Mayo team for Sunday’s Connacht Senior Football Championship preliminary round game against Galway leaves as many questions as answers.
Rarely in the build up to a selection of a Mayo team for championship has there been as much conjecture as to who will play where and the announcement of the team this week doesn’t necessarily change that.
After spending the entire league campaign at centre-half back, John O’Mahony has selected Billy Joe Padden at full-back with James Nallen coming in to take up his old position.
No sooner was this announced as speculation intensified as to who would actually play full-back. David Heaney has been selected at midfield alongside Pat Harte but the feeling that he could yet play at full-back refuses to go away.
Were the Swinford man to take up station on Padraig Joyce, the question would be where would Padden and possibly Nallen end up?
Padden could be moved to centre-half back and Nallen to midfield. David Brady’s inclusion cannot be completely ruled out either.
In the forward line Trevor Mortimer is selected on the ‘40 with team captain Kevin O’Neill named at full-forward. Whether they will remain in situ there remains to be seen too.
Goalkeeper Kenneth O’Malley returns from injury for his first start since the league game against Dublin on April 1, replacing David Clarke, himself recovering from injury.

Mayo team v Galway Kenneth O’Malley; Liam O’Malley, Billy Joe Padden, Keith Higgins; Enda Devenney, James Nallen, Peadar Gardiner; David Heaney, Pat Harte; Ger Brady, Trevor Mortimer, Alan Dillon; Conor Mortimer, Kevin O’Neill, Andy Moran.