All roads lead back to Croker for Mayo

Mike Finnerty

A CROWD of between 10,000 and 15,000 Mayo supporters is expected to be in Croke Park for next Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final when the Connacht champions take on Donegal in a repeat of the 2012 All-Ireland Final at 6pm.
A total attendance of approximately 50,000 people is being predicted by GAA officials.
The Mayo team is expected to be released to the general public on Thursday with no changes expected to be made to the side that hammered Sligo in the Connacht Final last month.
The Mayo management have a full panel to pick from with no injuries to report after training twice last weekend (once on Saturday and again on Sunday).
They will have their final get-together this evening (Tuesday) before travelling to Dublin on Friday evening ahead of Saturday evening’s match which throws in at 6pm.
“The mood in the camp is really good and everyone is really looking forward to the game,” Mayo GAA Board Chairman, Mike Connelly, told The Mayo News last night.
“They’ve trained really well since the Connacht Final and it’s been great to see the likes of Cillian O’Connor training consistently again and getting back to himself.
“Everyone is fit, available for selection, and ready for action.”

Junior Final
MEANWHILE, the Mayo junior footballers will be wearing the county’s ‘alternative’ strip of black and fluorescent green jerseys for their All-Ireland Final clash with Kerry at Croke Park on Saturday (2pm).
This is to avoid a colour clash with Kerry, who are also expected to change to their second strip of blue jerseys.
Mayo will be appearing in the decider against the Munster champions for the second time in four years after losing the 2012 Final by 0-19 to 1-7.
Only two Mayo players — Barry Leonard and Peter Collins — remain from the starting team of three years ago while Kerry will be looking to Conor Cox (who did plenty of damage in that 2012 match) and All-Ireland Minor winner, Killian Spillane (a son of Tom) to lead their charge.
Mayo are understood to have no serious injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s game.
“I’m delighted that the Juniors are getting to play in Croke Park next weekend,” said Mike Connelly. “For the players, the management, and guys like John Gilmore, in particular, who have been great servants of the GAA in Mayo for many years.”