Mayo won’t need a ‘gee-up’ for Galway

Mike Finnerty

STAYING in Division 1 of the National League was ‘absolutely massive’ for the Mayo footballers, according to County Board chairman, Mike Connelly.
Connelly said that getting the draw they needed in Donegal to stay in the top-flight after ‘a bad league campaign’ meant that Mayo supporters — and Mayo GAA officials — left Ballybofey ‘with a pep in their step’.
He told The Mayo News that he also expects Mayo to ‘come out with all guns blazing’ against Galway when the teams meet in the Connacht SFC on Sunday, May 13 in Castlebar.
“I don’t think the players will need any gee-up for this game,” said the Hollymount/Carramore clubman.
“They had a bad league campaign, that’s at the back of their minds, and losing the Galway league game, and being beaten last year, you’d have to think they’ll the bit between their teeth after that, and come out with all guns blazing.”
On the topic of staying in Division 1 of the National League, Connelly said: “It’s massive, absolutely massive.
“Especially for the supporters, who follow us everywhere we go, look at the crowd we had up in Donegal?
“We had a bad league campaign and it would have been very easy for them to stay at home. They were there in their droves. So I was delighted for them that we maintained our status.
“We’re used to having 10,000 people plus now at our home games and we’d like to maintain that, because it brings a great atmosphere to our games.
“There was a pep in all our steps coming down from Donegal.”
Connelly also admitted that it’s imperative, especially from a financial perspective, that the Mayo senior footballers qualify for the Super 8s in this summer’s championship.
“Yes, we need to be in there. “If we do then we’re going to be having to have a game here in Castlebar, and that will be huge.
“We have a very big game here against Galway, and depending on how things go, we could have three games here in Castlebar. “That would be great for all the surrounding towns and generate revenue for people who support us.”