Old rivals face off on national stage

FAMILIAR FOES Mayo manager Kevin McStay (left) and Galway manager Padraic Joyce’s teams will be meeting each other for the third time this year in the league final on Sunday next. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Mayo and Galway will want to lay down marker ahead of the Championship

IT’S hard to believe but if Mayo see off Roscommon in their opening Championship match on Easter Sunday, they will face Galway for the fourth time in the opening four months of 2023.
Having defeated Padraic Joyce’s team in the Dome at the Connacht Centre of Excellence back in early January in the FBD league, Mayo then drew with their near neighbours in the league proper. And now on Sunday next, Kevin McStay and his team will travel to Croke Park with national silverware on the line in the league final.
The proximity of the league to the championship in the new split season format has caused controversy, with many even speculating that some teams were happy to avoid making the finals of the four divisions. But once the ball is thrown in on Sunday next, expect no quarter to be asked or given with national honours on the line.
Galway have the luxury of not beginning their championship campaign until the end of April. Mayo have drawn the short straw by having to turn back out the following Sunday against an in-form Roscommon team.
But the main positive to be drawn so far from the tenure of Kevin McStay is his development of a very deep panel, and there is a chance that some of those who start the league final on Sunday next will not get the nod for the championship game in MacHale Park.
Some may point to the fact that after making wholesale changes against Monaghan that Mayo lost their first game under McStay, but with very little to play for last Sunday, it was hard to judge who was actually at full throttle.

Compelling game
Those picked to start on Sunday at Croke Park will most definitely not be holding back, and we should be treated to a compelling game between these old rivals. Mayo of course last won the National Football League back in 2019 with a memorable victory over Kerry. Before that they enjoyed their last league win when they beat Galway back in 2001 when foot and mouth interrupted the league campaign.
Galway have not won the league since 1981 and, as their captain Paul Conroy said before they defeated Kerry on Sunday, they do see this as a chance to win national silverware:
“We haven’t any Division One League medals in our dressing room and we don’t have the challenge of being out the week after, so we’re just trying to go out and win every game and improve our performance, so obviously we have a massive one coming this weekend against Kerry… We are definitely in a position where we would like an extra game and it would be great to get a game early in Croke Park if we are good enough.”
Mayo’s request for the game to be played on Saturday fell on deaf ears when the GAA confirmed on Monday afternoon that the game will throw-in at 4pm and will be preceded by the Division 2 final between Derry and Dublin. A a bumper crowd will be expected as two very attractive games are now down for decision. Best of luck to Kevin McStay and his Mayo team on Sunday.