Super Saturday delivers sunshine and smiles for Mayo in Croker
Croke Park was alive as the Green and Red swept Louth aside to book their place in the All-Ireland final
There was no shortage of different sub-plots as Mayo booked their place in the All-Ireland final.
Here, we’ll bring you a sample of some interesting details from the day.
MUGSY, MODELS AND MICKEY HARTE
GAVIN Devlin says Mayo supporters are 'mammoth.'
The Tyrone native who managed Louth to great heights this season is fully behind Andy Moran’s side as they look to get their hands on Sam Maguire.
“Mayo have been at this stage of the competition 13 times since the millennium,” said Devlin. “They're a fantastic bunch as well. The noise and the fever that they bring - they're mammoth.
“Honestly, for me, I'd love to see them go over the line now. They've been there just enough times now. It's time to go and break that glass ceiling,” he explained before casting his mind back to 2003 when he and his Tyrone team-mates made the breakthrough.
“We came into that All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry. We got beat the previous year by Sligo. It was Mickey (Harte)'s first year and there was hype left, right and centre. Kerry was fairly quiet.
“I think Mugsy (Owen Mulligan) was caught in a nightclub with Jordan (the glamour model) or something.
“We came in with a real buzz and a real energy to that game. There was that sense, ‘Are we overhyped or whatever?’ But no, there was a game to play. We got grounded and Mickey made sure of that.
“You have to embrace these things. You can't hide away from it. It's our game. We love it. Our supporters love it. You're living with your family, your local shop. You've got to embrace it and I would advise Mayo to do the same. When you rock into Croke Park, go rocking.”
THE NUMBERS GAME
STATISTICS sometimes give a distorted view of proceedings but that wasn't the case on Saturdau. Mayo dominated matters and their relentless pressure created 17 more shooting opportunities than Louth and the ravenous men in green and red won 23 turnovers compared to the opposition's 15.
The Green and Red won ten of their own 19 kick-outs, which is a 53 per cent success rate. Louth had a better resturn in the middle, winning 16 of their 26 restarts, which is a 62 per cent success rate.
Mayo had 36 shots, scored three goals, four two-pointers and 23 points. Four points came directly from Mayo winning their own kick-out. Three points came from Louth kick-outs and amazingly 3-8 came from Louth turnovers.
The Green and Red missed 18 opportunities. Six went wide, five dropped short, one hit the post, two efforts were blocked and two shos were saved.
Louth had 24 efforts at the posts, scored no goal, four two-pointers and 15 points. Thirteen points came from play and two from frees.
The Louth men were off target with 13 efforts. They hit nine wides, dropped two short, hit the post with one and had another shot blocked.
Seven Louth points came off the back of their own kick-out, four came from the Mayo kick-out and two were initiated by a turn-over.
THEY SAID IT
“I left Garrymore in 1974 and started living in a house just down the road from Croke Park. I thought it woud be handy because Mayo would surely win the All-Ireland in the following few years. I'm still living near Croke Park and still waiting for Sam Maguire.”
“That buck definitely won't get invited to the Erris Man of the Year awards any time soon.”
'I'll have to buy a loaf and a pound of butter'
PROUD DAY
THERE were double celebrations in the O'Shea household on Saturday evening in Croke Park.
Breaffy's finest, Aidan O'Shea, was in the Mayo squad who powered past Louth and his daughter, Caragh Reid O'Shea was part of the green and red team who played in the Cuman na mBunscol exhibition match at half-time in the semi-final. A special day for a family steeped in Mayo GAA.
KING CILLIAN
IN the past 25 seasons some fabulous footballers have caught the imagination and kicked stunning scores in All-Ireland semi-finals.
Since the turn of the century men such as Oisin McConville, Padraic Joyce, Colm Cooper, Stephen O'Neill and Bernard Brogan have been top-scorers as their teams qualified for finals.
On three occasions Mayo's Cillian O'Connor has been the leading light in front of the posts. The Ballintubber man was the leading forward in the last-four ties in 2012, 2015 and 2020.
MAYO TURNED US BACK
LOUTH manager Gavin Devlin was gracious in his praise of Mayo after Saturday's big game.
“There was a gap out there today,” noted the Tyrone native. “There was a gap physically, speed-wise. When we were coming out with the ball, we were getting turned back.
“That's the first thing I felt. All year we've been able to break lines and make impacts. Today we were getting turned back. You could see that visibly early on in the game.”
Devlin complimented Mayo’s foot-passing and believes it's something his team have to embrace. “Their transition play, their variations of keeping the ball and being in control of the ball, to moving the foot when the opportunity arises.
“That's the new game now. You've got to bring that to the top level. It was clearly obvious how quickly Mayo can transition that ball through the foot.
“Mayo could have scored five more goals today, moving that ball through the foot. To get to the next level, you've got to be prepared to do that. You can't constantly run the ball. You want to score majors. That gives momentum to the stadium. That place out there was rocking.