Doing the simple things - Jack Livingstone reacts to Breaffy win
Breaffy took their learnings from their second half collapse last year at the same stage, the Mayo GAA senior football championship
Composure was the name of the game for Breaffy in this one, and Jack Livingstone was the epitome of this on occasion on Sunday afternoon.
His presence from the back was a key cog in the Deane Machine, and his calm under pressure as the ball was lobbed in with five minutes to go was emblematic of his side’s approach.
It was moments like that which he elected to highlight when dissecting the tie in conversation with The Mayo News.
“We’d seen in the last few games that they love putting the ball in on top of the keeper, and they got a bit of joy off it, so a bit of work was done on it.
“You have to keep a level head, especially when you’re six points up.”
Despite his youth and the fact that he had been backup to the likes of Rob Hennelly and John Vahey at club level up until last season, Livingstone brings wealth and experience no living goalkeeper in the county can replicate, having been between the sticks as Mayo achieved immortality in July.
For him, the ability to navigate choppy waters, given the backdrop of last season’s crushing exit of the senior championship, was vital.
“Last year we had a nine-point lead, and we threw it away in the last 20 minutes, so we knew that Westport were never going to die. We just said keep going right to the end and keep doing the simple things.”
When asked about what feels different in 2026, the net-minder was coy on what differences there were. Outside of a few additions in terms of personnel, the feel is very much the same.
However, he and his comrades know that if they can keep showing the resilience and vigour shown to date, there is every chance that they could be the first new name on the Moclair since 2022.