Connacht Junior Championship Final
Juniors ready to take final step
PREVIEW
Cormac O’Malley
Mayo’s juniors are bidding to be fourth time lucky this week.
Mayo will be looking for redemption in next Friday’s Connacht Junior
Championship Final against Roscommon in Ballyhaunis. Three times in the
last three years Billy Fitzpatrick’s team has advanced to the
provincial decider only to be agonisingly denied on each occasion by a
single point. This week it is their nearest and dearest neighbours
Roscommon who stand in their way of capturing the title. Yet again,
another tense, tight game is in prospect.A stern examination of Mayo
character was given – and passed – during their narrow one point
victory in the semi-final recently against last year’s champions Sligo.
This has given Mayo’s experienced manager cause for optimism. However,
that is balanced by the loss of two key members of the forward line
from that victory – plus the ineligibility of the dynamic Michael
Conroy – has also caused a reshuffle.Still, Fitzpatrick (pictured)
believes that will not disturb his team’s preparations unduly.
“We are missing both Niall Lydon and Alan Costello who have gone to the
United States and they are both big losses. Niall was our
centre-forward the last day and Alan hit three points. We had also
hoped that Michael Conroy would be available but his appearance for the
seniors against London ruled him out for us. But we have a good panel
of players and we will field a strong team. The return of Pat Casey is
a big boost and we are looking forward to the final.”The team have
looked very impressive in challenge games recently and Fitzpatrick is
quite content with the way training has progressed. “We are meeting
once a week, and playing matches at the weekend, and the players are
also training with their clubs. I’m very happy with the level of
preparation overall”. Roscommon manager, Eamon McManus, who is also a
member of John Maughan’s backroom team for the senior outfit, is keen
to play down his squad’s chances ahead of Friday’s showdown.
“We were very lucky to beat Leitrim in the last round,” he explained.
“We were slow to start and it was only a strong second half showing
that got us through in the end. Since then four of that starting team
were involved in the game in New York (for the seniors), and added to
that we have a couple of injuries.”
A bonus for the Roscommon management team has been the discovery of
several players who were selected for the junior team but made such an
impact that they was drafted into the senior side for the Connacht
Championship fixture win over New York. These included Richard Donner,
who also lined out the county U-21s.
McManus considers this good for both teams. “We called up Richard, who
I would have known from the minors, for the junior side but he really
impressed at training and his form was rewarded by his inclusion on the
seniors.
“This has given all the boys on the panel a boost as it shows that good
form will be rewarded. John [Maughan] takes a keen interest in the
junior set-up, and everyone is really looking forward about the
upcoming final and, hopefully, giving it our best shot.”
McManus also admitted being slightly envious at the level of continuity
in the Mayo set-up. “Billy Fitz has been at the helm there for a few
years now and that can really help, especially when you have the same
players in the panel. We don’t know a whole lot about the Mayo team
but, no doubt, it will be a challenge.”
Fitzpatrick acknowledges it has been hard to gain information on his
opposition as well but is concentrating on his own charges for now and
making up for lost opportunities. “We are ready for a tough game, but
we are determined to make up for the disappointments of the last few
years.”
With Derek O’Dea and Brendan Prendergast forming a solid defensive
spine, and Richie Feeney(injury permitting) and Ronan McNamara a
formidable midfield partnership, Mayo look well-equipped to command
these key areas.
However, the loss of Messrs Lydon, Costello and Conroy will stretch the
resources of Billy Fitz’, Michael John Mullin, James Mitchell and Ger
Feeney. Still, Paul Doherty, Rory Hannick and Enda McManamon are
playing good football these days and the arrival of the likes of
Charlestown’s Ollie Conway and Belmullet’s Andrew Howard to this
department will give an extra dimension.
It should be enough to end a rotten losing run in finals.
FIXTURE
Connacht JFC Final
Mayo v Roscommon
Friday, June 9
Ballyhaunis at 7.30pm
Referee: R Mc Brien (Leitrim)
{mospagebreak title=McNamara back on centre stage}
McNamara back on centre stage
Mayo’s Ronan McNamara is looking forward to Friday’s final.
Interview
Cormac O’Malley
HONESTY is a refreshing trait. And Ronan McNamara has it in spades.
When questioned as to how he thinks Mayo will do in this week’s
Connacht Final against Roscommon, the towering Davitts midfielder does
not hesitate or bluff. His answer is straightforward and simple. “I
think we’ll win,” he says. “We should win.”
It is not that the former county underage star is being dismissive or
disparaging of his primrose and blue opponents, but rather he is just
being honest and extremely confident in his own ability, and that of
his team-mates. “We have a very strong team and panel and I’d say we
should be strong enough to win.
“I haven’t been involved with the Juniors before so I’m not really sure
how strong Roscommon will be, but our squad is starting to gel and play
good football. We weren‘t at our best against Sligo in the semi-final
but, thankfully, we got there in the end and will be stronger the next
day.”
McNamara (23), who is currently nursing a sore groin but is expected to
be fully fit for the clash, did as much as anyone to help Mayo overcome
the challenge of the Yeats County in the previous round. He contributed
an impressive three points from midfield. Not bad in any man’s language.
His free-taking is a massive weapon in the midfielder’s armoury, and is
lethal from distance. “Alan Costello [who will be absent on Friday]
takes most of the frees close in and he did well with those, but
anything out around the 45 I’d take on.”
His accuracy and ability to score from distance, in almost any
conditions, (as evidenced by his three long range efforts against
Bonniconlon in the first round of the County Championship in atrocious
conditions) brings a different and very important dimension to his
game. But McNamara doesn’t really see it as too much of a big deal. “I
might try four or five kicks before a game, but I wouldn’t spend that
much time practising. I mean, it’s only really before the games that I
work on them at all.”
The young Irishtown Davitts man, who was a member of the Mayo team who
lost the 2004 All-Ireland U-21 Final to Armagh, would relish the
opportunity for another crack at securing a national title for his
county. But he is even more determined to do his utmost to get his
hands on some silverware for Davitts this year, something he feels is
long overdue for the club.
“I’m club captain this year and I really want to do well with the club.
I’d love to bring them to the (Intermediate) final, and win it. I don’t
see why we shouldn’t. We have Colm Boyle and Michael Conroy back in
training now from the Mayo u-21’s, and Alan Roche is in training again,
so we are getting stronger and I definitely think we can go all the
way. I think we can forget about it if we don’t make it up to senior
this year, but I’d love to win it.”
McNamara is quite obviously a dedicated ‘club man’ and is unhappy with
the huge gaps in the season due to the participation of the Mayo senior
team in the championship. The qualified carpenter believes these
enforced interruptions are no good for any club player, or club
football in general.
“It’s awful hard to keep lads interested. I mean it looks as if we will
have just two matches between June and July. It doesn’t make sense. The
two best months of the year and you’re left training for nothing. Lads
can’t plan holidays or anything. You look at the fixtures at the start
of the year and then they are out the window, which is unfair. It’s
different in most other counties and I think it has to be looked at.
No-one wants to be playing games in late September or October. It can
be hard to keep going.”
If McNamara continues his good form and straight-talking for both club
and county he may have plenty of football to play before the year is
out.
