Mike Finnerty
FORMER Mayo star Colm Boyle says his old team-mates will have to do ‘everything at a top-class level just to be in with a chance’ of beating Kerry next Sunday.
The four-time All Star winner also called on Mayo supporters to get behind the team and recreate the atmosphere of the 2017 All-Ireland SFC semi-final replay win over Kerry at Croke Park.
“If we can start with that tempo where we’re turning them over and making blocks, and we’re kicking our scores, suddenly the crowd are up and that just adds fuel to the boys’ fire on the pitch. It can’t be underestimated if there’s a big Mayo crowd there and they are really, really getting behind the team,” Boyle told The Mayo News Football Podcast.
“But it’s kinda up to the team too to give them something to get behind, and that’s what I’m saying, sometimes energy and confidence can start flowing from really really small things.
“From getting a hand in, winning a turnover, from Aidan [O’Shea] or Mattie [Ruane] winning a kick-out, then the crowd are on their feet and all of a sudden boys are flying forward, off the shoulder.
“And we’re doing everything at a tempo that we weren’t doing in the first half against Kildare. Everything was just slow, slow, soloing, soloing, soloing. .
“So the crowd can make a huge difference, there’s no doubt about it.”
Boyle believes that there will be a ‘serious steely determination and focus’ among the Mayo group as they try to build on the recent flying finish against Kildare.
“I honestly think we have a chance. I’ve been in that dressing-room, I know the boys that’s there. I think there’s a serious steely determination and focus in the two weeks [since the Kildare game] to get a performance on Sunday and throw everything at Kerry.
“They’re a Kerry team that a lot of people will say are untested and almost unproven, they haven’t played in so long.
“They’re not huge factors but they are factors, and they might lead to Kerry not being 100%.
“And that’s what we need, we need Kerry down at about 80% or 90%, realistically, for us to be in with a chance in this game.
“So can we beat Kerry? Yes we can. Do we need to get an awful of things right? Yes.
“Do we need to improve in lots of different areas? “Yes, there’s no doubt about it.
“It’s going to take a mammoth effort.
“But Kerry will be worried about certain players too and about certain ways we can hurt them as well. So it’s not all one-way traffic.
“We just need to focus on what a good team we are and focus on the areas where we can hurt them. But be conscious too that everything we do the next day is going to have to be at a top-class level just to be in with a chance of winning it.”
