Roll up roll up, the big show is back in town. Well, not if we accept the growing sentiment that the round robin group stage has wounded the provincial championships, possibly fatally.
Just possibly, with the pressure of championship progression lessened and with teams well up to speed, the provincial games could be played with joie de vivre rather than the more natural claustrophobia.
We'll see. Regardless of the bigger picture, we should sit back and enjoy a potentially brilliant opener in Castlebar.
Heading into it there is much to watch out for.
The Match Ups
Key match ups exist on either side. Enda Smith, the Murtaghs, Conor Cox, Ben O’Carroll must all be covered off from a Mayo perspective while Brian Stack's and Conor Daly’s influence in creating the base for Roscommon attacks will certainly have been noted as well.
For Roscommon, Aidan O’Shea and Ryan O’Donoghue are the most obvious targets but there is such threat from all over the pitch that going beyond this may have limited value for Davy Burke. He simply needs to ensure that as far as possible, players with the appropriate physical abilities match up to likes of James Carr, Mattie Ruane, Diarmuid O’Connor, Jordan Flynn and Paddy Durcan.
Of all these match ups, I only see one as game defining. Enda Smith’s prominence in this game is likely to directly correlate with the result. I can’t see Roscommon winning if he is kept quiet. For a long time now, Smith has been the Rossies heartbeat. A point only reinforced during this year’s league campaign where, in more than one game, he almost single handedly wrestled back momentum and produced key attacking plays. He is a generational talent. Yes, at times he can be shut down but even Clifford can be frustrated on his day.
If Smith was from Dublin or Kerry, the mantlepiece would struggle to hold the All-Stars. Lee Keegan has been Mayo’s go to when it comes to these special assignments. I’d imagine Smith wasn’t too disappointed when news filtered through of the Westport man’s retirement.
Yet, in Paddy Durcan, Mayo have a ready made replacement and a man, similar to Keegan, who not only looks to stop his opponent but actively put them on the back foot. Roscommon must be prepared for this.
They cannot afford to have Smith chasing Durcan around Castlebar. If Durcan goes attacking, he needs tracked, but other Roscommon players can cover for Smith. With a turnover, Roscommon can look to get Smith on the ball at every opportunity and thus turn the table on Durcan.
Attacking Styles
The two teams defend in the standard manner with numbers dropping back but in attack they differ significantly. Mayo want to attack at speed and are hugely effective at it. 126 points in the league over 7 games, 12 more than the next closest is evidence enough of that. Under James Horan, it was attack at speed. Under Kevin McStay and Stephen Rochford, it’s the same.
The method has been broadened to encourage more kick passing but the core message is the same. Attack – FAST. It's rare to see them go via the slower, multi-phased attack that is so common in the modern game. Right there though is Roscommon’s task, they must slow the Mayo attack. Probably as a direct result of not needing it too often, Mayo are poorer on slower attacks than other top teams.
In the league final they didn’t manufacture one score from a slowly built attack. Rather than focusing on Mayo’s much commented kick passes to their full forward line, I believe the key is actually the long balls out of their defence.
Right there though is Roscommon's task, they must slow the Mayo attack. Probably as a direct result of not needing it too often, Mayo are poorer on slower attacks than other top teams. In the league final they didn’t manufacture one score from a slowly built attack.
Mayo look for this long out ball from defence as it releases their greyhounds who get after it with a power and pace that is very hard to counteract. Too often in the league, teams, probably focusing on getting back to cover the full forward line, have allowed these initial out balls to occur with minimal pressure and often to free men. Roscommon must be braver and do all they can to disrupt this key attacking platform.
Burke's Balancing Act
The biggest gamble for Davy Burke is the numbers he commits to his attack. Unlike Mayo, Roscommon are a team built on the slower attack. They set up in an offensive shape around the arc and play down wings and into corners to attempt to stretch teams and create openings. Less overtly athletic than Mayo it suits the craft and guile of their players like the Murtaghs and Conor Cox which can be added to with the power of Smith or Niall Daly when needed.
This style needs high numbers up the pitch. Roscommon must be careful in this regard as turnovers will be severely punished by a Mayo team, as mentioned previously, primed to attack into the free space. In his balancing of this risk, Davy Burke will know that the Mayo defence has question marks over it. None of Mayo’s full back line nor goalkeeper have started a championship match before.
They coughed up five goal chances in the league final, four of them guilt edged. Roscommon must back themselves to do damage against them while maintaining protective cover in their middle third to stifle those Mayo blitzkrieg attacks at source.
Much To Look Forward To
Mayo and Roscommon have been the brightest of spots during the national league. This tie is the only all Division 1 championship opener bar Tyrone and Monaghan and, even as a Tyrone man, I can see where the greater entertainment is likely to be.
Mayo are oozing confidence at the minute and could win in style if they get to dictate the speed of the game. They have been entirely comfortable throughout the national league. Roscommon must change that. Roscommon must make them uncomfortable by slowing them and the game down.
Bottom line, I just see too many fires for Roscommon to control and so I expect Mayo to win. With two new managers, two re-energised teams sprinkled with top level talent and two support bases who have a real spring in their step it’s a game will be well worth watching. Oh, and apparently, they wouldn’t be the fondest of each other.
Yep, McHale Park at 4pm, lets enjoy the show.
Watch Mayo v Roscommon in the Connacht Football Championship on Sunday from 3.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
