Eamon O’Hara believes Mayo attacker Andy Moran displays the ruthless hunger to get on the scoreboard that sets the marquee forwards in the modern game apart from the rest.
The 33-year-old was in sparkling form against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final and finished the day as top scorer from play with a haul of 0-04 where a goal in either half proved crucial as Stephen Rochford’s side advanced to a final date with Dublin or Kerry.
Players and management alike were quick to admit afterwards that an improvement will be required of the westerners if they are to land their first Sam Maguire since 1951, and the forward division struggled for large periods to get away from the attentions of their Premier opponents.
Long-serving Moran was the only Mayo player in the full-forward line to score from play and speaking to RTÉ Sport, O'Hara observed that his eye for the posts is at a different level to those around him.
“Andy was the flash of brightness that you can see in this Mayo attack line,” the former Sligo All Star said.
“He just wants to be a scorer. At every chance.
“You look at the good forwards, Kevin McManamon, Bernard Brogan, Colm Cooper, James O’Donoghue... these guys want scores"
The RTÉ Sport analyst added that while Young Player of the Year Diarmuid O’Connor kicked “two great scores” and kept width to the attack and Aidan O’Shea will be “always ticking over”, he believes his team-mates need to show a greater appetite to raise green and white flags to help Mayo over the line and claim a fourth All-Ireland title.
O’Hara worked with Moran at club level with Ballaghaderreen last year and saw first-hand the attacking instincts of the eight-time Connacht champion.
“Too many of the Mayo players aren’t hungry enough to get themselves on the scoreboard, aren’t hungry enough to really go for it, except Andy.
“Mayo don’t seem to show that and that’s where they are failing.”
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