Transitioning Mayo in the market for a Connacht title

Will Mayo beat Galway?

In one of the GAA's storied rivalries, that question has no doubt been asked many times, and indeed long before The Saw Doctors flipped it the other way when alluding to the prowess of Belmullet's Willie Joe Padden. But the question is even more pertinent on the eve of this Connacht final meeting between the counties.

Galway, it would appear, based on all-known form up to now, have the edge. They have a stronger squad and won't fear travelling to Castlebar in pursuit of a provincial four-timer. That said, you wouldn't fall off your seat if Mayo were to oblige and be handed the Nestor Cup just as the Angelus bell rings out nearby.

There is no huge chasm between the sides. We mentioned form and that sometimes can go out the window when this pair collide. A packed house at MacHale Park can be a leveller but the smart money still lies with the Tribes. Depending on the outcome, a date with two of Donegal, Armagh, Tyrone and Dublin is on the cards for each in the All-Ireland group phase regardless. They'll worry about that after Sunday.

Dublin join Connacht winners and Ulster finalists in Group of Death

But what of Mayo?

Always hopeful, who keep coming back for more. Passionate support, who have known glorious highs and the depths of despair. The Saw Doctors in putting words to another musical composition, 'To Win Just Once' bring added expression to the county's 'famine' that now has rolled on to a 74th year. We're talking All-Irelands of course.

Maughan had two spells as Mayo boss

One man who brought them close in the interim was John Maughan. The bounce of a ball on a hardened Croke Park surface denied them the win against Meath in 1996. Mayo fans don't need to be reminded about the replay. Maughan was also at the helm when Kerry, with not much fuss, twice got the better of the Green and Red subsequently.

The Crossmolina native was a mainstay of inter-county management for over three decades. He was well-travelled and it was Maughan that brought an unlikely Munster success to Clare in 1992. He still remains passionate about the game, is still involved with his local club. Such enthusiasm is evident when he talks about the new rules.

"The rules have done wonderful things for the game," he told RTÉ Sport.

"There are close friends in Mayo, who I have coffee with every so often and they fell out of love with the game. These are lads who would have gone to see Mayo in Ruislip and New York and then they just stopped going. Boredem and Gaelic football went hand-in-hand. Any decent games became fewer and fewer and in time they were mixed in with seven or eight bad ones.

"Thankfully this year, because of the changes, we've had much better football with the reality now that a Division 2 or 3 team can have a chance against a Division 1 side. Take Offaly (whom Maughan did manage) for example. They will look at what Meath did to Dublin and say 'why can't that be us'? There is hope back at inter-county level. If teams in the lower divisions can hang in there, there just might be hope for them."

But what hope does he give Mayo against Galway and beyond?

He feels there is "one major performance" in Kevin McStay's side, this after a Connacht final run-in which produced little to get excited about. Before that there was topsy-turvy league campaign that ended with a below-par showing against Kerry in the Division 1 final.

"On the evidence of our last couple of performances in the two championship games against Sligo and Leitrim, on both occasions we certainly played poorly," Maughan lamented.

Ryan O'Donoghue evades the tackle from Leitrim's Cillian McGloin during the recent Connacht semi-final

"The game at MacHale against Sligo was quite alarming and we came out somewhat distressed after watching it. Look, you have to give credit to Sligo and Leitrim, they played wonderfully well but as a Mayo supporter you'd assume we would have a little bit more comfort against both. We expected a wider margin of victory against opposition who have had their own struggles in recent times."

Looking for the glass half-full angle, Maughan added: "Certainly, there are questions but I hear anecdotally that Mayo have been training hard with one eye firmly fixed on the Connacht final. I'm hoping that that is the case.

"I've mentioned our recent struggles but in Mayo-Galway encounters over the last 25 years the points differential has been 2.7; Martin Carney, my statistician was able to alert me to that.

"Right now we might just be outside the top four or five"

"It augurs well for a big game and I think it will be a close encounter and one that will generate a certain amount of excitement."

In this new footballing order, perhaps it is folly to come out with cast-iron predictions but when pressed on how far Mayo can travel in the weeks, their former boss would be happy if provincial silverware was to be the tangible return from the season.

When asked as to whether Mayo are genuine All-Ireland contenders, "not right now" was his response.

Maughan elaborated: "Right now we might just be outside the top four or five. On the evidence of that Croke Park performance and the two games since that would be my honest answer. But I still go back to that one big performance.

"We are firmly focused on trying to rescue a provincial title out of this team. If we were to do that we would consider it a reasonably successful year, insofar as we got to a league final and maintained our Division 1 status.

Kevin McStay and Pádraic Joyce will again be marshalling the sidelines in a Connacht final

"Preventing Galway from winning a four in a row, that has been the focus because there is an element of transition taking place. We are bringing in younger players. It may take a couple of years; we have a decent Under-20 side (Connacht winners) and the minors were in a recent All-Ireland final. It's about looking to the future.

"Winning a Connacht title would leave us satisfied. Right now if we were to beat Galway that would be great. Anything other than that would be a bonus."

Whatever about the future, one player who is key to the present after soldiering for many years in the county colours, is Aidan O'Shea. The Breaffy man, who will be in 35 in June, has been one of Mayo's standout performers this year.

And Maughan was not shy in waxing lyrical about O'Shea's contribution so far.

"He has been quite brilliant in every game, albeit in the game against Leitrim he was well marshalled by young Clancy (Kieran) at corner-back, who gave him enough of it.

Aidan O'Shea occupying the thoughts of Sligo players in the Cponnacht quarter-final

"Against Sligo, had he not been on the field the chances are Mayo would have been beaten. I thought we were a bit premature in taking him off in last year's Connacht final. We were in control of that game going down the home stretch, three points up when he was taken off. Maybe he was goosed at that stage? He certainly didn't appear to be and when he went off we became a little bit rudderless, ended up losing by a point.

"He's hardly ever injured and is in wonderful physical shape. He has delivered in every single match he has played. I have nothing but admiration for Aidan O'Shea this year. If we have any chance on Sunday, he's one guy, Ryan O'Donoghue being the other, we need huge performances from."

And so to those across the border. Pádraic Joyce's Galway, desperate to banish the memory of last year's All-Ireland defeat. One that got away? Yes.

Alongside Donegal, Kerry and Armagh, the Tribsemen, for now, are the main contenders to land Sam.

One former inter-county boss believes they can take that extra step come July, and in assessing their credentials, said: "We're up against a Galway team that are playing with a swagger and have awesome talent, particularly up front. There is a rumour circulating that Shane Walsh may not play, so the two-point option for Galway will be somewhat limited because he's a star. You go back to the league game against us in February and all those two-pointers he kicked, he nearly beat us on his own.

Matthew Tierney after finding the net against Roscommon

"Rob Finnerty the last day was absolutely incredible against Roscommon and Matthew Tierney is playing the football of his life. Damien Comer is lurking in the background. John Maher is playing super football. They seemed to have solidified from last year, playing with a swagger and a confidence that I haven't seen in a while. They are in the shake-up to win the big one.

"Pádraic Joyce has freshened up his backroom team. I hear it's a happy and content camp. One thing on the agenda for Galway and it's not a Connacht title. They have the talent; they have man-markers, outside shooters, a solid midfield, and have huge depth in their squad. In the league they managed to unearth a few new players. I wouldn't bet against them."

Watch a provincial football final double-header, Kerry v Clare (1.45pm) and Mayo v Galway (4pm) on Sunday from 1.15pm. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Highlights on The Sunday Game on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 9.30.

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