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Matching Mayo will be a serious test of Cork's progress this season

EchoLive.ie, 16 Jun

Ger McCarthy takes a look at Cork’s opponents Mayo ahead of Sunday’s

showdown at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Aidan O'Shea of Mayo in action against Jason Foley of Kerry at

Fitzgerald Stadium. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

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Ger McCarthy

ASUMMING Kerry defeat Louth, which could be far from straightforward,

the outcome of Cork and Mayo’s clash will have a huge bearing on the

final All-Ireland SFC Group 1 top two placings.

Mayo take on John Cleary’s side following consecutive wins. All this on

the back of a terrific 2023 National League in which the Connacht

outfit finished joint-top of Division 1.

Yes it was early in the year but that league campaign included notable

victories over Kerry, Tyrone, Roscommon and Donegal plus draws with

Galway and Armagh.

Only Monaghan managed to inflict a league defeat in an otherwise

unbeaten Mayo run of results. Monaghan had more to play for that

afternoon as well, staving off relegation against a Mayo side already

qualified for the National League final. Seeing off Galway 0-14 to 0-11

in the league decider at Croke Park showed Mayo meant business heading

into the summer.

GOOD HABITS

Momentum, self-belief and a winning habit were engendered into a team

expected to challenge for provincial and national honours.

That’s what made Mayo’s 2-8 to 0-10 Connacht SFC quarter-final humbling

at the hands of Roscommon all the more surprising.

Yet, an unexpected six-week break following that early provincial

championship exit gave manager Kevin McStay ample time to work with his

players. The Mayo manager and backroom team made good use of their

opportunity, not least allowing the panel a two-week break, before

overcoming Kerry in Killarney and Louth in Castlebar.

In terms of Mayo’s main scoring threat, you don’t have to look much

further than Ryan O’Donoghue.

The Belmullet man finished the National League as Division 1’s top

scorer with 2-30 from eight outings. O’Donoghue added five points in

the impressive group victory over Kerry and 0-3 in the narrow defeat of

Mickey Harte’s Louth.

John Cleary knows that O’Donoghue is not his opponents’ only scoring

outlet. Eleven different scorers in the Connacht side’s win at

Fitzgerald Stadium allied with nine names on the scoresheet in their

previous outing underlines the entire Mayo panel’s scoring ability.

Aidan O’Shea is the focal point of Mayo’s attack and his stationing on

the edge of the square has helped increase the number of opportunities

created for those around him.

Ryan O’Donoghue, James Carr, Jason Doherty, Jack Carney and Jordan

Flynn have all benefitted from O’Shea’s ball-winning and distribution.

Either Daniel O’Mahony or Rory Maguire could be tasked with curbing

Aidan O’Shea’s influence but whoever marks the Mayo number 14 will have

their hands full.

Louth's Bevan Duffy battling Stephen Coen and Ryan O'Donoghue of Mayo.

Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo Louth's Bevan Duffy battling Stephen Coen

and Ryan O'Donoghue of Mayo. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Further out the pitch, a half-back line comprising of Padraig O’Hora,

Conor Loftus and either Eoghan McLaughlin (or Stephen Coen) is where

many of Mayo’s attacks emanate from.

Cork’s forwards did a decent job of keeping the equivalent Kerry

half-back line busy in the Rebel’s previous group fixture. A similar

work-rate and commitment to getting behind the ball, when not in

possession, is required on Sunday.

John Cleary and his backroom team will have dissected Mayo’s terrific

performance in defeating the Kingdom. The contrast in Mayo’s struggle

to kill off Louth will also have been closely scrutinised.

That Louth game was played out amid sweltering conditions. Even so,

Louth’s massed defence and willingness to commit numbers to any

counter-attacks may well be the blueprint Cork follows.

The manner in which the Rebels kept pace with Kerry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

suggests Cleary’s side has a chance of causing an upset in the Gaelic

Grounds.

Rectifying Cork’s awful shooting against Kerry is an absolute must if

Mayo are to be overcome. Keeping the scoreboard ticking over throughout

all four quarters will be equally important. Cork can achieve that

target if Brian Hurley, Seán Powter, Steven Sherlock and Eoghan

McSweeney (assuming both start) are supplied with sufficient quality

ball in the right areas.

That’s where Brian O’Driscoll, Ruairí Deane and Killian O’Hanlon’s

distribution will be critical.

Bottom line, Mayo start as favourites and a lot must go right for Cork

to emerge with a victory.

Few outside the Rebels’ dressing room believe they can win. Yet, a Cork

team with nothing to lose and everything to gain is always at its most

dangerous when faced with this type of scenario.