If nothing else, Mayo’s win in Clones on Sunday ought to give their people a reasonable expectation of a decent few weeks ahead. Not that they really do reasonable expectation in Mayo, of course. All the same, if their record over the past decade and a half is any kind of guide, going unbeaten in their opening two league games is a harbinger of good things to come.
In the last 15 league seasons, this is only the fourth time Mayo have been unbeaten through the opening two games in Division One. On all three occasions it happened before, their spring ended in the league final. The corollary has generally been true too – only once, way back in 2007, did they make a league final having lost one of their first two games.
Whatever else Mayo have been down the years, they have been pretty consistent in showing their hand early. When Mayo start the league well, they tend to end the league well. When they look shaky and unsteady in the beginning, they usually take a while to iron out the kinks. The last time they were unbeaten after two games and didn’t make the league decider was 2006, when Galway caught them in the semi-final.
So after Robbie Hennelly’s late heroics against Donegal in the opening round of the league, Patrick Durcan’s reflex save on the goalline in the 76th minute against Monaghan on Sunday were timely in every way. He and Ryan McAnespie had spent the afternoon double-coating every square inch of St Tiarnach’s Park and somehow the game came down to this moment between them. Ryan Wylie’s floated cross missed everyone and McAnespie flicked a hand at the ball, only for Durcan to swat it away falling backwards into the net.
“It did hit me on the line all right,” was Durcan’s verdict afterwards. “It was a bit close for comfort. It was a tough game, it’s always tough coming up here and I suppose we are just happy to get the win now and on to two weeks in Croke Park. It’s a good pitch up here in fairness, it’s as good as you are going to get. The conditions were fine, it was just a tough battle and we are happy to come out the right side of it.”
One encouraging aspect of Sunday for Mayo was the fact that they were able to win on the road despite still being well short of a full battalion. Of the 20 players who featured in last year's All-Ireland final, only 11 saw game time here. Beating Monaghan in Clones without Mattie Ruane, Oisín Mullin, Kevin McLoughlin and Cillian O'Connor is no small achievement, especially after losing Eoghan McLaughlin near the end of the first half through injury.
Although early indications are that McLaughlin might not be as badly hurt as first suspected, they have lost Tommy Conroy for the year with a cruciate injury. Conroy got hurt playing for NUIG in the Sigerson Cup last week, although Durcan reckons it won't be the end of his input for 2022.
“Yeah, look, you never want to see any of your teammates go down like that,” Durcan said. “It was very unfortunate, but it’s part and parcel of sport though. He’s obviously not going to be with us in a playing capacity this year but he is vice-captain as well and he has a big leadership role within the squad. I know the type of fella he is, and he’s going to contribute, just not in a playing capacity, which is unfortunate. But he’s still going to contribute massively.”
Momentum
Next up for Mayo is Dublin in Croke Park in a fortnight. Their record against the Dubs in the league is dire – they haven’t beaten them in springtime since 2012. With Dessie Farrell’s side struggling to tread water so early in the campaign, this is no time for Mayo to throw them a life preserver. One way or the other, Mayo have their own momentum to focus on. Dublin’s need not concern them for the moment.
“Yeah, looking forward to another battle again,” Durcan said. “It’s always great to go up to Croke Park so I’m sure after last night they’ll be looking for a result and after the first game too, so we are expecting another big one there.
“It’s great to just get games week on week and we have a break now coming into the next one. It’s competitive games in Division One, it’s going to get you ready for the championship. The quality is high, you have to be at it and if you are not, you are going to get beat so we are happy with three points now.
“You’d like to think as the games progress we are going to get stronger and keep building going to the championship. It’s the second game, we will get a number of games before championship and we’ll keep building, building and building.”
