Amid a fascinating start to Division One in the League, many are wondering where Mayo really stand.
The reigning champions beat two old rivals in Galway and Dublin in the opening two rounds. They then met a full-strength Kerry team and were level heading into second half injury time, even if a stroke of genius from David Clifford settled the game.
Still some are unconvinced that Mayo has another level to get to. Among them is former Fermanagh defender Ryan McCusker. who this week stated that he believes Kevin McStay may be showing undue deference to more senior players on his squad.
In his first year as manager of the Mayo team, McStay won Division One of the Allianz league, but a defeat at home to Roscommon in Connacht was the beginning of middling Championship that ended with a defeat in the All-Ireland quarterfinals against Dublin. While McStay has blooded plenty of new talent, he's also remained loyal to a number of Mayo's old guard from those famous teams of the 2010s. Aidan O'Shea, 33 has been a consistent figure on the Mayo squad under McStay, while O'Connor, 31, has been used mostly as an impact player from the bench.
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Speaking to RTÉ's GAA podcast, McCusker referenced Aidan O'Shea and Diarmuid and Cillian O'Connor as direct examples of McStay's loyalty.
I'm looking unfortunately at the likes of O'Shea, or the O'Connors as well, and I'm just going, do they still have that desire or hunger to be at the top level? They've been knocking on the door for so many years in terms of big battles in Croke Park, All-Ireland finals, All-Ireland semi-finals, and it's hard to continue to keep that going.
For me, I'm just not sure at times if they're just at that level, and at times I think Mayo are carrying them, and maybe playing them because of their senior presence within the team as well. I would like Mayo to travel with a full squad this weekend, I would like them to put as much heat on Tyrone as they can. I think Tyrone will ultimately beat them this weekend and that will set them up for a difficult ending to the league, but one that they will relish leading into the last number of games.
Interestingly, McStay's starting XV for the Tyrone game features four changes, including the return of old stalwart Rob Hennelly to the starting line-up.
Here is the Mayo Senior Football team to face Tyrone in the Allianz League Rd 4 tomorrow evening. 🟢🔴
The game will also be shown live on RTE 2.
📖Read team news here ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/QzMahuzsuL pic.twitter.com/oP1pl7F99V— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) February 23, 2024
Since Mayo's quarterfinal defeat against Dublin last year, Jason Doherty, Brendan Harrison and Kevin McLoughlin have stepped away from the team. With the Allianz Football League in full swing, Mayo sit third on the Division One table with two wins of their three games played so far.
Mayo will take on Tyrone this Saturday at 6:15pm in O'Neill's Healy Park. Coverage of the game will be on RTÉ2.
