Mayo began their 2021 Championship campaign in impressive fashion last Saturday, as they ran out comfortable winners over Sligo in a lopsided Connacht SFC quarter-final meeting at Markievicz Park.
In this episode of the Mayo News football podcast we review Saturday’s game and assess how James Horan’s team are shaping up for the bigger challenges that lie ahead of them this summer. Mayo News sports editor Mike Finnerty hosts the show and he’s joined by his Mayo News colleague Edwin McGreal and me.
We reflect first on what match-day felt like from the vantage point of our respective couches, with Mike contrasting this with his very different experience of being at the game on commentary duties. Focusing on on the match itself, we look at how Mayo fared in the absence of the injured O’Connor brothers and we consider what aspects of the Mayo performance impressed us the most.
We then hear Mike chatting post-game at Markievicz Park to his co-commentator Billy Joe Padden who describes how well Mayo pushed up on the Sligo kickout in the first half. He also lauds Cillian O’Connor for the positive impact he has on the younger players in the team.
Back in the studio, we discuss the Knockmore influence on Saturday’s win, with new man Darren McHale enjoying a dream Championship debut while Kevin McLoughlin, making his 150th senior appearance for the county against Sligo in what his now his twelfth Championship season, continues to perform at a very high level. Championship structures and the exploits of the Mayo hurlers also get a mention.
This episode of the Mayo News football podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes, SoundCloud, Podomatic and Spotify. You can also listen to it directly on the Mayo News website as well as here on the blog using the SoundCloud player below or the one on the panel on the right.
The Mayo News football podcast has its own Twitter presence, @MayoPodcast, so if you’re a Twitter user you should follow us there to make sure you get the latest podcast-related updates, including new episodes.
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The Mayo News football podcast is sponsored by Ceramic City and Swinford Motors, two fine Mayo businesses with whom we’re proud to be associated this year.
The three Knockmore ciotógs. Absolutely brilliant 🙂
Great show again. Well done all.
Great Podcast. Very enjoyable.
Great Podcast Lads well done again. Also a fitting tribute to Kevin Mc Loughlin, my favorite Knockmore man
Michéal O’Heiher once said of a certain player.. Some players are consistent and some are brilliant, but ???? is consistently brilliant.. In Mayo’s case that certain player has to be Kevin McLoughlin.. I remember the quote from my childhood a long time ago, but can’t recall which match or player Michéal O Heiher was referring to.. As Willie Joe has pointed out on the Podcast, Kevin has been lucky with injuries, and Mayo have been lucky with Kevin, long may it continue, most underated player in Ireland.