On the day of the county final, Ballina Stephenites will be involved in a match that could see them lose the senior status they've held since 1886, writes KEITH DUGGAN
IT IS often forgotten that football doesn’t stop in Mayo in the months after the county loses an All-Ireland final. If Mayo’s football family could take anything from the subdued showing against Donegal in the recent September showpiece, it is that the team and public alike took the defeat on the chin.
It was assessed for good and bad and that was that. It did not seem to have the morale-crushing effect of earlier defeats.
Tomorrow, the action turns local and two games within the county illustrate just how much the football power base within the county has shifted. First, Ballina Stephenites, very much the aristocrats of the Mayo game, head to Crossmolina for a noon-day relegation shoot-out against Kiltane. If they lose, they will relinquish the Division One championship status they have held since 1886.
Later in the afternoon, at McHale Park in Castlebar, Ballintubber will be going for their third senior title in a row, a feat that has eluded all Mayo teams since the Garrymore side of 1974-’76.
Their appearance extends a remarkable arc of progression which started when current Mayo manager James Horan guided the club to the intermediate championship of 2007.
The senior final will be marked by two absentees who have become emblematic of Mayo’s championship season.
“Yeah, the two marquee players are out from both teams,” says Liam McHale, who will be keeping an interested eye on both matches.
“Andy [Moran] is probably the best player in the county now, if not the province. Cillian O’Connor is gone from Ballintubber and he is just a huge loss. It seems to me that Ballaghaderreen have adapted better to losing Andy.
“Obviously, Ballintubber are going for three in a row and Ballagh’ haven’t been anywhere . . . they fell away kind of dramatically but I have a funny feeling they have strength in depth to win the next day.
“Ballintubber just aren’t scoring enough and they have lost the guy who got two-thirds of their scores. I’m sure Alan Dillon is tired now, he had a terrific season and a tough All-Ireland final and because of that didn’t set the world alight against Crossmolina.”
As a Ballina man, McHale’s energies will be focused on the earlier game in Crossmolina. If Stephenites’ sudden fall from grace proves anything, it is that Mayo has a deep reserve of quality managers. But it also illustrates just how volatile the fortunes of any manager can be.
Last year, Anthony McGarry stepped away after managing Ballintubber to their successful defence of the Paddy Moclair Cup. He then accepted an invitation to manage Stephenites but resigned after a disastrous championship run which culminates in this win-or-bust match. To add to the intrigue, former Mayo star David Brady has been parachuted in as temporary manager in his club’s hour of need.
“It is a bizarre thing because we are two points clear in the league and now face a serious relegation battle against Kiltane,” says McHale. “We came last in our group in the championship so the four teams have to play-off for relegation.
“Kiltane have been in this position before in recent years and survived. The good thing for us is Ronan (McGarrity) is back and Pat Harte is back. DB has come back to take over with James Devanney, who was a very classy full back for the team. The pressure is on.
“We are just hoping around the town and we are not even concerned about winning the league: it is just about getting the win on Sunday and then circle the wagons to see what we can do next year. Our neighbours here Ard Na Rí across the Moy are in the junior final. So we would be playing senior league and intermediate championship. So if they win and we lose we could be playing them in the championship. It is a bit of a disaster and we have to look at underage structures and everything.”
It was precisely that patient building from the underage ranks that enabled Ballintubber to eclipse all the traditional powerhouses in Mayo.
Peter Ford was manager of Castlebar Mitchels in the 2010 Mayo final, when Ballintubber won their first senior title. From a Castlebar perspective, the match was completely overshadowed by a drowning tragedy in which two prominent Mitchels men lost their lives. Ford stepped away from the management game after that but this year returned to take up the vacant Ballintubber post when McGarry left. Now, he finds himself back in a final.
“It is definitely good to see variety,” Ford says when asked if the presence of new teams is indicative of the quality of the game within Mayo.
“But there are different views as to whether it is good for the strength of the game in the county. Some people seem to think we need to have the big town teams like Ballina and Castlebar fielding strong teams. I’m not sure if that is the case but there is definitely that opinion.”
For Ford, the loss of Cillian O’Connor was the big disruption in their progress to the final.
“It’s not just for his free-taking . . . his general influence on our play is a huge part of our game and he attracts a lot of attention from other defenders. But we got by without him against Crossmolina in the semi-final . . . we weren’t hectic, but we struggled by anyway. Hopefully, we can to the same on Sunday.”
McHale’s role at the final will go beyond mere spectator. Fresh from completing his term as a selector with Michael McDermott of the Clare senior squad, he is coaching Roscommon side St Brigid’s along with Kevin McStay.
St Brigid’s duly won the county title and may well face the Mayo champions at some point in the provincial championship. In Mayo, football never stops and already, the disappointment of the All-Ireland final is starting to fade.
