The start of it again.
Though the championship began last weekend in Gaelic Park, the MacHale Park clash of Mayo and Galway this Sunday seems like the real curtain raiser.
Mayo have lost to Galway in the last two Connacht Championships and gotten away with it by going onto rally through the back door and all the way to the All-Ireland final.
This year, for some reason, feels a slightly different. With the new Super 8s structure coming into play in the latter stages of the Championship, teams won’t want to be expending any energy needlessly.
They won’t want to be playing any extra games than they have to because they already have to play more than they had to in year’s previous.
Stephen Rochford has named his starting fifteen for the game that is expected to sell out the Castlebar grounds for the first time since the Connacht final of 2014.
Interestingly, veteran Ger Cafferkey has been named to start at full back for the Yew County. Cafferkey did start in the majority of Mayo’s League clashes but that was down to an injury sustained by Chris Barrett.
Barrett would have been expected to don the number three jersey, given that he is back fit after a recent injury.
Meanwhile corner back Eoin O’Donoghue has been rewarded for an impressive League campaign with a start at corner back. Footballer of the Year Andy Moran completes the line up at top of the left and this will be his 165th Championship appearance.
1. David Clarke – Ballina Stephenites
2. Eoin O’Donoghue – Belmullet
3. Ger Cafferkey – Ballina Stephenites
4. Keith Higgins – Ballyhaunis
5. Patrick Durcan – Castlebar Mitchels
6. Colm Boyle – Davitts
7. Stephen Coen – Hollymount/Carramore
8. Seamus O’Shea – Breaffy
9. Tom Parsons – Charlestown
10. Kevin McLoughlin – Knockmore
11. Aidan O’Shea – Breaffy
12. Diarmuid O’Connor – Ballintubber
13. Conor Loftus – Crossmolina Deel Rovers
14. Cillian O’Connor – Ballintubber(Captain)
15. Andy Moran – Ballaghaderreen
Here is the #mayogaa starting XV to face Galway on Sunday in @Elverys MacHale Park. #gaa https://t.co/3aGOyQzgkW
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) May 10, 2018
Galway have also named their team. This is how the Tribesmen will line out.
1. Ruairí Lavelle (Rinn a’Mhaoil)
2. Declan Kyne (An Fhairche)
3. Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh (Naomh Ánna, Leitir Mór)
4. Eoghan Kerin (Anach Cuain)
5. Gary O’ Donnell (Réalta Thuama)
6. Gareth Bradshaw (Maigh Cuilinn)
7. Cathal Sweeney (Cill Ainnín)
8. Tom Flynn (Baile Átha’n Rí)
9. Cathal Duggan (Anach Cuain)
10. Shane Walsh (Cill Chloirín/Cluain Bheirne)
11. Paul Conroy (Naomh Séamus)
12. Johnny Heaney (Cill Ainnín)
13. Seán Armstrong (Bóthar na Trá/Cnoc na Cathrach)
14. Damien Comer (Anach Cuain)
15. Barry McHugh (An Creagán/Magh Locha)]
After an impressive League campaign where they only fell at the final hurdle, the men in maroon will be eager to hammer home their dominance of this fixture in recent times.
It promises to be a belter.
