He’s coming back for more.
For the first time in a number of years, 2018 saw Mayo’s Championship dreams ended before the dawn of July. The perennial contenders were defeated in the Connacht championship by Galway for a third year running and despite regaining composure to defeat Limerick and Tipperary in the qualifiers, they were sent packing by Kildare on June 30.
That will have been a huge disappointment for everyone connected to Mayo football, none-more-so than their bainisteoir Stephen Rochford. Under the Crossmolina native in both 2016 and 2017, only Dublin were better than Mayo, with the Connacht side twice coming up short in the Sam Maguire decider.
This Mayo team have been on the road for a long time now, but that man Rochford obviously feels that there is more in this Mayo team’s tank.
And hasn’t he good reason to think that?
News broke via the Mayo News on Monday night that he’s confirmed his intentions to remain at the helm for the following year and that’s surely a big boost for all involved with Mayo football. It’s also not really that surprising that he wants to stay on because though many are convinced that this team’s race is ran, a number of factors go against the notion that the shit is terminally stuck to the fan for Irish sport’s most entertaining team.
Because though the June exit was a huge setback for these Mayo lads at the time, it may indeed have been a blessing in disguise. For the first time in some years, their players actually have a substantial resting period before they begin pre-season training for the following year.
It’s been year after year for this Mayo squad without let-up for ages now and the chance to take their minds off the game, for lads like Diarmuid O’Connor, Conor Loftus and Stephen Coen to travel to America for the summer, for other players like Tom Parsons, Lee Keegan and others to put their injury concerns in the vapours, for every single one of them to build up the enthusiasm to give it a go again, that can surely only be considered as a positive for the year 2019.
Mayo men always find a way back.
And though 2018’s sub-par performances may have been enough for some to write their obituaries, the facts don’t back that stance up. Let’s not forget, the average age of Mayo’s starting team from the 2017 All-Ireland final is 29 and only three of their panellists are over 31.
Injuries played their part this year but absence makes the heart grow fonder and surely this lay-off, to which they are unfamiliar with, will offer the ideal opportunity for them to recharge the batteries for another tilt at finally winning Sam.
Stephen Rochford signed a two year contract at the beginning of 2017 so it’s no real surprise that he has opted to remain at the head of the ship for 2019, but it’s surely a positive for the county who have been closer than ever to that elusive breakthrough under his guidance.
Jim McGuinness had been linked with the Mayo hotseat in recent days with speculation mounting that Rochford may step aside, but the Donegal man is still in Glasgow with Celtic and he looks now set to continue pursuing his soccer coaching career.
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