FROM LEAGUE RELEGATION to forcing a quarter-final replay with last year’s All-Ireland finalists.
The bald statistics of Roscommon’s 2017 campaign portray a season that has undergone a remarkable transformation.
When they faced off in February, Mayo ran out convincing eight-point victors in the league in Castlebar yet Sunday’s rematch in Croke Park illustrated the extent to which Roscommon had bridged the gulf between the sides.
Within the Roscommon camp, as the defeats flowed during the spring, there was always a realisation that they weren’t in better shape than results suggested.
“We got fitter,” states coach Liam McHale.
“We gambled with the league and we wanted to be competitive in the championship. We were hoping we had done enough to stay up in the league but unfortunately we didn’t and we took a few bad beatings and our confidence was hurt a bit.
“The Cavan game gave us a little bit of respite and a little bit of confidence going into the championship. We went out to score heavily and beat Leitrim well, because a young teams needs that sort of victory.
“We went into the Galway game with confidence and we played really well. This (Sunday’s draw) was a level up again in this sort of an environment and in this stadium against Mayo.
“We have improved a lot. I think everybody will agree with that. The league campaign wasn’t near as bad as it looked. We took an awful hammering against Dublin but we missed stonewall chances and kicked 13 wides.
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Roscommon's Enda Smith goes up against Dublin's Stephen Cluxton. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“I’m not saying we would have won that game but if we had converted half of those chances we would have lost by seven or eight and nobody would have batted an eyelid.
“We got badly beaten by Mayo and Monaghan who are seasoned, and then we were competitive in the rest of the games. It wasn’t as bad as people made out and those bad beatings we took put a very dim look on it.”
Liam McHale and Kevin McStay during their loss to Kerry in the league in March. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
McHale will be plotting again this week to topple his native county in Croke Park next Monday yet there is no sense of conflict in getting set to again Mayo on the championship stage.
The presence of McHale and Kevin McStay on the sideline added a layer of intrigue to Sunday’s drawn clash.
“Ah no, I think it’s great and I’m used to it by now. I’ve been with a few different teams and I’ve been kind of involved with Roscommon football with Brigid’s and the Roscommon senior team for the last five or six years now.
“It’s good fun. There was a great atmosphere there and over 60,000 (people). Obviously if we get knocked out I’ll be hoping Mayo go on and win the All-Ireland, but right now we are doing our best to knock them out!”
The experience of the drawn match should benefit Roscommon given their lack of exposure at Croke Park before that. McHale wonders what effect Mayo’s recent punishing schedule will have on them.
“I think it’s great for us, another big game, our third big game this year, a fourth championship match.
“It’s a tough draw for Mayo, they have had a long, long, hard haul the last six weeks and we feel that we have an advantage now going into the replay simply because we are fresh and we are hungry.
“We are young and that Mayo team has had to put up with a lot his year now, and I am sure they are really disappointed that they didn’t beat us by a point or two and get the two or three weeks rest that they need going into a semi-final.”
Kevin McStay with Fintan Cregg and David Murray after the game. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Roscommon enjoyed a lightning start on Sunday and that was reflective of their determination to attack from the outset, despite facing a seasoned and elite team.
“We are trying to play the way we believe is the right way to play. We believe even if we get beaten by teams like Mayo, it’s about a learning curve and in two or three years’ time we’ll have the power and the pace and the strength to maybe deal with the Mayo’s and the Dublin’s and the Kerry’s of this world.
“We are trying to get better all the time and we feel we are not going to do that playing passively and playing defensively and trying to hold top teams to a low score.
“If we lose by four or five we’ll take it on the chin and try and move on, but that’s our philosophy and that’s how we want to play.”
'It wasn't as bad as people made out and those bad beatings we took put a very dim look on it'
FROM LEAGUE RELEGATION to forcing a quarter-final replay with last year’s All-Ireland finalists.
The bald statistics of Roscommon’s 2017 campaign portray a season that has undergone a remarkable transformation.
When they faced off in February, Mayo ran out convincing eight-point victors in the league in Castlebar yet Sunday’s rematch in Croke Park illustrated the extent to which Roscommon had bridged the gulf between the sides.
Within the Roscommon camp, as the defeats flowed during the spring, there was always a realisation that they weren’t in better shape than results suggested.
“We got fitter,” states coach Liam McHale.
“We gambled with the league and we wanted to be competitive in the championship. We were hoping we had done enough to stay up in the league but unfortunately we didn’t and we took a few bad beatings and our confidence was hurt a bit.
“The Cavan game gave us a little bit of respite and a little bit of confidence going into the championship. We went out to score heavily and beat Leitrim well, because a young teams needs that sort of victory.
“We went into the Galway game with confidence and we played really well. This (Sunday’s draw) was a level up again in this sort of an environment and in this stadium against Mayo.
“We have improved a lot. I think everybody will agree with that. The league campaign wasn’t near as bad as it looked. We took an awful hammering against Dublin but we missed stonewall chances and kicked 13 wides.
“I’m not saying we would have won that game but if we had converted half of those chances we would have lost by seven or eight and nobody would have batted an eyelid.
“We got badly beaten by Mayo and Monaghan who are seasoned, and then we were competitive in the rest of the games. It wasn’t as bad as people made out and those bad beatings we took put a very dim look on it.”
McHale will be plotting again this week to topple his native county in Croke Park next Monday yet there is no sense of conflict in getting set to again Mayo on the championship stage.
The presence of McHale and Kevin McStay on the sideline added a layer of intrigue to Sunday’s drawn clash.
“Ah no, I think it’s great and I’m used to it by now. I’ve been with a few different teams and I’ve been kind of involved with Roscommon football with Brigid’s and the Roscommon senior team for the last five or six years now.
“It’s good fun. There was a great atmosphere there and over 60,000 (people). Obviously if we get knocked out I’ll be hoping Mayo go on and win the All-Ireland, but right now we are doing our best to knock them out!”
The experience of the drawn match should benefit Roscommon given their lack of exposure at Croke Park before that. McHale wonders what effect Mayo’s recent punishing schedule will have on them.
“I think it’s great for us, another big game, our third big game this year, a fourth championship match.
“It’s a tough draw for Mayo, they have had a long, long, hard haul the last six weeks and we feel that we have an advantage now going into the replay simply because we are fresh and we are hungry.
“We are young and that Mayo team has had to put up with a lot his year now, and I am sure they are really disappointed that they didn’t beat us by a point or two and get the two or three weeks rest that they need going into a semi-final.”
Roscommon enjoyed a lightning start on Sunday and that was reflective of their determination to attack from the outset, despite facing a seasoned and elite team.
“We are trying to play the way we believe is the right way to play. We believe even if we get beaten by teams like Mayo, it’s about a learning curve and in two or three years’ time we’ll have the power and the pace and the strength to maybe deal with the Mayo’s and the Dublin’s and the Kerry’s of this world.
“We are trying to get better all the time and we feel we are not going to do that playing passively and playing defensively and trying to hold top teams to a low score.
“If we lose by four or five we’ll take it on the chin and try and move on, but that’s our philosophy and that’s how we want to play.”
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