RECENT ALL-IRELAND semi-finals involving Mayo, including the replays, have been spectacular, free-scoring affairs.
But that didn’t get them anywhere. They watched Kerry and Dublin lift the Sam Maguire in the last two seasons, reminding the Westerners that semi-finals are for winning, and nothing else.
This time around Mayo’s semi-final play had a far more controlled feel to it. They handed Tipperary an 0-6 to 0-3 head-start, before surging into the lead at half-time with a barrage of scores.
They resisted the urge to go toe-to-toe with Liam Kearns’s side. In years gone by, Mayo might have pushed right up on Tipp and ran up a big score.
This was a performance that had Stephen Rochford’s fingerprints all over it. Mayo have recognised the need to work on other aspects of their game.
“We spoke during the week that we were in four semi-finals in the last two years, drawn two and lost two,” acknowledged Aidan O’Shea.
“Everyone says they were great games but we were on the wrong side of them and that’s the disappointing part of it.
“Today, we said regardless of performance we just had to make sure we nudged into the next round. Our performance won’t make people happy, it won’t make ourselves happy but the reality is we’re in an All-Ireland final and that’s what we set out to do.
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“We’ve lost too many semi-finals over the last couple of years and I wasn’t intent on losing another one.”
The theory now is that heading into the All-Ireland final as underdogs will suit Mayo. They’ve made it back to their first final in three years, despite showing some patchy form to get here.
“The reality is the favourites will be coming from the game next weekend. They’re going to be expected to win the game.
“If it’s Dublin, they’re looking for two-in-a-row which hasn’t been done in awhile. If it’s Kerry, they’re the kingpins of the All-Ireland championship having won so many.
“They both have good records against us over the last couple of years and we’re aware of that but whoever it is we need to get the detail right and we’ve proved over the last couple of games that we’ve got our tactics spot on and we need to do that in four weeks’ time.”
The quarter-final win over Tyrone is the one standout result from a campaign that has failed to really take off. On the other hand, Mayo have been electric en-route to finals before and capitulated on the big day.
O’Shea continued: “Everybody knows we’ve been banging on the door for a few years and we have been very consistent but we haven’t been able to get over the line. This year, we haven’t been very consistent but if we get over the line and win the All-Ireland I’ll take that 100%.
“But we’ll have to be consistent in the final for 70 minutes because today we flashed in and out for periods of time, when it was required, I suppose, but at the same time it won’t be good enough against a team that are at another level.
For O’Shea, the family occasion was complete when his younger brother Conor arrived off the bench to steer home the second goal. It was a moment of fortune as Evan Regan slipped mid-shot and the ball rolled into O’Shea’s path.
“A bit of Suarez there, I don’t know. Delighted for him, to be honest. He’s battled hard the last couple of years.
“He’s probably been in the shadow of Seamie and myself but I’ve no hesitation in saying he’s the most talented of the three of us. He’s got skill to burn and he just needs a chance and that (goal) will bring him on a huge amount.
“I suppose it’s a special moment for him to kick such a great goal in an All-Ireland semi-final.”
Mayo now have a month to prepare for the decider, and the management will be able to analyse Kerry-Dublin from the stands this weekend. They’ve plenty of work left to do if they’re going to end that dreadful run in All-Ireland finals.
“We’ve had a busy summer and we’ve an extra week. The last couple of finals, I think we’ve only had the three weeks but it’s nice to have four weeks and we have to utilise it as best we can. We know that performance isn’t good enough.
“We conceded a lot of scoreable frees, which was disappointing. We need to eradicate a lot of things because that performance in the final won’t be good enough.”
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'We’ve lost too many semi-finals over the last couple of years and I wasn’t losing another one'
RECENT ALL-IRELAND semi-finals involving Mayo, including the replays, have been spectacular, free-scoring affairs.
But that didn’t get them anywhere. They watched Kerry and Dublin lift the Sam Maguire in the last two seasons, reminding the Westerners that semi-finals are for winning, and nothing else.
This time around Mayo’s semi-final play had a far more controlled feel to it. They handed Tipperary an 0-6 to 0-3 head-start, before surging into the lead at half-time with a barrage of scores.
They resisted the urge to go toe-to-toe with Liam Kearns’s side. In years gone by, Mayo might have pushed right up on Tipp and ran up a big score.
This was a performance that had Stephen Rochford’s fingerprints all over it. Mayo have recognised the need to work on other aspects of their game.
“We spoke during the week that we were in four semi-finals in the last two years, drawn two and lost two,” acknowledged Aidan O’Shea.
“Everyone says they were great games but we were on the wrong side of them and that’s the disappointing part of it.
“Today, we said regardless of performance we just had to make sure we nudged into the next round. Our performance won’t make people happy, it won’t make ourselves happy but the reality is we’re in an All-Ireland final and that’s what we set out to do.
“We’ve lost too many semi-finals over the last couple of years and I wasn’t intent on losing another one.”
The theory now is that heading into the All-Ireland final as underdogs will suit Mayo. They’ve made it back to their first final in three years, despite showing some patchy form to get here.
“The reality is the favourites will be coming from the game next weekend. They’re going to be expected to win the game.
“If it’s Dublin, they’re looking for two-in-a-row which hasn’t been done in awhile. If it’s Kerry, they’re the kingpins of the All-Ireland championship having won so many.
“They both have good records against us over the last couple of years and we’re aware of that but whoever it is we need to get the detail right and we’ve proved over the last couple of games that we’ve got our tactics spot on and we need to do that in four weeks’ time.”
The quarter-final win over Tyrone is the one standout result from a campaign that has failed to really take off. On the other hand, Mayo have been electric en-route to finals before and capitulated on the big day.
O’Shea continued: “Everybody knows we’ve been banging on the door for a few years and we have been very consistent but we haven’t been able to get over the line. This year, we haven’t been very consistent but if we get over the line and win the All-Ireland I’ll take that 100%.
“But we’ll have to be consistent in the final for 70 minutes because today we flashed in and out for periods of time, when it was required, I suppose, but at the same time it won’t be good enough against a team that are at another level.
For O’Shea, the family occasion was complete when his younger brother Conor arrived off the bench to steer home the second goal. It was a moment of fortune as Evan Regan slipped mid-shot and the ball rolled into O’Shea’s path.
“A bit of Suarez there, I don’t know. Delighted for him, to be honest. He’s battled hard the last couple of years.
“He’s probably been in the shadow of Seamie and myself but I’ve no hesitation in saying he’s the most talented of the three of us. He’s got skill to burn and he just needs a chance and that (goal) will bring him on a huge amount.
“I suppose it’s a special moment for him to kick such a great goal in an All-Ireland semi-final.”
Mayo now have a month to prepare for the decider, and the management will be able to analyse Kerry-Dublin from the stands this weekend. They’ve plenty of work left to do if they’re going to end that dreadful run in All-Ireland finals.
“We’ve had a busy summer and we’ve an extra week. The last couple of finals, I think we’ve only had the three weeks but it’s nice to have four weeks and we have to utilise it as best we can. We know that performance isn’t good enough.
“We conceded a lot of scoreable frees, which was disappointing. We need to eradicate a lot of things because that performance in the final won’t be good enough.”
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Aidan O'Shea GAA must-win Mayo