Employing sweeper very nearly a calamity for Mayo
My modus operandi is to provide post-match analysis and in doing so highlight specific points which require in-depth explanation.
Regretfully in today’s column I find myself unable to explain the Mayo first-half strategy.
Kerry lined out as expected and predictably played as analyst’s had predicted. Paul Murphy went corner-back to mark Alan Dillon while Aidan O’Mahony was assigned to Aidan O’Shea — big unit verses big unit.
They played with a two-man inside forward line while Stephen O’Brien roamed further out field. Nothing remarkable. It was as they had trained and a system they had complete understanding of.
Mayo, presumably due to the hype around James O’Donoghue, decided to play with a sweeper. Let’s stop right there!
This was the winning and losing of the match. When I say things to my son, aged 5 (which I felt were logical and sufficiently well explained), which he failed to fully understand he will always, with a quizzical look, ask “why?”
So why did Mayo play with a sweeper? Did the best defender in Ireland need a supporting hand to mark James O’Donoghue? Did this sweeper system suit the Mayo game? Can Mayo change their pattern of play readily? Is the All-Ireland semi-final the correct time to experiment with radical change? I propose that the sweeper format was the reason for the dismal Mayo first-half performance. Why, as my son would say?
Reason 1: Tom Cunniffe is a hard-working conventional defender. He is more comfortable in an honest battle and wouldn’t be considered an excellent reader of the game or the type who converts defence into attack at lightning pace, such as Colm Boyle.
Reason 2: The sweeper system meant that Donal Vaughan returned to No 6 and automatically erased the mobility advantage that Mayo enjoyed in midfield. His replacement, Jason Gibbons, had a lot expected from him for his first start — maybe too much.
Reason 3: Kerry were able to capitalise on the numerical advantage in the forward division ensuring all six starting forwards and midfielder David Moran had scored by half-time and all but Paul Geaney’s point was from play.
In reality, Mayo were completely at sea in the opening half. Midfield was wiped out by Kerry and their positional discipline was a mess. Aidan O’Shea, who was predominately a free man for the opening period as Aidan O’Mahony held his defensive position, didn’t appear to perform the role expected from him. His positional sense was atrocious while he provided no leadership to a dysfunctional half-forward line and almost every time in possession he over-carried the ball and appeared to take unnecessary contact.
Finally the lack of shape in the forwards meant that Cillian O’Connor had to forage for linear ball into the corners.
Like so many times before, the sending off changed the game. On this occasion it meant Mayo were forced to go man-to-man and abandon the sweeper. The midfield diamond started to dominate and the powerful runners of Vaughan, Boyle and the O’Sheas started to exert their influence on the game and, when you combined this with crisper passing and markedly enhanced vision, Mayo were coasting.
Central to this was the introduction of Andy Moran. His tireless runs and ability to create space and score two points was unmatched by predecessor Alan Freeman.
This highly entertaining game had many talking points and a draw was certainly the best result.
Keith Higgins contained James O’Donoghue to a goal and three points. Was this a good return for such a dynamic player? Was the substitution of Declan O’Sullivan a tactical move due to his fitness levels and the importance of having him on the field for the latter part of the match? Kieran Donaghy exposed a problem in the Mayo defence, will Mayo attempt a similar strategy next week? Who will play midfield for Mayo? Next week the lack of defenders on the Mayo bench may mean that Kevin McLoughlin starts at right half-back, who will replace him?
Whatever the positional changes I don’t believe the sweeper will be deployed. Let’s look forward with promise to another good game; it’s just a pity that supporters will have to travel to Limerick.
