Holmes predicts a "huge, huge battle"

MAYO are expecting a "huge, huge, battle" when Limerick throw down the gauntlet to them in the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland SFC qualifier at Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon, today, team manager Pat Holmes said.

“A lot of people have been trying to pull the wool over our eyes by installing us as odds-on favourites to win, but we are realistic enough to know, particularly in view of their recent spate of outstanding triumphs, that Limerick pose a major threat,” Holmes said.

“We will not be lulled into any sense of false security. We would be extremely foolish to allow that to happen,” he said.

“Limerick’s record speaks for itself and they are coming into this game with very impressive credentials and every reason to think that they can go on to even better things.

“Limerick qualified for the All-Ireland Under-21 final last year. They should, in my opinion, have beaten Kerry in this season’s Munster senior championship. They went up to Breffni Park and beat Cavan. That is not an easy thing to do. They followed that up by beating Offaly, who were most unlucky to lose to Kildare in the Leinster semi-final, and by all accounts they also defeated Galway and Fermanagh in recent challenge games.”

The Westport-based bank official, and former star wing-back, confessed that Mayo were disappointed at losing to reigning All-Ireland champions Galway in the Connacht championship, and said that his side played “okay” in their opening All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon.

Kevin McStay, in charge of Mayo’s U-21 team, knows more than most about Limerick’s current crop.

Twice in the last two years, he has watched his U-21s play the Munster men and he has been impressed at all times.

“Their midfield of John Quane and John Galvin, from what I’ve seen, is one of the best in the country. They have a very good forward line and Stephen Lucey is an excellent defender,” McStay said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Limerick win. It’s a total 50-50 game. They’re two teams driving hard for a breakthrough, both on the up, both in-form and well-matched. It’s anybody’s game.”

Limerick manager Liam Kearns was optimistic his side could continue their headline-catching run.

“Despite what we have achieved over the past number of weeks, I believe there is more in this Limerick team’s tank,” Kearns said.

“No one is expecting us to win but then that was the same story before our games with Cavan and Offaly and we succeeded in confounding the critics on both of those occasions. Who says that we can’t do the same again?” he said.

“When you consider that Limerick have not won a Munster championship since 1966 and have not been in a final since 1991, success today would be a huge achievement.”