New York footballers have a spring in their step
Killeen, who played centre-back for the Tribesmen and won an All-Ireland club medal with Corofin, is New York’s only selection doubt after picking up a leg injury.
Scanlon, from Lissycasey, Co Clare, but settled in New York for 20 years, remains hopeful that his skipper will play. If fit, Killeen will share midfield duties with former Kerry minor and U21 player Kenny O’Connor.
Kevin Lilly is the other midfield option and will move to centre-forward if Killeen starts.
The New York team has many players who played for their home counties in recent seasons before emigrating. Foremost among these is former Kerry forward Bingo O’Driscoll.
“Bingo’s one of our key men,” Scanlon admitted, “but there are others with plenty of experience as well.
“Kevin Newell picked up an All-Ireland club medal with Corofin as well; full-forward Martin Slowey was a Monaghan senior, David Callaghan played for Meath and Dermot Costello was a Mayo player and has a Sigerson Cup medal (NUI Galway, 2003).
“As individuals they can hold their own with anybody. Their only disadvantage is that they have not played together enough.”
With no National League involvement, the New York panel is at a severe disadvantage to their Irish counterparts when it comes to match practice.
With harsher winters, there is little opportunity to even get playing time with their clubs before the spring. Getting a full panel to training is more problematic than at home, with players spread out across the city’s five boroughs and working longer hours.
“There’s a saying here that at home in Ireland people’s work is built around football, but over here it’s the other way around. There is a feeling they have it a bit cushier back home.”
A further complication is that the selectors are putting together a panel based on last autumn’s form.
“The club game here is strong enough,” Scanlon said. “But it’s not of any help to us at this time of year. We’re working on last year’s form and so there’s a chance we’ll miss out on new blood that emerges as the season gets underway. It would be a different story if we could start the championship in October.”
So New York have it all to do on Sunday and were not helped when a challenge match in Boston last weekend was called off at the last minute.
“We have to hit the ground running from the throw-in. We can’t afford to make mistakes and have to put together almost a perfect game. That’s a big call for the lads but they won’t let us down and there won’t be any excuses. There’s nothing we can do about it.”
Far from being downcast, Scanlon believes his side can stage an upset.
“Sunday will be our biggest test yet but the lads have been dedicated from the word go and I’m very happy with them. Can we stage a shock? Anything can happen on Sunday. Mayo are a good, settled side with good players in all positions but we’ve been knocking on the door for a couple of years.
“I was a selector in 2002 when we played Sligo and although we got beaten by eight or nine points we gave it a real go and there was really very little in it. And last year they took Leitrim to extra-time.
“This year the lads have been training three or four nights a week for the last three months and after Sunday, we can carry it on for another two months at least. So we are knocking on the door but it’s no good unless we knock it down sooner or later.”
SF squad v Mayo: E Doherty/ E Byrne; K Newell, P O’Connor, P Murphy, D Callaghan, J Shaw, D Costello, P Harrington, J Walsh, M Slowey; K O’Connor, J Killeen (captain), K Lilly, G O’Dowd; B O’Driscoll, S Russell, M Dobbins, S McInerney, M Keaveney, D Sullivan, B Newman, E Bradley.
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