O’Mahony gives Roscommon the respect they deserve

SO, who is next for the chop? Two of the provincial football champions fell at the first hurdle last weekend and now it is Galway’s turn to defend their Connacht title tomorrow.

The Bank of Ireland championship certainly got off to a sensational auspicious start, and while Galway are the popular fancy with many managers to win through, it wouldn’t be a major shock to see them fail to Roscommon in Pearse Stadium (2.30pm).

With the magnificently redeveloped stadium being officially opened, this will be the first provincial football championship game to be played in Salthill since June 1990, when Galway defeated Sligo.

Galway have played several League games there, but Roscommon were limited to a training session there last weekend.

Manager John O’Mahony, one of the shrewdest in the business, laughs off talk of high expectations of his team nationally, commenting:

“I don’t take any heed of it. When you are heading into the first round of the championship, nobody can be sure how you are going to do for the year, to be honest.

"There have been years when we won All-Irelands and years when we have been beaten in our first game - largely with the same personnel involved.

"You always go into the first round an unknown quantity and while people ask how you are going to do, really you don’t know.’’

In the course of a League campaign which produced wide variations in form, Galway suffered their heaviest defeat at the hands of Roscommon - by an eight point margin (2-10 to 0-8) in the fifth round.

And, remember that two years ago Roscommon dumped them out of the championship in Tuam, largely as a result of first-half goals from Nigel Dineen and Frankie Nolan.

Fortunately for Galway, they had the consolation of the qualifier competition, through which they re-built their defence and went on to win the All-Ireland.

O’Mahony stresses the importance of according Roscommon due credit for the potential in the team.

“In the League game they beat us comprehensively and deservedly. Everyone is presuming that we should be the team to win this game, but maybe we should be thinking of catching them!"

The bulk of his players have been around long enough to know the pitfalls, yet a manager can never be sure on this score - only to hope that they realise that ‘there is no such thing as games like this taking a set pattern.

“You will get what you deserve, on how hard you work. If the fact of some surprising results last Sunday helps our cause, than so be it.’’

The team selection is notable for the absence of Tomás Mannion, who was hugely influential in the 2001 success after being moved to centre-back following the Roscommon defeat.

Not unexpectedly, given that he had been slow in recent years in committing himself to the team, he didn’t come back this time.

But Kevin Walsh did, much to the delight of the management because of the vital role he plays in the centre, even though it would be acknowledged that Joe Bergin has matured considerably over the last year.

There had been speculation that Michael Donnellan might be picked at centre-back, but, the decision not to start him was largely based on his lack of match practice.

Predictably, Under-21 stars Michael Comer and Derry O’Brien are included, along with Michéal Meehan.

But, there’s no room for Kieran Comer, who had a marvellous Under-21 campaign last year and has also developed significantly as a midfielder of stature.

With questions asked about the impact of the qualifier system on attendances and possibly performances, O’Mahony believes that counties are no less earnest in their approach to the provincial championships.

“I’d only be speaking for ourselves, but you want to win every game you play. You can take the other route if nothing else is available to you.’’ - and, they’re not short of natural leaders on the field.