Mayo’s fall guy shows spring promise for summer road

IF CROAGH PATRICK fell back on its arse, there are people in Mayo would swear it was Austin O’Malley’s fault. He’s so much of a fall guy that when the Ancient Order of Fall Guys hold their annual social, they leave him off the list. Even fall guys need a fall guy.

Never once over the last five seasons has a Mayo manager really, truly, deeply placed his faith in him. The promise of spring gives way each time to nothing more glorious than the bench-and-tracksuit of summer.

Apparently he’s 27 now, time to be getting the message, you’d think.