Wary Mayo leave the hype behind

IT started in 1989. John O’Mahony had organised a behind closed doors training session in Ballina’s James Stephens Park the week after Mayo had beaten Tyrone in the All-Ireland final. Word spread around the town. From there it went around the county and 5,000 people turned up to the secret meeting.

It was the start of a crazy few weeks. Cars, houses and sheep were painted red and green, schools turned out posters and slogans like sweat shops, Willie Joe Padden became immortalised through song as a viking and attempts were made to get it on Top of the Pops.

Those heady days of wild hope have been associated with Mayo football ever since, intertwined with the losses that followed in the 1996, ’97, ’04 and ’06 finals.