Moran: We will get over the line soon
In his capacity as Community Development Officer for the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation, Moran has been trying to raise funds and awareness for the voluntary organisation across the western region.
Through his work, the Hospice Foundation intends to expand its facilities and continue its work, providing specialist palliative care services for the people of two counties who have been afflicted with life threatening illnesses.
With his high-profile, people skills and infectious enthusiasm, Andy Moran would seem to be the perfect choice to try and spread their Gospel.
The 28 year-old has found himself going ‘back to school’ again as part of a novel initiative to engage with children about the Hospice Foundation while fund-raising at the same time.
In return for taking part in a raffle to try and win a Mayo jersey, the pupils get to ask Moran some questions. As always, the Mayo skipper is as honest as he is enthusiastic.
“Do you ever think you will win an All-Ireland?’ he was asked recently on a trip to a National School in East Mayo.
“Yes, I think I will win three before I retire,” he replied.
And there is no doubt he believes it too.
Andy Moran has been a believer ever since he made his senior championship debut against New York in 2004.
Tomorrow afternoon, he will come bounding out of the tunnel at McHale Park in Castlebar to begin his ninth campaign, leading Mayo into battle against Leitrim.
He has been counting down the days to June 24 since the League Final defeat to Cork back on April 29.
The road to September starts here.
“Do I have a good feeling about this year? I have a good feeling about every year,” he smiled last week.
“I wouldn’t be back in if I didn’t think we could do something special. But you have to take one step at a time.
“Boys are fairly bored, they’re ready to go. We haven’t played a big game since Cork and it’s been hard to get challenge games.
“The boys are really focused and we’ve got a lot of respect for Leitrim. Fingers crossed now that we can get a performance.”
Ensuring that Mayo produce that performance has come under the direction of James Horan and the likes of the team’s highly-rated trainer, Cian O’Neill, strength and conditioning co-ordinator, Ed Coughlan, and sports psychologist, Kieran Shannon.
Team Mayo pored over the finer points of the NFL final, both the good and the bad, and have been working intensely over the last eight weeks to put their theories into practice.
Andy Moran admits that Cork handed out some harsh lessons, and Mayo intend to learn from them.
“A lot of people had dressed us up as a physical team but I think Cork showed us what being a physical team is,” he said.
“We need to be a bit smarter when we play bigger teams. We have a few bigger lads but we need to move the ball a tiny bit quicker.
“Cian [O’Neill] has addressed a few issues that he saw in the Cork game but the main thing is that we learn from that game.
“I believe the big thing for us in the next few years is to get consistent,” he added.
“We need to keep getting into All-Ireland semi-finals and finals and then, hopefully, eventually, get across the line.”
Mayo are expected by all and sundry to take care of business against Leitrim and move on to a Connacht final against Sligo on July 15.
However, if they do encounter some turbulence tomorrow then Andy Moran will be one of those expected to steer the team back on course.
His leadership style, he laughs, is pretty obvious.
“I think it’s fair to say that I talk a lot. The guys know me so well at this stage that if I changed I’d say I’d get absolutely slated.
“We’re blessed though with the leaders we have; my job is made very easy by having them around. We’ll see now when it comes to a big game, when we’re in a tight spot, who stands up. That’s when we’ll see our leaders.”
