Cool Horan keeping his Mayo charges grounded

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness took his team to the opulent Carton House in Co Kildare yesterday to escape the growing hype within the county.

The travelling party left at 3pm and don’t plan to return until Sunday to escape the ticket fever sweeping Donegal.

However Mayo manager James Horan will be sticking to regular routine in the All-Ireland countdown.

“As I said after the semi-final win we’re just going to do our normal stuff and train at our normal times in the same places and just prepare as well as we can,” Horan said at Mayo’s All-Ireland final press conference yesterday.

“That’s exactly what we’re doing since the first game. We’re just looking forward to the challenge in a couple of weeks.”

Horan also reported a clean bill of health for his side. Although Ronan McGarrity has been ruled out due to bruising on the bone following a training injury picked up before the semi-final, starters Boyle, Lee Keegan, Enda Varley and Richie Feeney have recovered from knocks picked up in the win over Dublin.

“We’ve a couple of guys still on rehab programmes but they are progressing and I’d be pretty confident that in the next couple of days, they’ll be raring to go,” he said.

“Colm Boyle is progressing very well and was training with us last night. He was sick before the last game and got some medical attention but he’s back up and running now.

“Lee’s finger is still a little bit sore but he is running at full tilt; it’s just a matter of time before he’s back fully but he is on track. It was a dislocation and the bone came through the finger. It was a sore event but no bother to Lee.”

He believes his team is handling the pressure well. They’ve had some supporters at training but most have stayed away, waiting for the open training tomorrow from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

“The Mayo public has the benefit of having the experience of All-Ireland finals so I think they are very clued into preparing for a big match. I think there is a lot of composure and calm around the county.”

In a county where hype and excitement have often been accused of scuppering the side’s chances even before they took to the pitch, it’s quite a contrast with the days of old.

“I think maybe, along with the team this year, they have developed and learned to be quite calm. I know there is a lot of energy and excitement out there which is brilliant but I think it’s in a fairly controlled manner.

“I know there are a lot of people looking for tickets and getting excited about the game and that’s great for players. We’re delighted we’ve made some people’s lives a little bit better for 70 minutes or so.”

He has also answered accusations they used too many subs in the victory over Dublin. Asked if he would like the blood sub rule to be more clearly defined, he said: “Every rule in the GAA could be looked at.

“I’d like the tackle to be looked at and get that defined and work from there. I personally think everything should be reviewed, on an ongoing basis, but they’re the rules at the moment and you just go and play them.”

But in the days after the match there were calls for an investigation into Mayo’s use of the subs until it became evident they broke no rules.

Horan was always confident his side had no case to answer: “We’re lucky in Mayo to have a county board member that sits with us on the sidelines. He knew the rules inside out.”