Colm Boyle expects ‘fierce battle’ with Sligo

Footballers don’t come much more tenacious and competitive than Mayo’s Colm Boyle.

The diminutive wing-back has built a formidable reputation around his intensity in the tackle and appetite for hard work. So it’s interesting to hear him describe Mayo’s 2012 Connacht final win over Sligo as “one of the toughest games I’ve ever played”.

An All Star in 2013, Boyle is not buying into the pre-match hype that Mayo are certainties for the Nestor Cup on Sunday. In fact, the Davitts defender believes that the rematch between the champions and the challengers in Roscommon “will be every bit as tough” as their last final meeting three years ago.

“I’m expecting a fierce battle, no different than what we got back in 2012,” says Boyle, who turns 29 later this month. That was probably one of the toughest games I’ve ever played with Mayo. I’m expecting that, and more. Anybody who watched the game between Sligo and Roscommon would say that they got on top in the physical stakes, and they were excellent in what they did in that regard.

“Maybe that took Roscommon a little bit by surprise. Sligo are all big men, they’re all able to look after themselves. That’s something we have to ready for and match.”

This will be Boyle’s fifth Connacht SFC final. His first (back in 2008) ended before half-time when he was substituted after a torrid time against Galway’s enigmatic forward Cormac Bane.

John O’Mahony’s decision to select Boyle at corner-back that day backfired badly and it took the former All-Ireland U21 winner four years to win his place back in a Mayo squad. Now he is one of the cornerstones of the Connacht champion’s defence that has left some room for improvement after their semi-final.

“From my own point of view, I wasn’t too happy after the Galway game,” admits Boyle. “I felt I was a small bit off the pace. From a team point of view, we did okay in patches but we weren’t overly happy. The performance definitely wasn’t what we would have liked but we’ve been working hard in training to try and improve on a few things.

“We weren’t happy with the way we conceded the two goals,” he adds. “They were sloppy and they shouldn’t have gone in. We feel we should have kicked on early in the second half after going four or five points up. They’re the areas we need to work on.”

The Clifden-based Garda is aiming to win his fourth provincial championship medal this weekend, and admits Sunday can’t come around quick enough. “A Connacht final is special, you don’t get to play in too many of them.”