Same again for Mayo for Donegal clash

Mayo have named an unchanged side for Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final with Donegal in Croke Park (6pm).

Having beaten Sligo by 6-25 to 2-11 in the Connacht final last month, it was an easy decision for managers Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes to go with the same starting 15.

Saturday’s game is a repeat of the 2012 All-Ireland final, which Donegal won by 2-11 to 0-13, while the sides met in the last eight a year later, Mayo triumphing by 4-17 to 1-10.

Mayo joint manager Noel Connelly has called for match officials to protect footballers like Aidan O’Shea whom he claims has become ‘a targeted man’.

The 25-year old Breaffy clubman has been a revelation in his new role at full-forward in this year’s championship. O’Shea shot 3-4 as Mayo romped to a 26-point Connacht final victory over Sligo. He is likely to come up against Neil McGee, Donegal’s man-marker supreme in Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final clash at Croke Park.

Meath referee David Gough will be in charge at headquarters but Connelly fears that physically powerful players need more protection from referees.

“Aidan is going to be a guy that is going to be well-marshalled and well-marked.

“We have no doubt he is going to be a targeted man and all we have to ask for from officials is that he gets fair play both off the ball and on the ball.

“He is a big guy and attracts a lot of attention, maybe in other games the attention that he gets would warrant a free. But the referees see that because he is a big guy that he can take more of it,” said Connelly.

O’Shea caused havoc as Mayo beat Galway 1-15 to 2-8 in the Connacht championship semi-final.

“Aidan hasn’t been playing long in that position, only since the league campaign. It takes him a while to learn and adjust and he is doing that very, very well,” said Connelly.

MAYO (SF v Donegal):

D Clarke (Ballina); G Cafferkey (Ballina), D Vaughan (Ballinrobe), K Higgins (Ballyhaunis); L Keegan (Westport), T Cunniffe (Castlebar), C Boyle (Davitts); S O’Shea (Breaffy), T Parsons (Charlestown); D O’Connor (Ballintubber), A O’Shea (Breaffy), K McLoughlin (Knockmore); A Moran (Ballaghaderreen), C O’Connor (Ballintubber), J Doherty (Burrishoole).