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Roscommon want to stay best in the west

Ger Dowd and Kevin McStay before the Allianz Football League Division Two Final at Croke Park.

Ger Dowd and Kevin McStay before the Allianz Football League Division Two Final at Croke Park.

By Cian O'Connell

A Connacht title was followed by Allianz Football League Division Two silverware so momentum has been generated and hopes are high in Roscommon.

Selector Ger Dowd acknowledges that Kevin McStay's managerial team are keen to ensure Roscommon remain relevant in the west.

Securing another provincial crown would represent a special achievement by a talented collection of players. "It would be something fantastic and as you can see the narrative is a Roscommon title for Roscommon every 10 years or so, that is something we can't just be happy with as a group," Dowd says.

"We've been trying since we've been involved to change the culture of the group and the culture of what we're about. We should be in more Connacht finals than we have been in the last number of years and that we're going to be there and trying to win them. Not just turning up."

Dowd accepts that Roscommon are operating with their strongest panel for a considerable time. "We'd like to think that," Dowd admits.

"Obviously last year the Daly brothers and Cathal Cregg it just wasn't opportune for them to come in for various reasons, but we're back in this year, they're delighted to be involved, very positive around the place and I think you have probably seen our performances, our bench is stronger this year and we've used it to effect on several occasions in the League- has given us impetus.

"Great competition for places, Conor (Daly) or any of the lads would tell you that. Maybe for the first time in a number of years, we'd like to think that our squad is bigger and better than it was."

Roscommon selector Ger Dowd.

Roscommon selector Ger Dowd.

Did the heavy All Ireland Quarter-Final replay defeat against Mayo at Croke Park take from the Connacht success in 2017? "It didn't have as big an impact on the team as maybe a lot of observers would have thought," Dowd replies.

"It's quite a young team, we were on a bit of a roller-coaster, winning Connacht, getting to Croke Park, being involved in those occasions was fantastic, great learning for the team, great learning for the management.

"We have to remember the first day, even though we played in fits and starts, we were still one pass away at the end, David Murray's pass was intercepted by Aidan O'Shea. We could have been in an All-Ireland semi-final. It was that tight and games are like that."

Mayo's craft in the second encounter was critical according to Dowd. "The second day you'd have to say Mayo's greater experience, their knowledge - they know what they are at," Dowd adds.

"They've been in Croke Park, it's like a second home to them. When they got on top of us they strangled us and we couldn't get out of there so I don't think it really impacted on us as a group. 

"We were delighted to take any learnings we could out of it. We did a review at the end of the season, players came back stronger and fresher. It's a young team we're dealing with, we're hoping that we'll be better again this year."

Roscommon enter the 2018 Connacht Championship on Saturday evening at Pairc Sean MacDiarmada against Leitrim. Another lively journey is set to commence.