Jack Coyne: 'We're a really tight-knit group'
Mayo senior football team captain Jack Coyne pictured ahead of the All-Ireland SFC Final.
Click here to listen to the full interview with Mayo captain Jack Coyne.
By Cian O'Connell
Things can change quickly in Championship football.
Defeats to Roscommon and Tyrone were sandwiched either side of a Mayo win over Monaghan. When Mayo hosted Meath at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park on June 20 in a Round Three All-Ireland SFC encounter, the stakes were piled high. Knockout fare.
In the intervening month, victories over Meath, Cork, and Louth have been registered ensuring that another national decider against Kerry beckons at Croke Park on Sunday.
Performing at the Jones Road venue matters deeply to Mayo captain Jack Coyne, who is relishing getting ready for the 2026 All-Ireland SFC Final. "It's why you play football, it's why you put in the hard yards during the year to get there," Coyne explains.
"We're just really looking forward to it now. We're probably just satisfied that we got performances up there. We hadn't been in Croke Park in Championship since '23, but we got back there and put in good performances which is really good."
How have Mayo generated such momentum? "It's hard to pinpoint it exactly, but as a group we're a really tight-knit group," Coyne explains.
"We work really hard, we spend a lot of time together. We all just love football, love talking about it and learning. So, that's probably a key thing - that passion for the game, striving to be better every day we go out."
The blend of emerging and established players is a huge positive according to Coyne. "It's really good, I think you need both for a group to be fully healthy because you've the innocence of youth and then you've the experience that comes from some of the elder statesman," Coyne replies.
"One thing we say is that everyone's input is viewed as equally as the next. So, it's good to get that input from everyone.
Jack Coyne and the Mayo team before the All-Ireland SFC Semi-Final clash against Louth at Croke Park. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"Be it on the field or off the field, as long as you're contributing to the team improving, you're helping us out. It's really good."
The emergence of a new wave of talent bodes well for Mayo's future, too. "You've some incredible young footballers there, it's testament to them," Coyne says.
"A lot came from the U20 crew last year and even this year. So, it's probably testament to the work they've put in during the last few years. As a result we've improved as a team based off them joining the panel."
It has been an eventful campaign for Mayo, but Coyne is delighted the green and red team are delivering. "I think there has been ups and downs for nearly every team in the Championship," he reflects.
"I think it just could be the nature of the new game. It's great that the way the season is structured now, you never have more than two weeks from a game.
"You just have to get on with it, you just have to get back training on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, reflect on what you've done well, where you need to improve, and then try to take that forward into the next game. It's great, it's really enjoyable to be a part of."
Manager Andy Moran's influence is significant too. "Anyone who knows Andy knows the character he is," Coyne says.
"His energy is infectious and his love for football is top, top end stuff, too. So, it's really good, we feed off that and bounce off that level of energy.
"You also have Colm Boyle, Paddy Tally, Keith (Higgins), and Paul Durcan - they're all guys who've played at the highest level. We really value their contributions."
