By Cian O'Connell
A lifetime in sport has taught Kevin McStay many lessons. There is always something new to be learned; a nugget to be gleaned.
Problems have to be solved. So, on the eve of the 2024 Championship, the Mayo manager acknowledges that counties everywhere are becoming accustomed to the format implemented last year.
League rolls into Championship quickly, but the planning and plotting never stops. “It’s a key learning for everybody, because it was our maiden voyage with the new format and the split-season, we’ll call it, the early finish," McStay reflects on 2023.
"Therefore, you’re flying by the seat of your trousers a little bit in terms of what’s ahead of you. I’ve already said the easiest way to manage it is keep winning. But everybody would have learned from it. Absolutely."
When Mayo reconvened for the current campaign, the green and red backroom team were ready. "In terms of trying to peak at the right time; trying to get your S&C done in a nice sequence where the loading is not too hectic as you’re moving into Championship," McStay adds.
"Get your good work done early on. We came back later this year, a good bit later, and we still got a very good pre-season done, and got all our first years and second years through the pre-season, the December-January loading, and came out the other side pretty much injury-free now, because this is the critical moment.
"The S&C boys do their sums at the end of the league, to see have we all got through it in terms of injury and so on. They’re happy out when you get to the end of March, and everybody is healthy.
“It’s an exciting format in many respects, because it’s bang, bang, bang. But then in other respects it’s so hard to get your breath.
"It is what it is. We all know, all 32 managements know exactly what it’s going to be and you just get on with it.”
Mayo's first Championship encounter is against New York at Gaelic Park on Sunday. McStay was joint Roscommon manager with Fergal O'Donnell back in 2016, when they survived a scare against a pumped up home team.
“Yeah, it was a very difficult game," McStay recalls. "A very nice trip in many respects, if you could leave the game out of it.
"Every experience, ultimately, you learn from it. It was a winning experience in the end, but there was a lot of sweating before we got to that finishing line.
“I know better now in terms of how the weekend should look. How the programme should look in terms of down time; how to use it to best advantage.
"Because remember, we’re hoping to be still in the (Connacht) championship when we fly home, so you can’t lose sight of what’s ahead of you as well. The problem is you can’t take a Championship game for granted, so we’ve to put full focus on it.
“Donie (Buckley) and Rochy (Stephen Rochford) and a lot of the players have been over in New York previously as well, so they have a great sense of what the requirement is – as I have.
"Yeah, looking forward to it. We’re going to put out our best championship team and we’re going to get stuck into New York as hard as we can, and have momentum and form and confidence when we’re flying back.”
A sweet Senan Kilbride score for Roscommon lingers in McStay's mind because New York had a gilt edged goal opportunity late on. “They sure had," McStay replies.
"I don’t particularly want to revisit those moments, I’ve gone through the therapy and out the other end. They were super on the day, and Roscommon weren’t as good as we wanted to be.
"It got very, very tight - they’d a chance, I remember, they went around the ‘keeper to kick the ball into an empty net, and I think the New York lad got a little bit casual and Geoff Claffey put out his boot, and it hit the top of his boot and spun over the bar for the equaliser.
"So, if he puts in the net, they’re two up as we’re approaching the finish. And now it’s squeaky, but I remember we put on Senan Kilbride, and he kicked a monster from the wrong side.
"He was a ciotóg, a very accurate ciotóg, but he was on the left side, out on the sideline, and he put it over the bar. I do not know how he did it. I think that was the winner."
With matches arriving thick and fast, the Allianz Football League illustrated the potential of several teams according to McStay. “I think it’s fair to say that every management team watches everything," he remarks
"Everything. They’ll probably say they won’t, but we do. We’re addicts. Of course, very impressive what the teams above us have been doing – put it that way.
“But the standard in the top six counties, top eight counties, is sky high. And there’s even another layer perhaps that have brought it to another level. This is league you’re talking about, this isn’t the championship. You’re looking at performances that are of the highest order, and we’re still in March.
"So, how you time it; what your form is like at the critical period; these are all important factors that have to be thought through, strategically.
"I’d like to think, when we sat down after last year and we did a very, very detailed review, and we sat down and figured out, well, what are the things we need to stop doing, what are things we need to start doing, what are the things we need to continue doing … all that’s there."
Mayo's next Championship adventure will be launched this weekend.