Preview: All-Ireland SFC semi-final - Louth v Mayo
Sam Mulroy of Louth celebrates after his side's victory in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Louth and Monaghan at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile.
Saturday, July 11
All-Ireland SFC semi-final
Mayo v Louth, Croke Park, 6pm - RTÉ / BBC NI
Both Louth and Mayo make one change each to the teams that were triumphant in their respective quarter-finals.
Paul Matthews comes into the Louth midfield in place of the suspended Seán Callaghan and Conor Loftus replaces Paul Towey in the Mayo attack.
It’s hard to know what to expect from such a novel semi-final pairing. A good chunk of the Mayo team have plenty of experience of occasions of this magnitude whereas it’s uncharted territory for Louth.
Such was the maturity of their performance in their quarter-final win over Monaghan when they played with 14 men for almost all of the game though that you anticipate they have the mentality to rise to the occasion.
Based on what we have seen from both teams so far this year you would have to say that the Wee County look like a slightly more proven docket.
Mayo have conceded an average of 22 points per match compared to Louth’s 21 points per match, but the eye test tells you that the Louth defence is a better organised one.
Mayo have a habit of coughing up a lot of goal chances and but for the profligacy of recent opponents like Cork, Meath, and Monaghan it’s unlikely they would have made it to the last four.
The suspended Seán Callaghan is a big loss for Louth, but they’ll still believe their size and athleticism around the middle third will give them the ability to dominate the battle for possession of either kick-out.
Louth have a bigger spread of players capable of moving the scoreboard on a regular basis, but Mayo have a puncher’s chance because their inside forward line of Ryan O’Donoghue, Darragh Beirne, and Kobe McDonald is so dangerous.
The trio hit 14 points from play between one another in the semi-final win over Cork and if they can benefit from a good supply of possession in this game they’re capable of being match-winners again.
If it’s a tight match then the bench impact will be key. Mayo can introduce very experienced players like Tommy Conroy, Matthew Ruane, and Aidan O’Shea, but Louth arguably have the most obvious gamechanger in the shape of the outstanding Ciarán Byrne, while the likes of Tadhg McDonnell and Tommy Durnin also good weapons from the bench.
It’s a tough game to call, but Louth’s greater defensively solidity could be decisive.
LOUTH: Niall Mc Donnell; Emmet Carolan, Donal McKenny, Daire Nally; Conal McKeever, Dara McDonnell, Craig Lennon; Conor Early, Paul Matthews; James Maguire, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Kieran McArdle, Ciaran Downey, Ryan Burns. Subs: Tiarnan Markey, Conor Branigan, Ciaran Byrne, Tommy Durnin, Leonard Grey, Ciaran Keenan, Conall McCaul, Tadgh Mc Donnell, Sean Reynolds, Padric Tinnelly, Anthony Williams. Stand By Players: Cormac McKeown, Dermot Campbell, Conor Mac Criosta
MAYO: Jack Livingstone; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Eoin McGreal; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Enda Hession; Bob Tuohy, Jack Carney; Stephen Coen, Conor Loftus, Jordan Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Ryan O'Donoghue, Kobe McDonald. Subs: Rob Hennelly, Fenton Kelly, Paddy Durcan, Rory Brickenden, Conal Dawson, Aidan O'Shea, Matthew Ruane, Paul Towey, Diarmuid O'Connor, Tommy Conroy, Cian McHale. Stand By Players: Seamus Howard, Fergal Boland, John McMonagle, James Carr.
