HAVING ALREADY ADMITTED it’s defending rather than attacking that floats his boat, it should come as no surprise that Mayo wing-back Lee Keegan would rather tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final with Kerry finished 0-7 to 0-8 , as long as his side came out on top.
However, the two-time All-Star admits he and his team-mates will have their work cut out with the Kingdom’s half-forward line and accepts it could well be the classic some are predicting.
“You look at the two teams and we both play a nice, free-flowing style of football so from that point of view it should be a good game but, from my point of view, I hope it’s not too high scoring,” he jokes.
“It’s a game we’re delighted to have, a big game, a big team to get at this time of year, to test yourself against some of the best players in the country, it doesn’t get much better.
“Hopefully it’s not a game for the ages though, just one that Mayo can look back on as a win.”
While a lot of talk in the build up to the game has surrounded July’s player of the month James O’Donoghue, Keegan says the Mayo backs cant afford to become complacent about Kerry’s half-forwards.
“There is a threat from the half-forward line that can’t be ignored, of course.
“You look at Donnchadh Walsh, he’d be a key player for them because of the savage work he does and the lads beside him. You can’t take them for granted at all because if you do they’ll just punish you all day.
“It’s important that we get a 70 minute performance and can’t take our foot off the gas at all.
“That said, the big thing for us is to focus on our own game. It’s easy to look at Kerry and what they’re capable of but we’ve got to look at our own strengths, follow our processes and see where that brings us. Hopefully it should be enough to bring us across the line.
“If we don’t, we could be packing our bags. Kerry are a team who are playing a very good brand of football at the moment and it should be a very good game.”
One area Keegan feels Mayo have an advantage over their Munster opponents is on the bench, with veteran players ready and able to come into the side when called upon.
“Panel play is huge now. We’ve some big game experience coming off the bench for us, the cavalry coming to push us through.
“We highlighted after the Cork game that Alan Freeman made a huge turnover that led to Aidan O’Shea’s goal and other lads came on and won some crucial ball.
“But look, you have to rely on these guys, you need all the subs to come on and it’s important they make an impact when they do and it gives you great confidence when you see them coming on ’cause you know you’re in a good place when they’re on the field.”
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