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You are > Home > U-21s need a break to get the ball rolling
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
U-21s need a break to get the ball rolling
CURRENT Galway hurling manager John McIntyre opined that he and Offaly hurling “couldn’t buy a break” when he was in charge of the Faithful County.
Roscommon football feels a bit like that at the moment.
The senior team’s results in the league haven’t set pulses racing.
Morale is generally low with a fair degree of trepidation evident in what might be in store for the rest of the year.
The onus in terms of trying to turn things around will fall on the shoulders of Jimmy Gacquin and the U-21 team this week when they face Mayo in the Connacht semi-final on Wednesday at 4 p.m..
Revenge will certainly be in the air as Roscommon try and reverse last year’s result in Charlestown, a game the visitors had in the bag only to be pegged back by a late goal deep into injury-time.
The scheduling of the game in Dr. Hyde Park is hardly ideal given that it clashes with the All-Ireland club finals in Croke Park and the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
While it may inconvenience supporters, the Roscommon players and management won’t be unduly bothered, especially if it means taking the scalp of the reigning Connacht champions.
It’s hard to know what to expect from Roscommon.
Mayo will have the benefit of a championship game under their belt as they did last year when they settled far quicker than Roscommon and nearly had the game wrapped up at half-time.
The danger is that Roscommon will have the same problems on Wednesday. Jimmy Gacquin gave a host of players a chance to prove their worth in the successful Hastings Cup run in January.
Since then the former Kilglass Gaels manager hasn’t been in a position to put his best team on the field as a result of third level and National Football League commitments.
It’s hardly ideal preparation ahead of the most important game of the year but that’s the hand Gacquin has been dealt with.
Roscommon’s preparations have been low key, however. The team received a pasting at the hands of an in-form Tyrone team in a recent challenge match but they were missing at least eight regulars that day.
Apart from that, there hasn’t been much news emanating from the Roscommon camp, and that’s a good thing. The general feeling is that Roscommon have the quality to trouble anyone.
Whether they can find the rhythm early enough on Wednesday to stay in contention, particularly during the opening quarter, will be the key to survival and playing their way into proceedings. Gacquin will be looking to Neil Collins, James McKeague, Michael Higgins, Niall Daly, Kevin Higgins, Paul Garvey, Darren McDermott, Cathal Shine, Donal Shine and Brian Murtagh to give his side the edge in crucial positions.
Seamus Collins, Hansi Kerrane and Paul O’Grady are ruled out through injury, while there are doubts over Colm O’Neill and Niall Carty.
However, there should be enough strength-in depth and options in the panel irrespective of who is fit for selection.
With the problems facing Fergal O’Donnell at senior level, the need for a good run in the Connacht U-21 championship has never been greater. To take it a step further, a “good run” means a provincial title.
Twelve months ago the cruel nature of the defeat in Charlestown left everyone deflated and demoralised. It had a knock-on affect as the senior team failed to win a game in the league after that.
Victory on Wednesday would leave Roscommon only 60 minutes away from its first provincial title at this level since 1999.
The problem is of course that Roscommon have to beat two of the best teams in the country (Mayo and Galway) just to get out of the province.
The last two years have shown that Roscommon have now restored competitiveness against the ‘big two’. It’s now time to move on to the next level and register that all-important win.
Selector Nigel Dineen agrees but he knows that Roscommon will have their work cut out against an experienced Mayo team who saw off Leitrim by four points in Cloone on Wednesday last.
“They’re a good side and have a nice balance at midfield. Of course they’ve got Aidan O’Shea up front and he’ll take some watching.
“Hopefully we have the players to compete with them. The focus and mindset among the players will have to be spot on. Whoever wants it most will win,” predicted Dineen.
Despite the disappointing start to the senior team’s year, Dineen is adamant that it won’t influence proceedings on Wednesday.
“There’s no pressure on us. There are no negative vibes around the panel. The seniors and U-21s are two different panels.
“You have to make your own luck and that comes with hard work. We’ll have to push the boat out as far as we can to get the better of Mayo,” he contended. Roscommon’s luck has to change at some stage. Given the day that’s in it, perhaps the so-called luck of the Irish can be transferred to the county’s U-21 team for just a few hours to buy Roscommon that break that it so desperately needs.
HERALD VERDICT: Roscommon
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