Mayo result irrelevant in the context of what’s on the horizon

Roscommon heading to Castlebar with an outside chance of making a Division One League final — who would have believed it when Mark Dowd and his players made their way to Killarney at the end of January.

But, with relegation worries eased on their own terms after Sunday’s superb victory against high-flying Donegal, that’s the carrot dangling in front of the Rossies when they lock horns with their Connacht rivals at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park on Sunday afternoon (throw-in at 3.30 p.m.).

With Mayo reeling from a chastening experience against Kerry, expect a backlash from Andy Moran’s men. But what happens on Sunday won’t define both sides’ season.

Both sides' starting line-ups suggest as much. Roscommon have made nine changes from the team that saw off Donegal. Mayo have made eight. Draw your own conclusions on how both managers view this match. 

Still, Moran will demand a response in the aftermath of Saturday week's 2-29 to 0-19 reversal in the Kingdom, especially in front of a home crowd that will expect their team to get back on the horse.

Whether Mayo really want to reach a league final where, more than likely, they might end up playing Donegal — if Kerry lose up in Armagh — is anyone’s guess, but one gets the feeling that the “Green and Red” won’t want to give their opponents any ammunition to fuel the belief that they can cause an upset when the two teams, more than likely, meet in a Connacht semi-final at the same venue.

From Roscommon’s perspective, it appears that it's all about building for the championship now, and that opening round game against New York on April 12th.

The challenge for this team is to see if they can bring their league form into the white heat of championship, when the weather warms up and the wind will be less of a factor in games.

With the weather improving over the past few days, the uncertainty that has accompanied teams building up big leads might ease a little.

In essence, consistency is the key for the visitors on Sunday. Apart from the Dublin game, Roscommon have hit a level of performance that has guaranteed competitiveness. The positive results have come by way of the talent at Mark Dowd’s disposal.

With no worries lingering about their Division One status, Roscommon can afford to have a cut and see where it takes them. For the players getting their first start in this campaign, including Ben O'Carroll, it's an opportunity to give the management something to think about. 

While Roscommon have won on their last two championship visits to Castlebar, you’ll have to delve deep into the record books to find the last time the Rossies actually won a league game against Mayo.

It appears that both teams have already switched to championship mode. What happens on Sunday afternoon will have no relevance as to how a likely reacquaintance in a month’s time might pan out.

On that basis, both teams will target a performance outside of the shadow boxing, with Mayo, most likely, to prevail.

Verdict: Mayo