Search Results for 'Stephen Rochford'

After what had happened in Croke Park the previous Sunday, there were not too many expecting to see Mayo dish out the hiding they did to Roscommon last Monday in the replay. It was one of those days, where almost everything went right for Mayo and nothing went right for their opponents. The reason for that was not luck or fortune, it was because Mayo attacked the game in the right way — from the very first ball and never let up.

A week is a long time in politics, bu it seems that eight days in football can be even longer. Having struggled to impose themselves for long enough periods to win the first day against Roscommon, Mayo hit their neighbours with everything they had on Monday and ran out more than convincing winners. Right from the throw-in four days ago, you could see that this Mayo team were a very different animal to the one that that had turned up eight days previously.

“Mayo football is in a critical state,” “the players are finished,” “the management aren't up to it,” “I hope Roscommon beat us to put us out of our misery.” They are just a small example of what I listened to last week in the build up to the replay against Roscommon. Fast forward three days and the Mayo for Sam bandwagon is in full swing. “That was Mayo's best performance in Croke Park,” “This is the strongest squad Mayo have ever had,” “every player played well,” “Rochford is a tactical genius,” “I think we'll win the All-Ireland this year.”

Monday's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final replay ended in bitter disappointment for Roscommon as Mayo cruised to an emphatic 4-19 to 0-9 win at Croke Park.

Stephen Rochford was a happy man not long after the full time whistle in Croke Park on Monday, but he knows that Mayo have to keep improving with Kerry coming down the tracks in 13-days time.

When 15 minutes before throw in, it was announced that Footballer of the Year - Lee Keegan wouldn’t be starting there was an air of fear amongst the Mayo supporters who made the pilgrimage back to Croke Park on Bank Holiday Monday. But once the ball was thrown in that unease was soon vanquished as Mayo went right at Roscommon and rolled them over in impressive style at the second time of asking.

Not long after the full time whistle had gone last Sunday, Stephen Rochford walked in to meet the press and have them pick over what had just happened on the field. With that being Mayo's sixth game of this championship summer the question of "fatigue" being an issue for his players was to the fore, but that is something that Rochford believes didn't play any part in the outcome of the game, saying: "We had three shots to win that game. So I don’t think so."

Two weeks ago I was fully convinced Mayo would get the better of Cork when the game was in the melting pot. Last Sunday in Croke Park I almost had a seizure and nearly required a defibrillator as fear gripped me for the final 10 minutes against our Connacht rivals Roscommon in the All-Ireland quarter final. A statement issued by Bray Wanderers recently was described in the national media as being “bat-shit crazy”. The game between Mayo and Roscommon was worse.

The long road had a few more miles added to it last Saturday evening in Limerick when Mayo were brought to extra time for the second time in three games, and on Sunday they head into their seventh All Ireland quarter final in as many years looking to take down the newly crowned Connacht champions.

It has often been said a week is a long time in politics - it also applies to sport.