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The distraction of Wednesday’s news that Conor Mortimer has decided to leave the Mayo senior panel is the last thing that Mayo manager James Horan will have wanted ahead of Sunday’s Connacht final showdown with Sligo in Hyde Park. Horan’s side had only just been announced by the county board online and through traditional methods a matter of hours when news broke of Mortimer’s decision to leave the panel, bringing the eye of the national and local media on Mayo ahead of Sunday for reasons other than what happens on the field. Mortimer being the second member of the panel to make themselves unavailable for Mayo in a matter of weeks, following Robert Hennelly’s decision leave the panel due to work commitments a few weeks ago.

The big news of Conor Mortimer’s withdrawal from the Mayo squad earlier this week did not take me by surprise.

I noticed in a post match interview that Sligo’s wing back, Charlie Harrison is credited with saying that they (Sligo) had no doubt whatsoever that they were going to win last weekends game in Salthill. I didn’t believe they would. In fact few did. I did, however, chat in the press room prior to the game with a few former Sligo players and they really did believe they were in with a great chance of pulling off a coup! It was quite remarkable because after the opening 20 minutes Galway were so much in control all over the field that I had a feeling then that they would stroll into a Connacht final largely untested after two games. Ha, how foolish of me! I completely underestimated the mindset of Charlie Harrison and the rest of his team mates. And consequently I had greatly overestimated the mindset of the Galway team after their first round victory over Roscommon.

Whatever exuberance and confidence that was was starting to bubble within Galway football supporters’ hearts after the facile win over a poor Roscommon team, was mercilessly wiped out last Saturday evening. Sligo won a senior championship tie for the first time at a Galway venue, comprehensively outscoring Galway by 2-14 to 0-15.

Paul Conroy v Johnny Martyn

The Galway football management team of Alan Mulholland, Donal O’Flatharta and Alan Flynn have made no changes to the starting 15 that faced Roscommon in the first round of the Connacht championship.

Two years ago in Markievicz Park - the last time the sides met in championship - Sligo won by 1-14 to 0-16. It was a replay and it had taken a super goal by Eoin Concannon (St James) in Pearse Stadium to even give Galway a second day out.

Galway supporters were delighted to be treated to a fine display by Alan Mulholland’s men last Sunday against a disappointing Roscommon outfit in the Connacht Senior Football Championship.

The Mayo footballers will have received a huge boost from last Sunday’s narrow victory over Kerry in the National League semi-final.

Galway football supporters will have their last opportunity to see Alan Mulholland’s new-look side in competitive action on home soil for a few weeks when they take on Sligo this Sunday at Tuam Stadium (2pm) in the final round of the FBD league.