“Imagine the two of them running in from the 45s for the throw-in!”
Mayo take on Armagh in a do-or-die All-Ireland Qualifiers clash in Castlebar, on Saturday, and the fixture throws up one of the most anticipated midfield clashes of the season – Aidan O’Shea versus Jarlath Og Burns.
James Horan has Seamus O’Shea and Donie Vaughan back, as midfield options, but must come to terms that his captain Diarmuid O’Connor [fractured wrist] is out of commission.
O’Connor was having a good run in the Mayo midfield and both he and O’Shea looked good in the recent win over Down. On The GAA Hour, host Colm Parkinson spoke with Conan Doherty and Conor Heneghan [from 31:00 below] about the midfield duels we should all be treated to.
Vaughan and Seamus O’Shea are both back in contention for the Armagh game but throwing either man in from the start would be a big ask. Heneghan feels Michael Murray [Ballina] or Stephen Coen [Hollymount-Carramore] will be tasked with midfield duties. He commented:
“Probably Stephen Coen, because of experience, and during a couple of runs Mayo have had in the qualifiers, he has played there.
“He’s probably the fittest man on the panel. Not a great high fielder, by all accounts, but he can probably do a job there the next day.
“Whatever about Armagh, if Mayo get through them, [the O’Connor injury] doesn’t really bode well for their chances of going beyond the Super 8s if they get there.”
Parkinson does not believe Paul Grimley is an unbelievable fielder, either, so the versatile Coen could come in to mark him.
With Grimley and Coen haring about, Parkinson feels that would free up two heavy-hitters to have a crack at each other. He adds:
“You know, let Aidan O’Shea mark Jarlath Og Burns. What a match-up!
“Ah lads, the whole thing. The throw-in is going to be such a big deal, isn’t it? Like, who wins that throw-in between Aidan O’Shea and Jarlath Og Burns?
“I actually think the other two midfielders should just get out of there. Don’t get in these two lads’ way. Let’s just see these two lads go for it! It’s just going to be like a basketball throw up. It’s going to be fantastic.”
Our appetites are duly whetted.
"Like, who wins that throw in between Aidan O'Shea and Jarlath Og Burns?"😲
The lads are predicting Stephen Coen to pick up Niall Grimley on Saturday but there's only one matchup that is getting them excited
Full show here: 😎https://t.co/WOe7CD0b4D
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— The GAA Hour (@TheGAAHour) June 26, 2019
Sky Sports [7pm throw-in on Saturday] have got themselves some must-watch TV there.
