Former Roscommon senior football manager, John Evans.
Former Roscommon senior football manager, John Evans, says that it’s understandable if Roscommon and Mayo don’t reveal their full hand during Sunday’s top-of-the-table Division One League clash at Dr. Hyde Park.
With both teams scheduled to meet in the Connacht championship on Easter Sunday, April 9th, alongside the possibility that one or both teams could end up in the league final a week earlier, Evans — who was in charge of the Rossies between 2013 and 2015 — believes that both sides will have a Plan B in reserve if needed.
“The management teams are too good not to have second plans, which I don’t think they have unveiled much of just yet. Mayo’s group are too serious not to have a strategy to go defensive when they have to like Kerry did against Armagh the last day,” Evans told the Irish Examiner.
“Oisín Mullin going to Australia and Lee Keegan retiring, mother of God, you would have said, ‘That’s Mayo done for two years’. But then they came roaring back. I just have a feeling there’s a lot more to both teams than the expansive play they have been showing so far.”
Evans also highlighted the beneficial impact of both sides having new management teams this season.
“Davy Burke has added a freshness to it and they’re (Roscommon) playing with a bit of flair. Whether that holds up in the championship is another thing, but Davy said he didn’t want any more of the yoyoing between the divisions and they’re on course to do that.
“Kevin (McStay) has brought the same freshness to Mayo and there’s excitement to their football with the goals they are scoring but again can they sustain that type of play into the championship is the question. I would just hope their defence will hold up.”
