Allianz National Hurling League Division 2B Relegation Play-Off: Roscommon v Mayo at Elvery’s MacHale Park on Saturday at 5 pm
After round one, won by Mayo last Sunday in Athleague, the sides have far more to play for when they meet again, in the relegation play-off in Castlebar on Saturday evening. Mayo won the toss and that’s why they are hosting the game this time around.
Last weekend’s game will provide very few clues as to how this crucial game will go on Saturday. Mayo led by 16 points at one stage but were hanging on at the finish after a rousing Roscommon revival. Roscommon were short a number of players who will be back for this weekend’s showdown.
Roscommon manager Johnny Kelly says that this match is all about the result: “We will have a number of players back who didn’t feature last weekend and we will be giving this game everything. It is crucial that we stay in this division and a good win would be a boost ahead of the Christy Ring campaign. We have been improving as the league went on and if we can improve again, we are in with a great chance on Saturday. It’s not easy going down to Castlebar but it is a game that we are well capable of winning,” he concluded.
There is no doubt that Roscommon did not show their full hand last weekend and the way some of the fringe players performed in that second half will give Johnny Kelly and his selectors a few selection headaches for Saturday’s game. But experienced players like Shane Curley, Gary Fallon, Jerry Fallon, David Loughnane, Tomas Seale and Eamon Flanagan should have enough to see Roscommon survive.
Prediction: Roscommon
