MAYO WON’T BE short of motivation heading into the All-Ireland semi-final replay against Kerry on Saturday evening.
As well as aiming to reach their third All-Ireland final in succession, Kevin McLoughlin admits that the possibility of Lee Keegan returning to play in the final is an added incentive for his team-mates.
Keegan was dismissed just before half-time on Sunday and, although Mayo have appealed his red card for attempting to kick Kerry’s Johnny Buckley, it’s likely the Allstar wing-back will miss the replay on Saturday evening.
“Definitely. Obviously besides Lee there are other leaders there as well but we will be doing it for him as much as anything else,” said McLoughlin.
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Lee Keegan is reacts to his red card on Sunday. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
He added that he hadn’t seen the incident but was surprised when his team-mate was shown a red card.
“Yeah [I was shocked], because I didn’t see it. I didn’t know what had happened or what to expect.”
Horan immediately performed some running repairs, with McLoughlin averting to wing-back, and they significantly altered their game plan after the break, opting to run the ball rather than kick it in long.
“We knew we had to change it. We knew we were a man down and that we had to work that bit harder and just got back into the game. It seemed to work for us.
“We just had to because they had the extra man and it was hard to see a man inside so we had to hold onto it really. It was not necessarily by choice.
Kevin McLoughlin battles for possession with Donnchadh Walsh. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
“I just had to do a job and I had to work away. When you are given a job you just have to do it. I have played there before which helped a lot.”
McLoughlin doesn’t necessarily believe handing the replay to Limerick is giving the advantage to Kerry, but finds it unusual to be heading for the Gaelic Grounds on the last weekend in August.
“It probably is [strange]. You would like to be up in Croke Park. If we had the choice, we would pick Croke Park.
“But it is still a field at the end of the day with two goalposts.”
Kevin McLoughlin: 'We will be doing it for Lee Keegan'
MAYO WON’T BE short of motivation heading into the All-Ireland semi-final replay against Kerry on Saturday evening.
As well as aiming to reach their third All-Ireland final in succession, Kevin McLoughlin admits that the possibility of Lee Keegan returning to play in the final is an added incentive for his team-mates.
Keegan was dismissed just before half-time on Sunday and, although Mayo have appealed his red card for attempting to kick Kerry’s Johnny Buckley, it’s likely the Allstar wing-back will miss the replay on Saturday evening.
He added that he hadn’t seen the incident but was surprised when his team-mate was shown a red card.
“Yeah [I was shocked], because I didn’t see it. I didn’t know what had happened or what to expect.”
Horan immediately performed some running repairs, with McLoughlin averting to wing-back, and they significantly altered their game plan after the break, opting to run the ball rather than kick it in long.
“We just had to because they had the extra man and it was hard to see a man inside so we had to hold onto it really. It was not necessarily by choice.
“I just had to do a job and I had to work away. When you are given a job you just have to do it. I have played there before which helped a lot.”
McLoughlin doesn’t necessarily believe handing the replay to Limerick is giving the advantage to Kerry, but finds it unusual to be heading for the Gaelic Grounds on the last weekend in August.
“It probably is [strange]. You would like to be up in Croke Park. If we had the choice, we would pick Croke Park.
“But it is still a field at the end of the day with two goalposts.”
GAA confirm that Kerry-Mayo replay wil go ahead in Limerick
Mayo want postponement of next Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final replay in Limerick
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