JAMES HORAN remembers Mayo’s last Championship visit to Ruislip all too well, but doesn’t expect a repeat performance from the hosts in this Sunday’s Connacht SFC clash at the Irish TV Grounds.
Horan was Mayo manager five years ago, when his side needed extra-time before beating London by 0-19 to 2-10, as the hosts came so close to recording their first win in the Championship since 1977.
Horan, who is now a GAA pundit for Sky Sports, recalls vividly how his side got out of jail on that May afternoon in London.
“We were lucky as hell to get out of there that day,” he told The Irish Post. “We were a couple of points down reaching full-time. Trevor Mortimer and Kevin McLaughlin kicked two points to bring us level a minute or two into injury-time.
“That got us into extra-time then and we kicked on from there, but not without a few scares in that as well. We were lucky to get out of there, and lucky to survive. Certainly, as a manager, I was lucky to survive.
"I think everyone learned from that where things were at, the structures, the support and where we were as a team - everything around, logistically and every other way was off that day."
![Mayo's Jason Dotherty with Alan Feeney of London in 2011 [Inpho]](https://media.irishpost.co.uk/uploads/2013/07/London-Mayo2011-n.jpg)
Mayo's Jason Dotherty with Alan Feeney of London in 2011 [Inpho]Does Horan feels teams outside of Ireland are getting closer, or are visiting teams off their guard?
“That day we played London, they were superb. Paul Geraghty from Galway absolutely ran the show. Lorcan Mulvey was also a real top player.
“They put it to us. We had a few goal chances early in the game, but we didn’t take them. We got a bit anxious maybe and they just got stronger and stronger.
“They were very good and we were poor. Sometimes travelling can be a bit off putting, as we saw with Roscommon.”
Horan doesn’t expect a repeat performance from Mayo this weekend, and feels they will set a strong platform for a good Summer ahead.
“I think the team are so structured and so organised and experienced now, that I can’t see any of the things we encountered back then happening.”
Looking further ahead, and to potential All-Ireland silverware, Horan says it’s a game of inches at footballs top table at present.
“It’s challenging and that’s what you are looking for. Every team is just trying to get better and better in what they do.
“Make fewer mistakes, better decisions and better passes - get a better score-rate, and a better score-return.
“You are always trying to improve on all of those little things, and if you do that you can hopefully put yourself in a position to win games.
“That’s what it’s about. Winning or losing All-Ireland’s is disappointing obviously if you lose it, but you have to try and learn from every game and get better.
“I think the current Mayo team are doing that, and I think this year they will be very close again."
