The last Mayo team to play London in the championship five years ago came within a whisker of a sensational defeat as they rescued the game in normal time before going on to win in extra time.
For a brief period another nerve-jangling visit looked on the cards as Mayo supporters packed into sun-soaked Ruislip where a carnival atmosphere prevailed as expats and the thousands who had travelled from Mayo mingled from early morning, many not even remotely interested in the game.
However, on the pitch, Mayo manager Stephen Rochford was a relieved man when his side came through with 13 points to spare and never any fear of the game needing any more than the 70 minutes, plus three minutes of stoppage time.
The post-match interview was a bit like the happenings on the pitch at times as Rochford went through the motions: “We knew we were travelling into unknown territory for me and some of the team. We had to give London the respect they deserved but we have a lot of work on before our clash with Galway on June 18th,” he said.
One of those things Mayo will be working on is their shooting as they had 15 wides, a luxury they are unlikely to be able to afford for the rest of the championship.
Rochford, who will go into the record book as the last Mayo manager to take a team to London before a multi-million pound development plan commences next month, and badly needed at that, added: “It took us a while to settle but we had four lads starting for the first time in the championship, while we also had a few players out through injury, so, overall, I’d have to say I’m happy to get the win, be it by one point or 13 points, but there is work to be done for sure.”
Slow from the blocks
That work will continue in London as Mayo stay on for a training camp; while the Connacht champions, who are bidding for an historic six-in-a-row this year, were slow from the blocks, there was never any doubt about the outcome.
Mayo put a hesitant start behind them to take control of the first half, but not before they fell behind to a Scott Conry free in the fourth minute as London led for the first and only time in the match.
Eight first-half wides told the story of Mayo’s difficulty in handling a rock-hard surface and a stiff swirling breeze, which they had at their backs in the first half, and the first of those wides came from Cillian Connor from a free.
It was one of the few pieces of action the Mayo captain was to see as he was dismissed on a black card after just six minutes for what was interpreted by the referee as a trip on Phil Butler.
Ironically, the man who replaced him, Under-21 All-Ireland medal winner Conor Loftus, scored 1-2 in that half, his goal on 15 minutes created by a turnover by Kevin McLoughlin, who found Jason Doherty and his flick on to Loftus was deflected to the net to put Mayo 1-4 to 0-1 ahead and in control.
Major presence
With Mayo pressing up high on the London kickouts, it was only a matter of time before another goal would arrive, and that duly came on 24 minutes, this time Aidan O’Shea, who was a major presence up front, stealing a ball to set up Doherty as Mayo kicked 10 points clear.
London, to their credit, dug out a few points in the closing stages of the first half to remain in the game, if only just, Adrian Moyles, Liam Gavighan and Eoin Murray hitting the target from play, but it was Mayo who had a commanding 2-8 to 0-5 lead at the break.
The story of the second half was really a case of Mayo going through the motions as Rochford emptied the bench.
Andy Moran, the man who rescued Mayo five years ago, announced his arrival with two good points, while another veteran, Alan Dillon, got on the scoresheet as London face the backdoor with more hope than any great confidence.
Mayo got the start they needed.
