Much has been made of schedule which sees the Mayo footballers having to quickly park their Division 1 FL triumph last Sunday with a Connacht SFC date against Roscommon coming just seven days later.
It leaves Kevin McStay and his players caught between two stools with celebration of their League success fully warranted but little time to do so as they prepare for an ambush from the Rossies.
However bad that you think that may be, spare a thought for the Offaly hurlers. Johnny Kelly’s men earned promotion back to League hurling’s top table with a battling win against Kildare last weekend having played their fourth game in succession.
A round four victory over Carlow in Division 2A was followed a week later by a thrilling draw against Kildare in their final group game and that meant they must go through a semi-final the next week if they wanted to book another date with the Lilies.
That was achieved when they overcame Kerry before exacting revenge on David Herity’s side last Saturday. There was little time to enjoy it, though, as their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign kicks off this Saturday.
Midland rivals Laois make the visit to Glenisk O’Connor Park this weekend with three rounds of the second-tier championship coming thick and fast before Offaly will get any chance to draw breath and regroup.
It’s something which Faithful boss Kelly cannot get his head around.
“It’s insane to be playing seven games in seven weeks – amateur players,” Kelly told Midlands 103 Sport. “But it is what it is. We won’t use that as an excuse. As I said to the guys the other night at training, we’ll fight to the last man.
“That’s the way it has to be. You’re in a competition that requires guts and determination, and requires players to give everything until their last breath, and they did that today.”
