By Eanna O’Reilly

AHEAD of Galway’s trip to Castlebar on Sunday to take on Mayo for the Connacht title, team manager Pádraic Joyce was looking forward to a fixture which rarely fails to live up to the occasion. The Tribesmen are seeking to win the Nestor Cup for the fourth year in a row, a feat which hasn’t been achieved since 1966.

‘‘It’s always a huge occasion,’’ he said. ‘‘Regardless of whether we’re favourites or not, there’s never any more than a kick of a ball in it. It’s always a massive game, even for the supporters, to be going up the road to MacHale Park, it’s a great place to be going. We know Mayo are always very well supported.

‘‘There’ll be a great bit of banter among the supporters and a good bit of rivalry. Look, its going to be a fantastic game with two great teams. It’ll be a great occasion, on a May bank holiday weekend. We really appreciate the support that Galway have at the minute, it’s been great to see. We’re hoping that people will get there again on Sunday and support the lads.’’

The Galway boss was satisfied with his team’s performance in their semi-final victory over Roscommon, which saw the Tribesmen book their place in a tenth consecutive Connacht Final.

‘‘As a group we were very happy [after defeating Roscommon] there’s no doubt about that. Any time you win a championship game regardless of who it’s against; you have to be happy. The lads have applied themselves really well since we came back from New York.’’

‘‘Look, we are happy to have won it [Connacht semi-final] and we were delighted with the way we played. But again, this game against Mayo is going to be a different kettle of fish altogether. We finished up our analysis of the Roscommon game on the Sunday evening and we were back in on the Monday and concentrating on Mayo straight away.

‘‘We will have a lot of analysis done on them [Mayo] as regards how they’re playing under the new rules, and what we can do to try and win the game. We’ll be flying fit for it up there and we’ll give it a good rattle.

‘‘From a management point of view, we always feel we have things to improve on, and we know we’ll have to step it up a level from the last day. We’re hoping our performance is going to be good enough on Sunday.’’

Joyce is expecting a huge test at MacHale Park against the home side, who he believes will be additionally determined to beat Galway after their last minute defeat in Pearse Stadium twelve months ago. Regardless of Mayo’s unconvincing performances against Sligo and Leitrim, the Galway manager is expecting them to raise their game substantially on Sunday.

‘‘First and foremost, we want to get a performance out of the lads. We want to move the ball the way we can and be dangerous in attack. If we can keep the momentum going and get good displays out of the lads, then we’ll be half-way there.

‘‘They [Mayo] are a serious side. I don’t know what way the bookies have it, but I know there’s only going to be a kick of a ball in it on the day. Mayo came through their two games against Sligo and Leitrim, and they’re two games that you never get the credit for when you’re expected to win.

‘‘Mayo’s aim has always been to be here on this date. That’s what they’ve been training for, they knew at the back of it all that they were going to be in this final. So, look, we’re expecting a hell of a battle, and we know they’re going to throw the kitchen sink at us, especially after last year when we snuck past them [in the Connacht Final].’’

Pictured: Galway supremo Pádraic Joyce who is expecting a massive challenge from Mayo in Sunday’s Connacht Football Final at MacHale Park.