Former Mayo star says clash with Tyrone is a "must-win" for Kevin McStay’s men
Conor Mortimer says Mayo’s Division 1 encounter with Tyrone at MacHale Park on Sunday is already a “must win” game.
Kevin McStay’s men have fallen to back to back defeats against Dublin at Croke Park and a 10 point reversal to Galway in Salthill.
Lose a second home game on Sunday and Mortimer says the pressure will ramp up on the management and the players.
Read more: Neil McManus and Oisin McConville give their verdict on “Corrigan or nowhere” stand-off
With this year’s Division 1 the toughest in recent times, a third defeat would leave Mayo staring relegation in the face with nothing easy in their remaining ties against Armagh (a), Kerry (h), Derry (a) and Donegal (h).
But Mortimer (42) says that when Mayo need a result, they have a tendency to get one.
“I wouldn’t be hugely concerned but it hasn’t been a great start,” said the former All Star forward.
“I wouldn’t say a capitulation but the lack of performance in that second and third quarter against Galway was probably a little bit worrying.
“I think the fact we conceded so many two-pointers would be something we’d really need to work on.
“Shane Walsh and (Paul) Conroy, they are quality kickers from distance, but to be given that amount of space when you still have nine, 10, 11 players behind the ball is probably something we need to get better at.
“It certainly puts a lot of pressure on the Tyrone game. That’s a must win game I’d say, even only three games into the League.”
After Kevin McStay’s first season as manager, Liam McHale left the set up and last Autumn it took time McStay to be reappointed after a County Board review dragged on.
“We've probably heard this in each of the last three off seasons in Mayo, that there's been ructions and that there's been this and that with management,” said Mortimer.
“Yet, when it comes to the real innings of football, we perform when we need to perform.
“Maybe not as strong last year as in the previous couple of years, in terms of getting to All-Ireland finals.
“But look, when you have a bit of bad press in the off-season and your league doesn't start well, obviously there's a bit of disgruntlement in the crowd. It all adds to it until you get a victory.
“I think it's critical that we get a result (against Tyrone on Sunday). If you lose your first three games that brings undue pressure on, within the group, fans, media.
“It makes it difficult going into games because every interview that people do now in every game, players see their phones, the internet, the Twitter, the papers and pressure is the big thing in sport.”
Mortimer says Mayo have a lot of tough teams to face in the remainder of the Spring.
“The pressure will only grow, particularly on the management side, and bear in mind, performances aren't the most important thing at this time of year," he continues.
“It's getting two points, no matter what way you get them. You look at the Donegal/Kerry game.
“Donegal weren't hugely impressive but they grinded out two points down in Killarney and that's the important bit, getting the two points. So we really need to get the shoulders to the wheel ahead of the Tyrone game.”
Mortimer believes that we may see big guns like Aidan O’Shea, Tommy Conroy and Patrick Durcan return for the Tyrone game, but he says Mayo have work to do.
“I you are to ask me are they likely to win an All-Ireland now, I wouldn't be able to say yes, but have they the potential to be competing at the latter stages of the Championship? I’d say they do."
Meanwhile, Mortimer wasn’t hugely surprised by Cillian O’Connor’s decision to step away from the inter-county game.
O’Connor, who turns 33 in May, is the all-time Championship record scorer by some distance with 469 points, a whopping 117 clear of second placed Colm Cooper, but he’s had to contend with a number of serious injuries.
“Look it, realistically, anyone who has watched the game over the last two or three years, he (O’Connor) hasn’t been getting enough game time to make a huge impact," said Mortimer.
“I think that is a part of his decision to walk away. He’s not 21 any more. He’s obviously in a working environment himself that he obviously needs to dedicate a bit of time to.
“The skillset is there. Since his achilles (injury) I don’t think that burst of pace has been there still. He might have come back a little bit early, I would feel.
“You know yourself as a player if you are not feeling that connection (with management).
“That’s the decision you’d make, ‘Am I going to hang around for another year, do all the training, do all the up and down from Dublin and not realistically get to play?’
“I think that was probably part of it to be honest about it. He will be a loss to the squad. There is no question. His leadership and his ability alone would be worth having around and that’s where the balance of management comes in.
“Particularly in league games, 30 or 40 minutes here. All good and well if you are not performing, fine, you don’t play.
“But if you are not given that opportunity, which I don’t think he was given over the last couple of years, I think that’s probably part of his decision to step away.
“He is not retired. He is just stepping away for the year. I think any year you are away from inter county football makes it very difficult to step back in a year later.
“The game moves on, the pace of the game. It’s a tricky one.”
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox
