THE LAST POINT: Mentality as important as ability

When you've watched as many sporting contests as I have over the years, the thought often crosses my mind - is it the ability of the person in the arena or their mentality that decides a  sporting contest, a conundrum that has led to a veritable cottage industry of sport psychologists and mindfulness gurus over the past decade or so.

It was a thought that leapt unbidden to my mind as I watched last Sunday's enthralling edge of the seat  Connacht Final, a game that had my rapt attention right up until Jordan Flynn's two point attempt, from the wrong side of the field in terms of the wind blowing down the field in Mac Hale Park, drifted wide of the  mark.

Galway celebrated their 1-17 to 1-15 victory as if they had won their first Nestor Cup in quite a while, not taking it home to the city of the Tribes for a fourth year in a row. Their wild celebrations certainly made a mockery of the predictions that both teams would prefer to lose last Sunday's Castlebar showdown to avoid the Group of Death in a few weeks time.

I'm not here to put the boot into Mayo but Sunday's Final perhaps  sums up the two counties better than we know  - the impression Galway gave was that they didn't care who they had to face, they'll just go all out to beat them, believing that facing the better teams in the early rounds will only sharpen their talons for the knockout stages, or as the cliche goes, iron sharpens iron!

I didn't hear one word about avoiding groups or permutations coming from Galway but there were plenty in Mayo seemingly worried about the prospect, wondering if Galway might throw the game or be a little less focused to allow Kevin McStay's team across the line, an analysis that defies belief given what we know about the rivalry between Connacht's big two. 

THE LAST POINT: WHAT A CHANGE IN JUST 24 HOURS

But the over-riding impression I got from Sunday's Connacht Final was that Galway feel they have their boot on Mayo's throat right now and they're not about to ease off the pressure. By all metrics, Mayo should have blitzed Padraic Joyce's team in the second half with the wind at their backs. We've become accustomed to big leads meaning nothing thanks to the new rules so when Galway led 1-11 to 1-3 at halftime, nobody  thought that lead was safe, even with the home side well off the pace.

Mayo came out in the second half performing a medley of their greatest hits - they attacked from everywhere, they harried and turned over the ball time and time again and Galway, so serene and dominant in the first half, were reduced to bystanders at times as Kevin McStay's men reduced that eight point lead to  a solitary point within 12 minutes of the restart.

But that's when Mayo's recurring  nightmare surfaced once more - as they had so many times against Dublin in All-Ireland Finals and semi-finals, Mayo got within touching distance but could never apply the killer blow. Their fearlessness was replaced by caution, it seemed to me or  maybe trepidation, and while they twice drew level, it never felt to me as if Galway would lose.

That's quite a claim to make given the various controversies in the game - a soft enough penalty gave Galway a goal in the first half (it was a foul but those type of fouls is rarely punished), a two-pointer given a one for Mayo with replays suggesting keeper Conor Gleeson had touched the ball after it had crossed the plane of the crossbar and a black card for Mayo following a disastrous kickout.

Mayo's lack of a killer instinct contrasted sharply with that of Galway - Padraic Joyce replaced a sub he had introduced at halftime in a stunning demonstration of ruthlessness and when Galway got the chances they took them. Their players exuded confidence in the trenches, making the sort of blocks and saves that were the hallmark of Dublin teams against Mayo in all those fascinating contests down through the years.

That mentality was conspicuously absent from the Dubs for many, many years before they got across the line in 2011 and then it became their calling card. Galway, Kerry and Down always seem to have that trait whenever they produce a good team but for the rest of us, that cast-iron mentality only seems to come after years of trials and tribulations -  just ask Kieran McGeeney and his Armagh heroes or Jimmy McGuinness and Donegal.

There are times when results can rob you of that self-belief - looking at Leitrim Ladies as they took on Galway last Saturday in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, one wonders would we have witnessed a different sort of contest had the Green & Gold  got across the line the previous Sunday against Mayo?

Manager Jonny Garrity thinks so and it is hard to disagree with him - I have to say I haven't seen a Leitrim team of this standing play a team of Galway's ability, hunger and intensity since Leitrim were last in the Senior grade, Galway  an awesome outfit who fought for every ball from minute one to minute 60 as if their lives depended on it.

One wonders if the Green & Gold might have fared a little better with a larger turnout of local fans? In fairness, 90% of the crowd hailed from  Leitrim but the attendance was desperately disappointing for a team that won an All-Ireland last year and playing at home on a wonderful Summer's evening on a fantastic new pitch - no excuses, to my mind at least, for not turning out to cheer on the Ladies.

But you could see the power of the mind as much as the power of ability  last Saturday - Galway's intensity rattled Leitrim from the word go and instead of playing with their usual confidence in their structures and gameplan, it all seemed to go sideways as the Tribeswomen reduced this game to a procession very early on.

It is a lesson Steven Poacher and his Leitrim men's team  must ponder ahead of next Saturday's Tailteann Cup clash with Kildare in  Newbridge because they go into the game with expectations of a good performance fluttering around them, rather than the hope of avoiding a hammering at the hands of Mayo the last day out.

That's not a bad thing but it is  very different to what Leitrim faced just a few weeks ago with morale seemingly at an all-time low around the county. In fairness, it is obvious the players never bought into that narrative but they couldn't have avoided it either in the lead-up to the game. Now they have everyone optimistic and expectant and that brings a different sort of pressure.

THE LAST POINT: EASTER MEMORIES LIKE A GOLDEN EGG

We have a good idea of what we're facing against Kildare and it is a chance to put a few things right after the League game earlier this year. But Kildare will be wary too, they'll have watched the video and analysed Leitrim's performance against Mayo  and you can bet they'll have something cooked up to cope with the challenge of Barry McNulty who they did not face in the League game.

Leitrim pushed Kildare pretty damn hard last year in a dead rubber Tailteann Cup group game so the Lilywhites are right to be wary. And if coincidences are your thing, Kildare might be hoping for a few in 2025. Leitrim last travelled to Newbridge in 2010 for a Qualifier game, the year that Kieran McGeeney led them all the way to an All-Ireland Semi-Final.

Interesting thing is, 2010 was the last time Meath beat Dublin and Louth reached a Leinster Final! So who knows what is going to happen on Saturday but if we play as well next Saturday in St Conleth's Park as we did that day 15 years ago, I reckon most Leitrim fans will be pretty happy.