Mayo need to rebuild, not purge

Two significant homecomings provide the highlight of tomorrow's Church & General NFL programme of matches. In Castlebar, Galway are the visitors for the Section A meeting with All-Ireland finalists Mayo. Visiting manager John O'Mahony has just taken over his third Connacht county and, having led both his own county, Mayo, and Leitrim to provincial titles, has raised expectations in Galway.

At Parnell Park, Leinster champions Offaly, under the guidance of the man passed over by Dublin when they appointed Mickey Whelan two years ago, Tommy Lyons, are the guests in the very competitive Section C. Elsewhere, with the exception of DonegalDerry at Ballybofey, the programme looks fairly pedestrian.

Mayo were advised by a wise commentator in the aftermath of last month's dreadful All-Ireland defeat to use the League not for purging but for rebuilding.

Despite a welcome burst of prolificity from David Nestor, the team's problems remain in attack and there's little in this weekend's team to suggest that long-term solutions are in sight.

Galway are comparatively blessed in attack with a number of bright young possibilities at their disposal but the one area where O'Mahony will hope to deliver is that of application.

The win over O'Mahony's previous charges, Leitrim, a fortnight ago was efficient but with far harder fixtures ahead, Galway badly need to win tomorrow in order to establish the momentum they normally lack at this time of the year and sound a warning for next year. They've every chance of achieving those ends.

In the section's other matches, Laois should beat visitors Kilkenny and both Fermanagh and Carlow have good chances of causing surprises on their travels to Louth and Leitrim, respectively.

The gnashing of teeth that greeted Dublin's injury-time defeat by Sligo was puzzling given the serene equanimity with which Mickey Whelan's re-appointment was greeted last summer. If the awful implications of the championship beating by Meath didn't trigger a shake-up, it seems unfair to start erecting a gibbet because of a NFL defeat in October.

Paul Curran's switch to centre forward is part of the search to find a conductor for the attack and although the idea has crossed other minds in the past, the likelihood is that Curran's pacy, instinctive game lacks the calculation for such a task. After the forwards' display in Sligo, however, anything's worth a go.

Tommy Lyons's Offaly are a little understrength up front themselves - which may go against them given the early urgency Dublin should be experiencing as they survey a season that could, unless they start taking points, regrade them for Division Four next year.

Elsewhere in Section C, new Cavan manager Mattie Kerrigan takes the Ulster champions to Clones for a difficult fixture against neighbours Monaghan, but the trip should just about be productive.

Both Kerry and Tyrone will be expected, with contrasting degrees of comfort, to send Wexford and Sligo respectively, packing.

Section B looks good for away wins as Meath pop across the border into Westmeath, Armagh travel to London and Longford visit Antrim who were flattened by Armagh a fortnight ago.

The fourth match is in Ballybofey where Donegal host Derry who are understrength as usual for this time of the year with club commitments, injuries and suspensions debilitating the panel. Despite this, the Ulster finalists can make it a full house for visiting teams in the section.

Club commitments also affect Cork in Section D with their county finalists Beara and Castlehaven excused action but they should still overcome Waterford.

Roscommon will have their work cut out against a Wicklow side, again being drilled by Niall Rennick, which pounced on Down's traditional autumnal torpor in the opening match.

The northerners should still stir themselves to send Tipperary home pointless. Finally, Limerick make what is likely to be a fruitless journey up the N7 to Newbridge to play Kildare.

Four of tomorrow's matches do not start at 2.30: Laois v Kilkenny at Portaloise, and London v Armagh at Ruislip both begin at 3.00; Kerry take on Wexford at 1.30 in Tralee and Down's match against Tipperary in Newry has a 2.00 throw-in.

Limerick (SF v Kildare) - E Scollard; Denis Reidy, D Sheehy, G O'Connor; J Kiely, M McMahon, K Power; J Quane, N Mulvihill; P Keyes, T Cummins, F Finnan; M O'Donoghue, P Galvin, Damien Reidy. Subs: R Bowles, S Ahern, J Donovan, I Bradley, M O'Doherty, N Frewen, N Kelly, P Windle, K Begley.