No confidence tricks

CHAMPIONSHIP 2002: Ian O'Riordan talks to Peter Ford and John O'Mahony, the Sligo and Galway managers, who appear serenely confident going into Sunday's clash

With a sort of serene confidence Peter Ford yesterday gave his rundown on what it will take to beat Galway in Sunday's Connacht football final. No one in Sligo or anywhere else seems to give his team a chance and Galway look faultless but all that suits him fine.

"There's very little buzz about this game in Sligo," says Ford, "because I think deep down the supporters feel there's no way we can beat Galway. But no hype and no pressure, that suits us. All the players are relaxed about it and they've nothing to lose.

"And for us this is as good as an All-Ireland final. It's been the goal of Sligo since 1975 to win a Connacht title. It's like we just have to get it right once, whereas Galway will be thinking about winning the All-Ireland again."

Part of the problem, though, is that Galway manager John O'Mahony also sounded serenely confident when he joined Ford at the Bank of Ireland centre in Dublin yesterday. After taking the long road to the All-Ireland title last year, Galway are on a sort of revenge mission in Connacht this summer, and Sunday's meeting in Castlebar is the last step.

"Some people do seem to forget we didn't win a Connacht title last year," says O'Mahony. "It may have been lost in all the euphoria of winning the All-Ireland but it wasn't lost on us. Right now winning that title is the only thing that matters.

"And don't forget as well that Galway have only won three Connacht championships in the last 15 years. We still see this title as a huge challenge to us, and I think the provincial championship is still a huge thing.

"I mean, it brings a whole different dimension than the bigger picture does. It's neighbour against neighbour, and you know whoever is the underdog will be giving it their all, so it really is an animal of its own."

Although Sligo and Galway haven't met in a Connacht final since 1971 (when Galway won a replay) they crossed paths more recently in 1995, '96 and '99 and Sligo forced a replay each time, only to lose all three. But then came the crash of 2000 when Galway won by 0-22 to 0-4.

O'Mahony is first to dismiss it as a freak: "If you examine the facts, that result was an aberration ... Sport these days depends so much on mental things, and we got off to a good start that day and just couldn't do a thing wrong."

Yet there is no denying that Galway are as steep a challenge as they come: "Even psychologically it's always difficult for Sligo playing Galway," admits Ford.

"Galway just don't have serious dips in form these days. They have a load of talent there and so much experience too. We don't have as many players or as many clubs, and if we get injuries we're under pressure. But there will be 15 good footballers on the pitch on Sunday.

"We've obviously had the easier route too by playing New York and Leitrim so far, and it will be a huge step up at the weekend. In one way, though, it's been good that we haven't had to play that hard to get here, because I always feel there is at least one very good game in the Sligo team every year."

Last summer was remembered for one very good performance from Sligo when they went to Croke Park for the first time in 21 years and defeated Kildare in the third round of the qualifiers. A year on and Ford, in just his second season in charge, believes the team has taken a few steps further.

"I know we haven't shown it in our games yet, but I expect we have improved that bit. The team is definitely fitter and stronger than last year, and more aware of the things we'd like them do. I can see the lads are better footballers this year, but we just haven't clicked as a team yet. On Sunday we'll definitely want the whole lot clicking at once.

"Everyone knows Galway have been on the top since 1998. They managed to keep it going, and that says a lot about the motivation of the players and the management. They have a good record of getting it right, so you just can't expect or hope they'll play bad on Sunday. It will always take an exceptional performance to beat them."

Galway lived dangerously against Mayo in the semi-final earlier this month, and O'Mahony wasn't hiding his doubts about that performance. "A minute into injury time," he says, "when Conor Mortimer was eyeing up for a free, all I was thinking about was whether we could get a draw or not.

"And I was wondering there too why they weren't mentally fresh. But no, they're a good bunch of lads. The perception is still there too that it's the same team from 1998 and 2001, but we've made a number of changes along the way. But a lot of them are at the stage now as well where the next game could be their last, and, as Padhraic Joyce has said, it's only when you're a point or two down with 10 minutes to go in a match that you know how hungry you are.

"Like any footballer, playing in a provincial final is a huge prize to win. And when you get to this stage it is easier to stay hungry for success. And if anything the motivation to win Connacht is even bigger this year because we got out backsides kicked last year."