James Horan hopes Mayo can use league title as 'springboard' to further success
Monday 1 April 2019 11:21, UK
James Horan is hoping that Mayo won't rest on their laurels, and that they can use their league triumph as a "springboard" for further success.
On Sunday afternoon, he watched his side claim their first national title since 2001, beating Kerry 3-11 to 2-10 at Croke Park. In the process, the Connacht county ended a run of 10 national finals without a win, and Horan feels that triumph can inspire his side to further success.
"We're absolutely delighted to win a national title," he said.
"It might be a springboard if we use it correctly.
"There are some guys out there who have given 15 years to try and win something significant. I'm absolutely delighted for them.
"Tom Parsons jumped the fence there at the end, and Ger [Cafferkey] and some of these guys who have soldiered for a long time. So it's great.
"What's refreshing for us as well is we used 35 or 36 different players in the league, nine or 10 new players who had never played before. So it was a huge panel effort. That makes it a little bit more special, that it wasn't just a 15 or 16 - it was a big group."
Horan conceded his side could have been more clinical, noting that big-game nerves were a factor.
"If we were as effective as we should be, we could have won by 10 to 12 points to be honest," he said.
"We knew there were goals in that game for us and thankfully in the second half we got them.
"We just about got over the line. I'm sure a bit of nerves came into it but to win one is significant for that group, there's no question about that."
The Mayo boss was key to note that his side are still a work in progress, describing how they're breaking the game down into a process.
"There's certain things we're going after in how we play this year - just five or six fairly simple, basic things that we've gone after," he added.
"We're monitoring those very closely, how we do in each game this year. If we get those right we're pretty happy, regardless of the result, and I genuinely mean that.
"We want to get out and play like we can. We've shown it in pieces during some of the games, so it's trying to extend the amount of time we can play that game."
Focus now turns to the championship, as they aim end a 68-year drought and win the Sam Maguire Cup. Their summer odyssey gets underway in the Big Apple when they face New York on the first weekend of May.
