Photo: MichaelMaye.com
For the last few years it’s been an annual job for me at the end of January to do a round-up on who lined out for us in the FBD campaign just concluded and to take a look at how a few numbers stack up against those from previous years. Here’s the 2017 edition of this pre-season analysis.
The table below summarises – in tabular form, cos that’s what tables do (aside from being used to eating the dinner on and what-not) – who played for us in the three pre-season matches. A tick denotes a starting appearance while an S indicates a substitute one. Scores recorded by each of the players are also included:
As I’ve discovered when conducting this exercise over the last few years (here, by the way, are the pieces I did on the last three FBD campaigns: 2014, 2015, 2016), each pre-season is different in terms of players used and how we fared out. This one is no different – in that I mean its difference is no different from how other January campaigns have been different. Distinct, even. Let me explain.
Let’s start with the number of players used over the three games. As the rather long table above would suggest, this year we maxed out on that metric. We did that, for sure – a total of 40 players saw action for us in this year’s FBD. This compares with 32 in 2014, 35 in 2015 and a measly 26 last year.
The fact that virtually the entire 2016 panel were still in South Africa when the ball was thrown in against NUIG on the 8th of January clearly was a factor in this regard. It also explains the high number of debutants this January, with a total of eleven players making their first starting appearances for the county that day against NUIG, while another six newbies joined the fray the same afternoon off the bench.
Six players – Fergal Boland, Liam Irwin, Danny Kirby, Donie Newcombe, Ray O’Malley and Michael Plunkett – started all three matches for us in this FBD campaign, while another (Shane Nally) played a part in all three games. If you need a list of fringe lads who really put their hands up for inclusion in the squad for the League, you needn’t look any further than this cohort. Last year, by the way, five players started all three matches, none did so in 2015, while four did in 2014.
The seven who played some part in the three games this year compares to 13 last year, seven in 2015 and just five in 2014. Last year – when injuries meant things were really tight regarding player availability early on – is the obvious outlier here.
Kevin McLoughlin was our top scorer in each of the previous two FBD campaigns but he failed to raise a flag at Kiltoom the last day, his only appearance for us this month. This year, the scoring honours go jointly to Alan Freeman and Liam Irwin, who both bagged 1-7. The Aghamore man secured his haul in a single outing – against IT Sligo – whereas the Bear in the Square played (and scored) in all three matches.
It’s in relation to our aggregate scoring that this year’s stats veer wildly away from previous years. In short, we scored way more (in particular goals) but we also conceded far more. This year we ran up an aggregate total of 7-48, leaking an equally eye-popping 4-52 at the other end. Last year it was 2-38 for and 1-31 against, in 2015 it was 2-38/3-29 and in 2014 it was 3-28/3-27. Maybe those marquee forwards mightn’t be as much of a problem in sourcing as we thought? Perhaps we’d want, though, to bolt the door at the back?
Finally, and this isn’t a stat I have any time series data on, we had a player sent off in all of our three FBD matches this year. That’s a trend we really need to see stopped in its tracks and pronto.
Right, that’s the sum total of the analysis on this year’s FBD.
I like the cut of those 6 players named young hungry and have all the skill sets needed….how ever the problem is who woukd you leave out of the current squad that came very close to winning Sam in 2016 added to Ger Caff and Jasob Gibbons back from injury
Stephen Rochford is going to have some headache when he is picking his League panel. Sooner him than me on that one but with options now emerging in the forwards, I’d expect some of the new faces to get a run there. Reading through the Brendan Harrison article in Saturday’s Irish Times, there is serious competition to remain in the squad of 33, let alone the first 15. It’s a situation that many counties would like to have, but few do.
The best stat for me is the 9 pts from play by Fergal Boland.Thats what you want to see a forward averaging 3 pts from play per game.
Quick question regarding the new “mark” rule. Near the end of the match last Sunday, before we stole victory from the rossies, Tom Parsons got the ball from Robbies kick out (mark). The ref blew for the mark, ross player protested or fouled I’m not sure and the ref moved it forward. Tom gave (threw) the ball to Cillian I think it was and he played it from there. If the mark which was called, was brought forward, does the player that was awarded the mark have to take it?
It’s all explained here. If the player opts to play on from the catch and he’s fouled then any player can take the free.
Yes, as other posters have remarked, the question is who will be making for the exit door?
Or maybe to phrase the question differently (could those who were at the matches could offer some thoughts), can Carolan, Crowe, Drake, McDonagh, and O’Donoghue keep their places on the squad at the expense of those young pups snapping at their heels?
Mayo vs Monaghan will be on Eir Sports on Saturday night, for those that can’t make it to Castlebar (which includes myself).
eir Sport have just put out a press release stating that they’ll broadcast our first four matches – all Saturday night jobs – but have neglected to indicated whether they’ll be live or deferred coverage. Amazing that.
I’ve just checked their TV guide. It runs up till Feb 23 and it says that the Monaghan (2145h) and Kerry (2200h) matches will be deferred coverage and not actually broadcast live.
I’ve no objection to this – actually glad to see smaller counties getting coverage – but the fact that they’re not making it crystal clear isn’t great. There are several repeats of our match during the following days, it appears.
Anyway, from what I can see this is our TV coverage for first four games:
v Monaghan (Castlebar – Sat 4 Feb, 7pm) eir Sport 2 HD – DEFERRED
v Kerry (Tralee – Sat 11 Feb, 7pm) eir Sport 2 HD – DEFERRED
v Roscommon (Castlebar, Sat 25 Feb, 7pm) eir Sport 2 HD – LIVE/DEFERRED?
v Dublin (Sat 4 Mar, Croker, 7pm) eir Sport 2 HD – LIVE/DEFERRED?
Our last three games are obviously on Sundays and I’m sure TG4 Beo will be along any week now with their schedule…
Or maybe not – seems they’ve the first two rounds scheduled (doesn’t affect/include us) but after that nothing…
http://www.tg4.ie/en/sports/gaa-beo/
Hego where does it specifically say Mayo are deferred coverage in place of a divison 2 game?
It does say 23 LIVE games. Setanta used to show two live games at the same time on Setanta 1 and 2….I assume this is a similar setup?
yew_tree, if you go here https://www.eirsport.ie/tv-guides and then go to date of matches.
Try Sat 4 Feb for example… it says Laois v Louth and Down v Fermanagh are the live games on the two channels and has ourselves tucked away on the graveyard shift!
I see diarmuid o Connor Patrick durcan and sharoize lined out for dcu today
Fergal Boland scored 3 points from play in UL’s extra time win against Maynooth. He lined out in the half back seemingly.
Adam Gallagher scored 1-4 (0-2 from play) for NUIG in their win today.
I thought Diarmuid O’Connor was on the injury list Aidan? Did he actually play? Great news if so.
Ya he played came off after 40 min or so.they won comfortably.
Strange how Eir are showing deferred coverage of our games! Would have thought showing deferred coverage of Div 2 makes more commercial sense
Adam Gallagher is going very steady at Sigerson level.
I noticed one thing yesterday. The Sigerson final is in Bekan this year. I’d be pretty certain that will be the first time ever it will be held in Mayo.
People may think a windup, but it’s there listed in the upcoming gaa action related to Mayo.
That’s really good analysis WJ. We will not be able to see who is going to make the grade until guys have been properly tested. In Div 1 games in springtime and the Championship during the summer. It is still January and we hope the half of doz guys tried out so far will get a decent chance to impress during the league. The next analysis that WJ will make at the end of the league will tell a more accurate story. Everything to play for in Feb and March.
Fair play WJ for the work you’ve put in on the FBD analysis. In relation to competition for places in the squad I’d advise cautious optimism. As we are well aware we’ve struggled to uncover new forward talent and the FBD league cannot be relied upon as a barometer for the championship. It’s striking that since 2011 the only real find since then has been DOC. We badly need a sprightly corner forward or two to come along but the truth is there’s no hard evidence of that just yet.
Tough games against the likes of Monaghan, Kerry, Dublin and Tyrone will show us who is ready or very close to it.
Quite confident on the bench being a lot stronger, which is at least something. Also the cover in terms of players 27-34.
Don’t worry lads. Our first 4 games are on eir.
I see this morning that Brian Cody has weighed into the length of the inter county season which is affecting the club fixtures.As usual he talks a pile of sense. No wonder he is so successful.He can see the problem from both sides,county and club.He is still called a James Stephens clubman.
Shane in terms of commercial sense it’s probably better to have the Division 2 game live which people will switch on with some interest while waiting for the Division one game. I’m not going to hide bias here but for me the Mayo Monaghan game is the main event. There may also be some requests from the GAA to show some of the lower division games also, I know there were some complaints from I think the Wicklow manager last year about lack of TV coverage of their games.
I’d be of a different opinion RE Diarmuid Anne Marie. I think it’s a bad sign, because there is a good chance they are playing him even though he is carrying a knock. He wasn’t due back for a couple of weeks as far as I know.
Seems to be a bit of confusion over eir sports coverage of our first 4 match’s (I know I was a bit bamboozled, I know I know, that’s not too difficult!).
Thanks to @emccallig & @AllThingsMayo after a bit of investigating we got to the bottom of it. Eir have 2 channels 1HD and 2SD. They also show match’s on 2HD. Looking up their tv guide, it only shows eir sports 1 & 2 , no mention of HD’s or SD’s! So as it happens, our first 2 match’s are live on 2HD with deferred coverage later on 1.
Sky platform:
423: eir sport 1
424: eir sport 2
460: eir sport 2HD
Mayo v Monaghan 7pm (live) eir sport 2HD, (deferred) at 9.30 on eir sport 1.
Mayo v Kerry 7pm (live) on eir sport 2HD, (deferred) at 10.00 on eir sport 1.
I thought CIan Costello played in the game against NUIG. I may be wrong.
You’re right, Sinabhuil, he did, he started that game. I’ll amend the table when I get a chance.
Thanks Mayo.Mick for straightening that out! I only have a basic TV package and no sports packages so I had no idea about this.
Apologies to all here for misleading.