Yesterday’s dramatic comeback win over Armagh yesterday was, in essence, a team achievement. Several players came to the fore as we battled it out with the Orchard County at Dr Hyde Park, eventually overwhelming them with a late unanswered scoring burst of five points.
That made the MOTM poll for the game an interesting one, as there wasn’t an obvious standpoint player in our ranks who seemed to merit the award, though there were a number of players who were in with a decent shout.
As the voting progressed, however, it became a straight shootout between Diarmuid O’Connor and the eventual winner Aiden Orme. Aiden led the voting early on but then Diarmuid took over and, having seen how previous polls involving tight margins have gone, I assumed that this was how the vote would end up, with the experienced Ballintubber clubman fending off the young Knockmore player.
That didn’t, though, happen as Aiden enjoyed a renewed surge in support overnight and again today. This was sufficiently large to see him restored to the top of the poll and there he stayed, claiming 20% of the overall vote. As a result, Aiden Orme is the player you have chosen as our MOTM from yesterday’s game.
It’s a well-merited award for a young player who has made a big impression so far this year. He put in a very big shift for us yesterday and while his sole score was a point from a mark he did a huge amount of work besides, turning over the ball – leading directly to scores – and linking up with others in attacking moves.
Aside from Diarmuid (who garnered 18% of the vote), others to feature prominently in the poll were super sub Paddy Durcan and Ryan O’Donoghue (both 13%), as well as Aidan O’Shea, Mattie Ruane, Jordan Flynn and Oisín Mullin (all 5%).
See what I mean? This spread of relatively even support backs up the argument that yesterday’s performance was a real team effort. A winning performance too. Well done to all for the part they played in the win and congrats too to Aiden for his MOTM award.
Great to see his confidence growing. Lovely chemistry between himself and Ryan. He is a well grounded young man and is so proud to represent his club in county colours.
Well done Aiden, delighted for him. Would have no problem with Diarmuid, Paddy or a few more getting it, but it’s a huge achievement for a young lad only starting his career. He surely must feel 10 ft tall to be the supporters motm. Don’t know if players know about this poll but hope they do.
Watching Aiden Orme up close yesterday was a joy, he is a clever player and links play and handles the ball well esp when under pressure. He’s like a more seasoned player really, and he usually make the right decision, so a well deserved MOTM, fair play young fella!
Unearthing lads like Aiden in an area where we are a bit light is a good thing and for me, eases the pain of losing Tommy a wee bit!
Well done Aidan. His progress since Sligo has been amazing.
It’s notable how he bulked up a lot in the past 18 months, he was only a slip of a thing when he first came on the scene. It has to be said,mayos s&c program is second to none, is it still barry solan overseeing it?
Conor Finn is over the S&C now. I think Solan left the same time as Rochford.
Conor Finn has worked wonders on S&C. But, don’t take my word for it. Here’s Leroy from today’s Indo:
“We’re on seven points and it’s nice to be looking up the way rather than down the way … we’re just putting ourselves in positions to win games and thankfully we are finishing strong. Conor Finn gets a lot of credit too, we are finishing games strong because we are very fit.”
Ah yes, conor finn, that’s the guy. He is the main man, I actually believe talent wise we aren’t much better than most of the chasing pack, it’s the incredible s&c that puts us above most of them imo, we are able to blitz most teams in s&c and fitness coming down the stretch, the only team to match up with us in that regard is tyrone which is why we came unstuck against them last year.
It’s testament to finn that guys like orme, mullin, conroy etc are coming in at 21 looking like they have 3 or 4 years of good s&c under their belts
Well done to Aidan Orme a great achievement for you and like a lot of other posters have stated you can see the incremental improvements in his game head down and keep working hard to make that Championship 15. It was a great day in Roscommon, great to be back amongst the chaos the excitement that we as supporters and the team bring. I brought my daughter to the game and she got the opportunity to meet some of the players, Diarmuid, Aidan, and Lee, to be on pitch level after the game up close and personal with the players for the kids is wonderful. This was a great experience for her to meet them gave their time a quick photo and hello. Thank You. You can only admire these lads and be proud of them. I live right beside Hyde so hopefully, she will follow them for a few more years yet! Up Mayo
Working away with Knockmore all winter wouldn’t have done his physique any harm either. Close call for MOTM but fully deserved.
Watched the highlight there on YouTube and a very import interception by Fionn(?) almost certainly prevented an Armagh goal and 30 seconds later Diarmaid sticks it over the bar down the other end.
No reason why we can’t sicken Kerry below as well.
Might have been Jordan with the interception and Fionn with the tidy up.
Lads any idea what the story is for McHale Park next month, is it all systems go or will there be a switch. You would imagine they will have to call it in the coming weeks
Don’t know the answer Big Mike, but as you’re on, an idle question: why did the Galway teams have three different kits on Sunday?:
* Footballers (clash of colours), white jerseys and maroon shorts
* Hurlers (clash of colours), white jerseys, white shorts
* Ladies, maroon jerseys and navy shorts
Just a week out with my prediction of Aiden as man of the match,but I am sure that there is many more to come,now for Jordan Flynn to get a man of the match,he is growing in confidence it is only a matter of time for him,we are in a very good position,Mayo for Sam
Fionn McDonagh also referenced Conor Finn, when interviewed right after winning the Sigerson with NUIG.
The question put to him was there too many games for students like himself, given both Tommy Conroy and Sean Mulkerrin were injured playing for NUIG.
FMcD’s answer was revealing: for him personally he said “no” that it was all being monitored and the allowable workload is set by Conor Finn. Fionn goes by CF’s advice. It is clear Conor Finn is well regarded by the players.
Corick+ bridge,personally I’d be inclined to leave the MayoforSam stuff to the sniggering media and their ilk-time enough for that when we have the cup in our hands.
From the highlights, I didn’t Fionn was that bad.
I didn’t think Fionn was that bad.
Opt2,I prefer to be optimistic,I have lived through the sixties up till now so I am very happy to promote Mayo for Sam,in contrast to the posters who counsel caution ,I can’t believe that we are worried what the media says,and that we have been consistently the second best team in the country over the last ten years and still some people fear far inferior teams,Mayo for Sam
I’m with you corrick bridge, I think there’s nothing wrong with ‘Mayo for Sam’, it’s a catchy phrase and a universal thing now, and a nod to our great team and supporters.
Regarding Fionn , I watched him up close on Sunday and i didn’t think he played as badly as some on here say.
Conor L might have been positioned wrongly, he had a quietish day, it’s hard to say, but again I thought he linked play well at times.
Looking forward to what will be an interesting tussle in Tralee. How will Horan play it ?..hard to know.
In any case we’ll have no fear of them, and we haven’t a bad record against them in recent years either..
And we haven’t a bad record against them in the league either!
I see philly McMahon “clarified” his earlier statements about Mayo on the indo’s throw in podcast. Says that was previous Mayo teams, this team looks different and he’s interested to see how we do in the summer. Seems like he’s not expecting to be invited back.
Moment of the week though was Anthony Moyles reaction to finding out we’re 6 to 1 with the bookie’s to win the all Ireland, “mmmh that is good value”
Not a whole pile of talk about us in any of the podcasts, Dublin still the big story. In fairness I’d say Oisin mcconville was about the only one on any of them that was actually at our game, on the examiner podcast, and he was joined by man who single handedly bored us into defeat, Kevin Walsh. They didn’t talk much about Galway either though, focused on cork’s woes
Well done Aiden, thoroughly deserved. Keep up the good work.
Just reading Mark Ronaldson’s piece in the Western. I like his apt description of Paddy Durcan as “one of Mayo’s most potent offensive options”. How true that is.
Perhaps it’s just time to bite the bullet and start him in the HF line? We’ve an incredible abundance of half backs, an embarrassment of riches as always. By playing Paddy at HF, not only do we free him up from man-marking, but we also then create a jersey for an Enda Hession or an Eoghan McLaughlin. I truly feel its worth a try. Paddy is scoring freely and as things stand I cannot see us finding two free-scoring half forwards among the current rotation. Form isn’t something that can instantly be ‘switched on’. We need to put fear into the likes of a Kerry and I’m seriously worried about our front 6 in that regard currently. The loss of Tommy has obviously weakened us significantly there, ie his strength, pace, unpredictability, ie near impossible to mark. I’m looking at all the other options we have there now and I worry.
In an ideal world we’d create more natural half forwards in Mayo but it isn’t to be. Most of our exceptional talent is in the HB line, so why not use it? Not all half backs can of course be converted but I think Paddy might just be the man. He clearly knows where the posts are. The size of him this year is frightening, and he’ll take some amount of minding, that’s for sure. It seems like a no-brainer to me. I’d love to see it.
Does anybody know if Conor Finn, [S & C coach] is related to John Finn, star player of the 1980’s/early 90’s?
Well done to Aiden Orme well deserved. He may have bulked up but I think it’s mostly down to the progression of a naturally, very talented player.
Game covered by others however for me,
Sunday was a very interesting game between two top teams. The most interesting aspect for me was that Armagh built from the back in a very methodical way. Mayo in contrast played mostly, a sort of, off the cuff unpredictable style (as usual). I have to say I really enjoyed the game, not just the result. People were a bit harsh on some of the players performances, all I’ll say is I thought Armagh were a fine side, but after Sunday I’m now sure they’re a fine side. Both managers I’d say were delighted with the way that both sets of players tested each other from start to finish.
Safe now, so can continue to rotate the panel.
I’d rather have Eoghan and Enda Hession on the pitch. Starting. Obviously Paddy starts no matter where he lines out. Hession another option at HF.
Not convinced about placing Paddy at half forward. Some players are just better at coming onto the ball, or timing their runs running from deep. His second point at the weekend just about epitomised how he plays.
Running the half forward line as an out ball is a very different game.
I agree Rock…Paddy coming at full tilt from the back is where I like to see him. We tried this with Keith in the past with limited success.
We still have options for hf line with the likes of J.Carr, M Moran when fit. Jack Carney & Fergal Boland. With a few games any of these lads can do a good job for us there. I don’t think we are that far away from a settled team with Cillian nearly ready.
You could be right Rock. I definitely do see that logic. I’m just worried our wing forwards unfortunately are a weak link both now and ALL of last year. It’s a problem. And no signs of it changing any time soon. The players in rotation there have been given lots of opportunities. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh here, because I know it can take a few seasons for a young player to eventually flourish. But they need to be getting their skates on.
I want to see our most talented players on the pitch, not as subs when we’re half beaten out the gate. We still have tons of talent on the bench, ie Aido, Kev, and ample half back cover to freshen things up. An alternative would be to play Paddy in his HB position while at the same time starting Hession and Eoghan as our two wing forwards. I’m just brainstorming! Thinking aloud.