Photo: Ray Flynn (via Flickr)
With the clock edging ever closer to throw-in this evening, I’m under a bit of pressure as I’ve still to leave the house though I’m planning to be on the road no later than one. No time, then, for any metaphysical rumination about how tonight’s match with Dublin will go but soon enough the time for talking will in any case be done.
I’m really looking forward to this one – matches against Dublin in Castlebar rarely disappoint and, with a big crowd almost guaranteed, the under-the-lights experience at MacHale Park makes it an occasion to savour. Can’t wait.
Right, gotta dash – back later with audio, words and all the rest. Safe travelling to everyone on the road to Castlebar today and the best of luck to the lads this evening.
We are the top of the table team playing against the team second from bottom. They are coming to our home patch. I’d love to see us play like we really believe that we should be top of the table, roll on the game!
I agree that de Dubs will look to make a quick start and try and put us under early, serious pressure. They won’t be “feeling their way into the game”, I reckon, as they will not want us to find our composure from the start.
They will be aware of how much we struggled v Tyrone for the whole game, after a poor start –
Even though Dubs not near as defensive.
So they will come at us early and we better be primed – mentally and physically.
Appearantly a good evening weather-wise seems to be in order so that’s good news.
A crappy day can entail a crappy game.
Gwan Meo!!!
Looking forward to the game. Really, this is going to be a tough one, I’m going for a narrow Mayo win.
I’ll watch in the Oldcastle bar in manhattan, some of you will know of it from last years Mayo championship trip. Hopefully no biscuit tin at the door!
Mayo 2 09
Dubs 1 11
Dave I’ve great memories from the oldcastle 🙂 no doubt a few Mayo heads will be in watching. Just heading out the door myself…lets do this
Hi, match could be on Cricfree website live.Hoping this may be of interest.
Good luck to all.
Freeman n OShea should eat the lads out of it over the solos on the ball around the middle. The ball is not going in at all.
Our half backs n half forwards soloing n passing backwards is our main problem. Unfortunately Vaughan as a midfielder is totally between the play. Hasn’t got that pace to get to tackles.
Half time and it looks like the game is up, how disappointing is that?
Need to put in a strong 2nd half even if its only from our score difference position. Really need to go for it or it could be a serious reversal.
I’m actually not that surprised so far. Dublin desperate for points.
We talk about having great defenders and yes we do have great individuals but as a team our defending is old fashioned/man v man. It’s naive against an attack like this.
Midfield anonymous so far and as with all our games so far this year, the build up play is too slow and the delivery not good enough.
Hey…thank God it’s the league!!
Our half backs have had more ball inside their 45 than our full forward line. N I wouldn’t blame our full forward line for that. We have plenty clean posession at least 40% n there’s simply no structure to getting kickpasses in to the inside men. Meanwhile we’re wide open on our own 45 … where our half backs are supposed to be.
Well that was a stinker!
Depressed after that, age old problems of lads holding onto the ball too long and some defenders who seemed to have forgotten to come out of the dressing room.
On a positive note we can only get better
Thoroughly depressed…a reality check. We still don’t have any forwards who can win ball. I really hope I’m wrong but I fear we are heading into transition
We never got a hammering like this in the Horan era.
…and I don’t think this would have happened if McStay got the job
We are actually extremely lucky to have 6pts.
Our middle eight shooting percentage is way too low. Our backs are playing club type football taking the ball on long solos, passing backwards regularly.
You could see the target men play has not been practiced as a gameplan in training. Very poor by management. Only late in the game were there a handful of long balls inside.
We’re not quarter backing to setup the inside men rather we’re playing last action hero football as individuals around the middle of the pitch. The partner of Seamus OShea has to have running speed. Has to be said but in second half could see Dublin easily stepping around Vaughan multiple times.
Have management a gameplan? So far it’s dismal. Very sluggish, lateral. Frustrating overall.
Leave o’shea at 14.
We need a defencive coach brought in to the camp immediately, because the system we’re adapting at present will get us no where. No use in us saying either that it’s only the League or it’s still early days. We had an opportunity this evening to lay down a marker and let others know we are a team to be reckoned with. Right now I feel sorry for the players, because there better than that, It’s now up to Pat and Noel to take a long hard look at how they’re setting up the team, because tonight we seemed to be clueless all over the field. Sadly MacHale Park is no longer the fortress it used to be!
Mayo McHale…things were clueless against Tyrone too and anyone in Derry last week should agree we were only average at best. Monaghan self imploded and best themselves in MacHale Pk.
It’s concerning. I was concerned when this management team were appointed. All we can do is keep supporting and hope for the best.
The lack of quality forwards being produced in the county is also very concerning.