This is just a very quick one to provide confirmation of the result of last night’s challenge up in Donegal, where we won by 1-12 to 1-10, having gone in at the break 1-7 to 0-4 in arrears. Barry Moran returned to the side for the first time since last year’s Connacht final and the big lad weighed in with a personal tally of 1-4, all of it from play.
The other point of note note from last night was Trevor Howley’s switch to corner-back with Donal Vaughan’s consequent move to centre-back.
More details on the game are available in this report in today’s Examiner.
That’s about it, gotta dash.
Thanks for the update wj. Great to see barry back, always had a lot of potential. Well something had to be done at cb. howley was not up to it. Good to see the two lads back in the ebgine room aswell, looks like ger cafferky kept m murphy reasonably quiet aswell.
A bit of humour for the day, i see on hoganstand the top mayo post is ‘ chris barrett, the answer to our centre back’
WJ, this site is fantastic, a REAL fans site. Liked your response to the “anti Mort” comment. People who make comments like that are the same Idiots who weren’t in Omagh, Derry, Tralee, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Croke park (actually there was a few in croke park) , let alone McHale park and are the first with the “here we go again” comments or the “more the eejit you for going to Dublin to watch them” comments. Keep up the good work. See you in Markievicz Park!, Green & Red forever.
Just a thought WJ. Seemingly if Galway lost to New York then they were out of the championship. Apparently there is no backdoor in regards NY. This was confirmed by Mr Prenty Connacht council. Logically then the winners of Mayo v Sligo would meet NY. Now NY have a problem about travelling so potentially assuming they went on a run (not impossible) then we could see thae Connacht final being played out there. I only say this because all of Galway got a shock when they saw the consequences of a potential loss. It could be any other Connacht county next year. Perhaps the Connacht Council aperchicks might publically issue the rules and criteria in regards NYs possible progression in future Connacht championships. We need better than “Well Galway would be out, they could appeal but their is no gurantee they would be succesful” !
I’m with you ontheroad. I found the whole thing quite bizarre. I had no idea that any team NY beat would not be allowed in the qualifiers.
I’m assuming the council never thought NY would win their preliminary game, so didn’t bother working out a contingency plan.
I might be wrong here, but didn’t Leitrim only beat them after extra time a couple of years ago. Surely the council should of come out then and clarified the situation.
Well they might need to do it now, especially with Roscommon due to travel to NY next year…
Great to see Barry back.
Also nice to see a change at CHB .Howley still a good player & worth his place somewhere in the backs.
Wh not try Trevor in the half back line?
Nice to see us back to winning ways. Saw Keith Higgans yesterday playing with the hurlers in Wicklow. He was moving all right. Hope 4 the future………….
Thanks for the kind words about the site, Ronan. I try to keep it real here, as does everyone who comes on to comment and so far it seems to be working out.
The crack with what could have happened to Galway is something else alright – imagine how pissed off they’d have been if they’d had to kick their heels over there for days after having lost and been dumped out of the championship? It certainly appears that no serious thought has been given to NY ever winning a match, which is odd given Leitrim’s close call the other year. Maybe after Galway’s scare they’ll come up with some kind of plausible plan.
That’s good news about Keith – looks like he’ll be back for sure for the Sligo match. We’ll need him, I reckon.
Lads had galway lost to new york should/want they still be playing in the championship?We may still be getting over the league final,(lets not forget we were the second best team in division 1).Connacht championship has to be a given for mayo for the forseeable future..Galway are finished,how can i say that,well they have absoloutely nothing without m.meehan and possibly s armstrong.They have nothing coming true.Roscommon are beyond useless, one decent underage team doesn’t bring sucess.Leitrim are Leitrim.Do not let sligos division 3 success fool anybody, it’s such a poor division and they seemed the only team interested.They are still a poor team.Mayo with a few personnel changes at cb mf wf,this is a team that can beat anybody.We have so many options when everybodys fit it is ridiculos.
Good interview with T Mort in yesterdays indo.
reading between the lines so it looks like Barry will defo be FF. Hope the lad stays off the treatment table. Id imagine this means O Shea will move to the corner which for me is his worst position.
AT MF you would have to think Parsons race is run and that Mid field will be ronan Mcg and Seamie o shea.
In the backs Howl move to the corner is to be applauded and you would have to imagine it will be himself and Keith either side of Caff although dont rule out O malley! Glad to see they are persisting with Caff at Full back though. Delighted to see nally wing back too….how Ray Dempsey had him at Mid field for the U21’s is baffling.The big question is who will now occupy the CHB slot? Cunniffe selection would be a gamble but the alternatives wouldnt fill me with confidence unless keith Higgins is posted there. Vaugh doesnt seem to have the recovery for this position….id rather see him on the wing. The half forward line is a prob the most predicatable…i reckon it will be Trevor( only cos he’s capt in my opionion), Dillon and Moran/Harte. Personally id go for Dillon, Aidan O shea and Kilcoyne but that aint gonna happen. If Mahony allowed me to have one pick it would be Aidan O Shea at CHF. Thats where his best football is played. he is far more effective powering onto ball than getting it with his back to goal…..thats my tupppence worth anyway
There certainly seems to be a few options Ted which is always a good thing. We still have a weakness at CHB though – I was reading about how well Pierce Hanley is doing in Oz – he is in great shape – I was just thinking if we had him as CHB …
Agree Re ;AOS Ted his tactic / instruction to take highball in a static postion and try to run through big cork lads was naive in the extreme and that this wasn’t addressed from the directors chair has to be a worry, surely he would be better running at pace onto ball ? Fingers ..etc crossed for Moran B on the injury’s front
Can’t see how you (Ted) can just right off Parsons because he had a bad day in Croker, overall his league performance was good to very good at times and if anyone is in trouble at midfield I would say that it is McGarrity. Also, Ireally feel Trevor should start on the bench. I know he’s captain but he gives away possession far to easily and does’t score enough but I feel he could be a very good option from the bench. I’d start Kilcoyne in his position.
One game doesn’t guarantee anyone anyting as far as i’m concerned. It is great to see BM getting 1-4 but at the same time … so what. This was only a challenge at the end of the day and nothing was at stake except maybe to try and not get injured.
Also what part has he played up to this in any real competotove football in the League. As such why should he be guaranteed a starting place? Same with P Harte. See maybe how they do in Belmullet first.
also I think ignoring Galway as a threat is a peculiar outlook to take. Check out an Spailpin to see what tactics Galway are employing going forward. Galway are still Galway at the end of the day, and writing them off becasue of something that happened 3500 miles away is a dangerous game.
Ted a few things i cant agree with.
I cannot say i’m tom parsons race is run is ridiculos, even more ridiculos when you say don’t rule out liam o malley, liam gets roasted every week, why play with such a liability.Tom Parsons has talent, its a matter that believes he doesnt have to work as hard as others.Donal Vaughan not having the recovery? Have you ever watching the guy play, his pace and recovery are one of his best feautre.He is not small, i’ve stood beside him and he is built like a tank. He has all the attributes to be a cb.Lads has everybody forgot how good pat harte is? He was played out of position all of last year.Played ff against meath for god sake.Aidon o shea as a corner forward.Perfect.He wont play a natural cf.It would give us two major targets with conor mortimer/ dillon feeding off.
GBXII your right.If there was a medal giving out for b.s. trevor would have more gold around his neck than mr.t.Everytime i hread/her what he says, its everybody else/didn’t turn up. Trevor take a look at yourself.Your a terrible leader,less than average footballer.
It’s good to have Barry Moran back as another option in the forwards (Killer likewise) and let’s hope (a big hope, I know) that he manages to stay fit for the summer. I think Aidan O’Shea has suffered a bit being the only big man inside so far this year and he prospered a lot last summer when defences were having to cope with two big lads on the edge of the square. Plus (as PJ keeps pointing out) Barry has far better hands than AOS so ball going in there has a better chance of ending up where it should when Baz is around. It’s a pity about all those glass bones of his though …
I quite like the idea of Donie Vaughan at centre-back – like you, jj, I’ve stood close enough to him and he’s a formidable sized gent. He could well be the answer there and the fact that he’s being tried out there means that he’s obviously being viewed as such by JOM. It’ll be interesting if he’s there again for the match against Cavan in Belmullet.
A bit harsh on Trevor there, jj – I thought he was very honest in that Sunday Indo interview. Like a lot of others, I think he should be on the bench (though like others, I know that’s not likely to happen) but I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s either a terrible leader or a less than average footballer. We’ve simply got better options in his position and if it’s a choice between himself and Andy Moran for that Galvin/Dooher-ish role, then Andy’s the better option in my view.
JJ Not saying O Malley should be there….i just feel thats what could happen.
I saw Vaughan getting roasted against meath last year by an average footballer. Every time he was turned he was in serious trouble.
As for Parsons, im not saying he hasnt talent…but talent alone isnt enough at this level. he needs more urgency to realise his potential.
As for Trev…i just wish he and many others on the team would let their football do the talking for a change.
Donie Vaughan at CB seems the most logical alternative alright.
I just wish this option was explored during the league. The problems with Howley were there for all to see.
I’d be worried that we are changing a key position in the team based on a couple of challenge games. Does anyone know if Vaughan has played CB for his club?
Vaughan would be missed from the wing back role, but that is one area I think we are not short of cover in – McLaughlin, Barrett, Nally, Gardiner.
Reminds me of the mess after the League final defeat in 2007. We had to change a pile of key positions then as well. Billy Joe was shunted around the place from a central spot in defence along with Kilcullen. Both got shafted. Interestingly Liam O Malley was an ever present on that team as well. JOM must see something in him. No Heaney to come back this time however.
your right ted about the Meath game.It was not the best of performances i have ever seen.I’m not sure about the lacj of recovery though but everytime he turned he slipped.Davis Bray is slightly better than average aswell.
Dan I dont know about you but i would love to see peader and tom cunniffe at wing back.Both are incredibly fast,my guess would be tom cunniffe is the fasted on the mayo team, both can mark when the need to. `
If tom cunniffe is fit I think we should stick him in at CHB. Moving vaughan out of a postion he is doing well in is not ideal. Im all for leaving players where they are when they’re performing well. Anyone on for trying Andy Moran at CHB if Cunniffe is not ready?
I remember Cunniffe being fast from his days with the U21’s alright JJ, can’t say I’ve seen him play wing back though (to be fair, not many of us have seen him play anywhere for quite a while!)
I agree with ted though, I hate seeing players moved out of position. We’ve seen enough of that in our full back line.
I’d like to see a natural CHB like Cunniffe given a run there in the next couple of challenge games, although none of us know the effects all that time out might have had on him.
My main gripe is that this years Championship is about to begin and it’s only now we seem to be looking at options for this vital position.
Barry ff, AOS at chf, Tm at chb,experimenting should have been done in the league, there are two many positions open eg… chb one of the most important positions on the field Howley is no chb it has to be Cunniffe or TM. TM like it or not is our captain he needs to lead by example and cannot be subbed every match
I just dont know! I cant understand the fact that when everyone is naming a forward line AOS is in it. He is a very good youngster but he has been caught a few times by bigger stronger men. He dosn’t have the pace to move out the field and If he faces a back similiar in stature he dosn’t have a plan B. I’d put in Barry Moran and put Mort and Killer either side with AOS as an impact sub. By the way this isn’t a dig at AOS, He is a good player and he will be a great player but he need’s time to develop away from the pressure of being our Donaghy.