Photo: RTÉ
The Mayo News confirms today (report in paper and digital variants of this week’s issue) that Peter Burke will replace Seán Carey as a selector within Stephen Rochford’s management team for 2017. The Kiltimagh clubman has been part of the Mayo set-up as goalkeeping coach for the past six years and Mike Finnerty states in that Mayo News piece that Peter will continue doing that work next year, while at the same time joining Donie Buckley and Tony McEntee as a selector.
Best of luck to Peter in his new role in the dugout and best wishes too to Seán following his important input on the sideline this year.
That same Mayo News report, by the way, also confirms that Diarmuid O’Connor suffered a hamstring tear playing for DCU last week, which will mean a spell on the sidelines for the two-time Young Footballer of the Year. If ever there was a case of a player needing a proper rest this surely is it. While you never like to see lads having to take an enforced break due to injury, here’s hoping that Diarmuid will now get adequate time for rest and recovery before the madness cranks up again in 2017.
Thanks Willie Joe,
I think this is very good news and is proper reward for Burke’s hard work over the past years. Watching warm ups I have been impressed by the paces he has put both keepers through, and if he gets licence to cast the net wider, all the better.
It’s also great to see it stated that Donie B and Tony Mac are definitely on board. It’s not until you see confirmation like this that you can be really sure how things stand.
All in all, I think this is a good line up.
Slightly off topic Willie Joe, but while I think of it, I would like to pay tribute to MayoMick, for his fantastic photographic work all year. I was trawling (drooling more like) through the website recently and can’t stop admiring what he has captured from January onwards (same every year).
What a resource to accompany this wonderful resource.
Well done to both of you!
Don’t want to itch an old wound but I often wonder when Stephen first mentioned he intended to switch his goal keeper for the replay, which if any of the selectors or Burke said ‘ are you fecking crazy’!!
That should put the rumour of Donie Buckley leaving to bed for another year at least.
On DIarmuid O Connor for a lad just 21 he’s had a lot of injuries and unless he’s given proper rest and recovery periods his county career could be cut short in the years ahead.
100% agree that diarmuid o Connor needs a long rest, let him just sit down for a few months and do some swimming or something else but allow the body to recharge for 2017, which will be a massive year for Mayo. Best of luck to Peter Burke, indeed he might have said something about the madness of dropping Clarke for the replay.
For sure Dairmuid O’Connor has a hell of a lot of game time done at very intense levels for a lad his age.
Let’s hope he gets a good rest.
So who will be the goal keeping coach?….. Yes that is a loaded question.
When you think of it McLoughlin and Vaughan had to completely change their style of play this year, and they both had great end of seasons. Two good bets for all stars.
4 weeks and bit to the fbd wheres the time gone what do you think of the new Mayo jersey.
Just when things were beginning to settle down and we could look forward to next year, i.e. the back room team decided on etc. I see that the back of The Irish Indo today is advertising about the following article in tomorrow’s paper.
MAYO AND THE MANAGEMENT HEAVE:
In an exclusive interview with Martin Breheny, a Mayo footballer speaks about the major controversy which rocked the county last year….
‘HopeSpringsEternal’ if memory serves me right and it is tainted as i seen a lot of red in the build up to the replay, the Indo were particularly pro dub.
Yeah it’s sickening to see it, Bulltoe, they are using the following quote from a player:
‘We treated Pat and Noel badly. They should not have had to resign. They deserved a lot better from us as a group. It should never have happened’
Let’s hope that this does not open up a whole new can of worms, so to speak. I hope it’s not all over the media tomorrow.
DOC essential for 2017 so take a break Diarmuid and recover, hope to God David Clarke stays but worried he may not. All set for another year, bring it on maigheoabu
Sarah, the following was reported in The Mayo News today:
Meanwhile, a large number of players accepted Stephen Rochford’s invitation to attend a Mayo senior fitness ‘testing’ session last Saturday in Castlebar. Among those who attended last weekend’s assessment were David Clarke and Brendan Harrison, who both returned from the All Stars football trip to Abu Dhabi last week.
That’s great to hear that David Clarke was taking part in this session anyway.
When you think on it, really only a goalkeeper is qualified to pick the goalkeeper. It’s like racehorses, you can look at the stop watch, but a good trainer and jockey know when a horse is right. An experienced goalkeeper can judge the form of the goalkeepers they are coaching better than any stats sheet.
The goalkeeper being so important to the season it is sensible to leave that decision with the goalkeeping coach.
Breheny ah yes. You can take the man out of Galway, but you can’t take Galway from the man.
It noted in the Mayo news that Brendan Harrison had a hip operation and is due back in February. Also the majority of the team have a team holiday in January.
So the FBD will definitely be a fresh looking match day 26.
Best of luck to Peter Burke a great servant to Mayo What in god’s name was Diarmuid O’Connor doing playing at this time of year. If anyone needed a long break over the winter it is Diarmuid who was on the go at a high level since last January and who was clearly carrying an injury in the later stages of the championship. Burn out is a major issue and we really have to look after our young players or else in a few years time we will be saying whatever happened to so and so Sometimes they need protecting from themselves.
I am delighted so hear that McEntee and Buckley are on board for another shot. Great news that Peter Burke will be a selector in 2017, Peter does a great job and I wish him all the best of luck in the coming year.Many thanks to Sean for his efforts over the past season. In a short time we will be ready to go again.
You don’t need a degree in Quantum Physics or be a goal keeping coach/ selector to know that the best goalkeeper in the county by a mile is David Clarke nevertheless best wishes to Peter Burke in his new role and many thanks to Sean Carey for all his efforts over the last year
Ah Now How far did your county go in the Championship of 2015 and 2016 , you seem to have left it out of your last post..
I wonder why Tom Cunniffe is coming out with this shite now-Another chance for all and sundry to have another go at us-especially when theres fuk all more to be writting about
I really don’t understand Tom Cunniffe coming out with this nonsense now. Re-hashing the same debate again and again. Easy enough for him to throw a grenade into the room and walk away when he’s in New York.
I still struggle with the way the mediators report was handled, the Chairman who was a central figure in the whole debacle as players liaison officer / joint managers brother was a party to burying it and not letting it be published. Surely, now when there is no football going on our supporters deserve to get the mediators report.
Fully agree, Opt2misteek. Is there any need to go back over all this now? It helps absolutely no one, least of all his former team mates.
I hate this time of year when hacks are looking for any kind of GAA story in the off season. Any little story is given big headlines.
I wish he’d left well enough alone.
Sean Armstrong back with the Galway team. He was on fire for Salthill this year. Scored 6 points against Corofin in co final. Strong addition to the Galway squad, albeit only for a year or two I’d imagine.
Yeah, Galway are going to be a serious proposition.
They have the forwards, possibly midfield too.
If they can get their act together at the back, they’ll be challenging for All Irelands very soon.
They probably have stronger forwards than Mayo at this stage.
PJ my county got to semi 2015, final 2016. My point was both were beaten by Dublin after bringing them to a replay and that the consequences of defeat are starkly different.
WJ decided to remove my post. I was just making what I thought was a valid observation.
I can’t understand what tom cunniffe is at going to the press with that story.no need for it.that event is still raw for a lot of people in sure but no need to re visit it now especially when he played with all those players and we still trying to win all Ireland.
I would have had no problem with him going to the press in a few years down the line when a lot of players etc would have moved on but now is not the time.
We just don’t need any more bad press.
Not sure what purpose that serves from Tom cunniffe. Over a year on now.
Then again I don’t know the context and don’t know him personally to speculate on motives. It is silly season, so it will generate more headlines than it should but it looks a harmless enough piece either way
Maybe he feels now his inter county career is over that he can get some stuff off his chest and if he feels very strongly about it so be it I guess.
Armstrong has always put up big scores for salthill.
I’ve heard that for the last 16 years rochford’s brigade!
Corofin would have a better chance than galway in inter county next year
Not much support for Cunniffe in the above. I think the man should be commended for saying what he is saying. He is doing it in the off season when its not going to distract anyone and his comments will be long forgotten come next spring. He felt a wrong was perpetrated on Holmes and Connelly and he was complicit in that wrong and feels he ought to atone for that.
Its called integrity.
Is DOC on a scholarship though? Not really an option for them to sit out playing for the college unfort
He’ll be still going for another while yet, the nature of modern day football for 21 year olds I guess.
Cantini – The thing here is what good does this article do besides possibly make Noel and Pat feel better? Everyone in the county already knows it was sad to see the two men who have given everything to Mayo go the way they did. Nobody questions that.
Mayo are always there for a laugh even in the off season. We should be in head’s down, licking our wounds mode. We are after loosing another fucking All Ireland for Christ sake and it’s all Mayo in the media.
Dublin have every right to be in the media because they actually won the final. I just think too many Mayo players, past managers, pundits etc fall into the trap time and time again.
At this stage talking should be done on the field only.
Brehaney is a hack just like McGee who has had an axe to grind on this issue for the past year. He has probably pestered former players all year for comment. Everyone involved at the time handled the issue with as much diginity as possible in that situation and everything was kept confidential (which prob really irked the journalists like poor Martin) While it would have been better for the issue to be dropped details would eventually have come out either now or in the future when the current players start writing their autobiography. It will only be a big story if someone reacts and starts giving statements, which is highly likely knowing how county officials like to talk.
This time of year alot of utter crap is aired just look at this week, Costello spouting about the treatment of Connolly(who himself was sound enough to come out and distance himself from those comments) and [deleted]. Seriously, can they show a little integrity, as one commentator said, its all like the Father Ted speech when winning the gloden cleric. Its turning into more like the premiership off season every year. Transfer deadline day will be next I suppose.
Does anyone have thoughts on who we should see get a chance in the FBD? Is there talent to unearth yet?
Integrity to me would be keeping the code of silence that was established amongst former teammates and friends and not running to the media to throw those people under the bus. The players actually handled the heave quite well. They didn’t air any grievances that could have been potentially embarrassing for H&C and did their best to keep the thing as low key as possible. It was the media that sought to make a circus of it. Cunniffe going to the likes of Brehany, a man who wants nothing more than to make the Mayo team ashamed for doing what they did, is feeding that nonsense. Keeping the nonsense around Mayo football to minimum would actually be helpful for a change.
Not a word about the disgraceful behaviour of the Dublin based media and former Dublin players during the 13 days between the the drawn final and replay. The campaign to get Keegan sent off and how Deegan fell into the trap and obliged and how the tainted 2 in a row was “won”.
Okay, one man said a few words recently but that was it. Looks like they all have gotten away with it. We will see more of it next year as the 3 in a row comes into view.
ClubMan2016, there is plenty of talent in the county, you could name a dozen players to play FBD. None of the 2016 panel should be seen anywhere near an FBD game. Higgins got injured last year and missed most of the league beacuse of the FBD.
For me the FBD is a waste of time and little or nothing can be learned from it. Most of our young players will be playing pre season competitons with collage teams and so wont be available for Mayo anyway. Playing football in January on soft pitches with little training done is doing no one any favours and its almost impossible for young players to make any sort of impression.
Personally id prefer the FBD be scrapped as I see no use for it from Mayos point of view. It has been mentioned that DOC needs a rest and thats true but he will be out in January ploughing through the mud for his college like every other young county star, then its league and championship, where is the chance for recovery from a long season pasted. People talk about player burn out but here are meaningless competitions that are played in the worst of conditions instead of giving the players the much needed rest.
mayomad, I tend to agree with a lot of that, but there still needs to be an “intercounty” competition or environment of some sort for players who have earned a shot at breaking in to the panel a chance to impress even more so. Playing well for your club, and propelling yourself as a potential intercounty footballer is all good and well, but you need to further remove yourself from that comfort zone and FBD can serve a purpose as you should be playing at a higher level in all honesty. Agreed, there are 20 odd lads who just dont need to be involved in any capacity, theyve proven their points. Been from a club that played Div 1A football and senior championship this year, truth be told I didnt come a cross many players I thought were ready for the next level. Stephen Coen potentially but hes not exactly a find at this stage. Gareth O’Donnell from Charlestown was def one gem, Rutledge from Knockmore maybe too? Has the boat sailed for likes of Newcombe and Neil Douglas? Maybe it hasn’t deserve a chance at least. David Kenny Aughamore? Plunkett Ballintubber?
Perhaps there should be a muzzle put on Mayo players after they quit. Brady et al do us no favours. Agree with Jim Flag however, our players were too silent for too long re the disgraceful campaign against the POTY from the metropolitans.
Clubman2016, I would say there is a competition where players can develop, the league. The FBD isnt really that higher a standard, most of those games are at training ground pace. I think players would benefit more from being involved in the panel in training day in day out rather than being judged on FBD performance. If the management are serious about beinging in new talent and expanding the senior playing pool then the FBD isnt the way to go, a number of players will need to be included in the 2017 panel for the year. The real work for any team with ambitions of playing late into summer is done from April to June, this is the time players need to be involved, not the begining of January.
I would say Douglas, Irwin, will def be part of the panel. Then there are Newcombe, Plunkett, Ruane, Stretton, Rory Byrne, Duffy, Akram who will push hard for inclusion. There are players like Gallagher, Conroy, Cunniffe who are def worth a look. There are players available, you cant really know who good they can be until they are in the senior panel for an extended period of time. A couple of games in January isnt a true indication of a players potential.
@Mayomad, referring to the county PRO in that way is unfair. From what I know he is regarded as one of the very best PROs in the country and in my opinion he was right to speak out about the media campaign against Lee Keegan. It is not regarded as fair on this site to bad mouth players. I think the same courtesy should be extended to the likes of Paul Cunnane and any other officer who seeks to serve the cause of Mayo football. That is not to say they should be above criticism, merely that they be treated fairly.
Diehard, point taken, and probably the wrong choise of words used. You are right something had to be said, but it had to be said before the replay when it mattered instead everyone of our officials and media personalities remained quiet, allowing the Dublin contingent to control and spin the story. Raising the point now just looks like sour grapes and does us no favours other than looking bitter.
The same will happen next year, I hope our officials are more vocal about whats going on. I think the management should make Lee captain for next season, this will give him greater access to the media and to the referees, refs tend to shy away from carding captains.
well said Jim Flag , they will roll the whole clown show back out again and target whoever is threatening their Three-in- a- row and the gullible media will swallow it all again.
fogerty and the lads should hang their heads in shame but they are yesterdays fish wrapper and will do it all over again next year when the ex-dubs come calling looking for “protection”for their players.
I agree mayomad. There should have been outrage before the replay. It’s a bit late now.
Mayomad – I’m only catching up now on comments posted earlier on. There’s no “probably” about it: you’re bang out of order in using such terminology about the PRO and so I’ve deleted that from your comment. I’d also warn you about future use of any such language – I won’t be as charitable next time you step out of line.
As others have pointed out, Paul was voted the best County Board PRO in the country this year and deserves respect for what he’s doing. He was absolutely right to say what he said in relation to the Lee Keegan incident and I’d take issue with you too about the part our camp played in how that story played out in the media. Our side didn’t sit on their hands – Liam Horan was hugely involved behind the scenes and was very successful in turning the story right round as early as midweek that week, before it then descended into outright mockery of the Dubs with the whole ThingsLeeDid campaign. We still got shafted in the replay, of course, but not because of any lack of action on our side of the fence in the lead-up to it.
Why change the captain the media will have a field day if that happens.
ClubMan2016 says: From my own experience we have a great PRO and Treasurer in place at present. Fully committed individuals that we are lucky to have. The FBD is important as a pre-season warm up. I believe we should be trying out many players in the extended panel and those that are just outside the reckoning. I look forward as many other supporters do to watching many well known club players in an inter county setting. At that level it is well worth the effort
I think Cillian should be left as captain unless he no longer wants it.
But Colm Boyle with him as well as vice captain
Befuddled by Cunniffes comments at this stage..If he felt it was badly handled then the only people he needs to unburden himself to are pat and noel. .the rest of us have enough of the sorry fiasco…
Exactly Regina. Not Martin effin Breheny of all people.
Very disappointed with Cunniffe and to the Independent of all papers. Can’t understand the timing Personally I would do away with the FBD League It is only of use to the colleges.
Wouldn’t do away with fbd.its serves a great purpose it’s gets supporters out to games again after a few months break and also gives new players a chance to show their worth.
The last few years excellent crowds have attended Mayo fbd games.
2016 has been a year to forget for sure. The Mayo “curse” event got airtime on Countdown.
Let’s hope 2017 is when our long countdown since 1951 ends.
Not sure what Turbo Tom is at either . Don’t really him voicing his opinion but what’s wrong going to the Mayo news ? Why go to the dublin media , the same crowded that helped blacken Lee Keegan’s name by before the all Ireland .. Great respect for tom as a footballer but feck it he could have let this one go for another while , . Not impressed to be honest
Ah yew_tree, really? I know we didn’t land the big one, and I know it stung like hell (and still does), but I would chalk this year down as a pretty good one for Mayo GAA.
Our seniors had to go to a replay in the final and lost by a solitary point. But the day we beat Tyrone was one of my favourite days out ever. Sun, celebrations, pride and ice-cream in Croker when the majority of other counties could only look on. I’d rather be losing a final every year than not getting close and having days out like that.
Our U-21’s won the All Ireland – and that day in Ennis, and indeed the days out during that entire campaign, are days that will stay with me til the day I die. (Particularly the day we beat Roscommon!). My god they were fantastic and if anything can inspire hope for the future it’s the never-say-die attitude of that team, who more than once had no right to win games yet never knew when they were beaten. And Stephen Coen’s quietly efficient performance in the AIF really epitomised that confidence.
Our juniors reached an All-Ireland final, but lost to a Kerry team that knows how to get the best out of their junior setup. Last year, some of our U21 players got experience on the Junior panel – good to see.
And our hurlers are another fantastic bunch of players that are totally unappreciated. We won the Nicky Rackard Cup this year and while it might not seem like a big deal to a county that is traditionally football, it was a really magic day out. A determined bunch with a tiny, but fiercely loyal and passionate band of supporters who I hope will see more support next year. Oh, and our U-21 hurlers contested the AI B hurling final.
I’d chalk that down as a year to remember to be honest -failing to land the big prize shouldn’t mean the other days we have are worthless.
But I’d be happy if that bloody curse was blasted into oblivion for once and for all before it’s too late.
Annie Marie Good post and I agree with every point you make. I would include the great run my the Ladies and their never-say-die attitude. Certainly Coen’s display in the AIF was superb as was DOC. Probably did not get enough credit for that performance either. Beating Ros was a day to remember and one I will never forget. Don’t get me started on the semi final v Dublin against a very good team. The quarter final was special. A Galway supported asked me if I was going to the match. He then proceeded to tell me we had no hope. If Carlsburg did quarter finals and all that. I was not a backdoor supporter but I am fully converted now. For me 2016 is all about knockout football games, Saturday evenings in McHale Park full of magic and drama and a squad slowly coming together. The Mayo game evolved over the summer and it is clear we are not there yet. A person can have any number of reasons for calling 2016 a bad one, but football is not one of them in my book. I don’t believe in the Tinkers curse. I am amazed the number of Irish people who do. It has no basis in Religion, Science, or Culture. In the 21st Century in a society that is supposed to be educated to some level. This is a sad reflection of the Education system that we invest large amounts of money each year. I truly dispair when I hear younger persons speak of rubbish like this. It is something that should be challenged with youths to understand the meaning behind it.
Also, 3 Mayo clubs got to their All-Ireland Finals in Junior, Intermediate and Senior, and two Mayo clubs ended up winning out Connacht in Intermediate and Junior.
Exactly Digits – and I can’t believe I forgot to mention the ladies, who I firmly believe are within touching distance of another All-Ireland.
The club games were a tonic this year after the intercounty disappointment and those journeys aren’t over yet for Westport and Louisburgh. Lots about which to be optimistic.
The continous talk about the curse in our county is the greatest insult to our winning 1951 team that are gone and the remaining gentlemen from that team.
It is so disrespectful to our present team also who give it their all every single year.
I too despair when I hear young and old speak of such made up tripe.
Excellent work there John Cuffe. Not whinging or moaning. Telling it like it is. The problem is it will happen again next year. This is not a one off.
Yeah the broken jaw incident in 1985 going unpunished is not forgotten. The culprit (who i will not name in respect of Willie Joe’s house rules) still walks the streets a free man and never served a day in the nick for an unprovoked assault that you might normally expect to serve a stretch for, if it happened out in the street.
In 1985 the players left on the field should have sorted him out—something we are unable to do.In 96 we started the fight & Meath finished it.