Photo: MichaelMaye.com
Right, time to pull the shutters down on this one: I’ve just closed the Man of the Match poll from last night’s game and the winner by a very large margin is Colm Boyle.
The Davitts dynamo – who really stood tall for us on an evening when the same couldn’t be said of all his teammates – hoovered up 65% of the votes in the poll to claim the award. Congrats to him on his uplifting and battling contribution to the cause last night.
Evan Regan (5%), Lee Keegan (4%) and Keith Higgins (also 4%) took the minor placings in this particular poll. Well done to them as well for their efforts on what was in every respect a difficult evening for us.
Colm was out standing yesterday the future is bright with leaders like him in the team well done to Colm can not wait for the draw tomorrow hope its a hard team we get because if we get Longford people will be still talking the only way to stop them is beet every team we get and they will from cross county mayo to the hills of Donegal all I could think about is the Galway game the roll on the draw and the next game were ever who ever ill be there in my red and green
We all dream of a team of Colm Boyles 🙂
Yes! I think he should transfer some of his snarling facial expressions to the rest of the team and also a few of those bad words.
A true warrior one of 4 maybe 5 players who can be proud of their performance yesterday evening
This gnawing ache is taking a strangle hold. Limerick was hard but I knew that we did not lose that match. That result was decided before a ball was kicked. I look forward to the Connaught final like a fattened turkey looks forward to christmas. I know all is not lost yet but the fat lady is making some serious shapes. I’m gonna get some ribbing today from the Tyrone ones and I deserve every bit of it. Me and my bullshit talk about how they better be able to give us a good test in the semifinal before rolling over to the unstopable Mayo juggernaught.
As I head to work in Roscommon today I get the feeling it’s going to be a long day!
Same for me Joe today at work in Donegal but I only have my self to blame I have been telling them mayo by 4 but I have to take it as they think they will run true Donegal but no chance of that but getting back to mayo this team is not like mayo teams of old I know its going to be a long summer we got the kick up the ass we needed now time to hit the ground running
Jaysus NiallMc, now that is a tough one, don’t think I’d be able to stomach that. And its not just today, only way you’ll get respite is if they lose the Connacht final. Christ there’ll be no standing them if they win.
It wont be so bad in Cork, they don’t care about it anymore and I didn’t do much talk before Saturday, which can be a wise approach on occasion. I have my come back line ready anyway if theres too much chat “Yeah, we’re hoping for an easy draw like Cork in the back door”
Will be a long day for all of us. I’m working with a clatter of Dubs who felt Mayo might be one of the few teams that could keep it kicked out for em. Not so much now though I’ll bet.
Rob Carroll has provided some interesting analysis of the game and suggests much of our problems on Saturday evening stemmed largely from our shape.
We loaded the defence with a sweeper and pulled back the half forwards too. Problem was with so many back there were runners being passed on and no real conviction in terms of tracking. When we did break forward there was little or no support for the runner, so the defensive structure was also inhibiting any attacking threat.
I was sitting at midfield in the stand [beside the Mayo bench]. I had a good sight of proceedings and remarked to the guy beside me that we weren’t hitting with our usual intensity. Galway were able to shift the ball without a hand being laid on them. And that’s most unlike us over the last few years.
The man beside me was actually the father of one of ours – thankfully one of the few playing well – and he seemed a little astounded at our lack of bite. This usually starts up top for us with COC, AOS and DOherty looking to strip the ball at every opportunity.
I’ve suggested already that I believe our defensive shape and strategy didn’t work. Now that might mean it needs more time, different personnel or it needs to be revised entirely. But the end result is [in my opinion] we conceded far too much space, time and impetus to our opponents.
I heard James Horan comment on the game yesterday on Newstalk. He reminded everyone that every performance is premised on a baseline of work-rate, intensity and honesty. I believe this was a bigger problem on Saturday than shape or personnel.
Well done Colm Boyle. As always, he gave it everything and more again on Saturday evening. Wish the same could be said for many of his teammates. Really felt he should have been given the captaincy this year – no better man in the country to lead by example where it really matters – on the field of play.
Would agree with alot being said here. The defeat is sinking in today and it’s not a good feeling at all. This forum at least is a refuge for genuine fans to discuss and read about football. Some of the comment I have seen directed at our players and county in general over the past 24 hours borders on bullying.
Hopefully we can regroup but I just don’t know….
I know you don’t like rumours willie Joe and if they are true it’s time to drop a certain ‘star’ player off the panel the manager picks the team end of.
Tough Monday morning alright but this result may well be a blessing in disguise. Rochford has hopefully more games to get the team right. The big issue is the sweeper. We didn’t need one against Galway but you can see why he played one, to try and get players in tune with a system. But Kevin isn’t the answer. He and D O’C were badly missed as link men. It might sound crazy but I think AOS should be sweeper, for a few reasons:
playing him FF just doesn’t work and he ends up clogging up the forward line.
He doesn’t have the stamina required for midfield, Dublin proved that in 2013
He would be a massive presence on the D when teams are attacking our goal, plus he would be a great outlet for our kickouts.
I would also keep Higgins in the forwards, he does have the pace and turn that causes a lot of trouble, him, Kevin mc, Diarmuid, half forward, Cillian and any of Andy, Reagan, freeman inside. Clarke has to start in goals, Harrison, caff, Keegan, coen/Vaughan, Boyle and durcan, parsons/seamie/b Moran. These qualifiers will hopeful give them more time to get it right. If we had limped past Galway the rossies might have beaten us and then the pressure would really be on with a quick turn around to the next game! So maybe no harm in the long run!
Is the fat lady clearing her throat, or will the massive kick up the hole that we all got on Saturday be the wake up call to bigger and better things? The only certainty is that time will tell.
All of us on the outside looking in can only guess and speculate as to what caused such a major malfunction of so many of the traits of this Mayo squad. Was it physical and mental preparation? Was it tactical preparation? Was it the management not getting their message across correctly? Was it the players not understanding their new roles? In my own opinion it was a mixture of all of the above that led to a systematic failure leading to THE worst performance Mayo have produced in the last 5 years. Far worse than the Cork league game as there were several mitigating factors that could partly explain that one, and far worse than the clipping Dublin gave us in the league in Castlebar a few years ago. The basic premise in championship football is that you out-work your opponent to start with. Match them there and generally the better team will win out. We were a beaten docket from the 10th minute, in my opinion.
Physically, to me, the lads looked very, very flat. They were back on their heels and seemed to blowing hard early on. There was no intensity in the tackle or spring in their legs and they were outfought and out-muscled by Galway in every position bar Keane at full back and Boyle. Did the S&R lads got it wrong or did they take a chance that the level of physical conditioning we saw on Saturday evening would be enough for the win?
Mentally they were not switched on and the manic hunger and aggression in the chase and tackle was not evident. They were letting their men run off and past them and Keegans chase of Walsh to the corner was a perfect example of this. He followed Walsh out to the stand side but always was 2 or 3 yards off him and let him take his shot of Walshs wrong foot. There was no attempt to block him! From Keegan?? That lack of effort is not a tactical thing, that’s a head thing. They were not tuned in properly, and while I do not want to single out Keegan alone for this, as it was evident in almost every area of the field, it is symptomatic of where Mayo were on Saturday evening.
Tactically they were all over the shop. At times Regan was alone in the full forward line against 3 Galway backs and while he battled hard and won a few frees, he was not supported by runners off him or, more galling from my point of view, supported physically when he was being bullied and sledged by the Galway men. Cillian in the half back line? Aidan in the full back line? Playing short kick-outs against a deep lying and retreating Galway team while our supposed strength in midfield went unused? Either Rochford got the tactics spectacularly wrong or players were not sticking to the plan and going off on solo efforts all over the pitch?
Technically our skills execution was way off the mark. Kevin Mcs hand pass OVER Andy Morans head in the second half? Fumbled balls when we were out in front of the Galway backs? Our decision making was poor also, Seamie taking a swinger, off balance, with his left foot! when Regan was just off his shoulder and in a much better position?? Hennellys game defining kick-out that led to the Galway goal? I couldn’t help but wonder what in the name of God were they at for the last ten weeks, including a weeks training camp, that led to such a display.
Is the situation redeemable for a team that looked so out of sync? I believe it is although we have a lot of work to do. We showed in flashes that we could cut them open, eg O’Sheas fetch and feed to Cillian for his point and Boyles point on the counter attack. We held them scoreless for long periods of the game and time is on our side. If it was purely a physical thing well then we can fix that. If it’s a tactical thing well then we have another game to give it another try. We still have a lot of good players and they did not become bad players overnight. We, as supporters, just have to hold the candle steady and wait and see where we go from here.
Two things to finish on. 1) Don’t believe the bullshit statistic that we only lost 2 kick-outs and conceded 1-1 from those two. We very rarely sent our kick-outs out to the middle to be contested in the first place. The very reason we conceded 1-1 was BECAUSE we played short kick outs! 2) I don’t get this idea that some people are portraying that we have to go easy on the players, that they owe us nothing, that we must support them, that they give so much to the cause, blah, blah, blah. If Kerry produced a performance like that the “savages” Paidi spoke about would eat them without salt! There is no-one putting a gun to their heads to play for Mayo and there is no other county that will have 15,000 supporters at a FBD game in the pissings of rain in January! Hopefully, they are are twice as mad at the result as we are. Otherwise we are as well to call off the remainder of the season.
It’s not how many times you fall that counts, it’s how many times you get back up! Now the real work begins.
Morning all
What an awful weekend. Gutted at that defeat and think we can now write off our All Ireland dream for a couple of years but we can still have some fun this Summer.
The absolute ignorance and arrogance of comments about Galway in the last week was galling. I know it did not come from players but it surely had to get into their heads. Cannot understand why James Horan came out with his comments. Even Edwin McGreal on the Mayo News podcast talking about 6 point wins and trying things out for Croke Park. Baffling. Anybody watching Mayo football knows that we have not played well since the first part of the Dublin replay last year and we have not tried much new in terms of system since then either. And that forgets the nature of a Mayo/Galway rivalry. How many commenting actually saw Galway play this year? I didn’t so did not know much about them but I saw them win ugly games against Derry and Armagh last Summer and a brave 50 minutes against Donegal.
The management had a nightmare. Completely outfoxed and were unable to make the tactical or personnel changes when needed. The question has to be asked, what was being worked on in London? Were the players overtrained there? Was there an attitude of thinking about later in the year. Why start new systems in June. Why were they not rolled out in the league. Yet again it was a game where fitness wise we were on our feet in the last 15 minutes. We have seen this too often over recent years. Have we concentrated on strength and not conditioning? Everything we did on the pitch played into Galway’s hands. We left our forwards isolated and smothered and still left room for their half forwards to push forward with little to worry about on the back foot. Our time as Connacht champions was going to end and the only mercy that it was not at the hands of the obnoxious Rossies.
I don’t know whether the players will have the will to go again? I hope they do for their own sakes. This is something new for them and the staleness of the Connacht championship can be left behind. There is every chance of getting on a run of games and regular matches will be enjoyable for players and supporters. However there is every chance of falling flat and management not being able to win back confidence and the year just disappearing with nothing more than a whimper to some average enough team. Some of our star players need to take a long hard look at themselves and ask whether they have done everything that could do for their team mates and are they really the superstars that they think. The fact that nobody was able to pick it up in the last 15 on the pitch and change tact or intensity is disappointing.
As fans too there was a complacent quietness in the stadium. People wanted to be entertained and were not willing to get behind the team when things got tough. That was disappointing. I’m sure some will drop off the bandwagon in the next few weeks but those that stay can be an asset.
Finally, injuries. They have been a scurge since day 1 of the league. Why? Are players suffering now from the last few years of hard training? Have they overtrained? To get to London with so many fresh injuries was worrying. We had to tog with a half fit midfield after Gibbons (who was very poor) got injuried, and we were without out best young player and our only full back. Ger it seems is done for the year but a fully fit Seamus and Tom and Diarmuid will make a massive difference as will some tactical switches.
Looking forward to the draw next week and the response we get from the players. If there is no response then we are probably looking at having a bigger rebuild sooner than expected.
And finally the Connacht Council. I was one of the unlucky few that were pushed out to the wing of the stand after arriving at 6. These numpties were too bloody lazy to number tickets and obviously oversold the place. Why is there such a hatred of season ticket holders. The fact that the Central Tickets were sold to others was another insult. Of course they will say nothing and the story will go away but they run their championships shoddily and deserve nothing but contempt.
From the throw in our team looked strangely bewildered and at sea …ceded first possession and also on resumption….not up for it and throughout mostly played second fiddle badly. A fella asked me with a sigh
…which is the Mayo team and which is the Galway team?At that stage they were doing what we didn’t think them capable of and they wore not green and red!
Fair dues to Galway, they played with heads up, discipline, freshness and a nice touch of flair at times. I hope they contribute handsomely in the final.
Might I offer best wishes to Jason Gibbons…looked in great distress leaving the field.
Well done Colm on a tough night, a true warrior.
There has been alot of comments over the last few days about what went wrong and how to fix it, most balanced, some not and a few last night utterly bizarre and inflammatory on the last thread.
I think Mayo can pull it toghther but it is a huge ask. I feel a lot of players are running on empty after 6 long years (some longer). There has been a degree on mismanagement of the squad over the past number of years where youth has not been through. Other teams would be looking to bring in 3 players each year to refresh to panel. This is not happening in Mayo and we are now paying for it. You cant keep going to the well with the same players year after year. Loftus, Reape, Caralon, Irwin, Ruane need to be given game time with a large number of U21 picked for league next year. Long term injuries need to be cut from the panel no matter who they are, you cant carry wounded players when playing every week. Like it or not, the rebuilding process will have to start, now is as good a time as any.
Am I right in saying that we wont be out again until July 9th against the winners of round 1A which is to be played this weekend?
Looking at those teams you would say there is nothing major to hear there but if we play like we did for most of Saturday night any of them could beat us on the day.
And would people stop with the “I know we cant post rumours but theres a rumour” comments. If you know you cant post rumours then stop even mentioning that there is any. it only makes the rest of us curious and off to ring home to find out!!!
Congratulations to Colm Boyle.
A strange atmosphere at the match highlighted by the 104,105,106 musical chairs and our game plan was not ready.It was like visitors arriving a day or two earlier than expected and the house was not quite right.The earlier losses in soccer and rugby and the bad weather took a bit away as well.
To lift us at matches we need to be playing Dublin/Kerry or a successful Connacht county and before such games there is a better atmosphere.At all games we are roused by scores ,especially goals and points from distance or difficult angles.A great save,high fielding,dispossessing an opponent,especially a big name by strong tackling or a good shoulder,blocking a kick ,attacking at pace all affect the crowd and our support is natural.The opposite is also true and can drain our energy.
We can look forward to the qualifiers with the house hoovered and new sheets on the beds.
You’re, Backdoor Sam – I don’t like rumours! Spreading them here serves no purpose and isn’t what the site is about but for those who like that kind of thing there are plenty of other places online to feed up on that stuff.
I’m not spreading them the dogs on the street knows what’s happening but if you prefer to ignore them and pretend everything is rosy in the camp then food for you
Ha ha Wolfie first laugh I’ve had since Saturday very well written it’s put a pep in my step ! I feel this defeat will be the making of them and us! Could be thanking Galway yet imagine that! ?
I’m not ignoring anything or pretending anything, Backdoor Sam. I’m just saying that this isn’t a place where spreading rumours is allowed. That’s always been my line and the site is, for sure, a better place for it. If I didn’t hold that line then the place would be overrun – as so much of the internet is – by blabber mouths spouting off about all manner of empty guff. If that’s your preference then good luck to you but it’s not the kind of debate I’m interested in facilitating here.
Of course Saturday was extremely disappointing but our unbeaten record in Connacht and to Galway had to end sometime. I don’t think its the end of the road for this side they are still relatively young. I just think on Saturday Mayo were flat, they have been flat many times in Connacht games and got away with it Of course when you win everyone is delighted because you know you can get better.
There are always rumours after a bad championship defeat I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Fair play to Galway I don’t think they thought they could win themselves but that goal closely followed by the Conroy point gave them belief and something to hang onto.
Well lads, not here to gloat but want to make a couple of points.
1. You should recognise the great run that your lads were on. Unbeaten in 6 years in the province is fairytale stuff which we will probably never see again.
2. I had an ex intercounty manager with me at the game. He commented to me about how flat Mayo looked in the warm up(he called that right).
3. I think the criticism of Hennelly is way out of order, one dodgy kickout. His punches were accurate and his save to tip Heaneys pile driver onto the crossbar was top class.(incidentally did you guys twig Alan Keane the Galway goalie from 2001 on duty as a Garda on the terrace behind the goal, brave man…)
4. I would be of the opinion that Reape/Irwin would be better off sitting on the bench at this stage than Dillon/Moran. If only for their development.
5. I know people close to the Galway camp took exception to James Horans recent comments and I see Paul Conroy retweeted a certain ex Mayo players strange tweet from Saturday. James was a good player and a good manager but Kevin Walsh was one of our greatest ever in Galway, within Connacht and at a national stage. If Kevin was writing articles about Mayos failures in All Ireland Finals vs his successes, I don’t imagine it would go down well on here.
6. I think Aidan O’Shea should be played in one position and left there. This reminds me of Joe Canning. The fact is he is one of the best players in the country, leave him where he best serves the team.
7. I though Regan was the best Mayo forward. Threatened from play and tried all day long. Found it strange that he was taken off.
8. I disagree with everyone saying how well Boyle and Keegan played. I thought Keane was your stand out defender. That’s what he is there to do..defend. The Galway half forward line scored 5 points from play. Boyle and Keegan fouled for another few frees and both were booked.
9. I think a number of key players seemed to have lost form for whatever reason.
10.I wondered last week had we improved and have Mayo gone backwards. I think at this stage we have improved and Mayo have not improved since Salthill 2015.
11. I think Galway/Ross will now be aiming to get to an All Ireland Semi or even final and rightfully so.
Finally many thanks to the all the Mayo people sitting beside me on Saturday who shook my hand, wished me the best and congratulated u,s continuing on the way out of the ground. It was a touch of class that I was delighted my five year old got to see. Its what these games are all about. Best wishes to Gibbons in his recovery and best of luck for the remainder of the summer. You never know, Galway/Ross/Mayo may meet later in the year.
Looking at some of the blogs you would swear the world stopped when Mayo got beaten last evening . Looking at Ger Bohans blog just because we lost we cannot win the AI, and to say that any other game we will play will be only fun. This is typical of a person who cannot accept defeat. Blaming the players and all that stuff is laughable , Jason Gibbons got a serious injury (and I wish him a fast recovery) was not that poor considering his replacement. As the saying goes “Yesterday is dead and gone” LOOK FORWARD MAN. One swallow never made a summer.
Top class comment, BigMike, welcome on board. I shook hands with a fair few Galway people the last night, I hope you were one of them. Best of luck from here on in the championship.
i think this game will be seen in the same light as the first London game was for Horan , a set back but something which was a blip in the scheme of things,
I think the road of the qualifiers will stand to us with players actually getting more games to play and less boring training sessions.
some players will come to the fore in these games.
let me thank all the blog members who graciously offered me a lift on saturday night , I got sorted all the way to lucan and a special mention to the man who was only going to maynooth but offered to bring me into lucan , this blog really is a special place.
its up to the players now and to Rochford and his Maor Foirne to plot a route to croke park. more games for us as fans and a few trips!
Hi Willie Joe I think I am on the moderation queue due to spamming the site with my phone number last week , please let me out , i promise to be good 🙂
I have followed Mayo since 1988 and one of the biggest problems this county has is that is puts players on pedstals…
Aidan oshea is no god and neither are any of the others… They represent the people of this county and this is the end of it… Far to many on this team are using this as a platform to other things and that is wrong
Yes hopefully this will shake some of the bangwagon suggorters the clown next to me at mchale park didnt even know this was a connaught semi final and I had to politely tell him that mayo were now out of the connaught championship.
Lets be frank here this team blow matches they should have won that shows mentally they are not strong and unfortunately they will not win any all ireland
I coach a number of underage teams and its unhealthy the obsession that now exists for this current team… what they did last summer was deplorable and yet the fans stood idly by and applauded this brave decision – horse manure they guys who organised this should have been fired out of the squad for dissent and that should have been the end of it…
Galway hurlers the same thing anthony cunningham a fine man treated in same way as the mayo managers…
This team should be taking apart and a few big egos dropped start again with the under 21 team and build it otherwise its over
Galway fans are up there with being gracious in victory and humble in defeat. Great to see so many of my fellow Mayo fans around me shaking hands and wishing them well for the final…people need to remember all GAA players are there for the love of the game.
I do believe in keeping your head down and not giving the opposition any motivation….James Horan and a certain ex Mayo player have egg on their face. You don’t see Dublin or Kerry ex players/managers talking like that before a big game. Loose lips sink ships springs to mind.
Do you know what the word is on Jason Gibbons, True Grit? It looked serious at the time but, in light of what happened after, hasn’t got much of a mention. Is it a bad one?
Well done Boyler, what a Leader he is.
I’ve been trying to sensibly digest the result over the last 48 hours and there are two elements to the performance that are inescapable which a lot of people have pointed out already. Firstly, the team did not look comfortable with the overly defensive game plan. Secondly, we looked leg weary, like a team with a lot of miles on the clock, best demonstrated by seeing several players go down with cramp between 60 and 65 mins on the clock.
The identity of this team has always been about hard running, off the shoulder, attack is the best form of defence, type of play. The change of personnel over the years has been minimal and my fear is that the change of strategy is so at odds with this team’s identity that they are simply too long on the same road to adapt to such a definitively new way of playing. I hope I’m wrong on that but lets say for arguments sake I’m right? Where does that leave us? Going back to the strategy that has brought us so tantilisingly close over the last 6 years? Perhaps, but that leaves me back at the second of my original points. I’m not sure we have the legs for the hard running game that this team has come so close to perfecting in the past. An ex inter county player and now physio acquaintance has told me that the optimum shelf life of a top inter county player nowadays is circa 8 years. This team has been on the go since 2011 so regardless of age profile, there’s no getting away from that fact that this team is nearing the end of its natural cycle.
There may well be a kick in them yet, and I’d still expect their pedigree to get them through to the last 8, and who knows, if that happens the run of games may get the motors humming to optimum levels for that stage. Longer term, I think we may be at a cross roads sooner than expected.
Don’t know what the problem is Roger but the system appears to be directing you to the sin bin for some reason. I’ll have a look under the hood and see if I can sort it.
Ger Bohan as you know, you and I don’t always agree but that was a very good post. Some very valid questions. For me the worrying part was the lack of intensity and drive.
I know you mentioned “arrogance”, but I genuinely don’t feel much of the commentary here came from arrogance – I know I genuinely believed we were better than Galway, (and certainly better than the performance we gave) and that was based on our performances over the last couple of years. I expected – assumed – that we would be a far more well-oiled machine than we had been in the League and hands up, I (and many others) were wrong about that. Hats off to Galway, they soaked it all up and channelled it on the pitch. Kevin Walsh in particular played a blinder on and off the pitch. His media handling was spot on. Respect is earned and while it wasn’t an earth-shattering performance by Galway, the result and the defiance has earned it and brought some of us back down to earth with a bang. No harm in that.
The crowd was very quiet on Saturday for sure, even during the parade and it felt strange – was that complacency or just the weather? I don’t know, but Wolfie makes a good point – poor performances drain the energy of the crowd and when you don’t score from play until three minutes before half time there is little to feed off. On the other hand the lift Galway got after that goal was palpable both on the pitch and in the crowd. Great line Wolfie on the hoovered house!
I don’t think it’s too late for us to turn this around, but neither would I be pointing the finger if we don’t reach a final this year. Maybe a break and some rebuilding would pay dividends in the long run and we do have a few talented young players waiting in the wings. If we met the likes of Down again or Fermanagh, we’d have a couple of good solid tests ahead. If we win, great. If we don’t, we chalk it down and get busy preparing for next year.
BackdoorSam, the problem with these rumours is that they grow legs when aired on a public forum, and ultimately end up with very little resemblance to the truth. If there is an issue, the best thing we can do is let management do their jobs and sort it out.
MIcky C certainly did his former comrades no service. That feckin twitter machine !
James Horan has a job to do to predict matches , I remember he called sligo roscommon right last year and he was immediate on SKY to admit he was wrong and to praise Galway. I think we take this Kerry pundit thing a bit wrong , the kerry pundits often hammer their own team and they often predict a win for them as well.
WJ i think its because I put my phone number up the other day , it rightly benched me for spamming i’d say.
Lookit, I suppose James has a job to do as a pundit, he’s done well up to now but maybe his green and red lenses clouded his judgement on this occasion.
WJ, I was told on Sat night that Gibbons broke his collar bone but have not heard this being confirmed anywhere since. He’s had dreadful luck with injuries, hope he has a speedy recovery
Regarding the ticketing mess, it seems that the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. I have a season ticket where the 9th June e-mail said
“The 2016 Connacht GAA Senior Football Championship continues on Saturday June 18th as Mayo take on Galway at MacHale Park, Castlebar.
To attend this fixture you simply need to attend the venue and present your season ticket card for scanning at the designated turnstile(s). Seating is unreserved and season ticket holders will be seated in the Covered Stand.”
Despite the “seating is unreserved” assurance, non-season ticket holders were telling me before the game that I needed a ticket. I got to the ground at about 6pm and met a Steward I know. He told me that the “paper tickets” were specifically designated for the central sections of the stand, despite the “unreserved” advice in the season ticket e-mail. He told me that they discovered the problem after the crowd started arriving and season ticket holders were being told by paper ticket holders that they were in the wrong seat.
I sat in section 7 and had my view partially blocked throughout the game by people standing at the top of the steps between sections 6 & 7. They refused many requests to move from various Stewards and from the Gardai. I presume that they were angry displaced season ticket holders. If there are match organisation review meetings, I expect the Stewards (who are volunteers) will relay the level of abuse they received because of this mess.
Season ticket holders travel and support the team through the year, home and away, not just in the championship. Can we expect that whoever was responsible for this mess will regret this treatment of loyal supporters? If so, they should be big enough to e-mail an apology to all Mayo season ticket holders and promise to properly co-ordinate seating arrangements for all future Castlebar games.
Ger Bohan, an interesting post, you used the words (obnoxious Rossies)! From time to time on this site some anti Roscommon stuff rears it’s illogical and ugly head. Good luck to the Rossi , good luck to Galway as well, hope it’s a great Connaught final and may the best team win. I think myself it will be Galway but wouldn’t put too much money on it.. Now no doubt about it, Colm Boyle was heroic last Saturday evening, easily our best player…!.. As for the musical chairs last Saturday evening, I was in before 6pm. Most of the middle section was empty at that stage, told that only tickets with the number on them were for 104,, 5 & 6. But I took no heed, I had received an email to say unreserved seating with your season ticket. I done just that and took up a very good seat in 106.In 2011 on a map rotten wet windy Sunday, we got tickets with season ticket for the Connaught final in the Hyde Park I sat down on. my alloted seat. Some Roscommon fan came with a ticket for the exact same seat. A steward told me to move and I did, more fool me because the seat I moved to, someone else came with a ticket for that seat. By the end I had moved 3 or 4 times . but last Saturday I had learned my lesson. So I stayed put with my ear phone’s in listening to the radio, dead right too. For the Connaught finals in the Hyde subsequent years I didn’t I didn’t even bother taking my seat in the stand, the concrete seats in front of the stand are just as good provided the weather is fine, and you avoid the usual hassle, musical chairs that seems to go with it. In 2011 a group of Mayo county councillors were sitting very close to where my alloted seat was, I noticed one of them looking at the seat number on his ticket for and he wasn’t sitting where he was supposed to be. These councillors were approached by a steward and told to move. Yer man told the steward who they were (mayo county councillors) and yes you guessed it, The fans both Mayo and Roscommon with tickets for these seats had to find, other and inferior seats. It’s time the Connaught council got its act together on this matter!..!
On who did well, Keith did well particularly in 1st half and caused problems with his body swerving runs and always passing to someone in good position. Some very good kick passes but the chances created were spurned so the good pass to make the chance is overlooked. He also ate up Galway players a few times in middle of the field and when restored as emergency defender. I would like him in forwards if we get enough cover in FB line before the 2A qualifier as it’s 1 game at a time now. Otherwise we need either Andy or Alan Freeman on the pitch with Alan Dillon as cover if either tires. Reape isn’t ready, Irwin looks good but Kirby ahead in experience and similar and Loftus unlucky with injury. Doherty the man to lose out, great heart but ran into obvious trouble 3 or 4 times, couple of turnovers won and one point. AOS either needs to be FF or midfield,l or dropped. Prefer FF as it occupies opposition defenders and his decision making on the ball not good enough nor is his kick passing whereas he can reek havoc on a good day in FF. If midfield having a bad day he can be alternated out there to help win back momentum. Kevin Mc a success in sweeper IMO but haven’t seen Burns analysis yet. He is our 2nd best kick passer after Keith so probably better Keith farther up. Question is how to make sweeper tactic work for Mayo and we say very few of Mayo’s turnover abilities that have helped make us formidable.
Half backs conceded frees yes but we were leaking midfield possession and they reduced goal threat.
Keane did well and couldn’t understand last year why H&C didn’t put him in his best position on Comer so not sure why the daft comment that we only have 1 full back is tolerated.
Thanks for that, Exiled in Dublin. Jason has had a luckless time with injuries, for sure – that seems to be the way with some players. Horrible to see him being wheeled off like that. Best of luck to him, hope he recovers soon.
What is most worrying for me is that it seemed management were totally out of their depth, I really hope that is not the case.
Sometimes there is a tendency to overthink things in sport and life and I think Mayo management way overthought things the last day. As the saying goes, football is really a simple game and I thing that management need to do is go right back to basic fundamentals and then introduce certain game plays that are tailored to enhance certain aspects of the team like kick-out strategy, tackling, pressure on opposition attack, etc.
As has been said here, we have ended up with a totally dis-functional forward unit. You could say that Regan was the only forward the last day that was positioned in a traditional forward’s role. The rest of the attack were all over the place – it’s not rocket since to deduce why we score so little from play from our attack. We have a middle 8 that are effectively acting as a half-back unit and you could throw in AOS, Jason D and COC into that mix for long periods of the game. That’s leaves us with at periods only 1-2 within the opposition 45. Its mind boggling really. Add to that our 6 ‘forward’ unit the last day included Coen, Higgins and McLaughlin, 3 defenders. Ah jays, its mind boggling alright! The last two matches we have started COS and Coen in corner forward – we need to start playing corner forwards in the corners – its basic stuff. The team shape is all over the place, the more I watch Mayo the less I actually can understand who is playing where.
This is a squad of players that are up there with the best in the country, there is no doubt about that. I would argue we have the best all round half back in the country (Keegan), the best free taker (COC), the best young player (DOC) and the best utility player (AOS). What management need to do is
1. take a step back, take out a blank sheet and draw up a conventional 15 from that squad of 26.
2. Set a base rules suck as who takes scorable and non scorable free kicks, releasing the ball, general tackling strategy, etc.
3. Draw up simple and effective game plays that are easily understood and applicable given the opposition
The other worrying aspect from the last day was the lethargy within the team, something we really haven’t seen come championship for some time. This is really a management fundamental to have the team right in this way in mind and body. Add to this, I do really think with the media and fans on about how we should plan for Dublin that this did seem into the set-up, not intentional, but it did.
Finally, I don’t know much about Rochford, but I do know that he is genuine and passionate for Mayo. I have said it before though, I did get the impression when he took over that there seemed to be too close a relationship with the squad from the off (which was H&C’s squad in fairness) and from the start some of the players were referencing him as ‘Rochy’ and he was talking about members of the squad coming back from injury, college, etc. before he had even seen some players or picked a squad. I really would have expected that any new manager would have set the tone from the start that it was a blank canvass and everyone had to prove themselves to him before he picked his squad particularly since the previous squad had ousted the previous management (for whatever reason), I felt a tone of this nature should have been set.
Everyman deserves a chance to prove himself – I felt, like a lot of people, that I could not visibly see anything new being brought to the table during the league or v London, but said I’d wait until the real championship started. What we got last Sunday, let’s be honest, was a management mess. The optimist in me will put it down to a very bad day at the office and maybe not enough time to fine tune some new aspects, but the pessimist would say that they were out of their depth. I’ll stay on the positive side for a little while yet….
A bad day at the office Saturday but these things will happen despite our best intentions. Mayo were all at sea, nothing went right, and yet and yet, three or four points up in the second half but failed to put them away and like Kerry and Dublin in the last couple of years, Galway smelt blood and tore Mayo asunder. Previous management teams have brought Mayo to the top table only for them to panic when the chequered flag came into view. We have to approach it from a different direction, try something unusual to get the monkey off our back. So we spilled some milk on Saturday, so what, the bigger picture is Croker. Everything we do is geared up for the graveyard of Mayo football. We are lucky to have been born in such a beautiful county, we had a great day in Ennis with the 21s, it hasn’t rained here for the last five minutes so onwards and upwards!
Congratulations to Colm Boyle. What a true leader and inspiration to his team mates. He was one of the players that JH gave a chance to and he has never let us down. I was impressed with Keane also, he has a great attitude. AOS is one of the best in the country and if there was a transfer market out there Galway would be the first in the queue. I saw a lot of genuine supporters shake hands with their Galway counterparts and it was very pleasing and honorable thing on a bad evening. We simply got caught on the night, now build a bridge and get over it.
one thing concerns me and its this , we have a saying that it is the old dog for the hard road .
all back door winners were recent champions if I am not mistaken ,
we would be breaking some very new ground were we to do it that way.
Shuffly Deck, I agree with some of what you said but if Reape isnt ready then he shouldnt be there with players like Micky C and Mikey Sweeney sitting at home. Each member of the panel should be at a standard where he can step onto the pitch, if not then they wait and play the league next year.
All comments posted seem to have covered everything in relation to the build up and game itself. Thought management over elaborated on tactics to the point where everyone was confused including themselves whereas Galway kept it simple and reaped the rewards. Fair play and good luck to them – wish them well. Connaught needs a good Galway tam to raise the standards and keep them high. I was impressed by their discipline. I will always row in behind the neighbours when our boys are done and why wouldn’t I?
We will have another cracking at it in a couple of weeks and there is time to put things right but they all need to brighten their ideas quickly. I’m not giving up on our boys.