Photo: Irish Independent/Sportsfile
The polls conducted here since the start of this year for our Man of the Match in the various NFL and championship games we’ve played have all, without exception, provided pretty clear-cut results. This latest one, however, has – like yesterday’s epic All-Ireland semi-final draw with Kerry – proved to be a real rip-roaring contest, one in which the tigerish half-back hero Colm Boyle has eventually come out on top.
Boyler garnered 32% of the popular vote, placing him a short head in front of Aidan O’Shea, whose colossal display yesterday not only had Joe Brolly gushing like a lovesick schoolgirl in the post-match analysis but also earned him 30% of the vote. Cillian O’Connor, captain for the day and marquee man in the forwards, came in third with 19% while Alan Dillon, who enjoyed another strong outing at HQ yesterday, also attracted support, earning 6% of the vote.
In truth, we had heroes all over the pitch – both on the starting fifteen and among the replacements – on what was a day to remember for the county. Well done to the lot of them and, in particular, to the quartet named above for their standout displays in the heat of battle yesterday.
Willie Joe, aren’t we blessed to be represented but such courageous and heroic lads! Completely in awe of how this team and management team keep going and keep us going!
Agree with motm selection. Boyle was absolutely inspirational. He went for a ball early in the second half risking life and limb in a show of courage that would raise the dead to life. Now everyone will have to respond to the character and bottle shown by him and those other brave lads who led the charge on Sunday.
I totally agree that we are blessed to have such agreat team with such fighting spirit but we have to be realistic if we are going to put teams away when we are leading in the dying mins of a game.We have to get a more physical full back to take man and ball when we are dealing with high balls.David Brady dealt with the Star in 06 and I feel we need someone of that calibre now
I would love to see B Moran tried at full back if only for his fetching ability with Cunniffe and Higgins because Kerry will try this ploy again.
Well done Colm Boyle. Well deserved. I think that the intervening 8 years has distorted our memories a bit. Brady marked Donaghy when he came on but did not dominate him. in 2006. He gave him a lovely dunt which he got away with which eventually led to a Mayo goal and competed manfully against him but he did not mark him out of it. The high ball into our FB line caused us serious trouble in 2004 and 2006 and again in last few mins on Sunday, but even before Donaghy went in, their FF caught some high balls. Don’t know how we will deal with it as Caff is struggling and we have no natural replacement. I dont think trying Big Barry (who seems to have gone down the pecking order] or S O Shea would work. Would it be too much of a risk to try our ex Connacht rugby full back. I suppose it would.
Don’t know if a MOM is actually appropriate for yesterday – We were in a deep hole at 10-5 down and we needed 14 men to stand up and I think its fair to say that not one was found wanting. Unbelievable heart shown by them.
Going to Limerick to support cos we cant let this group walk into the Kerrymens backyard without good back up !
Out of curiosity I checked the pitch dimensions for Gaelic Grounds – 137×82 metres…. exact same as MacHale Park! Little bit different to Fitzgerald Stadium (144×82)
Will more than likely not make any difference but at least it shouldnt be a hindrance.
Agree with poster above above about MOM , I did vote for 1 but it was a hard pick, would have no problem however in picking ‘Team of 63 years’.
I voted for Aido, he didn’t put a foot wrong and was inspirational, leading by example! but I’m fine with Boyler, he’s cut from the same mould, tough, determined, driven, die for the cause and scored an inspirational point. He made an almost fatal error when he misjudged the flight of the ball, went through his hands, fell kindly for JOD who sent a screamer over the bar. On another day, if it had been a goal, we were finished! But it didn’t! And Boyler deserved the rub of the green there. So congrats to him. He’s an example of the never say die mayo spirit!
On another note, it been widely acknowledged that Ger had a poor day again yesterday, but it’s not popular nor proper here to criticize players, without backing it up with examples, facts and so on. So I took it upon myself to look at Gers performance yesterday, objectively and fact based.
Of the 18 balls that Ger contested one on one with Geaney mostly, Ger
-won 3 of them (clean possession or cleared to safety)
-was beaten to the ball on 13 of them (opponent gained clean possession)
-was 50/50 on 2 of them (neither he nor opponent won the ball)
Of the 18, 10 of those were high balls of which 1 resulted in an almost fatal goal. Lads, those are damning numbers!
Unfortunately, this problem has existed all year, we have conceded significantly more goals (20 now I believe) than any of the other 3 top teams, but we haven’t dealt with it. We were almost dealt the fatal last blow against Kerry but we survived.
Normally I don’t like to present a problem without proposing a solution, but in this case, I’m not sure how we can fix it in the time we have. We’ve got to deal with this though…….for Kerry sure will!
Thoughts on options?
This comment by Liam o’neill as head of the gaa needs to be addressed. For me this is cannot be let go. This is the same type of disgracefull dismissive authority attitude shown by others in our society in the past and it is just wrong. It needs to be rooted out someone needs to say ‘not in my name. Your comment does not represent my view. I Say STOP’. I propose that we start an online poll that ordinary gaa members can sign up to that recommends a sanction against Liam o’neill for use of provocative and abusive language and the sanction is a 2 match ban to be served at the all ireland finals where he cannot perform official duties due to his comments yesterday . Hit the bullies where it hurts..
In the absence of Lee Keegan I would leave Kevin Mcloughin in his place the next day as he performed so well there when moved there.Richie Feeney Tom Parsons Jason Gibbons could be considered for Kevins place.I am also aware that Jason or Tom will be in line for a C F position.In any event we are more than capable of taking Kerry if we start the way we finished the last day and dont play in to their hands. Push up on them from the start and make them kick out the ball long.We worried too much about O Donohoe, Keith Higgins done a great job on him.Cunniffe and the half backs were brilliant but we
have one area to sort out or we will be caught out badly once again.
Cafferky’s problems arise from playing his man from the front. If you do that you need your corner backs or Gaolie to sweep behind you. Failing that you play from behind and hope your half backs are tracking there men. Cafferky is nearly always left isolated facing diagonal ball. He should play from behind which will prevent goals but probably result in his man kicking 4 or 5 points or setting up a goal. He is also no helped by Hennelly fear of the high ball and reluctance to come out. Hennelly should have been out on top of Donaghy for that goal and flattened him. Ref’s rarely penalise the Goalie going for a ball, especially in the square.
What about Shane McHale. He is fairly good under the highball and would be best bet for Donaghy. Pace might be a bit suspect though if Donaghy isn’t on.
Other option is let Caff listen to the abuse Brolly gave him, slap him around a bit and send him out onto the field angry.
Seriously though-how does one make a proper complaint to the GAA about all of this O’Neill/ Limerick business? Its an absolute shambles and itll all be forgotten about by O’Neill and his cronies by this day next week if its let go. Its simply not good enough
Caff managed star well enough when he met him for full games – it’s all well and good coming on and impacting a team when they have run their guts out it’s another thing to start and do it for 73 minutes
Paul Geaney didn’t score from play.
Caff was absolutely knack erred. Unfair to judge him on the final five minutes of Sunday.
Lads, ladies the only way to hurt the likes of O’Neill is where it hurts – the pockets.
We will all go to the match, but I would suggest a boycott of buying programmes. They are overpriced gibberish anyhow. Think Kerry fans should row in and make a statement also.
Mister Mayor
That is a very clear cut analysis of caffs performance. There is no easy answer. Personally, I would start him and hope the humiliation, pain and anger he has as a result of Sunday will lift him to a different level. I’ve seen this happen before. I would also start Clarke in goals which is unfair to Robbie but might be a part solution to the high ball.
If Caffs performance is no better then plan B comes into operation. If it’s Geaney then put Cuniffe on him and bring in Harrison (I assume Chris Barrett will replace Lee Keegan). If it’s Donaghy for the last 15 mins then Seamus O She marks him with either Gibbons Parsons or Barry coming into CF.
But hey……the problems of last Sunday are unlikely to be the same ones that will arise on Saturday……….other issues are bound to arise and we are likely to be discussing totally different issues here on Sunay next.
As regards tactics……..just one big one…..win lots of ball and tare into them for 75mins!
Such an over-reaction to Cafferkey v Donaghy!! You’d swear it was an under 16 we were playing full back! He was cramping up big time near the end the last day can not blame him in the slightest
That Geaney is one tricky customer but won’t have the same room on the tighter pitch!
“Ruanejos” sums it up mighty!
I’m very confident about this one. The tighter pitch will suit us more also
Clarke in goal? Ah lads come on now
The high ball will be completely irrelevant anyway until the second half again when I’d be confident we’d be fairly comfortable by that stage
If we tear into these properly from the off the next day I think we’ll do it with a good bit to spare
I wouldn’t worry near as much about Donaghy tbh it’s O’Donoghue and to a lesser extent Geaney I’d watch and even the other Geaney is hugely underrated (bringing him off the last day was baffling I said it at the time). However the tighter pitch should help us here
We have to be ready for donaghy when he comes on, I don’t care how Horan solves this puzzle but if it happens again then it is negligence pure and simple.
The management and team put in an epic performance in that second half and to have it almost ruined by a very old failing would have been a sin.
Mayor Caff was defended the last day on here with facts, your own facts now speak for themselves as well, he was poor Sunday.
Ciaran
The high ball was a problem all day. Have a look at the video if you get a chance. I was surprised at how much possession they won from it and they will try it again. Don’t get me wrong I like Caff but he wasn’t great the last day and they will target him if they can.
Liam o Neills comments worry me. There is an allusion contained within, there is also a sneaking smart retort to Mayo. What does he mean “it’s in Mayos best interests and they know that” to “let them win and put an end to their chase etc”.
The Mayo county board are in the words of Eamon Mongey basically useless. Simply Mayo should have said we ain’t playing there so fix a new date on Croke park. O Neills remarks should be read more closely , there is a hidden message in there. I wonder what that might be.
Good luck on Sat, be brave , if Donaghy starts take off move our full back. His inability to deal with direct ball had cost mayo in 11,12,13 and almost fatally last Sunday when it mattered
The loss of Keegan will test tactics . A direct replacement would require playing a guy last seen meaningfully in semi v Tyrone ’13. Step forward Ritchie Feeney or.,,do we do a Mayo and shuffle all over the place? This is a home game for Kerry and confirms Barney Rocks piece I once read around 2007, “no one in the GAA world takes mayo seriously “. He’s wrong on the football front but on the money at county board level . Lions led by ***** was the description of Kitchners WW1 cannon fodder.
That’s unfair, John – under the current structures there’s nothing the County Board can do to stop the match being played in Limerick, other than point-blank refusing to turn up there. There’s no avenue of appeal on fixtures as was made abundantly clear by HQ yesterday. The Board could, of course, have pressed the nuclear button and said No Way to Limerick – and part of me would love if they had – but they’re not the useless ones here. Liam O’Neill and the whole HQ are the villains of this particular piece and they showed their true colours in spades yesterday, in particular O’Neill with his disgraceful remarks.
Donaghy started at centre field. He came on for Maher. One of our big men should have tracked him back. You cant expect Caff alone to handle another big man coming into the square. When Kerry try it on Saturday one of the O’Sheas or Parsons will have to mark him. He’s now a one trick pony. He only has the high catch.
How to address the by now famous collapse in the last 7 minutes that this team are prone to? – against Kerry, Cork, Dublin in 2012, Dublin in the League etc etc. Following Mayo is like having a succession of heart attacks.It even goes back to Meath in ’96. Some suggestions:
1. Bring one centrefield player back and park him in the square.
2. Play kick-outs short and support the man in possession to work the ball up the field.Get frees when the opposition desperately foul you to get hold of the ball. Support the free taker. Make absolutely sure the free doesn’t fall to the enemy – like on Sunday.
3. Don’t kick long. There seems to be a law of physics that the team with momentum always win the kick-outs, get the breaking ball, win the bounce etc. Denying possession is the only way.
4. Be calm enough to take the scoring chances that inevitably come when the other team is chasing the game – Cunniffe on Sunday, Cillian in 2012. If any of them went in their impetus is lost.
5. It’s when real leaders are needed. Impetus can be stopped. It never happens to the northern teams. They brutally see out matches.
If we play to our capacity on Saturday we should be ahead coming into the home strait. We need a plan then and not baffled hope that somehow we get through. I cant take another heart attack.
If we can’t handle Kieran Donaghy when we have 2 O’Sheas, Gibbons, Barry Moran and Tom Parsons at our disposal, then we don’t deserve to go any further.
Ger Cafferkey has a lot to prove on Saturday. That’s harsh on an All-Star full-back, but this is Kerry in championship. Geaney beat him time and again to ball on Sunday. Ger just has to step up.
Exactly. One of the midfielders has to track Donaghy because of his height. Like Huggins tracks JOD because of his speed. It is not complicated. He is a one trick pony. Caff cannot be left exposed again.
Had a dental appointment this morning in Meath and stopped the dentist half way through to remonstrate about the treatment of Mayo by Croke Park. Great distraction to the imminent pain and discomfort of dental cleaning!!
I’m scheduled to attend a wedding in Wales and it’s absolutely eating me up inside. I would give anything to be heading to Limerick because there’s a world of insult about to erupt on Saturday when the lads take the field. It needs to be channeled and I have every confidence JH & Co will do just that.
Caff is a better full back, particurlirly under high ball with his club mate behind him in goal. Start Clarke for next day.
It seems John Prenty as provincial secretary was on the committee that decided on Limerick ! Thanks John.
Heros indeed. Not since i was a boy had i a hero in Colm Mac but now i have 15 + players and i do not say that light heartedly. i was never as proud of them or to be a Mayo man leaving croker and all those fuckers who said Mayo are only bottlers can go now and piss off.We need to start closing games out though. We also need to do something with full back id say Donaghy will make an earlier appearance or may in fact start in the hope to sneak some goals .They will try and pressure us i dont think the lads may have thought they would bring that amount of intensity in the first half. However when the second half started and we went back to playing football the way we like to play it we blew them out of the water. They wont keep up with the physicality and intensity.Id like to see us more dominant in midfield from the start cant give the Kingdom an inch. Good feeling about saturday.
John Forgarty in the Examiner states that the county board knew about the game would be played in Limerick in the event of a draw.
I think we need to forget about the decision and just start focusing on the game. Kerry emptied the tank against a 14 man Mayo team and failed to beat us. They used all their playbook, we will win Saturday so just focus on our task which is being great supporters.
The lads on the field will, as they have shown, do their part.
In the last 2 games caff has conceded 2 points off the player he was marking, both frees.
He may not be the first to the ball, but he sure as hell stops top quality forwards from scoring.
It seems to me the issue is very little tracking back.
Jod scored the goal!!! Was it not higgins marking him.
A little perspective please. If each of our back 6 marked as tight as caff we would be in a great place.
3rd viewing tonight and I’m gonna have a close look again at Caff 😀 It’s great fun, I’d reccommend to anyone!
looks like Mayo will just get on with it in limerick, lets see if the authorities use their brains and direct the traffic through the bottlenecks on our way to limerick. claregalway is a disaster, clarinbridge and of course limerick itself is a nightmare for parking near the gaelic grounds so get there on friday night or very early saturday.
Mayo will have it all to do again, kerry are a top class side and should have won the 1st time so lets be under no illusions. the fightback was great, but the meltdown near the end was wicked, i imagine the legs and minds were tired after the 32-33 minutes of sprinting to stay with and pass kerry out, phenomenal that mayo could come from 5 down to be 5 up against kerry with 14 men.
Is anyone worried about how we are starting and finishing games (i.e the last two)?
I think the whole debate on where the game is on should be parked. Now its time to look forward and support the team in our bid to beat the Kingdom.
3rd viewing of the game just done, and it still gets the pulse racing. A few comments would be: 1. Lee Keegan’s sending off (while technically correct) shouldn’t have been anymore than a yellow. In sending off Lee, Buckley should have walked as well. There WAS a clear striking action from the Kerry number 11 towards the ball/forearm area of Lee. The only reason I think it wasn’t a double yellow instead of the one red is that the referee didn’t see it.
2. Aidan O’ Shea received dogs abuse all day from the Kerry players. A bit of protection should be offered to all players, the excuse that bigger players don’t tend to get easy frees does not wash with me.
3. There has been a lot of talk about Ger Cafferky’s performance on Sunday. On third viewing I have come to the conclusion that Gainey pretty much gave him a run a round for large parts. Other posters have stated correctly that Gainey never scored from play and while this is true in my opinion he needs to up his game big time the next day and not let his player dominate their area as much. I was just wondering was he 100% fit the last day as to me his explosiveness seemed to just not be fully there. This could also answer the cramp question. I would also question why he stayed on the field for 5-6 mins when he was obviously not fully mobile.
This coming week is all about recovery for the players. I would caution those who suggest we will have an advantage with 15 players the next day. Don’t forget there is the potential for us to be more drained after playing a half with 14 men than Kerry. For me replays are all about management and their planning. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall last night/tonight at the managements video analysis meeting.
For me I think Kerry will test us out route 1 with long diagonal balls with JOD sweeping for breaks. To this end I would like Keith Higgins to be a small bit tighter to him in this aspect. I think we will see Kieran Donaghy thrown in a bit earlier so plans have to made to counter act that. Not sure who id put there, i don’t think the answer is to put a midfielder directly on him, maybe to sweep in front of the full back area could work best when and if he comes on. It is vital that he doesn’t win the first ball in either, as to me he seems to thrive when he wins the first battle in the air.
Just two other quick things, we need to slow down the kerry ball coming in as a matter of priority and is their a case for starting Kevin McLoughlin on Donnacha Walsh on Saturday? With us going forward it could force Walsh on the retreat which would negate a vital cog in the kerry forward line and I think Kevin is well able physically for him. Are either Chris Barrett or dare I say it Richie Feeney able for a starting spot here and if Kevin goes back does this take away from our forwards to much?
Overall I’m not sure can we do it the next day. Maybe its just the build up etc or nerves or whatever but i’m very very nervous about Kerry opening us up the next day. I hope, I dream! Maigheo Abu!!!
:good point tony, It wasnt Donaghey who scored the goal so its not just Caff fault,
Lads Donaghy on the field is a game changer for us, it forces us to completely change our posture to deal with him, fully fit or not.
Who should mark him? Ger? Donnie? Is it coddin you are? He presents a big problem for us….and Fitz knows it now. Honestly I pray Ger will play a blinder the next day, for he will need to.