It’s a big weekend of club championship action at provincial level, with the winners of all three football titles within the county seeking to progress at provincial level while Tooreen fly the flag for the small ball code.
Ballintubber came through an ultra-cagey preliminary round tie last weekend against Sligo champions Tourlestrane and on Sunday they face Leitrim’s Aughawillan in the Connacht SFC semi-final. That game throws in at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, on Sunday at 1.30pm.
While Ballintubber are strong favourites to advance on Sunday – Paddy Power price them at 1/6 – they’d do well to be wary of Aughawillan’s challenge. Club football can often be a great leveller – Castlebar struggled for long stretches when playing Leitrim champions Mohill twelve months ago – and Aughawillan come into Sunday’s tie fresher than their opponents, following a four-week break after their Leitrim county title win.
Still, you’d expect the Mayo lads to have enough quality in their ranks to make it through this test. Assuming they do, they’ll face the winners of Corofin and Clann na nGael in the provincial final. Those two meet in Sunday’s other SFC semi-final, which gets underway at Hyde Park at 1.30pm that afternoon.
It’s Connacht semi-final weekend in the Intermediate football championship as well. Belmullet face An Spidéal in an all-Gaeltacht clash tomorrow, where Tuam Stadium is the venue. The winners there will face the victors of the Shamrock Gaels (Sligo) vs. Fuerty (Roscommon) semi-final, which is down for decision on Sunday at Collooney. Both IFC semi-finals throw in at 1.30pm.
There’s also penultimate round action in the Connacht Junior football championship this weekend. Balla take on Sligo’s Easkey tomorrow at Quigibar while on Sunday Clonbur (Naomh Padraig, An Fhairche) of Galway face off against Kilglass Gaels from Roscommon at Tuam Stadium. Both of these fixtures throw in at 1.30pm.
Finally, Tooreen took to the skies this afternoon as they jetted off to London ahead of their Connacht IHC semi-final. There they’ll meet London Senior hurling champions St Gabriel’s at McGovern Park in Ruislip tomorrow at 1pm.
It’s the first time for a Mayo club hurling side to play a competitive match outside of Ireland, after the introduction of London clubs into the Connacht club championships this year. St Gabriel’s will be strong favourites for this tie, having disposed of Robert Emmett’s in the London Senior final a fortnight ago.
Incidentally, St Gabriel’s – who are based near Wembley – were set up in the 1960s by a group of Galway men. They still have a strong Galway connections, with ten of their starting fifteen for tomorrow hailing from the county.
Tooreen qualified for this stage of the Connacht IHC with a 0-17 to 1-9 win over Athleague of Roscommon. Tooreen – who are managed by Paul Hunt – will need an improved performance to overcome the London champions. The winners of this tie will face Oranmore-Maree of Galway in the Connacht IHC final, after Oranmore defeated Kilconeiron in Galway’s IHC final last weekend.
Best of luck to all of the Mayo sides in provincial championship action this weekend.
This post was compiled with the help of information contained in Brían Mangan’s preview piece for Connacht GAA (here) and using preview material supplied by Adrian Hession, Mayo GAA Games Promotion Officer.
One of the founding members of St. Gabriels was Pakie Grealish the father of one Tony Grealish of Brighton and Republic of Ireland. He was also closely associated with Moin Dearg football club in London. Another son Brian was also an outstanding hurler and footballer.
Awful result for Balla and only 2 of their 9 points came from play. Can have no complaints as the better team on the day won. Well done to Tooreen on grinding out a win over in London. Bellmullet game gone to extra time
Belmullet beaten also 0-9 in 80 minutes a very poor scoring return.
Belmullet 0-9 An Spideal 0-13 AET
Was at belmuller game, very poor game, niggly all through. Belmuller went 8 points to 4 up mid way through the second half. Two things happened Shane nallen sent off and belmuller ran out of gas big time. Their forward line missed Ryan o donoghue. Spiddal went on to score 9 points while belmuller scored one. The referee from Leitrim was completely out of his depth.
Was at the Balla game and left very disappointed, particularly with Barry Duffy, a player I had big hopes for in his minor days. Somebody told me that he had not progressed and how obvious that was today. Balla were totally out of their depth, whether it was because of the big gap since their last competitive game or not I do not know. Their ball handling was terrible, rarely did they control it first time but it often spilled away from their grasp to an Easkey man. Can Mayo Co Board take a little of the blame for they way they organised fixtures or do clubs want to get championships finished with little regard for the Connacht campaign? Regards the refereeing how Easkey did not collect a second black card within a few minutes of the first I cannot fathom.
What a result for Tooreen, winning in Ruislip, and back in another Connaught final, no mean achievement!
Jesus our record against Galway teams (men’s and ladies) in all competitions is diabolical at the moment. I’d say played 30 and won only 6. There is nothing to suggest this record will change any time soon. We are falling back into the pack big time whether we like to face up to the reality or not
Popped down today for a look and was disappointed as it was poor fare. Spiddal deserved it, ex Galway keeper Manus Breathnach was very good playing in reality as a 7th defender. Belmullet never really got going and the sending off killed them…
As someone playing club football in Galway almost all my life, belmullet must be a very average team if they were beaten by spiddal. Spiddal, and I know plenty of them, are no great shakes at all. Theyd be hammered by any good senior club in Galway.
Balla losing too….
We hear of all this talent in the county….maybe the reality is that the standard in mayo has dropped in the past few years?? Those attending mayo club games talk about these great promising players coming through. Maybe the reality is that the standard is higher in other counties? Our underage county teams have gone 5 years at all levels without beating Galway…
More work required in clubs and underage. Pronto!
I was in Enniscrone for the Easkey v Balla game. Great venue , well organised with plenty of stewards. well done to all. Easkey by far the better team and are more like a Senior team than Junior. I heard a local say that Easkey played Senior Football 2 years ago and were relegated , a number of players then went abroad/travelling. They wrote off their 2017 season early with a view to have a go at Connacht /All Ireland glory at Junior in 2018 when the players returned. A strategy I could see other rural clubs adopting. Balla were probably unlucky to come up against such a strong team in the first round of the Connacht series but they have achieved a lot in the last 3 seasons, I think it’s two league promotions and their first county title In 40 years.
I think Easkey will win the Connacht title handy and maybe the All Ireland. Disappointing for Belmullet but It seams injuries just came at wrong time. Ballintubber should progress to a Connacht final.
Anybody know if Ballintubber game is on Mayo GaaTv?
Edit: just saw they’re finished for 2018…Midwest it is!
All the best to Ballintubber if they get through today..!
In reality they’ll do well to keep it to under 10 points against this Corofin side. They’re a special team, absolutely annihilating Clann na nGael at the minute
You seriously have to question a manager like Kevin Walsh of how he only had 1 Corofin player Ian Burke on his starting 15 v Dublin in the All Ireland Semi final. How players like Kieran Molloy, Dylan Wall, Mike and Martin Farragher , Liam Silke and Jason Leonard aren’t in a Galway starting fifteen especially in defence where Galway have some really average footballers starting like Declan Kyne, Cathal Sweeney ,Gareth Bradshaw, Gary O’Donnell and Sean Kelly.
But the more Walsh opts not to field the best Corofin players the better for us in Mayo.They should have at least 5 on the starting 15 in Galway.
This Galway team would push the Dubs real close I think.Backs are much stronger with Corofin contingent.
1.Bernard Power
2.Liam Silke
3.Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh
4.Eoghan Karin
5.Kieran Molloy
6.Mike Farragher
7.Dylan Wall
8.Ciaran Duggan
9.Paul Conroy
10.Peter Cooke
11.Michael Daly
12.Jason Leonard
13.Shane Walsh
14.Damien Comer
15.Ian Burke
Subs
Adrian Varley
Martin Farragher
Michael Lundy
Johnny Heaney
Eamon Brannigan
Tom Flynn
I actually predict a tight game for a few reasons.
1. Kevin Johnson will know the craic regarding Corofin and how to prepare for them
2. The weather today was perfect for their game, highly unlikely it will be as good a day Nov 25th.
3. Corofin play best on good pitches, croker and the new Hyde surface today, McHale Park is not in the same league and that’s being kind.
Low scoring tight game for me.
It be a soccer score if teams go defensive
Chris. The fact is last year Liam Silke and Dylan Wall went to the US after long club seasons and long academic years. Molloy Power and Ian Burke were on the panel. Leonard is not good enough, and the Farraghers turned down invites. Kieren Molloy, Liam Silke and Wall will all be available this year, whenever Corofin are finished! And of course Ian Burke. In relation to the final , when teams here in Galway went defensive against them they were dire games, Clann were hopeless today and were wide open at the back. What will Ballintubber do? I would imagine they will bring everyone back and it will be very defensive but Corofin always find a way and with Daithi Burke back in two weeks id see them winning handily.
Was in Carrick to see Ballintubber in action. I’m afraid they will have to put an awful amount of work in to challenge Corofin even if today’s Corofin’s result was a one off. Ballintubber seem to have to put a awful amount of work in to get a score. They practically ownedd the ball in the first half but scores came very slowly, eight points in total. Aghawillin had five attacks in the first 25 minutes and scored 5 points from five shots. Ballintubber could take note.
I was very impressed by Jason Gibbbons who won man of the match and also by Ciaran Gavin. Where was he, Steven O’Malley and Jamsie Finnerty during Mayo’s U20 campaign this year?
I believe Ciaran Gavin hasn’t yet turned 18 so plenty of time for him to make an impact at U20 for Mayo.
On checking WJ’s wonderful archive I see that C Gavin was one of the Mayo U17 subs last year [ 2017] so I presume it is the same man. He should be a big asset for the coming few years.
Was at the Balla Game .
Whatever way you look at it Easkey are a Junior team in Sligo. Its an embarrassment to Mayo football with a team like Balla apparently full of underage talent getting overturn by a Sligo junior team. God only knows what the Galway Junior champions would have done to them.
Incredible they went completely defensive,with the apparent fire power they have up front, scoring just 2 points from play in the game & conceding 3 goals in the 1st half.
Maybe they believe 2 much in there own hype and took the eye completely of the ball instead of focusing on the task in hand.
One of the big failings in Mayo is that we hype up teams and players way beyond their true ability. Belmullet were hyped up as well and were beaten by what Galway people say is a very average team. Players like Brian Reape are been hyped up as well. At this stage – if you believe some posters Reape is somewhere between Andy Moran and David Clifford. I have also seen names of future mayo stars been named on various sites (including here) and when I get to see them play – they look at best good club players and way off the potential to become a Boyler, Tom Parsons or Andy Moran. Less hype please and more work with Development squads (if there are in existence at all??) needed.
Belmullett in fairness had to play without Ryan O’Donoghue and lost Shane Nallen during the game. Excluding the sending off of Shane Nallen as these things happen, I would be confident if they had had Ryan O’Donoghue for the game it wouldn’t have finished level, Belmullet would have been able to win it in normal time. Ryan was one of their main sparks all year in terms of their attacking game. His loss was at a very minimum a 2 pt loss in terms of effect on the game, +2pts and Belmullet emerge victorious.
Galway people say Spiddal are a very average team …. well they won the Intermediate championship, so they are the best Galway Intermediate team in 2018. Weighing Intermediate versus Senior and talking about them hammered by Senior teams in Galway is a nonsense. Mayo Intermediate teams would also get hammered by Mayo senior club teams.
The Balla loss was a shock, yes.
I don’t believe Colm Boyle or Tom Parson to be some far off in the distance out of reach level for some of our young players coming through. Andy Moran yes, we will do well to have a similar standard of player.
On the underage development, Liam Moffat really has the bit between his teeth and is driving things on. They meet up regular as an entire mgmt and coaching group. People are answerable for why the session at a certain school is not happening etc. etc. The result, the ball is not being dropped now. 3700 kids are now being actively coached in our National schools. That number dwarfs our previous numbers which were in truth not tracked to the same actively managed degree. Cumann na mbunscoil went on the back burner for a few years but it is now operating very strongly.
JP – great to hear there is real development work taking place with Liam Moffat heading it up. This will seep through and we will see better performances. We are a big footballing county and there is plenty of football ability in the county – just need to be nurtured properly.
Theres alot of work going on behind the scenes in Mayo football.If you look back over the decade Mayo teams consistently win Connacht championships at Junior and Intermediate.Rice college were in the Hogan Cup Final this year.Castlebar have competed in 2 All Ireland club finals in the last 5 years.Westport won an All Ireland Intermediate in 2017.This has in my opinion been the best decade ever for football in the County, 2 All Ireland underage titles at Minor and Under 21 and we played in 4 All Ireland finals losing 3 times by 1 point to the the best team of all time.Hate these negative posts some of us love to talk ourselves down , Mayo football is in such a great place at the moment ,we just have landed the big one yet.
South Mayo Exile – have you seen Brían reape play?
Belmullet have to be kicking themselves. I was at the game as a Belmullet fan and it was horrible to watch. They played nowhere near the standard they are capable of. Firstly, Ryan O’Donoghue is a major loss, make no mistake if he was playing we would be looking forward to a Connaught final next Sunday. However, the performance Saturday didn’t do the other lads justice. They didn’t play a competitive match in 3 weeks and I think that showed. Sloppy passing, silly mistakes and missing very score-able frees. They went 0-08 to 0-04 up through 3 great scores but didn’t kick on, mainly due to the play being stopped every 2 minutes by the ref. On the day you’d have to say An Spideal deserved it but Belmullet threw it away. A sickening way to end the year but on the plus side the objective was to become senior and that has been achieved. The lads deserve a well earned break now before the hard work starts again in January.
JP, there is a lot of work to be done yet and I agree Liam is trying his best. I attended the Ted Webb and watched in disbelief as a North / South combination were looked after by two Knockmore and one Ballina man. No disrespect to any of these gentleman, but what sort of chance have South Mayo lads have of making a panel. There was one playing representative from Claremorris who I believe reached a county final.
The East / West had two members of management from Breaffy and one from Moy Davitts. A little better but still looks a little too cosy for me.
JP, Spiddal may have won the intermediate champsionship but it wasn’t a year of particularly strong intermediate teams in Galway and I saw games first hand. My point was that Belmullet must be either very over-rated or played far below par even taking into account ROD’s injury. I didnt get to see Belmulet play before so was only going on reading Mayo papers and people posts here and I thought theyd win it handy.
I’m more interested in what you were saying about Cumann na mBunscoile – I’d be very interested to know what they are doing and what coaching structures are in place in national schools in Mayo and how have these improved over the past few years? In Galway, there are the usual competitions and some schools have teachers/parents who come in to coach teams and there is an official county board GAA coach appointed to schools and these coaches go in once a week. I’m not sure how much the kids actually benefit from this. I have seen some of these sessions and they are fairly token, if I’m being honest.
@Mayonaze, I think Belmullet underperformed. When you factor they beat Kiltimagh (helped by a sending off). But still, Kiltimagh survived in Division one, so a decent team.
What I know of Cumann na Mbunscoil is that it took a big dip, in fact as I recall it even finished for a year(s) where those national school games didn’t play out (open to correction, but I recall such a statement).
Even when it was running it wasn’t that widely spread. Now there are several full time GPO’s and they are able to encompass the vast majority of schools. Where it will help is with any club that has a large amount of smaller schools and maybe the senior team and underage structures have been faltering. They need a boost from somewhere. Whilst this won’t solve their core problem as a club, it will provide a bigger pick of players who have the basics of catch, kick and solo. It will also give a health and fitness boost to the kids in that area by simply being more active.
As it is National school it only needs to be fun. As long as they are catching, kicking and soloing that’s enough at that age.
The indoor Peile game is interesting, kind of like futsal for soccer. Encourages many touches of the ball and the game is structured that strong players can’t dominate.
I see where Ballina won the U15 Division one. I know they made a big push with their youngest grouping a good few years ago. They do seem to have come up in competitiveness at underage.
At Balla game and heard Pat Fallon comments. 5 weeks without a game is no preparation and it showed. Balla had 2 league games left – why couldn’t they be played in that period. Terrible start and finish to first half conceding goals at worst times and a great goal in between. Balla pride themselves on their tight defence so 3 red flags in first half killed them. Easkey were very cynical pulling lads down should have had more black cards but ref chickened out. Balla probably needed to do the same – maybe inexperience. Balla need to play a more expansive game with their youngsters. Good at defending a lead but not chasing it. Only put high ball on top of keeper in last minute when it was obvious they needed goals and that Easkey would pull you down rather than let you run for a goal. Balla scored 2 pts from play and you can’t win with that.
Mayo u14 – great development work being done with over 40 lads being coached by Ciaran Mc, Kevin O Neill, David Heaney, Tom Reilly Henry Gavin
Mike Finnerty has news on the Mayo Panel in todays Mayo News. Some on here would rather not discuss it, but it is very similar to the leaked squad with only Brian Reape added from what I can make out
I hope the Mayo News are equally chastised for publishing these details
Article in todays Mayo news on the linking of ‘The Mayo way’ with the Cumann na mbunscoil activities in the schools.
Highlights:
– GPOs involved and education of teachers
– Kids doing fundamental beneficial movements
– Regular blitzes and go games
– 40 schools involved in the games, the highest numbers it’s ever been.
Why?
The Mayo News would have had that story cleared with likely PRO Paul Cunnane or similar mgmt rep. They’re not going on some limb of guesswork. The stuff related tot the team in terms of panels, injuries etc. is all cleared stuff.
It’s sad to see the like of Neil Douglas and Shane Nally go ,2 of the Countys most skillful footballers ,watching Douglas v Monaghan and Kerry in the League last season he struggled to win possession inside and break the tackle alot to do with his size, Nally in fairness never seen much game time under Rochford but thought he was poor v Kerry that night in the League and had an average performance against Monaghan in the League at Centre back his best position maybe he has a lack of pace at times.Horan just never seemed to fancy them even in his first as stint as manager they were not in the panel.there’s always time for Conor O’Shea and Michael Hall to work their way back in, age is on their side.Conor needs to find a position whether that’s full forward or centre field and needs to get out of the bad habit soloing with the head down into the tackle.
Tubber 5/1 to win the Connacht final. I can’t ever recall a Mayo senior champion playing at home in a Connacht final to be such long odds but i suppose with the way/manner of Corofin’s win at the weekend and Tubbers labored wins against two average teams from Leitrim and Sligo is it any surprise?
I was surprised at the rumours that Brian Reape wasn’t included in the panel because he seems to have the qualities we need up front – the ability to win his own ball, the strength to hold off his man and the sharpness to kick goals and points. I think he is a very good footballer and others whose whose opinion I would trust regard him highly as well. That said he now needs to step up and prove himself against intercounty defenders. A poster here recently criticised those of us advocating the idea of giving Brian Reape a chance by saying that we were placing him somewhere between Andy Moran and David Clifford. No! All I ever said is that he is good enough to get a chance to play with and against the best for a while and then lets see how good he actually is. It’s now up to him and I am delighted that James Horan has included him and indeed a couple of other top forwards.
As Mike Finnerty’s piece in the Mayo News this week confirms, the group that James and his selectors have selected (which, by the way, the paper doesn’t publish in full) is no more than a provisional, open-ended training panel, to which names may be added and from which some players may be dropped between now and the start of next year’s League campaign. Maybe now people will see that it’s time to relax for the off-season and stop making judgments (often ill-informed) about who’s in and who’s out and why they’re in or out.
Sorry Willie Joe – can’t relax on this one. Why are the Mayo News so coy about listing the players? They publish 3 (O’Donoghue, Reape, Diskin), and then leave us hanging.
Knowing panel names and making team and positional speculations is what keeps us going in the off season, even if it is open ended. And for example if a number of currnent fringe players are not included in an open ended panel, that in itself is telling us something.
I dunno, I don’t see the merit of everything having to be done in clear view. Collective training resumes tonight and James and his selectors have a bit over two months to get a League panel in place. I’d be more than content to let them off in their endeavours without subjecting to forensic analysis every new development that’s rumoured to be happening. As far as I’m concerned there are plenty more interesting things than that to be doing in the off-season.
Best to call it trials resumes as collective training in the eyes of HQ is not allowed for Mayo until the 15th.
high and low its willie joe. great work willie joe keep it up
The Mayo News and Connaught Telegraph seem to be reporting the same details as regards new mayo training panel.It is to be a open ended panel with players possibly being added or released before start of league.Player’s not included from last season’s squad include Michael Hall,Shane Nally,Danny Kirby,Barry Moran(retired), Tom Parsons(injury),Conor O Shea and Neil Douglas.Cian Hanley has had knee surgery and may come into the reckoning after recovery in the new year.The provisional squad seems to contain 47 names.
Goalkeepers:
David Clarke(Ballina),Rob Hennelly(Breaffy)and Micheal Schlingerman(Kiltimagh).
Defenders:Chris Barrett(Belmullet),David Drake(Ballaghaderreen),Ben Doyle(Westport),Brendan Harrison(Aghamore),Caolan Crowe(Garry more),Ger Cafferkey(Ballina),Eoin O Donoghue(Belmullet),Keith Higgins(Ballyhaunis),Brian Murphy(Ballintubber),Lee Keegan(Westport), James McCormack(Claremorris),Cian Burke(Ardnaree),Stephen Coen(Hollymount),Colm Boyle(Davitts),Donal Vaughan(Castlebar),Paddy Durcan(Castlebar),Michael Plunkett(Ballintubber),Cathal Horan(Kilmovee).
Midfielders:Jason Gibbons(Ballintubber), Seamus O Shea(Breaffy),Mikey Murray(Ballina),Diarmuid O Connor(Ballintubber),Matthew Ruane(Breaffy),Fionn McDonagh(Westport).
Forwards:Kevin McLoughlin(Knockmore),James Kelly(Belmullet),Fergal Boland(Aghamore),Aidan O Shea(Breaffy),Ryan O Donoghue(Belmullet), Tommy Conroy(Kiltane),Jason Doherty(Burrishoole),James Durcan(Castlebar),Oisin McLaughlin (Westport), Aidan O Sullivan(The Neale),Colm Moran(Westport), Conor Loftus(Crossmolina),Ciaran Treacy(Ballina),Evan Regan(Ballina),Cillian O Connor(Ballintubber), Conor Diskin(Claremorris),James Carr(Ardagh),Brian Reape(Moy Davitts),Andy Moran(Ballaghaderreen) and Darren Coen(Hollymount).
Interesting panel – a bit different to Ah Ref’s leak, but not by much.
Surprise omissions for me, allowing for openendedness: Cunniffe, Akram, Paddy O’Malley, Lambert.
Think Horan has all the Best Forwards there at his disposal now bar Jack Reilly from Charlestown and Peter Naughton from Knockmore.Both players have great ability and are comfortable kicking with both feet,maybe just need to get better on the Strength and conditioning side of things.
Yeah, Ive heard a lot of good things about Jack Reilly. Ive not seen him play though. Good to see Tommy Goals back.
No sign of Irwin.
Tommy Conroy Neale is promising. Is he u20 again in 2019, does anyone know?
Finally, good to see confirmation that the Grim Reaper is on board – hopefully he can scythe down some opposition in 2019 😉
@Mayonaze, Tommy Conroy The Neale is U20 again in 2019.
Did Liam Irwin tog out for London this year? If so, there might be some weird rule that they can’t include him in a ‘squad’ until the calendar year has elapsed? I could be way off the mark here, but the GAA can have some odd rules at the best of times, that said he may not be involved or on the radar at all. I hope he is, he can be a serious talent.
Liam Irwin was brought on as a sub for London against Sligo and Louth this summer. At least 23 of that above 47 will be on Horan’s strongest match day 26 if fit and available for selection so basically it doesn’t leave many spots open for any new players to stake their claim.
@Mayonaze, I counted 16 players very likely to be in the match day 26. Several players form has dipped both young and older.
@JP Match day 26 for the FBD or NFL perhaps but highly unlikely for the championship as Horan will be sticking with a lot of his tried and trusted players but i’m only talking about year one and should Horan stay for the 4 years as agreed he will oversee a lot of retirements of some of the best players that has played for Mayo for decades who will leave big boots to fill. As the saying goes, you won’t know how good they were until they are gone.
There is a huge gap between being a sub for London and part of a Mayo squad – at least I hope that there is. If not were goosed. I know Irwin is a potentially huge talent but has he the committment to use that talent. Where is he based now, – London or Ireland? He has a choice to make. It’s not like the bad old days – emigration is not forced on people in 2018 due to lack of work opportunities.
Anyone know what age is Brian Murphy?
Brian Murphy is 25.
Any thoughts on the omission of 3 Ballagh players – all name checked by JH in his interview?
Cian Hanley injured.
Sharoize close to the panel might come back in.
Seamus Cunniffe fine for club, but I think people have been willing for him to be the full back choice. Seemed a bit hampered in his sprinting. Has good timing, but I noticed for a taller guy he has some clipped choppy sprint. Didn’t seem as pronounced at u21. Second half versus Breaffy he was coming back to tackle Aidan OShea, just looked a hampered kind of sprint gait. Choppy.
He’s done fine at club but I think for instance John Casey went overboard, as if we had the second coming of prime Kevin Cahill or David Heaney. Just hasn’t seemed dominant enough or called enough ball on himself in my view.
People have been willing typo* gave/have
Thanks JP – feel JH himself could hardly give as in-depth an assessment!
As regard the 3 Ballagh players.I don’t think Seamus Cunniffe attended the trials.Sharoize Akram I’m surprised he’s not included at this stage considering his versatility and pace.Cian Hanley I believe will be brought in when he’s made a full recovery from knee surgery.
REDCOL- I’d say South Mayo players had more than 50/50 chance.
North
Enda Conlon Bonniconlon
Oisin Carolan Crossmolina
Ryan Connolly Kilcommon
Niall Feeney Ballina
Frank Irwin Ballina
Sean Irwin Kilcommon
Matthew Langdon-Long Killala
Thomas Leonard Ballina
Luke Maughan Killala
Rory Morrin Ballina
Mickey Murphy Lahardane
Shea O’Donoghue Belmullet
Evan Reape Knockmore
Dylan Thornton Ballina
Mark Tighe Kilcommon
South
Mairtin Carr Tourmakeady
Robbie Finnerty Ballintubber
Stephen Gill Claremorris
Eoin Gilrane Ballinrobe
Ethan Henry Mayo Gaels
Sean Hession Ballinrobe
Luke Jennings Ballinrobe
Michael Keane The Neale
Ruairi Keane Mayo Gaels
Joe Lydon Hollymount / Carrowmore
Kyle Munroe Kilmaine
Cian O’Connell Ballinrobe
Gavin O’Haire The Neale
Lee Tolan Jennings Ballinrobe
Niall Treacy Davitts
Conn, there was no South Mayo Representative on the management team with the North / South Team. There was one Claremorris player on a 29 man panel. There was 11 players in total that play football in South Mayo on a 29 man panel
Conn
Tourmakeady and Ballintubber are in the West Mayo division.
The 2 South Mayo schools St Colmans Claremorris and Ballinrobe Community school are both playing Senior A schools football while tge whole of North Mayo does not have one school in the A championship.As far as I know St Muredachs Ballina are a B college.So it’s hard to understand why South Mayo don’t have more players.
Before I weight in here I would like to know and maybe JP has the answer what happened with the U17 Regional/Divisional Cup it was usually played at the backend of the year gearing up for the following years minors, with the change in grade has this been abandoned or has it been replaced with an U16 version
Chris
Ballina has been poor at underage for a number of years but have a very strong U15 and U16 group coming through believe they won the A grade this year in both, There was a few of the players listed on the Mayo U17s this year Frank Irwin Ballina and Keane and Henry from Mayo Gaels. Usually college teams are 18 and 19 year olds and you have to win the B to gain promotion, might be another few years before we see muredachs at the big table. Hard to judge U16s on what the seniors are doing. I believe Claremorris we’re competing at B level at U16 which for the size of the club be allowed. Don’t believe in this alphabet championship where big clubs enter to win finals against the real small clubs. Hats off to clubs like Eastern gaels and Kilmovee who are always punching above there weight
Who are the north mayo managers of this underage team
Mayo North / South John Brogan & Declan Sweeney Knockmore Eanna Casey Ballina
Mayo East / West Sean Deane & Marty Mc Nicholas Breaffy Gary Ruane Moy Davitts
No complaints about any of these lads, all giving up their time to improve Mayo football. It is the the geographical spread which is of concern.
Claremorris contested the 2018 Under 16 A Final.
@mayo messi I think it was minor that Claremorris were in the B championship this year which surprised me considering they are usually very strong at underage grades
Was anyone at minor trials today? Who did well? Will under 17s be strong this year wj when does under 17 start
Redcol You can have a team in A final and still not have more than one or 2 county grade players. Knockmore won minor 1 league with 10 of starting 15 minor again next year yet only one had look in at county set up (rightly or wrongly). The U15 team got to A final V Ballina. And U16 won div 2 league and competed well A championship. Yet as you see from list Conn provided just 1 knockmore even with 2 Knockmore men in charge.
REDCOL, Chris Kelly,
For the purpose of the Ted Webb only, Tourmakeady and Ballintuber are part of the south. I’m guessing this is due to the current underage strength in the west (Westport, Castlebar & Breaffy)
No idea why there were not more Claremorris players involved. Perhaps they didn’t attend the trial matches, perhaps they didnt play well enough if they did go. Maybe some were not in position to accept a place in the panel for whatever reason.
In my view, the club the player or management some from should have no bearing of their involvement with a county set up. Surely it should be down to their desire to play for Mayo in the players case or in managements case, their determination to improve the quality supply of players and people to adult level as well as their coaching & management ability