Photo: Sportsfile/Piaras O Midheach
It was confirmed a bit earlier on this afternoon that Meath’s David Gough will ref Saturday’s replay. The Dublin-based official took charge of this year’s Connacht final and he was also the man in the middle in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Kerry.
The last time we’ve come across him was in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Tyrone. I know I was a bit exercised about some of his decisions that day – what’s new, says you? – but it needs to be acknowledged that he’s one of the better refs on the circuit. From the point of view of both teams he’s a sensible choice for Saturday’s rematch.
I’m happy with that appointment.
Ya grand ..he won’t win or lose the match for us ..good ref
Good ref, very good, I think. But, we need to be careful. He’s a man to flash the cards and has no difficulty in dishing out the blacks. That should suit us, if we hold our discipline.
Very please with the appointment. For me he is the best and fairest referee around.
Hmm…not so sure. We haven’t had much luck from meath ref’s…and I hope to hell we arent back here sat evening pulling our hair out after some woeful decisions against us (again!).
Anyway, hopefully the ref doesnt influence the outcome of the result and if we are good enough and if it’s meant to be, then we’ll prevail.
So much conflicting opinions on what happened yesterday… I think a few days wind down are much needed for all of us, supporters, players, management…time to recharge the batteries cos we’ll need every ounce of energy in 5 days time.
Can anyone recommend any good spots to watch the match in London? Thanks. Preferably Mayo-leaning establishments. Unfortunately I’ll be missing this one.
Pluses and minuses from yesterday. I wouldn’t hammer management for the Aidan O’Shea move. Donaghy would have influenced the match either way and I’d agree that as much as anything, curbing his aerial threat doused a lot of Kerry’s psychological fire and if Rochford moved him it really would also have significantly shifted momentum to Kerry in this way. Given our history with them this would have been huge. We need to trust and stick with them folks… team AND management.
I’d be more annoyed about the two incredibly silly turnovers that led to the goals. I haven’t watched the match back but on first glance I thought Aidan should have got a hand to that one on the cusack sideline.. even palm the ball back into play and gather it then. But fair enough if it was out of his reach. The pass did him no favours. If he wins that ball he’s the driving down the wing… attacking in their half. Easy to be critical in hindsight.
And regarding Seamie’s turnover we were just simply stretched defensively. It was needless, careless and happens him far too frequently. After that first goal Donaghy goaded and jeered in Aidan’s face. Seamie take note when handling the ball again.
We need to break several well established Mayo patterns: failing to press home advantages and lacking killer instinct against Kerry and Dubs. It just takes the extra leap of faith from the lads to do this… i.e. The 3rd missed goal yesterday, our chance near the end when we had a surge in momentum on field and in the crowd (before Sheehan’s free). Even Toms chance of goal.. even though at the time I was happy he took his point.
Crucially we need to approach this replay not as the underdog. Keith Barr described it well on the Marty Squad yesterday. We’re always the bridesmaid in the replay against the top teams but we have the ability and power to go and end this. It remains a mental thing more than anything. Kerry are beatable for sure and a lot will lie in our attitude and approach.
Thats the best ref appointment for us. He is fair and pulls for fouls.
liberal role in the tie – I’ve never been in the place but the Oxford Arms in Camden Town (who sponsor the Mayo News podcast) would probably be a good place to watch it, if that’s anyway close to where you’ll be over there. The owner Tom Maloney is a staunch Mayo GAA man so it fits the bill as a Mayo-leaning establishment too.
I was in Croke Park yesterday and the level of abuse (vulgur, discriminatory to women terms) screamed at the referee by a few people around me was really out of line. I get as excited as the next person but some people don’t know how to control themselves. Particularly when children are around, I think it sets a really bad example. I would like to think that these people could be asked to calm down but in reality they are way too intimidating. Takes the fun out of it for me. Thoughts? Hope this comment is not against blog rules.
Yea Willie Joe, Oxford Arms is Mayo Mad….though the Maloney family will probably be in Croker on Saturday!.We had a great couple of nights there last year for the Mayo/London game.
Thanks for that WJ – sounds perfect. Staying near Hyde Park but will definitely make the trip there to Camden. I had forgotten about the Oxford Arms sponsoring of the podcast. Ticks all the boxes!
Priceless photo of AOS and Donaghy with Seamus in the background being checked for concussion but those guys are too much like buddies for my liking!!
I am still hoarse after yesterday. serious game.i thought we had won it and lost i about four times.We should have won it .I hope we will have the same support on saturday as it is a working day for a lot of people.I would encourage employers to let their employees go to the match because the presence of supporters is so important.let the supportorters redouble our efforts and go and win the game on saturday.I THOUGHT THE SUPPORTERS WERE BRILLANT ON SUNDAY.
?Definition of insanity (doing the same thing and expecting different results) has been levelled at #mayogaa for years. No longer the case under Stephen Rochford!!?
are tickets for sale yet?
are tickets for sale yet?
mayomac, stay at home, if your not willing to roar your team on. You can turn down the volume on the telly and let the kids play. Your not a season ticket holder who has travelled the length and breath of this country supporting Mayo. Remember Horan commenting on how quiet the fans were in one of the finals. I am a fan who gives it their all, and I wont be silenced by a supposed fan who thinks we should be all quiet. It wont be a lack of my support that wont get our lads over the line. Roll on the replay. Maigh Eo Abu.
I dot buy into the opinion at all that Mayo ‘had it won several times’. That’s just nonscence. We had the better of the first half but it wasn’t reflected on the board. Kerry got the only goal in the 2nd half which a normally a real morale booster.
Had we thrown away a 4/5 point lead with ten mins to go but we didn’t. We were the ones chasing it at the end and ust about scraped another day out. On a dry day Sheehan kicks that over the bar.
Ask yourself this: how would Mayo have felt if we had been a point up with a minute on the clock and conceded a leveller and then have a free to win it but miss. We’d be gutted.
mayomanindublin – there’s no need for that. Different people provide support for the team in different ways and all support is needed. As someone who roared a few choice phrases at Deegan yesterday myself (and, yes, there were a few kids in earshot too) I can appreciate why mayomac could be less than impressed by such behaviour. I can’t guarantee, though, that I’ll be any better behaved in that regard the next day either.
James Fleming – tickets are on sale, I posted a link to the details from Mayo GAA on ticketing earlier on. That link is here.
Gough has been pretty good anytime i’ve seen him.
Deegan failure to give us a stonewall free out yesterday when ODonghue pushed over Barret could easily have resulted in a goal where it was and ending up lwith us losing the match because of it
Mayomanindub, I think mayomac was commenting on the language being used not the level of vocal support. I’m not one to shy away from saying things to the ref but I go to the terrace. I think in the seats you’ve more of an obligation to mind your words. But stadiums on a day like yesterday get heated. The most chilled out and mannerly individuals can completely change and I know from following Mayo for the past 35 years, religiously, that the pure want now for success is so raw that sometimes this overrides the necessity to curb ones language! When you’re bringing kids to a massive game like that it’s something you’ll always have.
Just re watched the game.
Thought Kerry edged the second half and were wasteful in posssssion/shooting moreso than us.
Looking forward to how we set up on Saturday. They will likely employ a sweeper to patch up their full back line. Expect to see Sean O Se or another bolter too.
Would love to see Nally personally coming on. Id back him to pull the trigger all day long. Up Mayo
@ Alf Stewart. Agree. Be great to see Nally coming on in 2nd half. Serious left boot on him.
Absolutely recommend the Oxford Arms – you’ll get a warm welcome there and the crowd will only be shouting for one team!
Agreed no need for vulgar language, have done myself in the past & always feel a bit embarrassed afterwards. Also come on folks let’s save the ‘dedicated fan’ nonsense, you don’t have to be in the ground to be a supporter
Terrible decision to put AOS in as FB yesterday, he was all at sea. This coupled with taking off Boyler too early and bringing on Drake when we needed a scoring forward cost us the game. It was there to be won. We have the team to win Sam, needs to be matched with a winning team on the line!
+1 on the Oxford Arms in Camden. If your’re up around Willesden, Maloney’s is a good spot, or Barrett’s at the top of Cricklewood Broadway, all good.
WJ, D Gough is a fair ref for the replay & He keeps an eye on cynical fouling, so there could be More free faster movement from Leeroy & Co the next day, Deegan missed a lot of Jersey tugging yesterday especially by Kerry. The full back situation Is tricky, AOS done OK there but Donaghy lost him a few times & it was costly. Aidan needs to be on the 40 & midfield area to give D Clarke another option for kick outs to set up attacks. Full back Seamus O’Shea, but who do you put in midfield with T parsons, would Barry Moran be fit enough for a spell or try K MC. Just a thought?
– Mayo should have scored at least another goal and 4 points in the first half. There was no pressure on the kickers unlike the pressure we put on for the Kerry wides
– Add in two kickouts straight over the line and two feeble shots into Kelly’s hand shows where improvements are needed.
– Need improved performances by Keegan, Kevin Mc, Leeroy, Higgins and Aido
– Actually mark Donaghy and O’Brien and start Durkan instead of Diarmuid.
– Gough will give frees for the slightest jersey tug we have to cut out the silly frees
– Kerry will move their Berlin wall back 20 metres the next day but we have the sledge hammers to break it down
-Was half joking when I mentioned a draw last week.
– We have another opportunity, take it.
Thanks for the thoughts everyone. Meant no offence. I most definitely agree that we should cheer/roar on the team in the way we did yesterday. I did that at every opportunity. Up Mayo!
Mayomac. I agree with you 100%. I am a passionate fan of Mayo football and in my time I have used exp!etives that were inappropriate to say the least. On one occasion in 1996 I was sitting in a premium seat directly behind the dugout for the Meath team where the Meath manager Boylan was sitting. When the famous shumozle broke out that involved the sending off of Liam McHale I called Boylan many names that are unrepeatable here. While I still think the whole indecent was orchestrated (paranoia?) I am not proud of my reaction. I now try to curtail my reactions with such language as ‘clown’ when I see bad decisions such as that of Deegan allowing a free to stand while brandishing a yellow for a physical assault on a Mayo player. I thought the term clown would resonate with the our younger fans listening. We must be aware of young people in the audience that will be influenced by older people’s reaction to an injustice. Keep it controlled lads. We can’t expect our heroes to be disciplined if we are not.
Very worried about Gough appointment.
Kerry will feel he owes them big time
After missing Kevin Mcs foul on crowley in the
Last minute of the Dublin/kerry match last year.
This is bound to be in the back of his mind when
the crucial calls need to be made the next day.
He will surely over comensate for that mistake.
#worried
I’ve been reading the comments from yesterday and today, 2 points I’d like to make,
1) I find it laughable to read comments critical of Rochie putting aiden at fb. Same people last week offered the very same option to mark donaghy! We have done the same thing on Donaghy the last number of times to the same result, he’s destroyed us! Aiden cut off the Ariel threat, and that worked to an extent. Barry Moran could do a similar job at some stage on Saturday to allow Aiden to move upfield.
2) as regards substitutions, no one in the forward unit could be replaced until very near the end as they all were playing brilliantly. I asked the question around me with 15 mins to go, what forward do we take off? We couldn’t as No option off the bench could have improved our attacking impetus, of our defence all bar Boyle had a defined man marking duty. We needed Durkin on so was either gonna be seamie or Boyler to come off.
I wouldn’t be too worried about that, facetheball – he can do his compensating the next time he refs Kerry/Dublin, that incident had nothing to do with us. In any event, I doubt refs think that way at all – if they did, Maurice Deegan should have given us everything yesterday after the utter hames he made of last year’s replay but there was no sign of any over-compensation favouring us in yesterday’s game.
could someone tell me how tall philly McMahon is. He must be a giant of a man because the dubs have no problem with donaghy what so ever. Surely Fitzmaurice was delighted to see Aido marking donaghy, huge problem for Kerry now wiped away. Did not matter then it was all bonus territory for donaghy and kerry if he never touched the ball. Aido would have won us minimum of two or three scorable frees if in usual position let alone everything else he offers, even with the ref we had. So disappointing we don’t play to our strengths, if Aido was causing havoc further up the field yesterday donaghy im sure would have told to go out to him and stay with him. In fairness pat and noel showed the way against Donegal few years back with Barry Moran sweeping playing in front of michael murphy which was a great tactical move that day.
Anyways the support from mayo yesterday was unreal. The constant chanting of Mayo Mayo was brilliant. What really struck me was that when the team looked doomed to lose the fans were getting louder and louder driving the team on. Typical example a middle aged lady a few rows down in front of me when going into injury time a point down, stood up and turned around to everyone her hands waving shouting Mayo Mayo come on everyone she roared with froth rolling down her mouth and on que we all started the roaring and punching the air waving flags and scarfs and whatever else we could grab. That was a moment that will stick with me for a long long time. We never bend the knee neither on the field or in the stands. Roll on Saturday.
Thanks Anne-Marie and Mayo Mick. Gutted that I’ll miss being in Croker but really looking forward to seeing it with some of our own over in London. It will be a first for me.
Was surrounded by Kerry supporters yesterday, and when they did get a few soft frees in the 1st half, we booed the decision but some continued to boo as the kick was taken, I think this is wrong and we are letting ourselves down with this stuff, personelly I didn’t hear the Kerry supporters around me booing our frees (not that we got too many!!)
Now and Again he’s 5’9″
Veteran viewer, virgin ‘voicer’. Firstly just to say fantastic job WJ. Not sure where you find the time. Totally agree re comment on the booing by Mayo supporters of Kerry frees. Uncalled for (and uncharacteristic). When I heard this, I found myself shushing like an idiot (I mean who ‘shushes’ at a gaa match – especially when opposition taking a free?). Also, this kind of behaviour only fans the notion of Mayo fans having a tendancy to whinge. If another county’s supporters did this to COC I’m sure there’d be a few choice comments posted here (and rightly so). While actual ref decisions can often be perceived as unfair and met with derisory calls, booing of the free taker in gaa is uncommon (or am I going to different games?). Also, booing a free taker of P Geaney’s ability in the positions he was kicking from, apart from being wrong, was also utterly stupid anyway. Didn’t happen too much yesterday, so let’s hope it’s not something that will take hold. Great show by the team again, but as a Mayo man living in Kerry, it would be great to keep the red and green colours flying in defiance for a few more weeks. Hon Mayo!!
Soprano, you said it, they’d nothing to boo! We got virtually no soft frees, and even blatant ones like the trip on Cillian just before HT he didn’t give us.
Facetheball, I was thinking along the same lines as you when I heard Gough got the call. I thought he gave us little last v Tyrone and it was only for Tyrone kicking it away in the final ten mins that we won! I’d feel a lot more comfortable with a ref who might not owe Kerry a favour! Remember, it’s Kerry…they tend to get the nod from most ref’s.
Soprano, I wasn’t booing myself when the Kerry free’s were being taken, but I’m all for doing whatever we have to do to win. If I still had my air-horn from ’96 I would have let her off!! We aren’t push overs anymore, and haven’t been for a long time. Theres no time left to be polite, the team know that and the supporters are just as motivated to do their bit. And if we win, who would remember what happened only the result.
How often do we get the breaks with a Meath ref……. just think about that
Ger – David Coldrick was absolutely fine in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Sure he nearly made Tommy Carr cry that day about all the decisions given against poor old Tipp and they in their first semi-final for over eighty years! Not all refs are out to get us, even if we often (with some justification) might feel that they are.
That’s in Willie Joe. We should be happy that on this occasion there is every chance we get a fair crack of the whip. Time for supporters to put energies into getting behind the team and management in every way possible. Highlight to the Kerry men in the media that it would be more in their line to ask the questions of Eamonn Fitzmaurice and his handling of his own FB line before querying Mayo management decisions.
Trevor the deafening silence as regards Kerrys weaknesses and Fitzmaurice’s decision making is baffling to me. They allow Mayo score 2.13 from play and no body questions their players or management yet it is Mayo’s decision making that is being questioned.
That debate is beginning to turn, though, Sinabhuil – John Fogarty has a good piece in today’s Irish Examiner (here) which will make uncomfortable reading in the Kerry camp.