Over three weeks have passed since Mayo’s Connacht semi-final loss to Roscommon and there’s been plenty of introspection since then on the causes and consequences of that unexpected reversal. Having now been paired with Down in Round 2 of the qualifiers, however, it’s time to shift the focus towards what lies ahead and the challenge that awaits us in Newry the weekend after next.
In this episode of the Mayo News football podcast we provide some first thoughts on our upcoming meeting with Down. Co-hosts Rob Murphy and I get the episode going, starting with some thoughts about the late, great Pádraig Carney, whose death was announced on Sunday, before the chat turns towards the qualifier draw and our pairing with the Mourne County.
Next we get some intelligence on the opposition, as Rob catches up with Billy Joe Padden, who lives a short distance from Newry and so is well positioned to provide some good insights on Down and the challenge they’ll pose for us. Then we hear from Down manager Paddy Tally, who spoke with Óisín Langan of BBC Radio Ulster after his team’s Round 1 qualifier victory over Tipperary on Sunday.
Then we’re off to the Mayo News HQ in Westport, where Mike Finnerty and Ger Flanagan give an update on the latest team news, as well as an overview of what’s in this week’s edition of the paper. It’s an edition, by the way, that includes a wonderful elegy to Pádraig Carney penned by Mayo News columnist Seán Rice.
Rounding off this week’s episode Mike catches up with ex-Monaghan player Paul Finlay who gives his thoughts about the championship to date, as well as how Mayo are positioned as the county seeks to get another run through the qualifiers underway.
This latest episode of the Mayo News football podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes, SoundCloud, Podomatic and Spotify. You can also listen to it directly on the Mayo News website as well as here on the blog, using the SoundCloud player below or the one on the panel on the right.
The Mayo News football podcast’s championship coverage this summer is proudly sponsored by J Streicher. “When it absolutely, positively has to be financed on Wall St.” Visit our website at www.jstreicher.eu.
7pm throw in on Saturday 22nd in Newry. A fuckin disgrace, the GAA showing no regard for the travelling mayo fans as usual who won’t get home until 2am being optimistic. Game should have been a 2pm or 4pm throw in at the latest!
Is that 7 pm time fixed or can it be changed for possible TV coverage?
It seems strange that our game and the Monaghan Armagh game are both on at 7 pm on Saturday. That’s the same time as the Cork Kerry Munster final, which is being shown live on RTE.
I assumed Sky would show a qualifier at 5 pm, which would rule out the 2 top looking qualifier games (ours and Monaghan/Armagh).
WJ, 7pm throw in is very disappointing to say the least, long journeys for fans from all over Mayo, the Mayo team will be OK, they will overnight somewhere close enough to park Esler I’d say & do what ever they have to do. They have to tear into Down from the very start because Down will start very lively indeed, Mayo to win by 1 or 2 points
Effing disgrace, expecting Mayo fans to travel home from Newry after a 7 pm match on Saturday. I presume that Mayo Co Board have accepted this only as a fait accompli, they surely did not accept it totally willingly. But the Croke Park powers know that Mayo would not push the issue to the point of not turning up, unlike Kildare last year.
Interesting to see Kildare this year drawn to go to Belfast with a c. 2500 ground capacity. Of course they haven’t played a championship game at home for years, like Kildare last year. But will Croke Park be pushed around as they were by Kildare last year? And will the Dublin media support Antrim as they did Kildare last year? Will other Ulster counties/Ulster Council support Antrim?
Why would Antrim need any support? They’ve got their game at home right?
Mayo game must be down for tv coverage on sky. I can think of no other reason for the 7pm throw in.
Anyway that’s the nature of the qualifiers, just have to suck it up and get on with it.
Down v Meath in Croke Park at 2 in tne Christy Ring Final is the reason for late throw in for Newry. Allows officials from Down attend both games.
If the hurling in Croker is really the reason, then schedule the game on Sunday afternoon instead. Would make things a lot easier on folks travelling.
At first I thought the time was chosen to be on TV but the Munster Final is on a 7pm so Sky must be showing the Longford/Tyrone match. So this time makes even less sense. Don’t know what they are thinking.
MAYO will beat down on saturday week no matter what time the match is on at .our job is just to be there at the appointed time to cheer on and support the team. I HOPE THIS IS ALLOWED but i want to highlight mayo minors are playing galway minors on friday evening .the losers of this game will be out of the connacht minor championship.i think game in on in ballina but it could be in castlebar .mayo have not won a connacht minor since 2014.it is imperative mayo minors have good support at this game, we lost to sligo last time out.IT should be a great minor match and this mayo minor team need a big mayo support with lots of flags ,jerseys and a loud vocal support to carry the day.the match is on in 3 days time so get ready for friday evening.
Confirmed Sky will be showing one of the 7pm kick offs. My guess it will be the Mayo match.
Alan Kenny – Confirmed where?
7 o clock throw in makes no sense, Sky will hardly want a clash with the Munster final that evening? I wonder will the Sunday Game do a segment on the Mayo fans travelling 4 and half hours in some cases on a Saturday evening to Newry like they did for the Dubs on their horrific 41min train journey to Portlaoise a few weeks ago, god love them…….
In fairness Ger Bohan has explained why the throw in is at 7 – to accommodate Down supporters who will be attending the Christy sting final earlier in the day.
Mayo mgt team and players prob don’t want a Sunday game with the possibility of a 6 day turnaround to the next game.
@jimbo the minor (U17) game is in MacHale park with a 7:30 throw in. The group is so tight and no team will be out if they lose. A semi final for 2nd and 3rd in the group this year lets not forget. Last year the top two in the final reached the final.
Sky have confirmed Mayo game won’t be televised by Sky
https://twitter.com/ruaidhrioconnor/status/1138489039714246656?s=21
Mayo Down game will not be televised it has been announced by Sky. Anyone know any good Hotels up around Newry??
TH try the Carrickdale Hotel its 15 mins drive from Newry and just off the Dublin to Belfast motorway
Mayo will always get an occasional midnight throw in as long as the thousands of Mayo fans flock to the gates.
We would be almost guaranteed never to have a late throw in again if the fans decided not to travel to a couple of these late throw ins. Gate receipts wield more power than any county board.
Having said that, the mayo fans haven’t got it in their hearts not to go to support the team.
I know other teams had to make it to Castlebar for 7pm throw ins and I think Galway v Dublin hurling is at 7pm in Parnell park so I don’t think it’s altogether a pick on Mayo situation. It is however a long long haul and the 7pm throw in doesn’t help matters at all.
What about GAAGO,? or have they games scheduled for coverage, already on that evening?
@Revellino,… might as well call a ‘Shovel a Shovel’…. It’s all to do with money, having Half strangled one Golden Goose, the Leinster Football Championship, these paid administrator’s of the GAA are trying and succeeding in ‘Milking’ another Golden Goose the huge and loyal diaspora that is collectively called ‘Mayo Supporter’s’ for years… A few years ago, the CCCC came up with Croke Park as a neutral venue for Mayo V Westmeath in their final qualifer game…. so we had to drive through Westmeath and go over Fifty Miles further than the county we were playing against, the mind boggles, it’s hardly the case that the CCCC wanted us to see more of the ‘Epic East’ …. Apologies in advance for my very un PC onservations, and mixing metaphor’s …. Probably not right to write ‘Milking a Golden Goose, you don’t ‘Milk a Golden Goose’ you ‘Pluck It’… and it’s definitely not RIGHT to write , ‘WRITE’ and ‘RIGHT’ in the same sentence .
It’s bad all right, but it must have been tough on Derry 3 years ago having to play at 7pm in Castlebar.
Fair play to Joe Brolly. HE travelled!
Ger Bohan is in all likelihood correct on his reasoning for the late throw in for the game. If Down is anything like Mayo then the crossover of officials between hurling and football would be minimum. With that reasoning the CCCC has decided that their priority is a half dozen officials over the players and the thousands of supporters. Some animals are clearly more equal than others. Hats off to the large crowd who will undoubtedly travel, but after Limerick, Newbridge and the myriad other pipings from HQ, this old rented mule has taken one to many whippings.
Knockmore to Castlebar isn’t that long of a spin Catcol
Revellino, I haven’t missed a game in any competition in almost two years, and before that, it had probably been at least another two years. But this fan most definitely has it in her heart to not go and support the team this time around. I can’t afford the losing of the best parts of two days two days over a weekend to travel nearly four hours up the country for a 7pm throw-in and I’m not prepared to spend the money on the overnight stay because other things are now taking priority. If it had been 5pm I would probably have bitten the bullet and gone, but this is absurd and I feel for anyone with a young family who might have been looking forward to the game.
I don’t think it’s necessarily a selective shitting on Mayo fans, but I do think it’s typical of the GAA’s contempt for grassroots in general. I’m not outraged, not being able to attend a game isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I’m just annoyed and disappointed as I hate missing games and I would love to be there to support the lads, but on balance I’ll be keeping my money in my pocket this time around and let the GAA shove it. If they see attendances and gate receipts start to drop among Mayo fans – who they clearly regard as sure things – it might at the very least give them some food for thought.
Others elsewhere have made the point that we have no problem travelling to Kerry or Dublin for a 7pm throw-in. It’s a very legitimate point but those games are fixed months ahead of time, giving fans plenty of time to plan and budget. (I for one after the last few outings have no plans to travel to Croke Park to see Mayo play Dublin at 7pm ever again). And as for the ones saying “ye had no problem travelling to New York” that one was five years in the planning, not 1.5 weeks and the trip to Newry is nearly as long as the flight! 😉
Mid West Radio it’ll have to be this time around … and maybe a few beers … and hopefully a better fixture to look forward to afterwards.
Mayo Ladies are playing in Galway in the Connacht Final in MacHale Park on Sunday 23rd so for anyone not travelling they could certainly do with our support.
Stop the moaning please.If its not the venue its the time or ref or size of pitch.Get on with it& please no more Mayo for Sam bull.
The moaning is embarassing. Always an issue and an excuse.
Either get behind the team or don’t. We are entering a bear pit against a real traditional county who can show up on a given day. This is no gimmie. When things get sticky are you with the lads or sitting on your arse at home?
This is the time when real support is needed.
I’m with you Anne-Marie. It’s a bridge too far,too late and just not feasible. I actually need time to rest after a hard week at work and will have to tune in to mid-west. Hoping that Mayo win and we get a better time for the next round. Fair play to all who will and can travel. You are amazing. Thank you!
I’m sitting on my arse at home Ger Bohan. You’re absolutely right that this is no gimme despite the rather bizarre complacency I’ve seen elsewhere (they’re Division 3, we should beat them no bother – really?!) and this game could go any way. But I’ve been there 99% of the time over the past decade when things have been sticky and if you have too, fair play to you. This one is a bridge too far for me and I’m not any less of a “real supporter” for not being able to make it work.
Why not 2pm on Sunday? One other qualifier fixed for that time.
Ann Marie that’s the most sensible post I’ve read for a long time and I’m also with you Mo Direach some
Of us have to commute every day to work and by Friday evening the batteries need serious re charging. I think the Gaa should have been a bit fairer and put the game on at the very latest 5 pm. Spare a thought for people
From Erris and Belmullet traveling to Newry it’s another full hour or more from Castlebar or Ballina to travel and not to mention the expense and with the Government trying to close their hospital God help them if they’re feeling under the weather after such a long journey. Good for you Jr to say stop moaning and get on with i think that’s half the problem in Mayo we don’t do enough moaning we just accept everything that’s thrown at us
The moaning is refreshing actually Ger.
Why shouldn’t people have the right to complain about been dragged all over the country especially for late kick offs.
To begin with the game could easily be organised for somewhere midway between the 2 counties preferably with a 2pm throw in and a 10 euro entrance fee.
It’s unfair to say that this has anything to do with not supporting the team.
Why should Anne-Marie or anybody else for that matter have to spend 2 days, a wallet full of cash on accomodation and then shovel out to get in to the game ?
We are as Leantimes put it, the golden goose, and we are complete geese if we keep travelling for late throw ins to every corner of the country.
I’ll be tuning in for the game. I cannot afford the expense and I will not be dragged all over the country to start in to a 5 hour journey at 9 o’clock at night.
You might have the money and the time on your hands Ger and that’s fantastic and I hope you have a great evening but don’t think for one second that it makes you a bigger or better fan than someone that cannot make the journey.
I think there is a game scheduled for Nephin in December. We will be playing uphill in the 1st half and downhill in the 2nd.
I think the entrance fee is only €200 if you get your ticket early.
Will you be at that one too ?
Unfair to insinuate that people aren’t real supporters if they can’t or don’t want to travel.
It will be a trek to make it to this match. A long journey, which will probably involve an overnight stay for some. For many people, this is simply not affordable. For people with young families, it’s likely not feasible. For older folks, it’s exhausting.
It’s indicative of the kind of contempt the GAA show to supporters in general (apart from the boys in blue, of course). They think and know that Mayo supporters will go anywhere and do anything in support of the team and they exploit this.
Derry did not play Mayo at 7pm in Castlebar Catcol but I would be prepared to fix a game at midnight if I thought it was too late for brolly and that he might be in bed. Seriously I do think 7pm is far too late in Newry for Mayo fans. Their games last year v Limerick and Tipp, long journeys but not as far as Newry were played earlier on the Saturday evenings.
Can ye just get over it?? Its 7pm end of. If people are luck enough to work a Mon to Fri job ye should have no complaints. Spare a thought for Mayo fans who might work 24/7 shift work, an at times beg borrow and steal to get a match day off work.
You know and we all know, that we Mayo Supporter’s are taken for granted, have been for years, but there is a limit to what any Supporter’s can be expected to endure…. Despite the rubbish we heard from the ‘Director of Communication’s’ of the GAA, that it had absolutely nothing to do with money, the reason the CCCC wanted the Kildare and Mayo to play in Croke Park was all to do with money…. And the Kildare and Irish Public all knew this…. Sure they even went so far as to suggest that there would be ‘Fighting’ in the streets of Newbridge if Mayo and Kildare fan’s met…. Some statement from the director of Communication’s!… That very same ‘Director of Communication’s’ was not as forthcoming in his communication, when directly asked by RTE’s Brian Carty as to what his renumeration was! … Strange that don’t you think?…..As for moaning, hand’s up, Méa Culpa …. I done a bit of moaning on this Blog, before the Roscommon Match, about sectioning off a section of the Stand in Mchale Park for VIP’s /Politicians…. I can’t say that my rantings had anything to do with it… But there was NO area sectioned off for the privlidged few, for the Mayo Roscommon Match… I was in the stand an hour an half before throw in and thankfully I seen no such Exclusive VIP, where ‘ordinary’ fan’s were excluded from, thankfully, one less thing for me to give out about….. But when did that happen in Castlebar before?….
As somebody from Mayo that lives here in Dublin, I know a good bit about long car journeys.
The big games are always in Croker, Mayo supporters like their Kerry and Donegal counterparts will always have to make that long trek to see their team.
The Dubs will always hold the advantage as Croker is a home game for them.
I agree that the 7pm kick off is ridiculous in Newry, even from Dublin it will be 2 hrs drive back home.
We are where we are, this is what happens with the qualifiers. Need to beat Down in the 1st half and not leave the margin close going into the last 10 minutes.
The New York trip seemed to take a lot out of the players, I expect a big improvement on Saturday night.
Ger Bohan I am with you on this one. The moaning is embarrassing alright. More akin to a playground than a football supporters forum. I want to shout out loud for out League Champions and I want everyone in Newry to hear me, win, loose, or draw. If this is not what you want then be content with something else.
Revellino – Nobody has to spend 2 full days or a wallet full of cash on accommodation. Majority of Mayo supporters can leave home at lunch time and be home before 1.
This is the shit show the qualifiers brings.
What happened – We’re Mayo and we’re in this together?
Lose this game and we are firmly part of the pack of mediocre teams that are going nowhere. Two years in a row and the talk of ageing legends and glory days over will come to pass. Win and the transition to a new team can ease forward and we can put it all on the line again a week later and a week after that.
It seems the fight is finally disappearing and the white feather is being shown on and off the pitch. Do we want to go back to what we were?
I aggreed 100% with Anne Marie, it is a total disregard for Mayo travelling supporters to fix a game with a travel time of 3 and a half to 4 hrs from most parts of the county for a 7 pm throw in.
Not being pedantic here, but Gaelic games have throw-ins not kick offs.
Between Golden Geese and White Feathers my nose is beginning to tickle a little bit.
The support is great at the games Ger, but in fairness the fighting has to take place on the pitch.
Whether there are 10,000 mayo fans or 250 mayo fans it doesn’t change the challenge. The team have to go out and beat Down not the supporters.
@Ger Bohan, with respect the phrase ‘White Feather’s’ dosent belong to the language of the Gael….be sure not to be heard singing any song with those words in Páirc Esler, If you are there!
It’s a poor show to put it on at that time in fairness. But shur that’s the time now , we have to get on with it. Wouldn’t hold it against any supporter if they decided to leave this one , I’ll be there that’s all that matters . I’m a bit gutted I won’t get the chance to watch Munster final on TV though , have a sneaky feeling could be a cracker with the result not as clear cut as we are lead to believe .
@ Leantimes – There was a roped off section in the middle of the stand. I know this because several people with crutches who came up the lift tried to sit there as it was close to the lift and all the other seats were gone. A steward came up and asked them to move. They explained why they were sitting near the lift. The steward then came across the aisle to me and asked me to move so they could sit in my seat. Despite my two hours of warming my seat up, I was happy to move.
In general, they should actually reserve a few seats near the lift entrance for such an occasion.
@Digit’s… I didn’t notice a roped off section… Sorry to hear that that this Bastion of Privilege still exists… …. Should have known better than expect different…. I looked and didn’t see any section… I was sitting directly behind the Roscommon Subs bench, for almost two hours before throw in….It was very good of you to move to ?accommodate the people with crutches…Why on Earth should the Connacht Council or indeed Mayo GAA put some people on a pedestal above other’s is beyond me…. I personally know some of the steward’s regularly in attendance in Mchale Park, decent people volunteering ?their time and service for free, and are often embarrassed by asking people to move…. But instructions are coming from on high from people who are not doing anything for free…. I guess I am an ‘Egaleterian’ at heart, and this Lepord will not be changing it’s spot’s any time soon….Many Year’s ago, In the Spring 1986, a gang of Teenagers went myself included went to Croke Park on the Train for a National Football League Game V Dublin in Croke Park…. The old Hogan Stand, sure we were all too young to be served in a Public House or anything like that, so nothing else for it only to be in the Lower Hogan hour’s before the Match…. And back then there was a VIP section, roped off so we decided that we would all sit in the VIP section….To tell you the truth, far from the best place to sit, because these padded seat’s were actually quite damp to sit on, but for us it was a bit of a thrill ….We were the only ones there until shortly before throw in, and a the VIP section was pretty full, Half of the People were Priest’s, back in the day’s when priest’s were dressed as Priest”s… Well they weren’t too long, until one or two of the Priests was quite vocal in his condemnation of us, I can still remember the words ‘Cheeky Pup’s and Cur’s, how dare us sit in the VIP section… I was far from the bravest and inclined to move, but my mate despite being a year or two younger than me, was in no mood to move, and of course he was right… The next thing that happened, was that this particularly irrate Priest sent for a Gaurd to shift us, and sure enough this young Gaurd came down and asked us to shift… and winking at us at the same time, to stay there if wanted….There was one fellow with us, who was a few years older than us, and to say the least he was as big as Two men put together…He asked the Gaurd if he any intention of trying to put us out…. No said the Gaurd when he copped the size of this guy, not that he had any intention of trying to move us in the first place… Well I’m sure that anyone who ever went to a football match, often heard a few expletives …. usually directed at the Ref or the Player’s, well those men of the cloth certainly heard one or two expletives that afternoon in Croke Park, and they weren’t directed at the Ref or the Player’s either.