Yesterday’s Connacht Championship opener against New York descended into something more akin to a training session well before half-time. By then all of our starting forwards – as well as the entire half-back line – had got their names on the scoresheet, with Evan Regan leading the charge in that respect.
The Ballina Stephenites forward was in flying form yesterday, contributing a handsome 1-5 to our tally in a match that we won at our ease. Evan’s total included four points confidently converted from frees.
The match programme for yesterday’s game listed Fionn McDonagh at no.10 for us, with Evan not named to start, even though he was included in the starting fifteen announced on Wednesday. It turns out the programme details weren’t correct, as Evan did, of course, line out and he went on to have a significant impact on proceedings.
So much so that he’s topped the Man of the Match poll here on the site. With voting now closed, Evan has ended up with 37% of the vote, with Fergal Boland on 20%, Aidan O’Shea on 12% and Matthew Ruane, Paddy Durcan and James McCormack all on 4%.
Congrats to Evan on his MOTM performance yesterday and to all the other lads who contributed so well to the win.
When I supported the selection of Evan Regan, a player who I had expressed doubts about in the past, and mentioned his hard luck with injuries over the past few years some posters jumped on me. Well, while I may not be right on everything 100% of the time, it seems that I was 100% right this time.
Well deserved evan I was very impressed by Fergal Boland too but in reality New York were very poor. Because they don’t get regular competitive games they are unlikely to ever win a game in the championship and one wonders then Why are they in it. It would be a pity nevertheless be cause the craic was so good all over Manhattan this past weekend that I for one will want to go again in five years time. Thanks to all those who travelled. You made it a fantastic weekend and you did the county proud. Btw one American stopped us the street and wondered if we were followers of. the Elvery brothers Up mayo
Well done to Evan Regan. He’s one who needed a good start to the campaign as he’s been around long enough now to start making an impact . He’s been desperately unlucky with injuries and it’s great to see him taking his chance. James Horan checked him in an interview afterwards, mentioning in particular his tackling.
There’s now a bit of competition up top which is really encouraging.
Well done Evan. He needs a good run and hopefully he gets it.
Well done Evan. I’m delighted for him and this performance justifies his selection to the panel.
I’ve been one who has wondered if he had already had enough chances and if there should be others ahead of him in the pecking order. Glad to be proven wrong. I hope he can continue these strong performances for the remainder of the championship.
Well done Evan, deserved man of the match now let’s see him do it against Roscommon or Leitrim an on fire Evan Regan would be a huge assets to Mayo he undoubtedly has the potential but he needs to deliver on it on a consistent basis. Fergal Boland has a good game too he’s improving with every game
Good to see Evan having a good day out, I feel he is a confidence player so this will do no harm at all. However let’s be realistic, if the O’Connors & McDonagh are fit for the semi final then Evan won’t be starting, could be a good option from the bench
Well done Evan; with JH of course, there’s no guarantee he’ll make the 26 for Roscommon.
Saw the highlights last night:
– Liked the jersey a lot. Imagine being able to see that red hoop all the way around
– Disappointed we didn’t bang in a few goals, but maybe the lads wanted to be kind to the hosts
– Wonder how Fionn McDonagh was no 10 on the programme, but not on the match-day 26
– TG4s highlights – the way to go. All the resources put into showing action and not talking heads. The Wexford/Kilkenny u17 hurling, and the Galway/Cork ladies were both crackers.
Felt Evan had a good game, started on the half forward line and the extra room suited him. Boland was also good and James McCormack has a fine championship debut. New York was poor Roscommon’s Cathal Crompton was the pick of them and felt our midfield was on top throughout. Great speed coming from our halfback line but we have to take into account the opposition. Hope everyone didn’t end up with colds and not ripped off with the inflated ticket shenanigans.
Congratulations to Evan on a very good performance….Outside of the inner sanctum of this Mayo team, who knows, or could possibly predict the numbers 1 to 15, or numbers 1 to 26 to line out for our next championship encounter…. Two who didn’t get any game time versus New York and it certainly had nothing to do with both player’s performance in the league Final were, Chris Barrett and Donal Vaughan. . I don’t know if their are any injury issues or not, but Barrett certainly gave a stellar performance in the league Final and if fully fit and available, I can’t recall Donal Vaughan not getting game time during a Championship Match, and almost always as a starter….So with, Cillian and Diarmuid O Connor, Fionn McDonagh, Eoin O Donoghue ,Séamus O Shea, Donal Vaughan, Chris Barrett and David Clarke, (All household name’s) yet to kick a ball in Championship 2019 competition is going to be fierce. For us fan’s and James Horan it’s great, but don’t be surprised if your first, second or third favorite Mayo player doesn’t play next day out…. Best of luck to them All, and may the best team all be fit enough to start, and maybe an even better team to finish….As to who those Player’s will actually be on the day, your Guess is just as good or bad as mine!
Good to see Evan get m.o.m.altough we need to take opposition into account. Hope he can produce against better defenders. Funny how things go as I don’t think he would have started if diarmuid was fit and he ends up with a great performance. Roll on next game.
Connolly rumoured to be back training with the dubs tonight . Nothing is going to stop them this year imo. I actually think they will win every single game convincingly.
Paddy power were offering money back on all losers yesterday if Mayo win the all Ireland .
Sean – I prefer the debate on here to be anchored in facts rather than rumours. Also this ultra-pessimistic tone you’ve taken to of late is starting to grate just a little at this stage.
Possibly my tone is pessimistic.
I suppose I could say if our seasoned lads hit 2017 s/f replay /final type form and one or two of ruane ,mcdonagh, reape, Carr ,Regan , McCormack etc take to senior championship like a duck to water we could possibly find ourselves back in an all Ireland final but Its pure guesswork yet IMO and I’d rather stay quiet till I see .
The main thing is Cillian. With him back on form our league form would have us likely 4/1 for Sam. Our only defeat would have been much narrower to Dublin.
Watching Liverpool win last night I couldn’t help but thinking that’s what Mayo need to do to win and All Ireland final blitz the opposition with goals just go out like Klopp sent Liverpool out last night saying feck it lads we’re 3 nil down but go out and see what happens. Even the fans in the Kop last night pure passionite like Our fans .Mayo have the talent to win Sam I think we have been extremely unlucky but next time we find ourselves in a final I think we’ll win it
Big difference between Liverpool and Mayo is Klopp was able to go out and buy the players to compete with Barca and Man City etc..
Another huge difference between Liverpool and Mayo is as a fellow toffee supporter Colm Parkinson explained is the majority of neutrals would actually like to see Mayo win an All Ireland!! (Sorry pool fans)
What are people’s thoughts on Roscommon vs Leitrim?.
Bookies have the spread at 7 points. Personally I reckon Leitrim should be a little closer than that. Same ones are offering 4/1 for O’Rourke as anytime goalscorer, which I like the look of that if I’m honest.
As for Galway/Sligo, I can’t see anything other than Galway winning that one at a canter. Spread of 9 points sounds about right though Galway don’t tend to run up high scores, and if they do, they have a tendency to sit back and soak up pressure and are happy to win by a small margin. Except against Tyrone. That said, Sligo are in a bad place at the moment and swapping places with their Easter Neighbours between Division 3 and Division 4 tells its own tale.
I think that Roscommon/Leitrim game could be an interesting one, FDB, so much so that I’m thinking of taking a wander down the M6 on Sunday to see it myself.
My question is can Leitrim live with the physicality and pace Rosscommon will bring from playing in the top two divisions for the past 5 years? If they can then it could turn into a shoot out which make it a 50/50 game for me.
I won’t be able to make the game but I’ll definitely be listening online to this game.
That’s true Crete boom Klopp could buy players but I think Horan is assembling a very fine panel as good if not better than what’s around. Don’t worry they’re are plenty nuetrals too that would love to see Mayo fall on their face they might have a long wait tho
I too think Leitrim v Ross will be interesting.
I remarked to my fellow travellers at Carrick in January that Leitrim (minus Emelyn Mulligan too), were impressive and that Terry Hyland had sussed Mayo a fair bit. For a while we couldn’t live with them, then a few things went our way and we were 8 up, but subsequently lost our way and really, Leitrim should have pulled away. January you may say, but Mayo had been training hard for weeks, and I felt coming down that we should win by a mile. Leitrim have prospered since and have had a game at Croker.
Rossie supporters never cease to amaze me. They can never see their team being beaten. Never a word of caution about opposition going well or their own falling flat. None I spoke to gave Leitrim a pup’s chance.
Do ye not think Leitrim looked very vulnerable at times when Derry had a cut at them and Derry are poor enough. I’d fear ros will have far too much pace and strength for them . Ros by ten plus for me.
Loving the Mayo/Liverpool comparisons!
Going out and losing 1 game all season and finishing with the 3rd highest points total in the history of the English game – yet not winning the league
Jeepers, it gives me an eerie sense of parallels with Mayo from 2013-17, who I reckon would have certainly won more than one All Ireland in any other era
But just like Liverpool, “we go again”!
Well done Evan Delighted for him Interesting that our 2 wing forwards did very well.Yet Diarmaid and F MacDonagh if fit would surely be front runners for those positions. Difficult to judge any player on NY game. Will be a totally different scenario v Leitrim or Ross. Also heard the comparisons between Mayo and Liverpool but in a negative condescending and mocking way such as big passionate support but also win little and deluded fans. But worst of all we were likened for being perennial victims and blaming others for our misfortune. Now while that may be true of Liverpool I prefer to think of our team as wonderful honest sportsmen who make big sacrifices and give their all to represent their native county without getting reimbursed for their efforts. So please no more comparisons with Liverpool or indeed any teams from other sports.