A flurry of fixtures for 2024 were confirmed by Mayo GAA today, which help to colour in – and in some cases correct – the outline I sketched yesterday.
There’s only one place to start and that’s the Dome and the FBD League, which nowadays isn’t, of course, a league at all but which is still the traditional bit of pre-season jousting within the province.
London are joining the fun next year, which means there’ll be two quarter-finals and these will be played on the first weekend in January. We’re involved in the first of these: we’re playing London in the Dome on Friday 5th January at 7pm. Roscommon play Sligo in the other quarter-final on the Sunday evening.
Galway – handed an even softer FBD draw than the charitable one they got in next year’s Connacht Championship – play Leitrim in the first FBD semi-final the following weekend. That match is on Friday 12th January and on Saturday 13th the winners of our match against London play the winners of the Sligo/Roscommon match in the other semi-final. The FBD League final is on the weekend after but the date and time for that game hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Staying with the Seniors, the date for our Connacht SFC opener against New York in Gaelic Park has now been confirmed for Sunday 7th April at 3pm (local time), which is 8pm over here. The winners of that one play Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park in the provincial semi-final on Sunday 21st April (time to be confirmed). The Connacht final has been confirmed for Sunday 5th May.
The fixture schedules for next year’s Connacht U20 and U17 Championships, both of which will start with a round-robin phase, were also confirmed today. The U20 matches will be played on Wednesday evenings while it’s Fridays for the U17s. Here are the fixtures (home team listed first for all round-robin matches):
Connacht U20 Championship 2024
- Roscommon v Mayo, Wednesday 20th March
- Mayo v Galway, Wednesday 27th March
- Leitrim v Mayo, Wednesday 3rd April
- Mayo v Sligo, Wednesday 17th April
- Semi-final: Wednesday 24th April
- Final: weekend of 4th/5th May
Connacht U17 Championship 2024
- Mayo v Roscommon, Friday 12th April
- Galway v Mayo, Friday 26th April
- Mayo v Leitrim, Friday 3rd May
- Sligo v Mayo, Friday 10th May
- Semi-final: Friday 17th May
- Final: Friday 24th May
Are the U20 and U17 fixtures exactly same, except for home are flipped, how imaginative.
Wednesday evenings not too suitable for U20 championship games for lads in college in the likes of Limerick, Cork or Dublin even Friday nights would be better.
At least the final is on at the weekend. Round Robin system will likely mean the end of that unsuccessful national U20 league they had?
Nice that Mayo will host London in the FBD League will be back after Covid-19 not having a fixture between the sides in 2021 Connacht championship but we be back to England journey in 2026.
Is McStay holding trials at all this year. Or is he just going with Horans 2022 panel again? No mention of anything in the local media.Jim McGuinness reportedly holding a series of trial games in Donegal according to Joe.ie
Sam Og, a raft of players are in on a programme, presuming they will be assessed on how that goes for them, then numbers will be whittled down for in house games you’d imagine.
Would expect bulk of panel to be same again however, bar those who have opted out, or retired. Doherty, Orme and McLoughlin are 3 slots that will have to be filled. And from looking at club games other players who were there last year may have played themselves out of panel.
So maybe 5 or 6 new games. The first official trial game as such, that we will be privie to will be the Club stars v County game at Christmas.
Stellar service Willie Joe.
Whatever about trials, I reckon we have a panel of about 45 to pick from. Here’s my stab at it:
GOALKEEPERS
Byrne
Hennelly
Livingstone
Reape
RFB
Coyne
Harrison
Keane, R
FB
McBrien
Brickenden
O’Hora
LFB
Callinan
Plunkett
McHugh
RHB
MacLoughlin, O
Durkin
McCormack
CHB
Loftus
Coen
King, K
LHB
MacLoughlin, E
Kelly, F
Hession
MIDFIELD
O’Connor, D
Ruane
Murray
Tuohy
Fallon, J
Irwin
RHF
Walshe
MacDonagh
CHF
Carney
McHale
O’Donoghue
LHF
Flynn
Hanley
O’Shea, Conor
RFF
Regan (if willing)
O’Shea
Moran, Colm
FF
O’Connor, C
Carr
Reape (being suggested by some incl JP, haven’t seen him for a while
Callaghan, K
LFF
Towey
Conroy
Gibbons
There really isn’t anyone new in that list but there are serious regulars there and quite a few door knockers.
Any further suggestions?
O’Hora full back will ya stop. After Dublin hes finished in the Full back line.
Conor McStay and Sean Morahan.
Sam Og – the positions are fluid – any one of the backs could be interchangeable. Yes, O’Hora was cleaned but I would still have him on the panel/find a role for him.
FrosT – yes they would be further additions. In that case Livingstone, Morahan would be new. All others have been on the panel/have seen some game time
Whatever senior panel list we pick, it’s deprived of the leaders and warriors that was on the Mayo panel 2012 to 2017
I would have Oisin McLaughlin and Conor Diskin in half forward line before McDonagh, Bryan Walsh or Conor McStay.
Would also like to see Caolan Crowe back .Best full back in club scene for me and it would release David McBrien to centre half back.
Yes correct MO2021 we could do with a few dogs again like Keelan McDonnell Ballintubber, David McHale Knockmore and Caolan Crowe.
Rory Brickenden a good big athletic defender but was bullied by Aidan O’Shea in quarter final.
Hasn’t Conor Diskin ruptured his cruciate Sam?
Diskin out til next year but is in McStays plans.
Sean Morahan was being talked about loads on here 12 months ago but little word of him this summer. That’s not a reflection on how he is going but it’s interesting to note nonetheless. Mayo u20 captain in 2023. You’d expect a captain at that level to be very much involved with the senior panel and pushing hard for a spot? It’ll also be interesting to see how Tuohy does for Mayo.
You’d figure a lad like Bob Tuohy would be improved in 2024. Also, being 6’5″ and developing, on improved size and power alone. A lot of our middle eught options are at their peak or improving.
Mayonaze – Sean Morahan just sat the leaving cert and spent most of the club season injured. We need to lower our expectations and let these lads develop without heaping pressure on them straight out of school.
Sean Morahan still U20 in 2024 so he will be still involved in a County setup, plenty of time for people to look at him, believe there is something like 22 players still eligible from last years U20 squad. No harm for these players to spent some time working with James Horan and if they are ready to step up all the better.
Great to hear all that about Morahan and Tuohy and that Diskin is in McStay’s plans.
That panel of 45 that I listed – very few duds there I think. Being more attack minded is vip, and then minding our house. Oh and winning ball at midfield, snapping at breaking ball with ravenous intent and bringing our turnover count up.
That should sort it!
Catcol, Do you think that Ethan Henry or Oisin Tunney are worth a look at, both excellent minors both had injuries since. I was actually was surprised by Oisin Tunney in the last couple of games playing further out the field and well able to carry the ball to boot bursting tackles, same with Conor Beirne. Both well built so not as much S&C needed. Ethan Henry played wing back for St Colmans, midfield or as a half forward. When looking for more powerful players I think they should come into the thinking as well. I think these young players being given a chnace would be better than giving Conor o Shea his fifth or Sixth chance. Like kuba Callaghan, learned from the best only has a few minutes last year in the FBD another powerful forward. Hanley could be tried in defense as well played there last year in Sigerson and got on team of year but has he burned his bridges. Reape looked fitter than ever before and is seriously built up, too strong at intermediate level players but he has to prove it against better opposition. I think you selected new 12 players, mostly senior club players would like to see a broader search for players
I like the idea of the All Star game but think it would be even better if a team of the year was selected from each of Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels with non County players together with a County panel select team playing semi final and final over a weekend. Management and Fans alike could get a better look at whats in the county and what players are like against stronger opposition, I don’t think players would object to the opportunity.
Our third county final preview pod is now up on Patreon. This one focuses on the Junior final, with a mention for the Junior B decider too. We’ll have Final Whistle pods on Patreon right after the three finals this weekend.
Mayomessi – haven’t seen them this year tbh, but their underage record is very good. I presume injury is keeping Tunney off the Breaffy 15? Take your point about Conor O’Shea, but he’s very honest, gives his all, and I still have a great memory of that hoosh on Byrne was it, to get us that precious 45 against the Dubs in ’21.
But overall, youth power and pace – I’m with you!
@Catcol, are u joking with stating that some of those guys will be in the mix for the same positions as they were in last year ?
The Ship has well and truly sailed for a few players.