Details of the starting fifteen and subs for tomorrow night’s FBD ‘Home’ final against NUIG at McHale Park (throw-in 7.30pm) have just been announced as follows:
Mayo (FBD ‘Home’ final v NUIG, 27/1/2012): David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites); Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites); Lee Keegan (Westport); Peadar Gardiner (Crossmolina), Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe), Richie Feeney (Castlebar Mitchels); Barry Moran (Castlebar Mitchels), Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Alan Dillon (Ballintubber), Pat Harte (Ballina Stephenites); Alan Freeman (Aghamore), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen), Conor Mortimer (Parnells, Dublin). Subs: Conor Campbell (Swinford), Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy), Eoghan Reilly (Castlebar Mitchels), Michael Walsh (Ardnaree), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber), Danny Kirby (Castlebar Mitchels), Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber), Michael Conroy (Davitts), Michael Forde (Ballycastle), Evan Regan (Ballina Stephenites), Shane McHale (Knockmore), Colm Boyle (Davitts), Alan Feeney (Castlebar Mitchels), Enda Varley (Garrymore).
That’s some statement of intent. A very championship look about that pick. Looks like the gloves are off and the fight for places is on. Good.
that was my first thought too john,he does know its 26th jan not 26 july?.those who are lucky enough to go tomorrow nigh should be in for a treat,that lineout should bring a good crowd.good luck boys…
Very strong team. The management obviously want to go back to new York again for a good oul time!
here we go again in for a treat and very strong team, not a big difference from that team to the team that was hammered in the game last summer, still we live in hope, but the hope barrels got more soap than hope. come on mayo
i hope thats not as full strength as it gets. As Mayo exile says thats a very similar team to the one that got beaten by 9 points in its last summer outing. Even when you look through the subs Cillian o Connor is the only one who really stands out as a proven quality player at the highest level. if we hope to step up a level this year we will need more than just lee keegan to make the breakthough. having said all that its only january i suppose…
Nine of tonight’s team also started against Kerry, with Robbie Hennelly (injured), Tom Cunniffe and Trevor Mortimer (both unavailable), Seamus O’Shea, Enda Varley and Cillian O’Connor the six not starting this time compared to then. What’s perhaps more noteworthy is that coming in are guys whose careers stretch back to the 2006 and, in some cases, 2004 All-Ireland finals: David Clarke (played in 2006), Peadar Gardiner (played in both 2004 and 2006), Barry Moran (sub in 2006), Pat Harte (played in 2006) and Conor Mortimer (played in both 2004 and 2006). As Ted says, the only new guy coming in is Lee Keegan, who didn’t start against Kerry last year but came on (for Richie Feeney) early in the second half in Croke Park.
I know we need a good mix of youth and experience and if you look at that list of names and subs (and factor in that others such as Jason Doherty will also come back into the frame) we have that in spades at the minute. It’s how that mix is done that’s important and personally I’m a bit disappointed that a few of the younger guys aren’t being started tonight. Eoghan Reilly, Darren Coen (who isn’t even included in the subs tonight) and Danny Kirby all deserve a place in tonight’s first fifteen given the parts they’ve played in getting us to the final. Also, I know this is an old bugbear of mine but Alan Dillon never was and never will be suitable for 11 and we have to be trying out other options there. Darren Coen showed some promise in the position (I know he’s been playing 14 as well but seemed better suited to 11) so it’s a real pity he’s not getting the nod there tonight.
Securing the prize of the weekend to New York is important for the lads and morale and so forth but looking at that teamsheet I’d be worried that this is being prioritised ahead of team-building for the year ahead. We made good progress last year but the way Kerry eased away from us in last year’s semi shows there’s plenty of improvement needed (and a few big calls as regards who plays where) this year if we’re to push on. I’m not convinced that this line-up aids that process much.
Nine of that team started Against Kerry. I dont know what it is that you expect. There are in fact 10 new faces from the panel last year. There are others like Doherty involved with their colleges. There are some other players injured at the moment who will be fit in a few weeks and they will get a chance to impress. Horan has a nucleus of players that he trusts and in fairness have given everything for the jersey under his tenure so far.
That’s more than what happened with o Mahoney who set us back at least five years. Horan is rebuilding after the debacle and his introduction of young lads who are hungry and want to do well has increased the competition for places. This has improved the older lads as a result who know they
must perform and work hard everyday to earn a
starting spot.
really enjoyed andy’s interview on the podcast, hopefully they will have him on again , i think he will be surprised himself to have been handed the start this evening …
Sorry for the long post but I am not succint enough to put the point across in shorter form.
James Horan is now into his second year as Mayo manager.
As a comparison, we could look at Pat Gilroys tenure at Dublin to see how he turned the underachieving squad that he inherited into AI winners.
In his first season in charge, Kerry beat Dublin by 17 points in the AI QF. Gilroy looked at his squad and ruthlessly cut it for the next season and rebuilt it through the league whilst imposing his gameplan on the ‘new’ team. The rest is history.
Mayo beat Cork, and got a lot closer to Kerry last year, so therefore may not need the wholesale changes that Dublin needed in 2010. However last year (and so far this year too), old failings have surfaced. Having beaten Cork we should have not lacked any confidence but when Kerry got into a bit of rhythym against us heads went down a bit. This year already we have let a good lead slip against Roscommon and let both them and GMIT win the second half after giving them a lesson in the first halves.
James has two choices now. He is popular with players and supporters and has brought a lot to the set-up considering where we were when he took over. That capital would give him the opportunity to take bigger risks this year to push us to the next level or he can be conservative and keep faith with the players who beat the AI champions and got to the semi-final last year.
In other words, he is at a point that we all come to at some stage in our lives. Does he stick or twist? Some people take the cautious road where others roll the dice. The latter risks spectacular failure but guarantees a change of outcome. The other way will rarely yield major advances.
I don’t want to single out any players who have given sterling service down through the years but I don’t honestly think that Sam will be heading west with more than a handful of the players that were beaten in AI 2004/6 and the league final of 2010.
it’s up to you James.
spot on richard. Sam will not be won with last years team…..we all knew that leaving croker last august. Anyway its early days yet
I think you are being harsh richard, and ted. If sam is not won with last years team and a few new face, then we will be a long time waiting for sam.
Take last years team, Hennelly, Cafferty, Keegan, Vaughan, the two Feeneys, Freeman, Doherty, O’Connor, Mc Loughlin and Seamus O’Shea, are really novices when it comes to Senior inter county football. Compare them to the vast experience of the kerry team that day and the gap is obvious. Aiden O’Shea, had a poor day last year as well, but remember he was only 20.
Us beating Cork last year, opened Kerry’s and they were ready for us.
Jack O Connor (much as it pains me to admit) tactics worked perfertly. Bringing on Galvin was a master stroke as our team and suporters were preoccupied with him while Kerry secured the win. These are lessons our boys have to learn and patience is what is needed to allow them gain experience.
I believe that these lads will have learned valuable lessons from the Kerry game. In my opinion, that defeat was different to 04 and 06, in that they died with their boots on. Fighting as a team to the end. The Gooch was special also last August, put so was Cillian.
A few new faces introduced gradually this year, the experience gained by last years players and yes a few of the 04/06 brigade given a chance again might be the magic illusive formula.
2011 must be looked on as progress, and this progress must be built on, slowly and steadily.
CeideBoy you are right in that we do not have to throw out all the good players, and indeed the ones that you mention were not around in 04/06. The worry that I was raising is that there is a familiar look to this weeks selection and we have players back in contention like Gardiner, Harte and Conor Mort that were missing or bit part(in Peadars case) last year.
This can be a good sign of adding experience to the squad or it might be a case of taking a more conservative approach. Time will tell which it is. As ted says, we are still in January.
Losing to Kerry wasn’t all the player’s abilities fault – we made a huge number of mistakes, lost midfield, played the wrong tactics, and in general, they could kick the ball over the bar better than us. These are things that can be worked on.
If you have a 12 pack of eggs, you don’t throw them all out just because one or two of them are cracked.
If we’re worried about the quality of players we have, then the question we need to ask ourselves isn’t ‘Who can we cut’, but rather, ‘Can every U-16 club player in the county kick a point from 30 yards with both feet?’
as much as it pains me to say but ther s no sam coming west to mayo with gardiner,dillon harte n mort. n it…sorry.
New faces are important but a new attitude and a ‘winners’ mentality will bring success.
The footballers are there – some are deployed in the wrong positions however. AOS should be centre half forward and coached to improve his decision making when on the ball and running in straight lines. Dillon would be better employed on the wings. Doherty & Freeman must only operate on the 14 yard line. Higgins would cause damage as a wing back.
Getting to the last four in the All Ireland series was a fantastic achievement – if this hasn’t built confidence in the panel nothing will. Bottom line is that the likes of Cork, Kerry, Tyrone (in their day), and now Dublin arrive in Croker and turn up for league matches always believing they will win. JH’s approach to the league will reveal alot. This team earned a reputation last summer as a team with steel – an attribute rarely linked to Mayo teams. Steel is grit, determination, and a bit of badness thrown in. The panel has buckets of talent – skill is not an issue. How much the 30 lads want success will determine everything.
Spot on, FGD. This squad is still learning how to win. The second half slip ups over the past two weekends are evidence of that. Until that killer instinct is engrained, we will not advance past last year’s level.
That said, thre is no reason to blow up the nucleaus of this team. After all, a SF place in AI is quite an achievement. A few new faces mixed in, weed out the dead wood, and we’ll be fine.
As for tonight’s lineup…yes a few of the lads who proved themselves over the course of the FBD might deserve the start. And I’m sure they will get on the field at some point. But instilling the winning attitude is just as important. These lads have to believe thay can win anytime they take the field. The FBD is no exception.
Great analysis all round. I was one of those who was quiet giddy after the Kerry game. Subsequent events forced me to rethink. Kerry beat us by 10 points or so and were out of sight at the end. True we were honest for a long time but….
The Galvin substitution lark was drenched by Dublin and indeed the Kerry side line were made look fairly average. The withdrawal of Brosnan, the waste of Galvin who conceded four scores from frees was a disaster.
When we went a goal ahead V them in the semi the Gooch went for bust and got a goal. The Mayo keeper should have killed man and beast as that ball dropped in to the square. He didn’t. Sean Moran and it pains me to say this, opinioned that it was only against a team like us that Gooch would have done that.
James has started with a strong team. To me it indicates one of three things. (A) He is showing the veterans of 04 and 06 that the spot is yours to lose but fail and the bench will gobble you up. (B) This is the best that is there with the addition of O Connor, Cunniffe, Trevor Mort and maybe Doherty and he has got to run with them in order to settle the side. (C) He is giving a last run to guys who have served the county well and it will be all change for the league.
Nine of that panel were around in 04/06, 10 if we count Trevor. I would like to see young turks emerge. Are we seeing a Mourinho here with a number of untouchables like Dillon, Mort, Andy Moran. add in the excellent Cillain and we then have two places for a lot of bucks in the forwards.
The key to the future is that a ruthless sword is swung in time. I await in expectation. Dublin cleared their decks and a lot of big names were looking for tickets last September. Way to go men.
John, I’m wondering too if Horan is giving the “old guard” a last shot at winning something this year. It would seem that if he is fully confident in the young guns, they would be given a greater role in tonight’s game. I suppose the picture will become clearer in the coming weeks. Makes for great conversation, though.
in a previous post i asked what was JH and his new management team goals for 2012. Over the passed decade 5 teams who won the league also won the all ireland in the same year and two teams who were beaten in the league final won sam in the same year. Also the last 3 teams 2win the allireland had won an u21 the previous year.We as county need ta follow this route as the facts are there for everyone to see. We need to be realistic and while new players need to be introduced others need ta move on .this is year 2 in a 4 to 5 year plan …….. just my read on things
Lads alot of crap talked here about ‘the old gaurd’. If they are the best in their position they should start. The Pat Hartes,Conor Mortimers , Alan Dillons etc mentioned are still in their 20’s and are not only some of the best in Mayo but are up there with the best around. Their experience will be invaluable. Good win again tonight, how things are looking up!
Onestep, I’m not saying they shouldn’t start IF they are the best talent we have and IF Horan believes he can win with them. And those are not the same things.
However, it’s not “crap” as you say, to refer to lads who have been around for four, five and six years as “old” and question their ability to win on the grand stage. It’s fair discussion. “Old” is a relative term when it comes to sport, and if we cannot win with what we’ve put on the field for the past several years, then Horan should make changes IF he has the proper replacements. Nothing wrong with that.
That is fair enough Dean.
It’s all good, onestep. Love a good discussion.