I’m not long in the door from Roscommon, with midnight just gone by so there’s no point spending too long on this one. Galway deservedly beat us in this evening’s All-Ireland Minor football final, in a game where we never really got going and where the team didn’t do themselves justice at all.
There was a big crowd of over 12,000 at Dr Hyde Park for this evening’s Tom Markham Cup decider, played on a perfect summer’s evening. We probably had a bigger crowd there but, for sure, the Galway supporters had plenty more to shout about.
There are many regrets we can have from this evening’s match, the first of which occurred within a few minutes of throw-in. Niall Hurley had a great chance to rattle the Galway net but the ‘keeper pushed his effort away.
The opening quarter was even and, while Galway had more of the ball, we took the chances that came our way. When James Maheady landed a glorious point to edge us ahead – for the first and only time this evening – it was his third point of the game and the second in as many minutes.
We looked to be settling into the game at that stage, having endured a nervy enough opening. But then Galway hit us with four unanswered points and the lively Eanna Monaghan narrowly missed a goal chance too. We were relieved to go in just two point in arrears at half-time.
We were still well in it at that stage. The third quarter was, though, our undoing. Galway pushed on to stretch their lead to five and although we cut the gap back to three, we were unable to get any closer to them.
A few crucial calls went against us at that stage – in what was a very disappointing refereeing performance from our perspective by Niall Cullen – but when Galway ended a 12-minute scoreless spell with an unchallenged score from play, they were on the high road to victory.
Two further points followed to stretch the gap to six, with less than ten minutes to play. Our goose was cooked at this stage and that was the margin between the teams at the finish as Galway claimed the Minor title on a scoreline of 0-15 to 0-9.
From our side of the fence, there’ll be enormous regret at how this evening’s final went. Galway, fair play to them, had their homework well done on us – Nigel Reape explained how with brilliant clarity on our ‘Final Whistle’ pod – and they executed their plans to perfection. They’re deserving All-Ireland winners and congrats to them on their success.
For our lads, it’s such a pity that what had been up to this point an unblemished campaign should end in this fashion. They simply didn’t play to their potential tonight in a game where nothing really went their way.
It’s a tough end to the campaign for them but, despite the rawness of the defeat, it needs to be borne in mind how well they performed all the way up to the final. It wasn’t to be for them tonight but they’ve represented their county with distinction in this competition over the last few months. Hard luck to them for how this evening’s decider went.
Mayo: David Dolan; Rio Mortimer, John MacGonagle, Lorcan Silke; Liam Maloney, Colm McHale (0-1), Paul Gilmore; Jack Keane, Luke Feeney; James Maheady (0-3), Dara Hurley, Diarmuid Duffy; Cathal Keaveney (0-1, free), Ronan Clarke (0-4, two frees), Niall Hurley. Subs: Oliver Armstrong for Dara Hurley, Zac Collins for Keaveney, Oisín Cronin for Maheady, Dylan Gallagher for Keane, Seán O’Dowd for Feeney.
Another AI final defeat..I’m sick of it to be honest- we all are.
It hurts because we’d beaten them twice and were favourites tonight..and we brought 90 per cent of the crowd.
Galway deserved it on the night but them losing twice before against us helped them because it gave them extra motivation to beat us and because you always learn with a defeat. They learned to put in a blanket defence to smother our forwards..but only because our forwards did them damage previously.
What did Mayo learn from winning the last 2 matches? Nothing because there’s nothing to learn when you win..you just receive plaudits!
I don’t think there’s much between the two squads but finals are on the day..and the two previous defeats made Galway determined that it would not be three!
So after last year’s senior defeat we can add this to our sickening record of AI final defeats. Tyrone added the U-20 title this year to their senior success against us.
I’m fed up losing finals..losing to Galway makes it worse!
Not a lot we can do about it now though.
Better team won on the night Congrats to Galway. I thought we were very one dimensional.Lots of kick passes which is nice to see but not effective tonight. Galway played through the lines and used a lot more variety and were superior tonight.Hard to know what to say really. Our U20 style was based on possession lateral passing and not giving away ball cheaply and their management was crucified for it.Our U17 kicked a lot of ball in early to forwards but we gave away a huge amount of possession. Just so disappointing to lose another AI Final but fair play to the lads overall for a very positive season. I felt there was too much pressure on our lads today.We get very excited when we get to a final. Much quieter build up in Galway and they were in a great position having obviously learned so much in their defeats against us. You don’t learn nearly as much when you win games
Galway improved with every game they played this year and we didn’t, simple as that.
Galway progressed more than us through the campaign. They learned and we did not. Yes they got the tactics right but that implies we did not. The lads are good footballers. The side line let them down. The ref was appalling but he just prevented a closer contest. But these lads will progress to senior level. Why? Because they are hurting and the only thing that will make the hurt go away is to do better and prove themselves.
Have to agree with you muckle sideline was shocking slow
Just goes to show that teams learn far more from defeat than victory. Galway nullified all Mayo’s big guns even though it allowed Mahedy the freedom to kick 3 points from distance before half time. They learned a pile from the two previous games while Mayo went in to play the exact same game against Galway. And listen you can’t really blame management as it worked for them in the first two so they probably felt it would work again. It didn’t. Such is life. Can’t blame such young lads.
Much happier with this performance and losing trying to play football compared to the God awful u20 fare.
We scored three kickable frees in the match and missed one kickable free. Galway had four kickable frees in the first half alone.
We were not awarded:
– foot trip n black card on Clarke first half near sideline
– midfielder clearly pulled down on kickout no free
– Niall Hurley fouled second half
– Clarke taken out off the ball tapover free and black card
– outrageous free in against and yellow for fair shoulder
– Diarmuid Duffy run hit not shoulder to shoulder
– there was another clear foul no free
– finally there was the one minute crazy passage of play where we were certainly fouled twice, no free
Galway were the better team but the referee added a several points gap extra between the sides.
When one team is playing a blanket and you are not getting your frees it is very difficult.
Firstly it was a great atmosphere on a beautiful evening for football. As expected Mayo outnumbered us in the terraces but I still thought Galway brought a good crowd. A few observations. I do believe the occasion got to some Mayo lads, Jesus 15/ 16 year old playing in that atmosphere, it’s natural.
Our management team I think really had their work done, the wins over Dublin and Derry brought them on so much but tonight our sideline were excellent. At half time our subs went through a rigorous warm up on the sideline with a S and C coach then worked on kick passing in pairs. Mayo subs were just kicking aimless balls over the bar. Small things maybe but I knew then we were never going to lose.
Let’s be honest although Mayo lost there is some great talent in both counties coming through.
Dunno about the first point there JP. Rather to lose than play bad football. I think both the Mayo players and fans would both be happier with an All Ireland win than playing stylish football and losing. And that’s not a dig at the lads tonight who gave it their best shot. But the simple fact is that history remembers the winners. I’m fairly sure that most Mayo fans wouldn’t give two hoots if we played boring football against Dublin a few years back if it yielded a Sam Maguire.
@Dave Johnston To be specific what I mean is if we were playing exactly how we played at u20 with it being a fact the players were coached in training “if it’s not an 80% ball don’t give it”.
Our u20s had almost no goal chances in their games. Putting the ball through the hands safely, players shoving the ball on like passing a sandbag in a community flood defence building.
I can deal with more defensive and conservative, but the u20 this year was shovel ball.
What’s the point in saying anything?
Galway game plan was similar to Mayo’s in the Connacht final. Making the most of the possession given to them, defending with number back and forcing long range shots. A final Galway deserved to win but helped along with most of the breaks going their way and Mayo slow on the line to shake things up.
A lot of these players will be facing off again at U20 it will be interesting to see how that goes in likely one off knock out game.
I suppose the Galway management had an easier time in nailing down exactly what Galway needed to do, in relation to Mayo, considering they had already lost twice to Mayo in recent week’s.They were in absolutely no doubt but that they needed to get the tactics and the execution right . .. And Galway done it very well, I think they were more composed after conceding the first very good goal chance..It was just the warning Galway needed, and they certainly heeded the warning. Mayo up until yesterday in fairness, done the right thing with the ball at the right time. But I suppose in every game there was one or sometimes examples of individual brilliance bringing a goal for Mayo and I would guess, settling the team and bringing more composure. It didn’t happen yesterday and in fairness Galway never looked like giving us too much chance of that happening. I think Galway worked harder than Mayo. Overall I think Séan Deane and Co have done a very good job with the Mayo team… But unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for us in the final. I wonder did some of our optimism and over optimism and it turned out to be, including my own praise of the team and style of play somehow seep into the team. With minor’s now U17 it was always likely that the team that settled earliest in the game would win..I think that’s what happened in our previous encounter’s with Galway minor’s this year, unfortunately the boot was in the other foot yesterday evening. Congratulations to Galway, deserved winner’s of the Match, which happens to be the All Ireland final, and hard luck to Mayo.
Re rather to lose playing football than win playing awful football
That luxury has certainly passed for me. I’d now take a win in a final playing any type of football
Funny as it sounds, the ‘Awful football’ such as Donegal in 2011 takes alot of time to get right and attracts a lot of criticism – but that then becomes donegal in 2012 and an all ireland
I would be very interested to see what a manager playing that type of football could do in Mayo over 2 or 3 years at senior level. The time to implement it properly at underage level is limited because of the turnover of players each year
We need to send drones into Galway to see how they are coaching their forwards because they are a joy to watch. Special mention about James Maheady i thought he was outstanding in the first half with those three sublime points. Best of luck to Galway against Derry today its their time now and sooner or later they will bring Sam West and if they do good luck to them
Well I for one do not wish Galway well and hope Derry win. I know that’s not PC to say these days, but that’s how most people I know feel.
“I felt there was too much pressure on our lads today.We get very excited when we get to a final. Much quieter build up in Galway”
I couldn’t agree more.. a lot of hype about this side during the week (which with all due respect is unusual to see at minor level – you wouldn’t know this game was on in galway), we do tend to get very giddy when we make any sort of final – part of the fun for sure, but losing finals is just becoming far to big a pattern…
Even looking at the all ireland semis this weekend – I’m based in Galway and the build up has been dead quiet, they have a huge advantage in big games at any grade in being able to fade into the background and stay under the radar. Helps I guess with a diverse population in the city, and a county more or less split in two between both gaa codes
As I said on the other thread I’d suspect only the likes of seasoned players like Shane Walsh, Damien comer and Paul Conroy would be recognisable out on the street… And I’d say they have no problem all getting on with their daily lives as normal even heading into a huge all ireland semi final. Dublin players the same, Tyrone similar. Even Kerry fans are far more apprehensive by default nowadays after almost a decade without success, and aren’t filling the players with platitudes – more a tough love approach
That said it’s still not the full issue, some teams absolutely thrive on fanfare – Wexford 96, Armagh 02, Clare 95 and 13, limerick 2018, Dublin 2011, all won finals as underdogs despite the hype reaching overdrive in their counties… That said – in the era of helmets – hurlers probably aren’t as instantly recognisable on the street and Dublin and Armagh would have large parts of the county completely unaware, so I still that helps a lot in the build up not having players stopped everywhere they go to talk about the upcoming match and all that
Maybe it’s not the full issue, but something is going horribly wrong, you can’t keep making finals at all grades and more or less come off on the wrong side every time
Those with more coaching tactics than me. Was it for long spells that Galway pulled our defence wide and they attacked into the two tennis courts of space around six position?
What could we have done to prevent?
Haha cheering on your neighbours – political correctness gone mad 😀
I genuinely get the opposite – I’d say 80% or so of mayo fans I know, will be cheering for Galway. Of the ones that aren’t, a lot are just scared they’ll win an all ireland before us, which is an odd mentality in my view as we had umpteen chances ourselves over the past few years before the cycle would ultimately change and Galway would start to get the better of the rivalry
That said I don’t know any who actively dislike this Galway team… If anything most thoroughly respect their footballing prowess and great forwards. Any negative comments towards Shane Walsh and Comer seem to be exclusively made online, incl the comments section here, whereas I get the complete opposite opinion on them in real life – in that Walsh is a generational footballer and one of the best talents the game has seen
I hope that Galway win this evening,but I expect Derry to win as I thought that they were very good last year and have improved this year,anyway all the best to both teams hopefully a great game with no controversy,and no injuries,up Galway
Delighted I got to the game. Mayo people around me very gracious at full time. Commiserations to all.
1. Ref definitely didn’t favour Mayo I have to admit but not really the reason ye lost.
2. I think some of those Mayo forwards had the potential to kick on in Croke Park oddly enough. I would have liked to seen how they fared up there.
3. It’s a development cycle, Mayo have played a lot of games this year some under pressure and in front of crowds, they will have learned loads. As a famous ex Galway player once said to me, “you could pick 2 big Connemara lads midfield and a couple of townie corner forwards and win a minor All Ireland”, not the point though. Develop a man marker, sweeper, mobile midfielder, finisher etc is the idea.
4. The constant mentioning of Galway having lost 3 times, irrelevant, Galway won 3 qualified for a Connacht Semi, lost 2, and then lost(the only relevant loss) the Connacht Final fair and square.
5. I have to admit looking from my WhatsApp’s and messages there was bit of hype about Mayo, everything from the Manager is in the running for the senior job to these players are once in a lifetime and have captured the imagination of all of Mayo. Not good for young lads and I think it showed last night.
Both panels have had very good years and I’m sure lads involved with the Mayo minor panel would have taken a Connacht title at the start of the year.
The point, Bogman, is that what you have to say doesn’t contain a number of sarcastic swipes when we lose an underage game. Plenty have commented on the game’s aftermath and have done so without stooping to that level.
A poor performance at this age group is always likely to happen at some stage and if it had come in the round Robin phase it tends to make you more focussed as it did with Galway. I understand the disappointment because I feel very down after that. The thing is the players and management will be feeling worse. We need to remember what this competition is, it’s a development comp where you’re looking to bring players through to the next level and that surely has been achieved. On the night Galway deserved the win but it doesn’t change my view that Mayo are the best team overall this season. Contrary to what some people think a lot of us will be rooting for Galway. Surely we all know and have lots of ties with our neighbours and can banter while still wishing them well. I’ve no reason for wanting a Derry win and I certainly don’t want Dublin or Kerry to win it out!
I would take a win by any tactic at this stage See no point in being over critical of Sheridan at u 20 when we quite clearly should have won Connacht Final. Again feel that we should stop blaming ‘sideline’ for last nights loss. It’s the default position far too often when we lose in Mayo. The Galway footballers were better than our footballers last night. We missed two goal chances which could have altered the game hugely. Our manager got a huge amount of credit (deservedly) all year so one loss should not alter our view of him. JH got massive plaudits when we beat Dublin in semi but all changed after we lost to Tyrone. There are some even making negative noises about Solan based on our U20 loss to Kildare in 2018. Management is hugely important but it’s on the field of play for 60 or 70 minutes that games are won or lost Unfortunately for us in finals the majority are lost
Better team on the night won. Some promising players coming through, all going well.
No, I don’t accept win with even our u20 playing style. This is a development grade and do is u20.
Dublin don’t win many u17 ….. success leaves clues.
Great point @Tuamstar I noted the same at HT as the galway subs we’re doing their warm up right in front of me .
Congrats better team on the evening by a mile
The corner back number 2 set the tone. He was unbelievable. Also thought the keeper was excellent . His save early on was crucial . Mayos (and tbeir full forward lines) tails would have been up if that was scored. Kickouts were also superb . Ours were a disaster zone
For all that is going wrong in the world, isn’t it heartwarming that two neighbouring counties can come together and enjoy an under-age football final.
Galway won and we are delighted – but what was just as enjoyable was the setting in Hyde Park, the maturity and good nature of the supporters, the enjoyable drive on a beautiful summer’s evening, to and from Roscommon, no hassle.
We play Derry in CP today – and with their relatively recent troubled history, I’m hoping we can generate the same kind of atmosphere – it’s not always about winning. So, spare a thought for Mayo’s management and players..
Give the team and management a break, some serious talent coming through.
Agree Jr.
All one needs to be is nationally competitive at these grades.
Our u16s are and they also have some skillful forwards.
Our u15s are competitive with some nice forwards.
You will not produce Sam competitive forwards if they are not there at 15.
Could our lads do with a bit more wiry strength? I watch a lot if gymnastics with our kids and I can tell you teenagers are very capable of being explosive and wiry without being bulky.
But you can’t do that if higher volumes of running training.
Dublin always strike me as being built like gymnasts and their stamina is more from high leg strength and efficient strength to weight ratio. I still worry by the eye test that Mayo GAA hasn’t figured out the Dublin GAA modern build.
This weekend look at the Dublin players legs compared to size of torso.
They are perfect, agile and strong movement machines. I don’t see builds like them in Mayo players.
Another poor performance in a final but isn’t that what we do? Galway deserved it.
*They had a very definite and successful kickout strategy while we just lumped it out the middle time after time.
*We manmarked young Monaghan who roamed all over leaving the 6 channel wide open
*We failed to recognise that Galway had at least 2 sweepers and kept hitting them instead of our inside forwards
*We were far too slow and lethargic in the first half. Against a packed defence and with the wind we needed to move the ball forward far quicker and either get shots off from the 50 or get fast early ball inside
*We all believed in the hype
*Ref didn’t help our case particularly in the second half
Samo ol, same ol!!!!!!
Dublin were caught defensively in the same way in 2014.
One would hope this group and management won’t get caught like that again with the trick if dragging our defenders away from the centre leaving the middle open to pods of runners.
“It’s not always about winning “ says the winner . Honestly give us some credit .
Mayo in finals is depressing , it’s like some kind of dark comedy boxset . I still think that it’s something deeper than football skills , player size or anything to do with football abilities. We’ve always had gifted players and had numerous teams over the last 30 years who failed to deliver a performance in a final that matched what they were able to do in previous games of that championship. The swagger and confidence of some of them Galway players last night was a sight to behold , they had no right to be playing with such an air of cockiness but they did . Fair play to them .
We need a sports psychologist with a proven track record and I honestly don’t care about any counter argument, we need it , we have to win Sam maguuire soon and put this to bed .
I said during the week that this was a nightmare fixture for us and so it transpired. There was very little pressure on Galway and huge pressure on our lads. Galway could focus on playing a game of football – we were focused on winning an All Ireland. This is no criticism of the lads or the management. It’s just the way things work out. I reckon it was much easier manage the Galway lads in the lead up to the match.
But credit must go to the Galway game plan. It was simple – crowd the defense and don’t give Mayo easy shots and open up the middle of our defense. And this is exactly what they did and to a very high standard and deserved to win.
But this is not the end of our young lads by a long shot!
Best of luck to Galway seniors today.
Agree with Sean Burke. There has to be something psychological that prevents us from performing on the big day. Even when we have done as in 2017 senior final we still can’t get over the line. Far lesser teams have won All Irelands in recent memory. For years we’ve came up short with great teams and yet Galway and maybe even Derry or Armagh could sneak in and win one soon. Anyone dismissing this as just a bad day and ‘sure they’re only young lads’ is seriously missing the point. I’m fed up of losing finals
Agree with JP above regarding the S and C of Mayo players compared to Dublin and the explosive power they have in their legs compared to our players.
Even Ciaran Kilkenny who won’t win too many 100 meter sprints has the power in his legs over the first 4-6 meters that will get him past a lot of defenders and into a scoring position.
Paddy D one of our quicker players was out sprinted by a half fit David Clifford for Kerry’s goal the last day.
That lack of power plus the amount of leg – hamstring, groin etc – injuries we pick up leaves a question mark over our entire S and C programme.
For all James Horan’s strengths, and “having the dressing room” (which i think he did), I don’t think his teams were mentally prepared for any of the 4 finals he brought them to.
Then of course the one performance where there was the required belief was in the ’19 League final. The unimportant one. It’s so sickening and it seems we’ll never reach a point where enough is enough.
I said it here a couple of years ago and I believe it, that it’s conceivable we could get to another 13 All Ireland finals and fail to win any. We could do with bringing together the top footballing people in the County to discuss the above and try to find solutions.
The one phrase I hate (and you hear it particularly from ex-players) is “If we keep knocking on the door eventually we’ll get there”. Not without acknowledging our frailties, I’m afraid.
Not sure about psychologists Sean. We’ve had them before I think.
I wouldn’t agree about the finals losses and that we overheated in them all.
Say for 2004 and 2006. We were not even on the same ballpark as Kerry.
12 and 13 I don’t believe we were good enough.
16 and 17 Performed above our abilities if I’m been honest and always proud of how we played these finals.
20. No big surprise. Young team and injuries.
21. Definitely blew it.
It’s not a case of us blowing every final we’ve been to, and it’s wrong to keep repeating that mantra.
I wish Galway well today. I like their team and I like Padraig Joyce, but I will of course have mixed feelings if they win the All Ireland before us, which in all likelihood they will. If and when that happens our first meeting with them in Connaught afterwards will be excruciating for Mayo supporters and team. But we’ve had our chances. Maybe the players need to feel that.
Excuse me 2013 we were savage , absolutely unstoppable, we tossed Galway and Donegal out of the way like they weren’t fit to share the same field as our bucks . The final was a disaster, should of been five up at ht . Dublin were limping over the line . My bollix we weren’t good enough , just quit with that notion . I suppose we weren’t good enough in 96/97 either . Kinda odd we are not shy of a victory over these sides if it’s not a final , Donegal in 13 (ohh duh they were a spent force , yet they beat Dublin the following year ) Dublin in 12 ahh I know still drunk from coppers in 2011 . Get off the bloody media and so called experts telling ye what’s what . We don’t perform in finals 90% of the time . 2017 I have no complaints they did everything they could and 16 too , cillians outrageous point from out the field to level it . Apart from rochford was there anything different in the back room in 16/17 ? Any sports psychologist? Anything different at all cause it definitely felt different in them finals .
Was it Barry solan or Conor Finn in 16/17 ?
Barry Solan in 2017, and Niamh Fitzpatrick was psychologist I think
Didn’t Niamh Fitzpatrick then go to the Limerick hurlers? Christ. Will be impossible to get her back now.
I just want to comment on the hoping Galway win today, my main reason for not wanting Galway to ever win is i have lived and worked in Galway for years and got some amount of abuse not banter off them, some of it was from City lads who know little or nothing about Gaelic football but some of it was from people from football strongholds in the County at a time their team was doing nothing. My wife is from a hurling part of Galway so i don’t mind their hurling team but could never like their football team. It’s not all Galway fans the likes of Tuamstar is a fair minded football fan and when i was involved with Tuam Stars playing Junior they were not anti Mayo at all. In fairness loads of Meath people work in Dublin and Dublin people live in Meath but they would never support each other nor Would Kerry or Cork or Kilkenny or Wexford so no offence to the good folks on here backing Galway but i think your Mayoness has been diluted in Galway or ye have been institutionalised in Galway.
Also i now live in Mayo again but still work in Galway which i am going to rectify and then when we lose at least i can be disappointed in peace.
Coming from Galway I’m obviously delighted. However my overriding feeling is the satisfaction at seeing an All Ireland title contested by two Connacht teams. Both sides played magnificently in the game and throughout the campaign. It was football where any paying spectator got their money’s worth
I’m gutted for the team and management because they will be devastated today after a performance which was several levels below what we know they are capable of. Every team has a bad day, a shame it had to happen for us in the final instead of early on in the Connacht Championship. The pressure was certainly on Mayo given the respective lead-ins to the final and that can be hard to deal with, more-so for a young team. Perhaps the strain of a hard-fought campaign took its toll in the end. In fairness to Galway they came with a very clear-cut plan and executed it well. Aside from Clarke’s goal chance in the first-half we didn’t get a sniff. Maheady’s boomers kept us in it in the first half. Our key forwards just could not get on the ball. We seemed to have problems executing the basics, the kick-passes and general play just seemed way-off. Likely a combination of nerves and tiredness. We needed to get out of the blocks immediately in the second half. Perhaps some substitutions would have helped jump-start us. But Galway pulled-ahead after turning us over a few times and that was it really.
There’s no solace in trying to play football ‘the right way’ (we didn’t last night…) and losing. It’s a problem for Mayo across all grades that teams are able to suss out our playing style and how to counteract it. You have to be able to anticipate what your opponent is going to bring to the fight and deal with it. Surely in Mayo we should be trying to instil that tactical awareness as early as possible. We didn’t mix it up last night at all. In Mayo it’s almost impossible to treat of a final on an individual basis. Every team that goes into a final has three-decades worth of losses on their backs and it’s only getting heavier.
Commiserations to the team. There will be better days ahead for them.
– Galway absolutely deserved their win yesterday they were way sharper and clued in. Congrats to them and to the Galway lads who post here.
– They destroyed our mid field with their no.8 having a great game, they won breaking ball after breaking ball and their use of sweeper caught us out multiple times.
– Add in a touch of complacency and Galway upping their work rate, those are the reasons we lost. Do no blame Social Media and Sopporters or anything else.
– Kudos to the GAA for pricing tickets at 15 euro and for letting all U 16s in free. The guys on the gate said 5000 tickets were sold and they were expecting 3000 in for free, I would say they were very surprised crowd surpassed 12000.
– PS. hooters should be banned !! They were loads of them at the match.
– Hope the Dubs paste Kerry, other semi I dont care who wins.
– Finally we will never give up because we simply cannot give up.
I am absolutely dumbfounded at posters wishing we win any way, playing any type of football, at age grade 16-17.
I strongly disagree.
As a person said above, this is a development grade.
Coach young lads in packed defences and hamper them later and hamper our senior team which we hope to inherit them as players.
This is a similar feeling I have to the idea of bringing in a Jim McGuinness type person to devise a master disrupter style of play to deliver us Sam on a plate. Where then with our football? The world does not stop.
As for Galway, I’m happy to wish them well at their senior grade. Let them fly high. We know there’s more to it than that – the question is sustaining it. And Mayo are not fools that will sit back and forget. We have enough gumption to sit back and come back. Players like last night are carrying memories and standards of the 2011-2018 team. We are blessed to have them. I think Sean Deane and co have instilled good attitudes in them – playing and self comportment – and as such have minded them well for us as they go about their journey.
Ultair, I really like this piece you wrote:
“There’s no solace in trying to play football ‘the right way’ (we didn’t last night…) and losing. **It’s a problem for Mayo across all grades that teams are able to suss out our playing style and how to counteract it.**..”
I like to see football played the right way.
But where I completely agree with you is when you say teams prepare for us and nullify us.
THIS is where I would like to see our new management team and ALL our management teams take notice – prepare for what the opposition is going to do to nullify you.
** I mentioned here before helping students to prepare for a debate.**
There are several things to do.
One of the later ones is to anticipate what your opponent will say to counteract the point you are going to argue.
In other words, you plan for what the opponent will likely do to fight your plan and have a specific point or play made up to overturn his/her argument. This only makes sense!!!! You finish the job.
We lost the AIF last year and the CF this year because we didn’t plan for what the opposition might do to shut down our playing style.
I hear people say “play your own game” – that’s OK but not too smart when we know that others want to bring us down.
I’m not blaming us for last year.
But we NEED to learn from that and either have many rapid curveballs OR come up with ways to plan fully for what the opposition will do. Otherwise this will simply keep happening.
We keep losing recently at senior (and last night at Minor) simply because we succeed so often and other managements see us in games. They can prepare for us.
What exactly was Mayos free taken plan
We had 5 different free takers on the evening
missed 2 crucial 1s in the 2nd half.
Well said, Swallow Swoops. In fairness, Galway would have been so hard to live with last night. They have all the ingredients of a quality team – defenders, ball winners, creativity, finishers..
I feel Mayo should stay truthful to their tradition of honest, fair, competitive play. Of course the emphasis has to be on facilitating the natural development of fowards. This should be done from an early age and will make the training much more enjoyable for players and coaches alike.
You’ll sometimes see coaches dictating (as nauseum) to 9 year olds how to pick the ball up properly. Can you imagine how the kids feel – no fun!.. I always support Mayo when Galway are not involved, and it annoys me when I hear analysts dismiss them..
2020 was a bit of a write off year alright, 2017 we met a tour de force Dublin performance, and 2012 we weren’t really good enough yet.
2013 we blew it though (Dublin hadn’t hit their peak at that stage) and 2016, while we were definitely heavy underdogs, we were presented with a great opportunity the first game but couldn’t grasp it
Definitely psychological issues at play
A lot of finals in football and hurling have been won by an underdog so we can’t just keep counting ourselves as “unlucky” to face top teams, you have to go out and fully attack the game at hand, which we’ve only ever done once really – in 2017
@ The New Departure
Missed one 30 yarder and a 45 as I recall.
Clarke mid distance right foot ones.
Dolan long ones.
Keaveney near left foot
Maheady mid distance left.
Who was the fifth?
Hasn’t been great on frees is true.
Mayo Gaa Official Instagram page…showing pictures from the Minor game with the caption: “Thanks for everything lads, Offaly is a proud county tonight.”
We are in disarray it appears.
@SeanBurke. Spot on with that post.
@keepmovingforward, We are in disarray because?
While it been said that Galway, improved in every match. It a bit harsh to say Mayo have not improved. Very hard to beat a team, 3 times in one season. Galway hungry was so impressive, they had that attitude of ” Not today”. And our lads looked like they 5% off. Still I be happy with seeing more of these players in the future playing for Mayo U20 and seniors
Completely agree Ciaran that underdogs regularly win in sport, especially if they’re constantly given opportunities which we were. I’ve never really thought about it that way, but it’s so true.
And in ’12 and ’13 were we really considered that far behind Donegal and Dublin before the throw-ins? Not at all. Marginal underdogs if anything.
Interesting to hear Lee on OTB during the week. ’17 was his hardest loss to take because he feels they left everything out on the pitch. He was much more philosophical about last year, ie “Tyrone were just the better team on the day”. Interesting. I’m sure other players could think differently. I get the feeling at this stage that Lee is thinking ‘what more can I do, I’ve given my all’, and he sounds like a man who has made his peace with it all. That’s totally understandable. He busted his guts on final day, scored several clutch goals and points, saw his colleagues underperform, and ended up on the losing side numerous times. There’s only so much a man can take, but I’m thrilled he’s very much indicating that he’s staying on. But doing so with renewed perspective.
Feck it, give him the captaincy next year. Nothing to lose.
I’d give Ryan the captaincy next year. He s angry for greatness. Ryan strikes me as a solid and abrasive character. Is everyone chasing improvement as strong as Ryan?
In more positive news Leeroy is on commentary with RTE today and said it is “more than maybe” at the moment that he will line out for Mayo next year.
I agree with captaincy for Ryan he is a real leader.
A bold suggestion JP, but not a bad one at all.
Pat Spillane has announced his upcoming retirement from the Sunday Game just now on RTE, and considering going on Love Island… That just leaves two more of the 3 Musketeers to retire with him,..”All for One, and One for All” eh Colm and Kevin?..Lee Keegan looking the part, T-shirt in resplendent Cavan Blue.. Taking a bit of time to Chill with his Family and Friends, I suppose interested in seeing who will be our manager and hopefully another year in the Green and Red.. What a beautiful looking Cup, the Tailtain Cup, reminds me a little of the FA Cup.
Firstly, excellent news if Lee commits to another season – he’s undisputedly our greatest player ever imo, is still a fine defender, and (somewhat sobering in a way) still one of our top scoring threats
However, and absolutely nothing against Lee himself – he’s undoubtedly a great guy, but its absolutely daft having current players as matchday pundits, in fairness he can hardly be critical of Galway given he’ll be facing them again next year. Not ideal for him having to carefully watch his Ps and Qs in a setting like that. As an observer I’d far rather someone with no skin in the current game
That said he’s dead right to take the opportunity and I’ll never begrudge any man a few quid – its more a case of “I wouldn’t blame him, I’d blame the man that picked him”!
Boyler has been a tremendous pundit, while Vaughan was superb on a podcast posted here a few weeks ago, they could do a lot worse than recruiting him even if he mighn’t be as big a “marquee” name nationally. Andy Moran would be a great shout also. Will Horan be on sky/newstalk I wonder? Was a great pundit in a few years ago
People should stop saying that we have blown every AI final we have been in.
It’s simply not true.
Bet out the gate in some, and beaten by better teams in others. Unlucky in a couple and certainly left a couple behind but definitely not the chasm of physchological tragedy that alot of people keep shouting about.
Last night’s minor loss has got absolutely nothing to do with physchological baggage from the past either. More bull.
Physchological garbage more like.
If you keep saying something and repeating it you will begin to believe it.
Roscommon aren”t going around saying they gave up a 5 point lead recently because of physchological frailties.
They don’t blame our comeback in the qualifiers when they were 8 or 9 ahead and we hammered them in the replay. They didn’t start blaming that on physchological weaknesses.
But leave it up to us and we’ll blame a team from 26 years ago, different managers different players but same excuses.
Physchological damage. Bullshit.
The sideline has caused Mayo big time in All Ireland finals from Minor to senior.
Last night the Minor management had nothing upstairs no plan B simple as .
You wonder what they were looking at all season ?
Obviously they thought the could rock up and play the same type of game where Galway learned all season.
Another All Ireland misery and no hope of an All Ireland in sight good job we had decent backs because as usual the Mayo problem is forwards who were awful but the management may as well have blindfolds on judging by the way they let the game drift away.
Mayo football has become a very hard sell the last few years very hard to follow anymore.
Western Red you’re wrong blaming last nights defeat on the forwards. How can the forwards score with little or no supply in a highly pressurised blanket defence? The blame lies with management who failed to account for the fact that Galway might employ the Galway shawl with a counter attacking gameplan and they failed to prepare the team for this tactic. Simple as that, there’s 2 or 3 real quality forwards on that Mayo team but when they’re being double marked with little or no supply, it’s foolish to blame the defeat on them
Totally agree, Revellino.
All as a parent please be conscious when posting on this blog that my son and many of the other lads read these posts and are 15-17 year olds. These lads have given us all a great lift over the last 3 months in difficult times for us all and we are all very proud of them . They have learnt a very hard lesson in sport and life yesterday and are all hurting today but will be stronger for it and we will see many of them over the next few years again representing their clubs and county. Please offer constructive criticisms , thank you
I for one am not criticising any of the players from an under 17 grade . The final I used as a collective context when discussing why we seem to lose finals a lot at all grades .
Revellino so what you’re saying in a nutshell is sports psychology is a complete waste of time ?
Well said John Smyth
Dublin and Kerry teams don’t need sports psychology cause they are super powers of the game. Limerick hurling found it very helpful. I 100% think we have a psychological problem, last years final was a prime example of players tightening up when shooting cause of 70 years worth of failure on their shoulders . If you don’t want to take my word for it many respected commentators made remarks similar to mine .
Thanks for that reminder, John Smyth. In fairness, I think all the post-match comments posted here have been reasonable (the few that haven’t I’ve removed) but I’m watching the comments closely to make sure that remains the case. As you quite rightly say, the players involved yesterday evening were 15-17 year old kids – still legally children – so it’s important for everyone to bear that in mind when commenting, which I’m glad to see they are.
While I really dislike his hateful comments, Joe Brolly was spot on when he said we’re specialists in failure. I can’t help but feel we’re far too accepting of it. Lionising teams when they lose.
In 1996, I was returning home from college a few weeks after our replay defeat to Meath. There was a sign outside Castlebar saying something like “Mayo – the real champions”.
At the time, I thought it was funny but now looking back, I realise how pathetic it was.
The homecomings we have for losing finalists are something else.
I know there are plenty here who will disagree with me and I know that players have given us a great day. I also don’t like criticising young lads.
If we are to win an All-Ireland, then we have to win when it actually bloody matters. Not celebrating a semi final win against Dublin like it was the holy grail last year.
Not celebrating being “the only team to put it up to Dublin” or winning five in a row Connacht titles.
I’m incredibly sick of being gallant losers.
Our teams, our fans, our media, our management need a mindset change.
If we play utterly brutal football and win an All-Ireland final by 3 points to 2, I won’t care.
It’s about time we started learning from our defeats and actually winning on the most important day.
Well done Westmeath. Another victory for the underdogs.
There comes a time when you just have to grab the opportunity. No excuses.
@ Sean Burke.
I never said sports physchology is a complete waste of time.
It’s meant to attain peak performance and maintain a positive workspace.
Any link between physchology and Mayo seems to be in a negative vein.
It’s not like we haven’t used performance physchology in the past and we certainly.did perform very well. We still didn’t win but it certainly was not through poor performances.
In recent years our Mayo team have put in some of the greatest performances ever witnessed on the football fields of Ireland.
In some cases we just couldn’t match opposition bench depth, but it’s very unfair and innacurate to classify that as physchological inferiority.
Well we will have to agree to disagree so
Yes I agree with John smith these are only young lads give them a break
Who the nordie with Leroy and pateen ?
Well done to the Mayo young lads for getting to the All Ireland Final.
We clearly have confidence issues when it comes to All Ireland Finals.
We could beat Dublin by 10 points and the beat Kerry by 20 points in a semi Final but would lose in the Final against The Aran Islands.
Meanwhile here in Galway They are all getting very excited this evening as it appears the footballers have some sort of Big match against
Derry….
Williamstown..Think its Enda Mc Ginley..Ex Tyrone player??
Fair play to Galway they have soaked up the first half pressure and are pulling away now. Derry have turned into Mayo and forgot where the posts are
Galway system and results has me looking at Sheridan and Mayo under 20s differently
Not pretty to watch and I accept those who say no to it because of that
But if it worked at senior level?
Good Jesus what has sheridans dour anti football got in common with Galway ? You mix it up and you do what works for your team , Sheridan had a decent football side and I never seen such shite in all my life . Himself and pocher would get on well with their ultimate ambition to win a game by one point to no score .
Galway won’t fear anyone in final. As I’ve said all season, the perfect balance between defence and attack. Super team.
Derry were truly pathetic. Highly overrated and flattered by Clare’s no-show.
Took galway 3 years under joyce to get to that
Under 20s only have a few months each year
Just trying to think outside the box rather than doing the same thing for another 3 years at senior level
Stop looking for Maurice Sheridan football. That’s handpass from goalie to 14 yard line. Puke at it’s best
As I said at the time the 1/4 final draw was crucial
Clare were absolutely shite
Comer got galway through the last two games
Outstanding
I still can’t see Galway beating Kerry/Dublin in a final, but they’re in it so always a chance
Derry aren’t a bad team. They beat 3 division 1 teams this year. What did Mayo do this year, remind me?
Galway had a much better second half but I was very surprised Derry didn’t seek to exploit their goalkeeping weakness. Did they not watch the quarter final?
I think both the Dubs and Kerry, no matter who wins, will have them well analysed for the final. Comer won’t get an inch in the final no matter who it is and that goalie will be put under serious pressure.
I expect Kerry to beat the Dubs tomorrow and I think they will dispatch Galway in the final too.
Overheard some Rossies giving out about all the Mayo GAA pundits on RTE Haven’t they got little to be upset about.Hope Lee and Colm become regulars on the panel,they are personable and articulate and easy to listen to.
It looks like the only way to win nowadays at
Inter county level at any grade is being ultra
Defensive with about 3 good forwards to catch
Teams on the break. Look at Galway last
Night in the minors and their seniors against us
In castlebar. They were very similar set up’s
By mayo and Galway on both occasions and there
Was only one winner.
Look at how successful Galway, Kerry and
Derry have been since they have adopted this
Defensive system.
Until the GAA change the rules on mass blanket
Defences it looks like it’s the only way now to
Be successful unfortunately. Kerry and
Galway have copped onto this. The days
Of man to man marking is gone.
The new Mayo manager will need to do the same
Unfortunately or it we will end up with the same
result no matter how good he is. Sure Kildare nearly beat us and should have with their defensive game plan.
Football is in a bad place and unless we
Join other counties with these hugely defensive
puke system we won’t be winning anything any time soon.
Galway have every chance of winning the final. Imo kerry are over rated (I may be proved wrong tomorrow) and Dublin are nowhere near where they were in the 2013 to 2017 era especially if con is out. Walsh today showed the value of a top class freetaker. They have a left and right freetaker in the one Jersey
Don’t worry Galway won’t beat Dublin.
Great result v Derry but the football was so cagey as both teams knew very little about each other.
The final will be a different animal as Dublin/Kerry like to take early initiative and play on front foot. Still, Dublin not the team that Mayo battled with, and Kerry still to prove themselves. We’re grateful for all Connaught support..
I believe also that Galway have every chance in the final. They’re up for the challenge this year (their body language since end of game v Mayo in Connacht has shown this). Cian O Neill makes a big difference with them.
They have good forwards, have mobility, appetite, and a defence that was very solid again today.
The only thing that could count against them in the final (a big factor, as we have learned through the years) is lack of experience at that level and the possibility of opponents using big game smarts against them on the day.
Re the latter, Mayo have won games using this too – knowing how to come back at end of games, knowing how to see out a game, using fitness to win games.
Fair play to Galway as much as it Kill’s me (and all of us im sure) it would be great to see a Connacht team bring sam back west.
Joyce and Cian O’Neill have done a great job in the past 9 months but most important thing for them this year is having a fit Damien Comer.
They will go into the all ireland final as underdogs with nothing to lose and IMO i think there is still question marks to where Kerry and Dublin are at.
If it’s Galway v Kerry I’ll shout for Galway. All day long.
Don’t know how the teams couldn’t have known about each other given they’ve been playing in the same division this year? They know what each other are about, they just play quite similarly. Both play ultra defensive most of the time, but Galway decided to go for it more in the second half. Guaranteed, they’ll try the same method in the final.
Of the teams left, I think Kerry have the most pace in their squad and with a fully fit team, I think they’ll take it.
Well said Revellino
I could seriously see Galway really frustrate Kerry (or Dublin indeed) with their ferocious, controlled tackling then troubling them at the other end with the brilliant bulldozer that is Comer. Sublime player. We’d love to have him. It’s a final, anything can happen.
We’ve humiliated Galway numerous times over the past decade yet couldn’t get the job done in the end despite countless golden opportunities. Galway now have one shot, and I’d back them to take it.
Absolute rubbish Revellino. It’s not a psychological thing you say!! Then why do we consistently perform in quarters and semis but almost never in finals? Why in tight finals do we always find a way to lose? Why do we always lose as favourites or as underdogs. Obviously these young lads had none of that baggage but once again we’re talking about a Mayo team not showing up in a final. We don’t have that edge, the ruthlessness, the courage, the belief or the manic will to win that others have and until we do we’ll remain in the wilderness
Fair play to Galway i hope they win the final and bring Sam West. It might shame the Mayo forwards into copping on and scoring. Kevin McStay for the Mayo job
Well done Galway. They deserved that win and you never know in a two horse race how the final will pan out. Good luck to Padraig Joyce as well.
McStay would actually add steely determination. He has heaps of experience. Has managed teams to Senior Conn titles and All Ireland club titles. The man is cute, tactically tuned in and would command respect in a dressing room. Why not give the man a go. No one else has done and let’s be honest, I don’t see a heap of top experienced managers looking to take the Mayo job anytime soon. McStay gets far too little respect in Mayo.
I agree Mayonaze
He would be right up there for me .
I wouldn’t mind seeing McStay getting his shot, agree lack of respect he gets is poor.
It was a running joke were I worked that Galway will have one an Ireland before us and now it could be a reality
I find it hard to take but I hope Galway do it now, they have something we don’t have, a functional forward line.
And they have got it right in the backs even though they looked dodgy in first few minutes.
I really think we are miles of it now, hope we get the right manager who ever that will be
Faith51, just my attempt at response to some questions you asked:
“…why do we consistently perform in quarters and semis but almost never in finals?”
The bulk of those finals were against Dublin (lately called the greatest team of all time) with a bench to see out games. Who else had that?
Faith51:
“Why in tight finals do we always find a way to lose?”
See above answer, particularly the bench.
Faith51:
“Why do we always lose as favourites or as underdogs.”
We’ve only been favourites in one of those games, last year against Tyrone by a slight margin.
Mayo not winning finals since 2012 doesn’t come down to some psychological weakness. They are not all one thing. They are separate games with separate surrounding factors.
The fact we’ve lost a lot may make us weird and give some supporters a type of traumatic response. I don’t think it makes us weak, psychologically or otherwise, or that there’s a strange curse on the team. Just my opinion.
Those hoping for a Galway win clearly don’t have much interaction with Galway football fans……
I actually think galway have a great chance in the final, think cian o neill has definitely added something and they seem to have finally sorted that defence out.
They will be underdogs in final but I think they have a great chance. Will be a long winter in mayo if galway rock up and close the deal first time of asking. Imagine
On a rare sliver of good news leeroy in the pre match analysis strongly suggested he would be back next year so one bit of good news in a miserable few weeks
Not true Niall, we’re well aware.
The hard truth is that if Galway win it’s tough shit on us. That’s the honest way I see it. We’ll all have different opinions and feelings on it. Part of me will find it cringeworthy and all the rest, but the bigger part of me will say kudos to Galway if they do it. They’ll have to beat a damn good team in the final to get there.
I think it will be a tough ask for Galway in final but finals are funny as we well know.
Galway are in the final on merit.
If they win it, good luck to them.
As for McStay, definitely don’t think he’s at the level we need.
I thought this was a very interesting insight – for all teams and all players. https://thecurrency.news/articles/89567/paul-flynn-dublin-isnt-the-final-frontier-for-kerry-thats-all-in-their-head/
I’d give Galway every chance in the final. Very good defensively today and with those cracking half forward and full forward lines, they will inflict damage on whomever they get in the final. There’s a serious momentum with them now that will be hard to stop. Really impressed with their tactics today and in Joyce they have an inclusive leader who consults with and listens to his backroom team. They really have become everything that Mayo were not of late and good luck to them for it.
They say lightning never strikes twice, but there is a touch of the past about Galway’s rise, they beat a good Derry team in the 1998 semi final also . We will see tomorrow where Mayo were really at. I expect Kerry to shade it v the Dubs, and this will make for a rematch of the 2000 final with Kerry v Galway.
Galway have that air of confidence that Mayo have lacked, we will see if they can carry that into the final.
The big danger for Galway is their slow start in the past 2 big games
Just on our minor loss last night while there certainly is a lot of talent there sometimes a crushing defeat can turn lads away from the sport, especially if they are talented at other sports which a number of these lads are.
I’ve seen it to happen a fair bit at club level with underage players but I’d imagine at county level this will be better managed…at least I’d hope so.
@Faith51.
Are you reading that paper you are sitting on ?
Almost everything in your post is incorrect.
I can’t believe that you don’t actually remember us struggling through qualifiers and almost been dumped out of the competition by the likes of Derry, Roscommon, Cork and others.
It was at the business end of the competition that we have repeatedly put in our best performances.
People are talking of us as if we have been some unbelievable, unbeatable team through the early stages of the year and then implode in the finals.
It’s been almost the complete opposite.
In alot of years we have been very poor early in the year and put in our best performances in semi finals and finals. Some of them outstanding.
Some people remembering things backwards, but whatever you want to think yourself.
I really don’t know how any Mayo people would like to see Galway win an All Ireland, but each to their own I suppose! That was a hard watch for me today I have to say
I will sum it up nicely for everyone. Mayo have not won finals because of one thing only, it’s not been able to score when it matters most, ie, the final 10 minutes and not been able to stop the opposition scoring in the final stages of the finals.
I believe there must be some truth in that curse.
The ball bounces over the crossbar in 96 to earn Meath a replay.
Mayo’s best player, McHale getting sent off 5 minutes into the 96 replay.
2 own goals in the 2016 drawn game.
The ball coming of the post in 2018 final.
Mayo corner back getting injured 5 minutes into the 1997 final.
One thing about Galway, they can make the opposition look ragged in the 2nd half, reminds me of Dublin in 2015 – 2019 era.
Yes liberal, kudos to the Galway team if they win but fuck me if there’s one fan base that likes to get stuck into us after an all Ireland defeat it Galway. I didn’t have much faith in Joyce to be honest when her came in, too much bravado but he’s a game away from proving me wrong. Still think Dublin/Kerry are on a different level tho.
Niall you’re right. I’m living in G almost all my life. From a young age the slagging started and has continued really ramped up the past 2 years and even last night some of the texts were fairly venomous. Its very hard to take. We have no comeback. Us not getting the job finished during the past 10 years despite numerous excellent opportunities only exacerbates matters. I like Joyce and some of the players but honestly, it’ll be hell if they win. The abuse (and its not just friendly banter, trust me) will go to an all new level. If we had even won one final over the past ten years I’d genuinely be wishing G the best in 2 weeks time. Instead I’ll literally be dreading it and praying for my own sake and sanity that kerry or dub do it. Galway have a really good chance. It’s a sad state of affairs. We really f@ckin blew a marvellous opportunity last year. In hindsight, the management should have walked after it. In sporting terms it was an unforgivable performance.
@Tommy+Joe….who is at the level??? Genuine contenders please.
The problem is i dont think Kerry or Dublin are that far ahead of the chasing pack, its at most a 60/40 game for Galway and they have every chance of winning an all Ireland now, nobody gave mayo or tyrone a chance before the semi finals in 2021.
Well Joe Brolly What did you think of that. Surely the worst AISF performance I have seen for years Can’t believe how bad Derry were . Fair play to Galway Didn’t score for over 20 minutes but won comfortably. Not nice to watch but Joyce has learned what’s needed. People gave out about K Walsh for being ultra defensive but Joyce has emulated it and surpassed it. We in Mayo May not like such negative tactics but they are very effective.They will be difficult to beat in Final Defense superb and Comer outstanding but they need to get more scores out of the other forwards
I would like to know joe brolly excuses for derry performance today as he is so quick to run mayo down at every opportunity.
Late to this and very late back; don’t have your stamina Willie Joe!
The two most interesting comments I’ve read came from Galwaymen, Big Mike and Tuam Star. Interesting that they are not ecstatic about the win, just quietly pleased.
Maybe us fans need to rethink our approach.
Readers and Posters…It’s a very good day in the GAA and RTE, one of the 3 remaining Musketeers has eventually decided he’s stepping away from RTE, he’s just staying on a little longer until the All Ireland senior football final (a bit like Borris)…There was another Musketeer, and despite his regular protestations “Hold on a minute” even RTE decided not to hold on to him a minute longer, that was a few years ago.. The first of the 4 Musketeers to go from RTE, I wouldn’t even be too bothered to write his name, never mind what “what he thinks of that” …I’d say he loves people to keep him in the limelight, as Oskar Wilde once said, that the only thing worse than being spoken about, was NOT being spoken about! ..It was a great day for the Maroon and White, well done Westmeath, what a beautiful Cup the Tailtain Cup is, hope it’s full of Champagne tonight, or maybe Kilbeggan Whiskey or Poitin… Congratulations to the Tribesmen, the better team today no doubt about it.. Hawkeye was about as useful as that overfed or too lazy Harris Hawk the GAA have employed to keep away the forever better fed, biggest flock of Seagulls in the World..I don’t think it’s laziness on the part of the GAA’s Harris Hawk at all that had stopped him chasing the Seagulls away, it’s Fear, have any of ye seen the size of the Seagulls around Croke Park?. .. Well done to the Mayo Women, Mná Maigh Eo today, what a fantastic result… Next Saturday the will face the Kingdom of Kerry in Croke Park..The women’s GAA Championship was really shaken up,..All Ireland Champion’s Meath survived just about..Mayo defeated the Rebels and Donegal defeated Dublin…Holy God and Dublin were due to be playing in Croke Park next Saturday…spare a taught for Dublin Women’s manager, he’s as good humored as a scalded cat…If you don’t know how good humored a scalded cat is..Think Brian Coady if Limerick beat Kilkenny by a single point after the Treaty Men get an undeserved penalty in the last minute, and RTE send Marty Morrissey to interview him..So a great day overall!
Don’t be worrying yourselves. Galway will not beat Dublin. Dublin will beat Kerry. So relax.
I am another who doesn’t want galway to win because of the abuse even though I’m beginning to like that team. I even had to block 1 number the texting got so irritating. Even when they went years without a croke park win and mayo winning regularly they still kept slagging living off the 98 and 01 wins. @mayo88 lightning struck twice years ago as galway beat Derry in the 98 and 01 semifinals and has struck trice now with another semifinal win over Derry
@ Leantimes. I remember well Marty asking Cody about the penalty.
It turned out to be a very uncomfortable interview.
Cody had spent two minutes talking about courage, belief, and the reasons why they had just completed the four in a row when Marty asked him, did he think it was actually a penalty to Kilkenny.
I would love to know what thoughts Cody had at the precise moment Marty asked the question.
” Would you remind repeating what you just said there, you little fucker yea “.
One line that used to tick me off that Marty used,
when we were playing a Kerry or a Dublin and had held them scoreless for a long period, and then they might get a point.
” Normal service has resumed “.
That used always piss me off.
What an awful job it must be.
No matter if it’s football or hurling and you have to act as excited as if you come from the county that’s playing no matter what county is playing.
Well done Galway.. go and win it out now!
Is there a better free taker in Ireland than Shane Walsh? I can’t recall any player of all time able to sink frees off his “weak” foot
“I didn’t have much faith in Joyce to be honest when her came in, too much bravado”
Could not disagree more tbh.. took the job for all the right reasons and even admitted himself it was probably too early.. but knew if he waited, that a successful manager that got it instead could hold the job for years and he could lose his chance
Cian O’Neill has been the masterstroke of the year. Their defence was phenomenal today
Let’s be honest I don’t think anyone should be surprised if they were to go on and win it now. It’s the type of thing they would do. The feckers.
As a Connacht man my thoughts are fair play to Galway and I hope they go all the way now and bring Sam West. It can only motivate us in Mayo to get our act together and rise our game…..Face theball, your analysis about the packed defences by many counties now is spot on…
Teams that win All Irelands have men on the sideline who have done it and can instill that into players. Kerry expect to win…Kerry kids have it bred into them. Winning mindset from an early age. Our management team should have gone last year..the damage done since then has been tragic. As for coaching..look at it without emotion….we have gone backwards. I am going to be harsh here but the great coacking kicker rarely performed on the big day so I didn’t buy into this great coaching team. Galway did what they had to do and showed up our old failings and our lack of plan B or ability to make sideline decisions. We have good players but we need to dump the sentimentality, thank some for their service and start again. I have found that having guys who have made peace with losing is detrimental to those who are angry to win. We have had a year of moaning and excuses…lets not let the next manager feel that we will accept it going forward. Our first item on the agenda..staying in Div 1. I want us to become a team feared and unfortunately until we get there Sam Maguire will stay away from us
Well done to Galway. They are going to win just like that and show us up after 10 years of fcuking about up and down the road and nothing to show for it.
Facetheball you are correct in what you say.
“It looks like the only way to win nowadays at
Inter county level at any grade is being ultra
Defensive with about 3 good forwards to catch
Teams on the break.” – That is the template.
“Look at how successful Galway, Kerry and
Derry have been since they have adopted this
Defensive system”. Completely agree.
We must move with the times, whether it’s pretty or not
Proud Mayo Supporter Was our management team that just stood down responsible for all our final defeats since 1989, or responsible for our loss on Friday evening. If teams that win all Ireland’s have men on the sideline who have ‘done it ‘ as you say then we are doomed as we have no men who have “done it. “Our alternative therefore is to get in someone from another county who has done it. I’d be interested in suggestions
I just want to say thanks to all the posters who wished us (me) well here over the last few days.
The genuine Mayo support wishing Galway teams success is what the Gaa is about. As I said here last year I never saw as much support for Mayo in Tuam for the All Ireland final in my lifetime and that’s what makes it so enjoyable.
Had a look at the game late last night and I thought Lee Keegan was excellent as an analyst, he’ll be a long term success following Pat Spillanes retirement.
On the game , we all knew what Derry were going to bring, it’s pure toxic football, but Joyce and especially Cian o Neill had a plan and we won well in the second half.
It’s bonus territory now, getting to a final with a young team, but honestly I don’t fear today’s opponents. It’s on the day and if anyone knows how to win Sam it’s Padraic Joyce.
If Galway go on to win this year, then fair play to them. It’s not Galways fault that we failed to win one with a once in a generation group of players from 2012 to 2017. The current crop haven’t reached those standards yet
Fair play to you Tuamstar. A genuine and balanced voice here. You and other genuine Galway supporters deserve your day in the sun and I think you have a real chance of winning. We have had ample opportunities to get over the line since you were last there but failed to deliver. Of course it would be difficult for us to see our neighbors come from nowhere to win Sam first go but if ye do succeed well done
Enjoy the buildup Tuamstar. I have a feeling ye will win it no matter who it is.
Today’s game will lay bare the real kerry and Dublin! Congrats Galway Derry was a disaster, relying on your backs to score having had 20 minutes of possession and 4 points to show poor return? Wonder if Kerry or Dublin had that amount would it have remained a low scoring half? ? Galway will relish the underdog and having the double sweeper will be interesting. Mayo Managment had their chance last year, difference between them and Galway is present Manager was a winner with an Ireland medal and breeds confidence. I do still believe that who ever gets over the line today will relish playing Galway as top teams do .
Sometimes I wonder what do people from the division 3 and 4 teams think about us mayo folk if they check in on this blog. Most would class it as successful if they had mayo record and I’m fully aware a team needs to push on when the opportunity arrives. Maybe it’s easier and more enjoyable to muddle around in division 3 or 4…. @ciaran Shane Walsh is probably the most valuable freetaker in the country. It’s an unbelievable skill to be accurate off both feet and no need to be in some cases carrying a freetaker. I’d say the last player with that skill set was Maurice fitzgerald. Walshs 3 long range frees within minutes of each other won the game v mayo and yesterday’s 3 frees(with the weaker foot) at the start of the 2nd half gave galway a cushion to push on and were as important as comers goals. I posted before here saying I can’t understand why mayo don’t target 3 or 4 players at underage and get them to practise frees off the ground and surely 1 or 2 would come thru.
A genuine question for posters who blame management.. Mayo had something like 32 scoring opportunities against kerry and butchered a lot of them kicking wides from 30 metres with little pressure on some of the Kickers. If someone like Jim Gavin was on the line do people think most of those chances would be scored. Some of the chances should have been scored by a corner back wearing Wellingtons so is it a psychological problem or a manager problem. I’m genuinely trying to figure it out not rile up anyone on here
Hello folks. It was a mad match yesterday with Derrys rigid defence and our hesitancy making for a poor 1st half. We threw off the shackles and played well in 2nd but still looks to me like we have another gear if we have the courage to push it. Kerry or Dublin will be heavy favourites in the final but we are there and if finding that gear will test the favourites. We are in bonus territory and have a serious platform to build on now for the next few years.
The Dublin PR machine strikes again: Dublin just can’t win without Con O’Callaghan and James McCarthy.
I find it incredible that the headlines in just about every article in the run-up to Dublin v Kerry reference the above.
I mean, is this the Dublin team of Fenton, Kilkenny, Howard, Rock etc?
You know, the lads with all the medals and the all-stars?
Last week, it was Mayo and their usual failings which is why Kerry won. This week it’s the boys in blue cruelly robbed of their talent against a rampaging force of invaders who can only be defeated by a bolt of lightning.
The only thing we’re missing is a campaign to get Clifford sent off before a ball is kicked
And our esteemed football writers are lapping it up and packaging it as a considered opinion
I hope we get a good game today. Let’s see if the underdogs can overcome the under-achievers
@nodoubt it’s a fair question. Many will have different views
In 2016 and 2017 All Ireland Final games v dublin Mayo average conversion was 59% – 60%.
Against tyrone last year in the final it was 46%. Against Kerry this year it was 41%, and against galway this year it was 50%.
So may be execution, may be confidence/psychological, may be a lack of a system to create better scoring chances under less pressure or get ball to your corners in better positions
May be a little of everything
It’s not all managements fault for mayo’s fcuk ups. The players have to take responsibility too. Balls dropped short, wides, getting sent off when you have a man advantage..:you name it. Ridiculous.
Delighted to get to final, in what was, for the most part a tactical battle. Not a great view for neutrals.
I sometimes wonder what satisfaction these “serial slaggers” derive from running down Mayo’s evident love of the game, and ultimate desire to win AI. Most genuine Galway supporters will support Mayo on big occasions and I expect the reverse also applies.
Of course we have had our fair share of failures in both hurling and football over the years. But the thing is to stay true to your principles and always remember the games are there to be enjoyed..
Anthony Hennigan has an interesting article on the Horan era
I’d ask us all one thing.
Can we stop measuring the Horan era from the relative low of Longford 2010.
1996 to 2008 we were consistently competitive.
John OMahoney was in no position to run a modern team resulting in 2009 and 2010.
Also Galway regressed to a middivision two team during the first Horan era and Roscommon were poor
It is a very interesting article
@No doubt.
Is our conversion rate physchological.
If you look at the u21 2016 results in the archive.
Diarmuid scored 1-1 in the semi and another goal in the final.
Conor Loftus scored 2-2 in the final.
We won that AIl Ireland.
The only physchological issue is people who keeping asking if there is a physchological issue.
Before others poke holes.
Kerry 2004 and 2006 with same tactics would hammer every Horan setup team. High ball to full forwards.
Our other championship exits, check the strength of Sligo, Derry and Fermanagh. The amount of times competitive with the winners or finalists.
Frankly I’m sick of the 2010 based narrative that we have been utterly transformed.
Revellino I agree the minor loss was not lost due to psychology, it was lost due to poor tactics on the sideline.
However at senior level we need a sports psychologist in the set up, full stop. Why leave any stone unturned in striving to reach our goal? Why do Mayo switch off for large periods of games? Enough of this bullshit now, denying we have a psychological problem doesn’t mean we don’t have one. All elite level teams worldwide understand the importance of psychological strength and turning that inner voice inside each of our heads from a negative to a positive voice. The chimp paradox by Steve peters is well worth a read. He worked wonders for the British Olympic team who were chronic underachievers. Was it all him? Probably not, but at the top level it’s all about the extra 1-5%. Do you really believe that’s not worth investing in?
Our best performance in an all Ireland in the modern era was 2017 – the one year we had a sports psychologist involved – Niamh Fitzpatrick
Revilino what have Diarmuid and Conor Loftus scored since? The anwser not a lot ok Conor saved us in Castlebar with a goal in the first half of extra time against Derry and hasnt done a lot since he actually looks depressed on the field of play like a man that doesnt want to be there. Diarmuid will run all day but hr doesnt score enough
@Our time has come.
I’m not arguing that we don’t need a sports physchologist, anything that improves performance.
What I am arguing is we need to stop whimpering about physchological damage.
Galway qualified for the AI final yesterday and well done to them.
For the past two decades they have been hammered all over the country.
Have they spent that two decades moaning about physchological damage.
Not a chance.
How good are Galway.
People are lauding the Galway scoring power.
Galway scored 2-8 yesterday.
We have hardly ever scored less than that total.
But hey, it’s Galway so it’s a great achievement.
Take out Comers 2-2 and Walshes frees and your not left with too many other scores on the board.
Is the country going around casting up about Galway lack of scoring power.
Not at all.
If it was ourselves, it would be plastered all over the Sunday game and Sunday papers that outside one player we cannot score and that 2-8 was a poor scoring total. That’s what the whole country would be shouting today. And we would be dumb enough to be listening.
Galway aren’t listening.
The sooner we put our minds to playing football, quit making a show of ourselves by listening to other people telling us that we are physchology damaged and quit listening to other counties and pundits running us down, then and only then will we be equipped to win an AI.
@Glorydays.
Diarmuid qualified us for last year’s AI final with his acrobatics when everyone else had given up on the ball, but why remember that when we can be negative ?.
@Our time had come…I think us Mayo fans might need a phycologist, just to deal with the repeated disappoinment in All Ireland finals. Anyway without really having any skin in the Game ?, looking forward to Dublin v Kerry.. Who to support?…Who do we want to lose the most?… Con O Callaghan is out, and that’s a great pity one of the best player’s in country no doubt. Clifford is in, hopefully back to his level best, another of the very best player’s in the country.. And Sean O Shea is also there, what a player. But who actually is the best player in the country in 2022, who is it now?.. Could be Damien Comer, if the clock were stopped now, that’s who I would pick..Who else is in the mix, definitely Shane Walsh, that’s Galway’s two contenders. But there are at least two full match’s remaining. I think David Moran who was imperious versus Mayo two weeks ago, might find it much harder versus a Dublin midfield that boasts Brian Fenton (surely now, the only thing stopping Brian Fenton being regarded as the greatest midfielder of all time is a few more Championship match’s played at the standard he played his previous approx 50) Even while Dublin were slipping in their standards in last year’s Championship and this year’s league, Fenton and Dublin’s other possible PotY candidate Ciaran Kilkenny (Ciaran could win the GAA player of the year award, because he won’t have to face Lee Keegan in this year’s championship )still kept delivering top performance and the rest of the Dublin team needs…I’m going for a Dublin win on one the hottest days in Ireland in 2022, the Dublin midfield that includes the Great Brian Fenton, might just have too much legs for Kerry… Should be a cracker!
@revellino. I made that comment to a few today about the low scoring yesterday. Your right. If mayo only scored 10 scores in total. 3 points from play(excluding the 2goals)from the forwards it would have been a big issue and it would be laughed at and said they won’t beat Dublin/kerry with such a poor return from the forwards. . Including goals 5 scores from play by the forwards and no goalie in for 1 of the goals. Of course there are different ways of looking at games but sometimes it’s easy to paper over the cracks too.
@No doubt, Dublin over hyped, Mayo would not fear them today if they were playing. Kerry look like All Ireland Champions.
Hello,
Would Lee Keegan not hava all the attributes for a be mayo senior gaa psycologist and dare I say manager. Of course he has family etc.
Galway have a chance but Kerry might get a huge boost from winning that tight game, could be a very good final.
Interesting match up for the Final. That Dublin team made some comeback from the league but they aren’t at the level of a few years ago. That is probably Dessie Farrell’s last game as manager.
Kerry looked strong at times and that game will bring them on leaps and bounds. David Clifford and Sean O’Shea with some magnificent moments.
Galway have nothing to lose and Gavin White likely being out for the final is a big boost for the tribes.
I think Kerry will just about pip it, but i wont write off our neighbours just yet.
Kerry v Galway ! It brings me back to a quote from Gary Neville on sky sports about choosing between city and Liverpool “it’s like picking between two men to steal your wife “
If Kerry win the final it will be Kerry for a generation. If Galway win, not so much. So I’m hoping for Galway!!! But christ, it’s sickening.
Just walking home from Croker now. I’d give Galway every chance of taking Kerry – the soft centre is still there and, unlike ourselves and Dublin, Galway won’t have to take them on without their main man in attack. This final is there to be won.
Kerry still not getting enough up front outside of the cliffords and O’Shea. Probably the ideal way to win… But it has to be acknowledged that Dublin are a long way off the team of a few years ago, and Kerry very much made heavy weather of a game they were well in control of
I just get the sense this is Galway’s year.. they’re riding a serious wave and I think a more open game will suit their forwards
For those that keep howling about David Clifford been the greatest player of all time, that appears to be his brother holding the man of the match trophy.
At least one of them is going to lose the final Hahaha!! 🙂
Galway will bottle up Kerry and seriously test their defence. I hope so.
That jack o’connor. Can’t stand the man.
David Clifford scored six points today (four from play) but his final one came just after the restart and he faded from view after that. Paudie saw plenty of the ball today, unlike the last day when he saw plenty of Leeroy and not a whole lot of anything else.
I was at the game today. The occasion was better than the football. Bit of a shambles of disorganisation heading in with the ticket checking. Kerry very flat in the second half, need to improve a lot before the final. Gave a Dublin team with very little attacking intent too many chances and score able frees. All the pressure on them now. Shane Walsh hasn’t been near his best this year and Galway land in the final tested throughout league and Championship against a relatively untested Kerry. They’re improving with every game. I think they’ll beat Kerry.
I hear what you’re saying Liberal about O’connor but you’d take him to manage Mayo. He’d do a job!!
Paudie can be ‘got at’, as can Sean O’Sé even though he scored a magic winner. Fair play. Let’s see him do it in the final.
I for one would certainly smile to see Comer smash a goal or two against them. David Moran has only the legs for 35mins.
I hear you Pullhard but he’d be shite for Mayo. He’s all Kerry, his raison d’etre. It must come from within. I’d love a Mayo man to be like him, ie fuck everyone else except Mayo.
That attitude drips from o’connor. I admire him in that way but can’t stand him!
Weaknesses all over the pitch in that Kerry team. A toothless, Con-less Dublin walked through them several times, they just forgot their shooting boots in the first half, and the Kerry forwards went missing when it mattered in the second half. Kerry were overall the better team but they have a tendency to get nervy under pressure, especially if they concede a goal. Sean O’Se showed great composure at the end, but I thought his teammates looked very ropey throughout that second half. I think Kerry might sneak it on the day especially if Galway have another slow start and let them build up a lead, but I don’t think Galway will be remotely fearful watching that.
Lads, it’s Kerry’s All Ireland to lose, Kerry should have won by a bigger margin today.
Galway are a good team but the pace v Kerry will be too hot for them.
Also, like Mayo, Galway have an issue beating Kerry in Croker.
The small margins are the difference and is the reason Mayo could not close out a final and win it.
Kerry today and the Dubs in the past could get that last minute winner
Mayo hit the post, put it wide or were not alert to the ball coming of the upright.
Mayo 88 not that it makes one iota of difference to these teams , when they last played in the championship in Croker in 2018 , Galway won..
Mayo88 – Galway beat Kerry the last time they played them in the Championship at Croke Park, in the so-called Super 8s in 2018.
Snap, Tuamstar!
I actually give Galway a fair chance of landing Sam now.
They have improved all through the championship and I think they will clamp the life out of the Kerry forwards.
Dublin for all their experience were a bit stand offish early in the first half, and even falling well behind had their chances to win at the end.
I think the bookies will make Kerry strong favourites, ( but that might be because they are Kerry ) but if Galway bring their A game I would give them more than a squeak.
@Revellino
My worry for Galway would be them not coming to terms with Kerrys forwards and their kickpassing game. Galway have a good defensive system in place but its suited to slow build up and im not sure do they have the personnel to go one on one if needed. Kerry play on the front foot and will launch plenty of high balls in on top of the Galway full back line.
In a way, I prefer having Kerry in final. Not that we have a great record against them (bar ’64-’66). It’s just that Dublin bring this huge athleticism that Galway traditionally find hard to cope with, and I don’t think we ever beat them in senior championship. Also, Dublin were not a force in the ’98 – ’01 era, so, PJ would have little experience of their mindset. Contrary to that, he knows all about Kerry..
Of course their key men are Clifford and O’Shea and it will be a mammoth task to contain them (containing meaning 5 points each).
The two counties met in minor final a number of years ago. Kerry came out on top after a wonder goal from Clifford.
Yes, we have a good outside chance… but we’ll need another step up in performance, and be at our best.. for 75 + mins.. Of course we’d welcome Mayo support..
Best of luck to Galway in the final, I will be cheering them on but I don’t believe they can handle the pace of Kerry, time will tell. Kerry will be primed for the final and have too many aces to lose.
Galway may find it hard to get the scores against Kerry.
I am confident that Kerry will win with 4 or 5 points to spare.
Galway are not playing Kildare or Meath this time in the final. Like 2000, it’s Kerry again, so they’ll earn it if the pull it off.
Likely Kerry will be strong favourites again.
Kerry got too much space against Dublin today to kick easy points. They concede some amount of fouls too was it 5 yellow cards today. Galway have a chance but would need best performance of year which is possible given they have been improving. It’s Kerry all the way now for the pundits so we won’t have the pressure on us at all. It will be interesting to see if the lads can up their game and ask questions of Kerry as they were exposed by Con less Dubs a fair few times today but the Dubs kicked a good few poor wides.
Liberal – kildare beat Meath, Dublin and Kerry the previous 3 all Ireland winners in 98
Meath walloped Kerry in 01 and were one of the teams of the 90s
Both were extremely highly rated at the time… Probably with more basis than this Kerry side
Galway were underdogs in both
This Kerry team haven’t won anything yet. I certainly wouldn’t fear them from a galway POV , while they have three of the best footballers in Ireland there are plenty of players with a lot to prove, and some who are still not making the step up from minor
Maybe they’ll come of age in the final.. but I thought our quarter and today’s game were the days for making a real statement, yet they fell over the line today and were well off colour against ourselves.. if we had anything up front we may well have ran them
They’ll suit galway too, there’s still a soft centre there as WJ said and I could see Walsh, comer and finnerty getting much more room to do damage
Could easily be Galway, and Sean Kelly bringing the Sam Maguire across the Shannon..We in Mayo will have to prepare for an unbelievable slagging , especially Shrule, Ballindine, Killmane,, Cong.. ECT..I suppose to save themselves in those beautiful border villagers around South Mayo, better to put out the Maroon and White flag’s outside every house. ..It will be some craic either way.
“The two counties met in minor final a number of years ago. Kerry came out on top after a wonder goal from Clifford.”
Met too in under 21 semi the year after, when galway (with several key members of the current squad involved) pulled off a very deserved upset
@Liberal Role, I don’t agree with you re David Moran only having the legs for 35 minutes, v Mayo he was excellent all through way ahead of Mayo’s midfield. Today was very warm and the game was very fast in the 2nd half.
Jack O Connor is ruthless, Moran was taken off today only for fumbling one ball where he gave it to the Dubs, he recognized the heat was getting to him, and then we saw Jack taking him off.
Sorry to say I think Kerry will win the final by 5+. Whatever about people saying Kerry have a soft centre, Galway let big leads slip against us and Armagh. Their only convincing performance was yesterday and they only scored 2-8. Kerry have a good defence with very few goals conceded and I think the current Dublin team are better than Galway. Todays victory will bring Kerry on as Will yesterdays win do so for Galway! But think Kerry’s talent and hunger will see them through sorry to say
Mayo produce the most athletic and fit teams in the country but what does it matter when they never put teams to the sword in the most ruthless and efficient way possible. I don’t question their desire I question their effectiveness in front of goal and it has never been good enough since 1951. And the responsibility is with every club in the county, teach lads to score and be confident of scoring of either foot. Quit the running fist passing bullshit and kick the ball. Most of the forwards in the county are being let down by coaching where the emphasis is on strength on conditioning from a young age. You have to give young lads time to develop. There are 50 year olds out their who can develop strength and conditioning the skill of scoring freely takes years of hard work, dedication and craft to develop. Players don’t develop this at age 22 they either have it or don’t. The whole setup is wrong. And until clubs take this on board, we will have many more dark final days to come.
100% Galway will win this All-Ireland. Kerry were absolutely on the rack in the second half. Dublin hit countless wides in the first half and missed a fair few second half too. Mayo, with any bit of accuracy could have come a lot closer than they did.
Galway will be absolutely delighted to face Kerry. They’ll go in as underdogs and have nothing to lose. They’re better defensively than Kerry and they are, arguably, better up front (overall).
Take Clifford and O’Shea out of that forward line and you’re struggling for scores. Take Walsh and comer out of the Galway side and you still have lots of scores from Finnerty.
Galway better balanced and will win by 4 points.
They’ll win by more if Gavin White is injured.
The heat is obviously getting to some here.
@Mayo88 – Agree, dont know why so many are underestimating this result from Kerry. Dublin steamrolled everyone on the way to the semi final and for years Kerry were coming out the wrong side of those results, its a massive win for them and their development. Galway do have a chance but if i fancy Kerry to take care of the final, they have been all business since the start of the season.
Tenacity, toughness, persistence, mettle – this is what pulled Dublin so close and kept them in the game until the end. It’s an amazing quality, honed over years of final victories and close matches. I’d like to say our team usually has that quality too, honed in those close matches against Dublin.
Will Galway display this tenacity, stickiness, belief from the 55th minute on next day? They’ll need to because Kerry have the organisation to run the game.
I thought Dublin’s second half display was brilliant today. They brought massive intensity in that half and, along with their know-how, that really rattled Kerry.
Galway need to stick in there and be tenacious the next day, especially in the second half. I see Kerry having the edge overall but let Galway get stuck in and stay that way. That could carry it for them.
Not a whole lot of comment on Dublin.. after such dominance, a 2nd year in a row now losing an AI semi, after being relegated in the league earlier in the year
Difficult to know if players like Howard, Fenton and Kilkenny (who admittedly had a great second half) will ever rediscover their real best form, while McCarthy and Rock may well be on their last legs, and Cooper and Fitzsimons could well walk away. I expect Dessie might call it a day aswell
Interesting times for them. That said, they could well have snuck the semi last year and almost forced ET today without Con, so theyre not exactly miles away, but its hard to see them improving much in the near future either, given they don’t have the same caliber of players coming through. Kerry and Galway are on an upward trajectory and the likes of ourselves, Armagh and Tyrone should have our moments too the coming seasons, so it might even prove a barren enough few years ahead for the boys in blue
Galway should put out some PR about Kerry fouling teams deliberately.
Sean OShea putting a player down to the ground, yellow.
I mean could he any more deliberately have brought a player down?
Kerry look to foul every counter attack and it’s the biggest factor in their non concession of goals. Foul the counter attack and reset.
Some of the comments here, my God! Galway better defensively that Kerry? That’s just plain wrong. Kerry conceded their first goal of the championship today, whereas Galway have conceeded 6 in 5 games! The Galway goalie is an absolute disaster under the high bar whereas Shane Ryan is not. Galway have a chance but it will be a massive upset. O’Connor is absolutely determined to win this All Ireland and so are his team. They’re cyncial, tough, extremely defensive and they have Sean O’Shea and the two Cliffords up top.
I have to say from a Galway point of view I can’t see it. Kerry have been winning all year and have loads of options up front. We are improving and have had a very good year either way. We will need to figure a way of taking Morley the sweeper out of the game, maybe “let it into Comer” as some auld lad kept roaring beside me yesterday will be the game plan. Match ups at the back then key to try and not only stop the Kerry forwards but also the supply. Over to you PJ and Cian O’Neill
Re fouling the counter attacking team after a turnover..It dosent go punished enough. Probably a 21 meter free, to go with a black or yellow, or red card might make it unprofitable to do so . .We know Kerry will turn up in the final. . Galway to be fair turned up in the last 3 (4 with the 2000 replay) finals they played. It was the quality of their second half performance that brought them well over the line v Kildare in 1998, and v Meath in 2001, and a powerful second half performance in the drawn All Ireland final of 2000 v Kerry… Padraig Joyce’s on that occasion got a torrid time from Séamus Moyhian. It’s a fantastic opportunity for Galway. Kerry are favorites no doubt, but Galway can definitely ambush them in a one off Game!
@Seanie CH ‘Dublin steamrolled everyone on the way to the semi final’. Depends on how you rate ‘everyone’.
Can’t stand Kerry. Especially Jack OConner. Cute hoors is the most polite and mildest way of describing them. Hope Galway beat them in the final. We had many chances to win the All Ireland and couldn’t do it so goodluck to Galway….up the west.
McStay was coming out with awful random stuff in commentary today as well.
Someone above questioning Clifford He gave a master class in first half. If a Mayo lad kicked scores like that we’d be raving about it for years and rightly so .Massive credit to Fitzsimons. A nightmare first half but a great recovery Then PaudIe stepped up to win it for Kerry, the same Paudie that Leeroy didn’t give a sniff to
@to win just once.
I thought when the game was in the melting pot which was in the second half, Clifford was nowhere to be found.
Almost anonymous in the second half.
@Revellino
Clifford scored 0-6 yesterday in 25 degrees heat in an all ireland semi final after coming back from an injury layoff which he most likely has minimal amount of training under his belt the last few weeks.
He also had numerous fouls on him which lead to converted frees (including the winning kick) and picked out stephen o’brien which a peach of a pass which was a certain goal if he didn’t pick off ground.
Ive been sceptical to say he’s as good as he is in the past but after yesterday I’m confident he is in a league of his own.
Big Mike you are correct that it’s all about Kerry which takes pressure off but we will need to stifle them and maybe yes let it into Comer and also move Shane in there not out on the sideline. All we can do is give it a right rattle jaysus if Kerry win no-one will be saying that Galway were victims of a big upset. I would push big Kelly up around midfield too. Also if Kerry are blown for the tactical fouling which was picked up at times on Sunday they will concede cards and a rake of frees.
I have no douth if we had David Clifford on our team over the last 10 years – we would have won at least 3 “SAMS”.
He is averaging around 6 points a game and the equivalent of about 5 of these points from play.
That’s not including assists and frees. And he is not even 100% fit at the moment.