Galway match confirmed for Gaelic Grounds

Willie Joe
Photo: GAA.ie

The GAA have this afternoon confirmed the dates and times for next weekend’s Round 4 qualifier ties – details here. As has been well trailed in advance our match against Galway has been fixed for the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Saturday evening with a 7pm throw-in. The game will be preceded by the Connacht LGFA final replay between the two counties, with that game throwing in at 4pm.

This is a sensible decision. While much closer, Hyde Park has a far smaller capacity, in particular for seating, and with a motorway connection Limerick is an easy enough drive for supporters of both counties. This is one venue choice about which there should be no complaining from our point of view.

It’s also a venue we know very well at this stage. While the wider world might solely link us to the Gaelic Grounds by virtue of that fateful evening in 2014 we’ve played there twice since in the Championship. We beat Cork there after extra-time in a Round 4 qualifier match in 2017 and we eased to victory over Limerick in the bright summer sunshine at the venue in Round 1 last year.

So, while it’s not exactly a home-from-home for us it’s not a journey into the unknown for us either. Hopefully it’s a trip for which a huge Mayo following will gather for this totemic knockout meeting with the neighbours.

104 thoughts on “Galway match confirmed for Gaelic Grounds”

  1. Only positive is we’ve experience of the ground. So unfair on people in north mayo and the galway extremes too. Surely neutral should factor in distance too. We’ll just have to get on with it now. Good luck to our bucks!

  3. I just looked through the dates of the fixtures for super 8s. if we do beat galway we play kerry in kilarney then meath in croke park just a week later. that would be 5 games in as many weeks. they get a week off then play donegal in the last round of super 8s. if they get out of the group they will most likely play dublin only a week later in an all ireland semi final. the fixtures are an absolute joke. that would be 7 games in 8 weeks. outrageous. these fantastic players have been on the road a long time and this will not do them any favours. very challenging due

  4. Awkward venue for North Mayo folk and if we win were further south against Kerry. Can’t blame GAA though – we couldn’t agree venue with Galway.

    WJ – Do you have any idea why the Hyde is not ‘feasible’?

  5. Connacht Council ruled out Hyde before Connacht final, in case a venue was needed for a replay, remedial works going on, Connacht Telegraph has worrying report today re injury to AOS &Brendan Harrison, hopefully not serious, looks like Lee is def out, but look it’s Galway and it’s time to beat them , no more motivation needed
    Maigheo abú

  8. @Willie Joe, You may think that we should have no complaints about the Limerick Venue…But I and many others certainly do, of course it has a far bigger capisity than Hyde Park… But you will have 20 thousand empty seat’s there what good is that?…We Mayo Supporter’s have to drive through Galway and 50 Miles further to the venue.. that just doesn’t make any sense… and another thing is that we have to keep things alive here in the West of Ireland… The Powers that be in the GAA last year didn’t even want the Connacht Final to go ahead in Dr Hyde Park…It did go ahead, thanks to Kevin McStay, saying that it was going ahead in the Hyde or Nowhere…He was 100% right to do so for the County he was repesenting…A few weeks later, Cian O Neil and the Kildare County Board, said Newbridge or Nowhere, and again got their way, Despite the very much smaller capisity of St Conleth Park than Newbridge… It’s about more than us having a few success qualifer Match’s in Limerick….we probably have an even better record in Dr Hyde Park.. but it’s not about that either!

  9. Leantimes, according to the Connaught Telegraph the GAA fixtures committee offered a coin toss and it was declined. I personally think that declining it was the best option as anything that would risk giving Galway home advantage should be avoided.
    The Hyde would be a better option in terms of travel from either county but for whatever reasons, it’s not available.
    So Limerick seems to be as much a result of our declining a 50/50 shot of a home game or a game in Salthill, and that being the case, we can make no bones about it.

  10. I thought after last year any capacity issues were down the food chain in relation to selecting a venue?

  11. Whatever about the venue, that list of injury doubts are much more of a concern.
    Galway’s performances this year lead me to believe that they are there for the taking, but this never ending injury crisis is levelling the playing field for Saturday.
    AOS simply has to play, we will be in serious bother if he has to sit this one out.

  12. @FBD… What you say, (a toss of a coin???)According to the Connacht Telegraph that may be true… but the Rules are the Rules… and a Neutral Venue was and is the Rule and is the rules drawn up before the Draw was made… The GAA seems oblivious to the Rules, it’s own rules when it suits themselves on many things… and the idea that you might toss a coin or decline to toss a coin on the day of the qualifer draw is plainly at odds with their own predetermined rules… How will this work out for Roscommon who are entitled to play their first Super Eight’s Game at home in the Hyde versus either Tyrone or Cavan the following week… I don’t think Antony Cunningham or the Roscommon County Board will Roll Over!

  13. Fintan O’Toole, the GAA editor of The 42, has tweeted (here) that the decision to go with Limerick, as explained by the CCCC, was due to (1) no agreement on a coin toss for home advantage, (2) no other Connacht venue suitable and (3) both counties consulted and agreed to Limerick as the venue.

  14. Delighted with the win over Armagh. Armagh are a serious team. Their players are fast, strong and they have very good footballers. They were very physical and they have some top class forwards and I think playing Armagh would have given great experience and confidence to the new lads, the team and management.

    I was very disappointed in the quality of McHale Park. It may look lovely on TV and up in the stands but when your near the side lines you can notice that it is VERY uneven. There are hollows in some areas and you can notice where the drains pipe are running because the ground as sunk in them areas .

    .

  15. What the hell does suitable even mean though? Jesus we have been to the Hyde plenty of times. It’s fine and plenty big enough for this game

  16. amazing how we always agree to these things , as a certain poster on this forum said today we are bet down at this stage. ridiculous in my opinion. How can the Hyde not be suitable.

    anyway lets hope AOS is fit. we need him badly for this one.

  17. Hyde Park not suitable for Mayo Galway next weekend so how would it be suitable for Tyrone Roscommon the week after?

  18. surely a super8 game is biggre than a qualifier still ros. can play their super8 in hyde park but its not good enough for a qualifier, strange

  19. Not sure if they have much of a choice in this, but maybe Roscommon simply didn’t want their pitch to host a game this weekend? A week before they have their own match to play there.

    What about Laois, they have to travel to Thurles to play Cork. This place would be in meltdown if that was us!

  22. Whilst I know Thurles is in-between Cork and Laois, it’s still a Munster venue and a venue that Cork know very well.
    I think the thing is, you just can’t keep everyone happy when it comes to picking these “neutral” venues.
    Best to get over it and just concentrate on the game itself.

  23. Hyde Park had upgrade work done to the grounds, these are possibly finished, possibly not, either way they are not making the ground available this weekend which is their right to do so, it has nothing to do with GAA deeming it unsuitable. Hyde isn’t available so the only other option is Limerick. If both county boards have agreed to limerick then it’s done, time to stop moaning about it and get on with preparing for the game

  24. @Willie Joe… That’s as explained by the CCCC?… the CCCC got into enough trouble last year with their making it up and explaining on the spot… and the word ‘Suitable’ can’t change from one week to the next… which it clearly must if the Rossies are to play at home…. and the word ‘suitable’ could and believe me would be used to say that Mchale Park was not a suitable venue….their are apparently so many unsuitable venue’s in Ireland that Dublin must always be at home… As for the Mayo and Galway board’s both being in favor of Limerick as the Venue… and of course it’s a fantastic Venue. But it should be a Connacht Neutral Venue, and Dr Hyde Park is a very good Venue…

  26. My reading of that statement on Leeroy and Doc is positive. When Diarmuid was done for the year they confirmed it straight away. This seems less serious. Not even confirmed out for this weekend.

  27. @Mayocamp… you may have seen Mchale Park on TV and taught that looks lovely, but not as good in reality… Well I walked across it last Wednesday after the minor Match and it was prestine, almost as perfect as it is possible for a surface to be. .it wasn’t always the case.. wasn’t great last year, I’ll give you that… Where did you see the ‘hollows’ if the GAA hear that ..it might be closed down!

  29. Just seems an impossible task at the moment with the amount of starters who are injured. It’s quite incredible run of bad luck .

  31. I think we re in with a good shout against Galway.It might have been a bit shaky at times the last evening, but make no mistake, Armagh came to machale with serious intentions and left everything behind them.Our lads held firm and it was one of the best championship matches this year as yet.Yes ,we re rocking a bit with injuries, but we have reserve, we have options yet.Next weekend will be as tough, but that game last Saturday night might just have given our lads an edge.

  32. Anyone else having issue with unscanned tickets from the Armagh game? Yet again, a ticket failed to scan at MacHale Park and I’m getting nowhere with Season Tickets.ie!! Copy and paste replies, etc etc. This also happened the very same ticket at the Monaghan league game and despite countless emails I never had my attendance amended. Is it getting to the point where we will have to take photos of getting the ticket scanned or photo ID to prove you were there? Maddening as hell.
    Am I right in thinking MayoClub 51 had some advice on this?

  33. @Willie Joe, I am not having a go at you, and fair play to you for allowing me to articulate a very different point of view, very much appreciated! Nor have I a problem with anyone on this Blog who has a different opinion than mine on this issue… But I don’t easily believe anything words that comes from the CCCC…. These are the same people who were at the heart of the ‘Newbridge or Nowhere’ Controversy his time last year.. I don’t think that they changed their spot’s!

  34. I’d be happy to play it on the moon if it meant Aidan O’Shea was fit.

  35. Delighted with Limerick as the venue, its one we are very familiar with and I don’t recall galway playing a game there in the last few years so thats advantage to us.
    the form of Harrison at full back is somthing that worries me he seems to be struggling for confidence and needs to be taken out of full back asap, perhaps stephen coen could do a job for us there. Its vital that AOS and doc play as we will need there physicality, I also expect Cillian to start he was moving well when he came on the last day. i fully expect us to win the game and suspect that the armagh game will bring us on alot. Galway dont recall well when a few goals go in agsint them lets bang in a few and see how people react! has anything been confirmed about Keegan or are they keeping galway guessing!

  36. I appreciate that, Leantimes. In fairness to the CCCC, you cannot place the Newbridge fiasco at their door. That backdown was 100% the responsibility of John Horan and Tom Ryan and was a case of a rookie President and a rookie DG taking fright when faced with a hard decision.

  37. Pebblesmeller, none of the three season tickets on my account have yet been updated for their attendance at the Armagh match. I had a battle with the ticket office last week in relation to 2 of these tickets (the 3rd one was recorded as attended) and eventually they back down.

  38. Jesus will ye stop with the whinging and moaning. If you don’t want to go to Limerick, don’t.
    This is what we get for failing in Connacht, the qualifiers are NOT meant to be easy, or give the qualifying teams an advantage over those who actually won their province. At the end of the day, we’ve no-one to blame here only ourselves.
    Every game played increases the chances of injury, every additional game is a different venue or another weekend on the road, that’s just the way it is.
    We will be in Limerick, we will have 15 on the field and another 11 on the bench to pick from. If they are good enough to win, they will win. I’ll tell you one thing though, Galway will have to go to the deepest well they have ever been in because whatever 15 Mayo men take the field in Limerick this Saturday evening, they are not going to go down without a fight. If nothing else, we saw that on Saturday last.
    The dog might be lame and might be missing a few teeth, but by Christ there is another fight in him yet.

  40. Pebblesmeller.. my season ticket hasn’t been updated yet either! Maybe they haven’t got around to it yet?

  41. Keegan, Doherty, D O’Connor, Harrison, O’Shea, Ruane, Parsons all banjaxed, that’s just cruel. If we manage to pull this one out of the bag on Saturday without these lads it would surely rate as one of our best victories since 2011. Thought Higgins was hobbling heavily at one stage on Saturday too.

  43. Same as that as regards attendance at the Match, mine wasn’t redistered for Newry either… I emailed them a few last week.. might as well be banging your head off the wall.. I have emailed them again just now….@Willie Joe, that depends on who was right and who was wrong last year.?.. Kildare had the ‘Rule’ on their side, and dug their heels in… and won out … The CCCC tried to break their own rules and send the Match to Croke Park, even citing giving Kildare the choice of an alternative Venue..Now is absolutely no doubt about it, but if St Conleth Park could be deemed ‘suitable’ when the CCCC got faced down … Hyde Park is a far superior ground and again how could it possibly be deemed ‘Unsuitable’?

  45. FDBinashui says:
    July 1, 2019 at 5:04 pm
    A mute function would come in mighty handy some days.

    🙂 Ha ha ha

  46. Bearing in mind our injuries, I’d go with something along the lines of this for Sat:

    Clarke
    O’Donoghue, Coen, Harrison if fit, (Crowe otherwise)
    Higgins, Boyle, Durkan
    Vaughan, McCormack
    McLoughlin Cillian, Boland
    Diskin, Coen, Carr

    Subs-Hennelly, Murray, Reape, Cafferkey, Plunkett, Regan, Moran, Loftus, S O’Shea, Drake, Treacy

    I’d place Cillian and Boland in half forward line as both at decent at shooting from distance, which will be needed against blanket defence. Midfield is looking lightweight but that’s about as good as we have for there at the moment, Seamie to come in for last 20mins. Treacy to come on middle of 2nd half once game opens up a bit

  49. I think that question needs to be directed to the CCCC, Spotlight.

    Likewise, Leantimes, Newbridge or Nowhere has been more than dealt with at this stage.

    The reality is that the match has been fixed for Limerick, both counties appear okay with the decision, which, on the face of it, isn’t an unreasonable one. It’s the match we need to be concentrating on now.

  51. i am absolutely livid at mayo county board not agreeing to a toss for venue.we had a 50%chance the game to be in castlebar.it is not fair on the supporters to have to travel to limerick .the minor connacht final which i am now attending on friday evening in tuam would have been a great curtain -raiser to the senior clash.the ladies match at 4pm just dosent do it for me.i dont think businesses in castlebar and galway will be happy about it..it does not feel right mayo and galway playing in a munster venue when castlebar and salthill will be lying idle on saturday evening.

  52. I can assure you that the Super 8 match between Roscommon v Cavan/Tyrone, is going ahead in Hyde Park, the weekend after next. Big attendance expected.

  53. Hi, As always am hopeful of a Mayo win over Galway. There has been very encouraging reports from Fitzmaurice and Sean Cavanagh about Mayo’s progress this year after perceived earlier criticism.
    A more mote tactical view from A O’Rourke is interesting. It is basically playing to our strength allowing for tired legs. Who could believe the efficiency of the Mayo 2nd half attack before last Saturday?
    James Horan is once again acknowledged as knowing what he is about after a big dip on popularity after the Roscommon Game. He then went for experience in rhe Down Game with youth to finish. He was urged to give youth a chance. Injuries dictated that it was not that easy.
    Once again he has to adjust. I am sure he would love to give the full back line a rest before the Kerry Match. Can he risk a short kick out strategy for 70mins with hungry Galway forwards? It is fascinating! What will he do? I am hopeful they will come up with something.

    It is lovely to read all the praise for the team. Yet so close.

  54. I’m aiming to get a piece done on Galway a bit later this evening. Can all the venue-related moaning please be finished by then so we can move on to talk about the game? I’m going deaf with the whining at this stage.

  56. I think the venue is the least of our worries. Im sickend its not in Hyde Park, but nothing we can do, lets just move on.

    As said above, if (and its a big IF) we win this game, it would surely count as one of our greatest ever wins? Never has a squad been shorn of so many first choice players, and the captain as well. Pressure will be on Galway for this one, they’ve beaten us 3 years in a row in championship?. Be nice to play 70 mins against them with 15 men this time, discipline will be key.

  58. Two Connacht counties and lets be honest its ridiculous that this tie is not played in Connacht. For the small crowd that Galway would have brought Hyde Park would be well able to host this match and why the nonsense of not tossing for home advantage? Mayo have never loss a qualifier game in MacHale Park and surely Salthill where Galway have just lost a Connacht final than bloody Limerick.

    Bringing the ladies to play the Connacht final replay in a Munster venue is like some type of a April’s fools joke?

  60. Injury list growing it seems. Most of the team in Castlebar hospital at this stage. Hard to see how we’re going to pull this off. We’ve basically no midfield at this point.

  61. Can see this game having a 2014 semi final atmosphere about it, there is so much riding on it.The fact that its the Gaelic grounds and it been on a Saturday evening and it been a local derby will bring some noise and colour.Hopefully there will be plenty of Green and Red Flags and Banners, Coloured Smoke bombs and torches like in 2014.Could be the nearest thing we see to a Roma/Lazio or Fenerbache/Galatasary game in the Gaa!!

  62. Anyone have issues trying to use the opt-out option on there season ticket account?

  63. Can people stop moaning about the venue, it’s so boring to read! I’m much more energised about all our injuries, I just can’t believe it. Hopefully news will improve as the week goes on.

  64. TBH WJ I can live with Limerick as a venue; it’s not the end of the world.

    However, what I find interesting is that no one seems to know the exact reason why HP can’t hold the fixture.

    Anyhow, on we go!

  65. I love this blog so much. All the points made are always both interesting and funny but one thing that is always so evident is the raw passion and love for Mayo football everyone has on it. Its like a drug. I cant get enough of it.. Its bloody brilliant. The ever increasing injury list is just pure rotten luck but as we all know it wouldnt be any other way for Mayo. Nothing ever seems to run smoothly for us. Harping on wont change it and i wish a speedy recovery to all those injured. I think we can beat Galway and all the young guys coming through are well up for it and the old reliables will give everything they’ve got. We’ve got to keep the faith. Maigheo Abu

  66. Leantimes (and others complaining about the Limerick venue)
    The problem with the Hyde is that it would be at least 10.000 short in capacity for Mayo v Galway. Over 25 years ago Connacht Council [i.e. Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim] voted to nominate the Hyde as the premier venue in Connacht and since that Roscommon Co Board sat on their collective arses and did nothing to develope the venue. Meantime Galway redeveloped Salthill [wrong venue, of course] and Mayo continued to develop MacHale Park.
    For 10,000 Galway and Mayo supporters there is a choice – stay at home because Limerick is too far away or stay at home because you cannot get a ticket to the Hyde.

  69. Anyone who thinks Galway are sunk because of what happened in the Connacht Final, would do well to turn the clock back 2 years to 2017.

    On that occasion, they had just lost the Connacht Final to the Rossies in Salthill, by 9 points.
    Yet a couple of weeks later, they went to Sligo, to play Donegal in a Qualifier, and beat them off the field, scoring 4 goals in the process.
    Galway have been a pure bogey team for Mayo. What is it now ?…15 games at all grades since 2015, without a Mayo win.

    Don’t be surprised if Kevin Walsh has been in touch with Daithi Burke since the Connacht Final, with a view to coming on board.
    A big worry for Mayo, has to be the number of injuries that we’re carrying. Also, is Cillian match fit enough to start this match?

    One thing for sure. One of these teams will be in a bad place on Saturday night…
    For Galway, the consequences will hang over the heads for their management, while for Mayo, the consequences of defeat will sadly hang over the heads, of a handful of our more Senior players.

  70. @Andy D.. Limerick is a great venue.. I am not compaining about it… It would be a great Neutral Munster Venue for Kerry and Cork ..but it’s not a Connacht Venue or the right Venue.. The attendance in Limerick is ?very likely to be less than the Capisity of Hyde Park in any case… and last year we were told that the smaller capisity of St Conleth Park didn’t matter…

  71. I’d play Caolan Crowe at midfield. We might have no choice. He can play outfield, he’s big, comfortable on the ball, good composure, a mature footballer. Has never let us down.
    Unreal amount of injuries but we will have a capable 15 ready and rearing to go.
    Probably the perfect draw for both teams, strange as it may sound.
    The last time we played there Cillian played his best ever game for mayo. A good omen perhaps.

  72. Wise choice with the Limerick venue. Galway have had the upper hand on our tight home pitch. A bigger (hurling) field will suit our forwards. The second half performance using quick long ball to our forward line will reape dividends. Time to think of adding another midfielder to the 26 (Gibbons?) Our rotation policy in the league will start to show its value now. Let’s get to super 8’s and hopefully the injured cavalry will arrive on time for our big assault??

  73. I love you ForTheLoveOfMayo… couldn’t have said it better. Passion and excitement. Laughing at the number of injured players… it’s not funny for us or them but it’s crazy. The god’s must indeed be crazy. But I’m so looking forward to this game and seeing the wild passion of Mayo…. always Mayo…

  74. what about Sligo or Carrick for this game. Crowd should be about 15.000 , it should be played in Connaught and having the ladies Final in Munster is a scandal, would any other providence bring their final to Connaught.

  75. Isn’t it great to be able to complain about the venues and wondering who will be fit to play. I would have thought Hyde Park made sense but its not to be.

    On a couple of occasions Saturday I would have settled for an away game to Kerry played on inch strand the way things were looking.

    We would all be going around with long faces today if Armagh had bet us.

    But they didn’t.

    We’re still there and the manager will have a busy week trying to conjure up his best fifteen for this coming Saturday and having another 6 worthy subs ready to come in.

    I think James Horan is in a no lose situation now with all the wounded. If he can manage to put another team selection together for the Galway game and get a performance out of them, I think that’s the most important goal now over the next 4 or 5 days.

  76. Can we please move on from the venue. That decision has been taken. There’s no amount of moaning that will change it. It’s a pitch on the western seaboard – so that’ll do.

    The game is all that matters now.

  77. Tossing for a home venue was not a good option–what part of “neutral venue” do the CCCC not understand. Limerick will suit us.injuries will happen but we must get on with it. I cant see SoS or Coc playing a full game. Vaughan might.

  78. I forgot Barrett too, Il blame the short term memory loss on the few pints last night!

  79. would take Limerick over coin toss

    coin toss.option A Galway at home option B match in Castlebar where we are losing at least half the time.

    most important thing is that we give ourselves the best chance of getting through

  80. Just as a matter of interest, 1. How many Mayo season ticket holders are there?
    2. What’s the stand capacity in the Hyde?

  81. Galway have their problems too. Comer for for 10 or 15 at best, Conroy probably less than 90% also and then Flynn had a 2nd half horror no show against Ros. Added to that they became clueless once Ros got a goal. Our best chance is strong 3Rd quarter just like Ros.
    In the backs they’re not picking their best 6 and if they do it again can get badly exposed shawl or not.
    The Galway lads here think we’ll edge it so far from pessimism I will remain. Just focus on getting through this and nothing else.

  82. Jesus Christ what is wrong with people. It’s nothing to do with a Connaught fixture, it’s not a Connaught fixture, it’s a qualifier so it’s a croke park decision. Some people are never happy..throw in up in Newry was too late, now this and numerous other moans over the years. I’m bringing to think the rest of the country is right… We are a bunch of fucking whingers. If ya don’t want to go..stay at home. I live in a part of the county within 35 minutes of Hyde… But it’s not there, so I’m going to Limerick. With all the people that swore blind they’d never go to another match after the Stephen Rochford debacle last August I’m surprised there is anybody going.

  83. Culmore, there will be a lot more than 15000 at game, there was almost 19000 on Saturday and hyde is only licensed for 18000 as for the other 2 venues your having a laugh, now let’s go to limerick and win

  84. Made my airline ticket purchase and lined up hotel in Limerick. It’d be more convenient if it was being played in Gaelic Park in the Bronx but the world doesn’t revolve around me 🙂
    I’m not flying over to be disappointed. Can’t wait to meet some of you and celebrate advancing. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to greet WJ!

  85. All season tickets will be in the Mackey stand so that will be good for us. We can make some serious noise in there. Knockout football against Galway is something we haven’t seen in 20 years so the atmosphere should be electric. Bring the flags for this one. Can’t wait!

  86. Tetchy mood is good. Let ppl bellyache about everything. We’re told Irish people don’t complain enough… well they’re not all from Mayo! It’s good to complain and move on. I complain sometimes. It’s ok. I want to be heard and acknowledged and then I’m ready to move on. I give out about venues and refs and frees given and denied and that’s ok. I hear you all and I share the pain and indignation and injustice. But God do we not share so much more. I’d cross Ireland to see Mayo play but sadly I can’t this time. I sure as hell wish I could. I envy you buggers who can travel. And I also know that between you and the men taking to the field that me and my county will be proud as hell. I’ll be listening quietly on a hidden radio as I attend my daughter’s stage performance…and I’m damn proud of her too!
    Bring colour and passion and wild hearts and never say die determination. Bring everything and everyone you lay eyes on. Bring the memory of your parents and those who cannot be with you… living and dead. We are on an odyssey and we will see this through. Bring our injured players and those who never had these opportunities. Be there and know you are not alone. Our men and women are our heroes. Mayo blood, Mayo heart and Mayo forever… Maigheo go deo

  87. I’m away on holidays and not fully up to date, why is the game fixed for Limerick? surely a neutral venue would be better suited to Hyde Park, or even Sligo.
    Reading this blog from afar, there are alot of pessimistic people writing their views, the players or management wouldn’t want to be reading it.
    I remember writing last year that it was better for Mayo to go out in a back door game rather than in a final, I must admit I was wrong, those close call back door games are worth 10 training sessions, very exciting listening to the commentary via the Midwest online radio, even if Martin Carney did loose his way and was actually giving out to some of the Mayo players.
    Surely alot is learned for the younger guys in those tough games.
    I say to Horan bring in a few defenders for the Galway game, even if they are a little off in training, it will do wonders for their confidence, I mean the likes of O Donoghue, Crowe and McCormack.
    Somebody mentioned on the blog yesterday that Durcan may do a man marking job on Shane Walsh in the event that Keegan may be out injured, I hope this won’t happen, Durcan is needed for bombing forward in a type of free role.

  88. Banm2019 and Tuamstar.
    Only got this from Google, if you can believe that lad. Pitch size,137x 82 , exactly the same as McHale pk. Surprised myself.
    Tuamstar. Full house on season tickets. 4/ 4.5 thousand.
    Says Hyde park capacity is 25000.

  89. Hyde capacity is down to 18500. Just checked, it wouldn’t hold the crowd they are expecting.
    Anyways Limerick is fine, motorway literally from my front door..

  90. Nephin those dimensions for the Gaelic grounds are wrong. If you measure the distance on google maps from the 2 black spots it’s 144 meters. The satellite photo shows shade on one side of the pitch so when I measured from the black spot to the corner flag it’s 43 meters or so, making it around 86 meters wide. That’s 7 meters longer and 4 wider than mchale Park. Check it out for yourself.

  91. Thanks lads for the replies.
    Very happy to be wrong about dimensions. I always thought it bigger than Mc Hale myself and think it would suit our lads . Might make it a bit harder for a blanket defense.

  92. I think limerick is a good choice of venue – it’s a fine ground and we this will be our third year in a row playing there. Not sure if this Galway team have any experience of it. Match ups will be crucial – I believe Aidan O’Shea will be fit despite the reports in the Telegraph. Whoever starts we must not let Galway get a run on us on the counter – this comes from turning the ball over too cheaply as we get into the attacking third of the field. This is where the likes of Shane Walsh excels so we might need to set a dog on him. I’m still very optimistic – Galway are very worried about this fixture because if they lose, heads could roll from the top, whereas a loss for us can be put down to bad luck with injuries, a team in transition etc. The key is to get ahead and keep building on the lead so that they have to come out. Fionn Mcdonagh and Kevin McLoughlin from deep are well capable of doing this and Darren Coen has been deadly from distance.

  93. Sorry lads Mayo Man living in Clare. Did I miss something is AIDO injured too. No hotel rooms in Clare this Sat Golf is on. This not looking good

  94. FDBinashui I thoroughly agree that declining the toss was a good idea, as anything that might risk us getting home advantage should be avoided at all costs! 😉

  95. Avoiding the toss was 100% correct thing to do , what on earth would we want a game in mchale Park for , pitch is completely useless to us . And we’ve fired an aul shot into the enemy before it starts .

    We can make this count imo , we are capable to drive home our end by turning up in our absolute droves and making it a real advantage cause Galway have a very small following in comparison . This is a game you’ll want to be at , don’t miss it , play your part , win or lose though you’ll be sorry if you don’t go. Win it’s brilliant , lose and it’s the last time you might see some of these finest of bucks to ever wear the jersey , they won’t go down without a fight , you shouldn’t either . Sin e.

  96. Love it Anne-Marie.

    Despite all our injuries I’ve started looking forward to this challenge. I expect us to be more than up for it. And I expect us to get out the other side of the battle too and if we don’t it won’t be for lack of effort. I’d love to get to the Super 8’s.

    Once Kevin McLoughlin finds his form, he keeps it. Never forget seeing it click for him in extra time in Derry qualifier (he had lost confidence in his shooting ability) and that was it for the rest of the season. How he didn’t win an all star that year I don’t know. Colm Boyle too. Things are clicking regardless of injuries (I’m banking on AOS playing). If AOS doesn’t and we manage to get through, imagine the confidence going forward knowing we have his caliber coming in and Keegan and Jason.

    I’m more up for this because it’s Galway. So you can bet the lads are.

  98. Think there will be a big Galway crowd, as there was in Mc Hale Pk last year. We need to factor in that we won’t have it all to ourselves. Also if I were Walsh I’d throw in Comer. Mayo fb line has shipped so many goals, Galway must be odds on to be one up after a few minutes.

  101. Who in their right minds would think it ok to play galway v mayo match in limerick ,would Dublin play meath in roscommon,would Tyrone play cavan in sligo ,would cork play Kerry in galway ,?????

  102. For those asking, HPs capacity for Connacht Final was reduced to 18500 for 2018 Connacht Final but later upped to 25000 by CP for the 2018 All-Ireland qtr final against Donegal. What it lacks in facilities (WCs) it makes up for in being the best surface in Connacht and is actually larger than CP. We were told by CC and JP we could not host another CF until we 1) installed turnstiles 2) new dressing rooms 3) block of bathrooms at stand. PP has been sought for all. None of this would have prevented 25000 from enjoying the game there. GL in LK.

  103. To those saying it good that this game isn’t played in MacHale Park should consider two things.

    1) Mayo have never lost a qualifier game in MacHale Park
    2) the advantage of home decision from refs is gone and they are needed in a tight game as proved last Saturday

    Will be interesting to see what the attendance will be the Gaelic grounds, 18,600 i think it was for last Saturday and Armagh brought a big following. Galway were outnumbered by Roscommmon at home 3-1 in the Connacht final. A crowd of 15-17,000 i reckon for this game and you would really need to wonder is their a need to move this game out of Connacht with a crowd of that size?

    Galway BTW have happy memories in the Gaelic ground, they won the 2013 U21 All ireland there, Tom Flynn,Fiontan O’Curraoin,Damien Comer,Shane Walsh,Adrian Varley,Ian Burke were all on that Galway team.

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