That oft-posed footballing question – will Galway bate Mayo? – is set to get another airing this coming Sunday, this time in the novel surroundings of Croke Park. It’s there that the destination of the Nestor Cup for 2021 will be decided and in this bumper episode of the Mayo News football podcast we preview this weekend’s Connacht final.
Mayo News sports editor Mike Finnerty hosts this extended show and he’s joined by Kevin McStay and Colin Sheridan to look ahead to the coming Connacht showdown at GAA HQ. The lads discuss …
We also take the temperature on the Galway side of the fence, as Mike catches up with former Galway footballer and regular podcast guest Barry Cullinane who ….
To coincide with the Connacht final the podcast has teamed up with Intersport Elverys in a competition where the exciting prize is three of the new home Mayo jerseys. All you have to do to enter is leave a review of the podcast on whatever platform you listen to it on. The three winners will be announced in our Connacht final review episode next week.
This episode of the Mayo News football podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes, SoundCloud, Podomatic and Spotify. You can also listen to it directly on the Mayo News website as well as here on the blog using the SoundCloud player below or the one on the panel on the right.
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The Mayo News football podcast is produced and edited by Ger Duffy Media. The show is sponsored by Ceramic City and Swinford Motors, two fine Mayo businesses with whom we’re proud to be associated this year.
Anyone able to explain how that was judged to be a square ball ??
We’re throwing the baby out with the bath water again I see.
I’m hoping we’re ready to catch fire. Think back to James’s first stint in charge, year 3 was when we really started motoring in ’13. We’re now in year 3 of Horanball mark II and all the hallmarks of a really powerful & athletic running game are emerging again. If Diarmuid, Lee & Kevin Mc are all fit and healthy, I think we’ve right to feel confident going into this one. I also think there are question marks around Joyce’s management. Appreciate Barry Cullinane said everyone gets a free pass in the covid championship, but when you look at their form in the round since Joyce took over, the only thing you can say for certain, is that they’ve been consistently inconsistent. A dangerous opponent for sure, but I think there’s more in our favour than theirs – Mayo to beat the spread and win by between 4 and 6
Galways league performance above in Monaghan – where they should really have held out and won – is looking better now when you see how Monaghan are performing in the championship.
They also had a good tough game with Ros in very poor weather conditions.
Hopefully our U20s defeat V Roscommon will dampen down some of what I could only describe as over confidence from some, for the senior Connacht Final v Galway.. It’s actually a few years since Mayo played Galway in what could be described as a normal Championship game… Last year it was, the November dogfight in the winter in an empty wet and windy Salthill, the previous time it was Limrick, in high summer when James Carr scored a brace early on, including his wonder goal the ‘Caradona’ … A raft of new young players into both teams since… 7 serious player’s retired, for Mayo since Limrick, Andy Moran, Donie Vaughan, Chris Barrett, Kieth Higgins, David Clarke, Séamus O Shea, and Tom Parsons.. Also available that day, but unlikely to be available next Sunday, Jason Doc, Brendan Harrison and the mighty Cillian O Connor… We have injury concerns and have had Covid disruption… On the other side of the Ledger, we have successfully blooded several new players, including the 3 nominations for the Young Player of the Year, Oisin Mullen (winner) Tommy Conroy and Eoghan McLoughlin, and if 4 player’s could have gotten nominations, I suspect that Ryan O Donohue would also have been nominated.. Last year, a year like no other, we certainly done very well once October kicked in, but not so well in the Spring, Galway went the other way… This year Galway have been well tested, and it has to said failed some of those tests, Padraig Joyce will have taken notes and appropriate remedical action will have been taken.. Mayo haven’t been tested at all, the only real competition we have faced in 2021 is probably the A versus B game’s, although I believe once or twice our opposition won the coin toss.. So really, we are heading into the unknown and unknowable on what will be a very warm day in Croke Park next Sunday… I predict a cagy opening quater, with some shadow boxing, but a shootout after that… Both teams will be on gaurd not to concede an early goal, .. After that I expect a high scoring game and if Mayo can stay in the game to the very end, we are in with a decent chance.. We will definitely need one goal and probably two… Mayo by a whisker for me!
Good to hear Mike Finnerty say that Hennelly, Keegan, Diarmuid and Kevin Mc should all be ready to go.
Does anyone know if Kevin McLoughlin and Darren MacHale play close together in the forwards with Knockmore?
In the absence of Cillian, it would be a big plus for Mayo if they already had an established relationship on the field (a bit of telepathy).
I am nervous about this game.
I think Galway have improved and are feeling confident.
I’d love if we were fully ready for them and on top of our game. Fingers crossed.
I feel Kevin Mc can have a big say in the forward division in the absence of Cillian.
I’ve liked the look of Darren McHale – as I suggested, alongside Kevin Mc, he could be a force that’ll impose himself on the game.
Kevin Mc often plays midfield for knockmore so not so sure.
Thanks, Tommy Joe. I’m a bit embarrassed I didn’t know. Anyway, this Knockmore pair might be interesting.
Hi all
Were the loads of tickets for this game or did it sell out.
This is a big test for our young fellas – Galway are a good team and a big step up from what these lads have experienced so far in 2021. They are largely untested at the highest level. This is their opportunity to impose themselves against Galway. If they are unable to do this then they have no business togging out against Dublin or Kerry.
I hope they can grasp that opportunity and kick off a new era in Mayo football.
Still tickets left online and I’m going to guess there’s lots of them too.
Don’t know if any of ye were watching the Leinster U20 final?.. Dublin v Offaly, terrific entertainment and uninhibited play from Offaly, There was a young man playing for Offaly No13, Cormack Egan, who definitely wasn’t sneaking out to a black economy barber during lockdown, with long strawberry blonde hair, reminiscent of the 1970s .. You want to see this guy go with the ball, absolutely unstoppable time after time, as good as a Michael Donnelle,n Shane Walsh, Kevin McLoughlin or Kieth Higgins all rolled into one player.. John Maughan won’t be able to leave him out of the Offaly seniors.. congratulations to Offaly on a well deserved win, and watch out for this guy, Cormack Egan in the future.
Great podcast lads really enjoyed that. Delighted to hear the 3 lads might be able to play some part in this game. Don’t be surprised if JH pulls a rabbit out of the hat.
Sorry to be pedantic Leantimes, but Salthill was not wet and windy, last November. It was sunny, windy but not too windy, excellent conditions for the time of year.
Agree completely that we are heading into the unknown. The ‘lads may be back, but will they be 100%?
@Catcol, .. I predict a sunny and warm day in Croke Park next Sunday, but not too warm… At least I got the ‘Windy’ part right about Salthill last November the good guesser that I am.. I might have remembered that it wasn’t actually raining, if I had been there, alas no fans were allowed and there was no room in the Kit Van!
I never get why McStay has to keep saying that Galway always produces better, more natural forwards. If that were true, why has Galway won so few knock out matches in Croke Park since 2001. If Ryan O’Donoghue and Tommy Conroy were from Galway, they would be lauded as evidence of the natural Galway forward phenomenon. Instead they are from Mayo and although they have doubled their effectiveness in the last year, Kevineen can’t bring himself to say that they are two brilliant forwards who just could be the difference between the teams in the end
Great podcast. Interesting views from Colin and Kevin even though it seems like Colin would be more content as a galway supporter seeing as he has such high praise for the galway players. Keep up the great work on the podcast.