This afternoon the lads take on Kildare in a crucial NFL Division One fixture at St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge. While it’s not a winner-take-all contest, whoever emerges from it with the spoils will have given themselves a decent shot at retaining their top tier status. Whoever loses, though, is almost certainly going to get relegated. So, from our perspective, this game is definitely a must-win one for us.
Our form so far this year has been, like at this time of year the last few seasons, lethargic and disjointed. Having pinched a fortunate enough opening day win up in Clones against Monaghan we’d a great chance to push on and do well in this year’s League campaign. Three dispiriting losses later, however, we’re back instead in the familiar territory of a relegation battle.
Our cause is, as of yet, far from hopeless. Tyrone winning last night, though, did us no favours and we’ll now definitely need to win two, and preferably all three, of our remaining matches if we’re to make sure we stay up.
Kildare will be no pushovers today. Although they’ve lost all four of League matches they’ve played this year – and losing to us will effectively seal their fate – they’ve been unlucky to do so.
Ulster counties are tough to play against at this time of year – they’re far more accommodating opponents these days in high summer at Croke Park – but Kildare only lost to Tyrone and Monaghan by a point and went down to Donegal by just two points. If we think we’ll have it all our own way today against a team capable of battling like that then we need to think again.
How we fare out today depends, in large part, on the team we field. The one we named yesterday didn’t include the likes of Paddy Durcan, Tom Parsons, Cillian O’Connor or Conor Loftus. The one we start today could well have within its ranks some or all of these players.
The stronger the team we put out today, the better. We should aim to grab control of this match from the start and drive on from there. That’s something we’ve failed completely to do so far this year but, with our Division One status once more on the line, it’s high time for us to show the kind of form we know we’re capable of when it really matters.
A bright start and a better scoring return from the attacks we make than we’ve enjoyed to date this year and we’ll be well on our way today. On our way to a much-needed, and well overdue, second win of the campaign.
Safe travelling to all on the roads today. I’m hoping to see a big Mayo crowd cheer on a big performance by the lads at St Conleth’s Park this afternoon. Up Mayo!
A win would be good fingers crossed we will win today
Must win for sure today.think the break came at a good time.
2 points and no cards or injuries today will be needed.
Safe traveling
Agree WJ – its now time to take our game up to another level. We badly need a performance today that resembles something a lot closer to what we’re capable of. Every score is going to matter today so this needs to be a full throttle all out attack for 70+ mins. It could well be scoring difference that will determine where we will be playing our national league football in 2019. Not only is a win essential today – it must be by a comprehensive margin.
Best of luck to the lads today. I think we’ll win a hard fought game. I’d love to see us rattling the kildare net a couple of times. Time to show why we’re in this division for longer than anyone else. Safe travelling to all.
Hon Mayo.
If Zippy isn’t togging out for the hurlers, I think we’ll see him lending a hand in Newbridge.
We have to win this lads. Lets do it. Come on Mayo!
Sure there’s witches and bitches and goblins and ghosts
She’s burned lamb chops and chickens and porridge and roasts
Now that’s me good geansai, make sure not to shrink
The geansai was sound but me white socks were pink.
She rises me blood pressure 3 times a day
When I’m feeling like whiskey she offers me tay
When I go to the sink the auld kettle to fill
“Be careful there now and make sure not to spill”
I step out of the shower look around then I growl
I’m standing here freezing where the f**k is the towel
She says “the neighbours are lovely I’ve asked them to call”
“They can f**k off today sure I’m watching football”
There’s all kinds of contraptions all over the house
It’s my job to get him, to murder that mouse
She heard tiny feet scratching and would you believe ?
I’d offer him money to get him to leave
So the lamb chops and chickens and porridge and roasts
And witches and bitches and goblins and ghosts
I suppose their all part of life’s bigger plan
I’m lucky to have her, that she made me her man.
Cant see Caff handling Daniel Flynn, not near him in form currently. A big risk for goals if he picks him up.
My biggest fear JP, hope im wrong and caff has a stormer.
Parking ?????? Everyone seems to be going to the Whitewater but that won’t take us all?????
Good luck mayo today, for those of us who are unable to attend.
Live GAA – Sunday tg4
Galway v Monaghan – Live @ 12.25pm
Galway v Limerick – Live @ 2.15pm
Kilkenny v Wexford – Deferred @ 4.15pm
Kildare v Mayo – Deferred @ 5.45pm
Thanks Deelrover. It’s the first time in a while I’m not travelling and was trying to find the TG4 matches today.
Safe journey to all on the road, bring the noise!!
Donegal now have a points difference of -11, the same as us and Kildare. With us and Donegal on 2 points and Kildare on zero points we need to get and stay ahead of those two teams, starting today. Best of luck to all involved.
Like you WJ, I hope to see a few changes before throw-in. I’d prefer to see David Clarke in goals as I always think that Robbie is an accident waiting to happen between the posts. Remember that Kildare have a strong midfield, so that could be the thinking there, using Robbie for his better kick-outs.
As mentioned above, seeing how we will handle Daniel Flynn will be interesting to see. They have brought in two new corner forwards for this game, so they must see out full-back line as being a weak spot, as it is at the moment with us missing our first choice 3 defenders in that line.
You’d think that our forwards will get a bit more space today as they won’t be facing a blanket defence, so you’d expect our scoring returns up front to be better today and please lads convert the frees.
Be better not let out loud moans either if we do happen to miss a few frees ,they say it makes it harder for a player for the next one. Encourage encourage encourage, we can moan moan moan in here after .
We should be alright as long as Kildare dont get any stupid ideas in their heads, like start winning a few games and staying up. They have no business thinking like that.
Better for them now to concentrate on an assault on the Leinster title dish ear.
Best of luck to Mayo today, we need to Start showing our ability now!!!
Everyone knows that anything other than a win will mean Div 2 next year. Trying not to moan yet but am concerned with the named team.
on route to the game.. flying solo. I have a spare ticket if anyone in need
@Mayo 88..A must win for sure..We just havevto trust mgmt know what they are doing with named team..Will be so disappointed if we dont pull a win out of the bag today..
You feel this is the game that will determine the direction of year goes.
Lose and we are likely to be relegated and finish the league finding little, and losing a proud record. The lack of young talent and likely retirements will make getting back hard.
Win and we can push on but we need to see that the team and panel are progressing
Clarke togged but with tracksuit bottoms on AND he is warming Hennelly up not Vice versa
Hennelly starts id say
Cillian parsons out first for photo
Seamie has sub top on
Would be alarmed if Robbie starts
Tom Parsons in for Hall
Cillian in for Seamie
Galway March on.
Was a mixed bag till the last 3 minutes of magic
Forgot how stressful it is following Mayo on twitter..More magic in 2nd half please.
Very mixed bag. Kildare creating loads of opportunities early on that if they’d converted, they’d probably have racked up a pretty decent score already. Aidan O’Shea has taken the game by the scruff of the neck though and is driving them on.
This is why AOS has to play in The middle sector
Leave Cillian stationed in close to goal like he is today
Your not the greatest of trolls Mayo88 and beware the daffodils, up in spring and gone in summer.
Well done to Mayo, 1-19, that’s as good a score as any team will put up today.
This win just gives us the platform to avoid relegation. Next weekend is just as much a ‘must win’. Our points difference is still less than Tyrone so a draw would leave us behind them. It would not be good if we had to travel to Donegal needing a win to stay up.
Mayo need to start hitting the onion bag. Not enough goals.
Can’t figure it out . How come Galway are apparently already in the league final but Dublin are not ??
Because Galway can’t finish below Monaghan after today due to head to head.
Dublin can ask Monaghan could still beat them!
And that situation could only arise if Galway beat Dublin next week in which case they will be 12 points and unreachable