Game day: time to claim the greatness that awaits

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Photo: Declan Drummond

It’s finally come – the biggest show in town is on this afternoon down the road from here at Croke Park and once again we’re set to be in the thick of it. It’s All-Ireland final day and there’s a final there for us to win.

The lead-in to today’s decider has taken an absolute age. But maybe that’s because, this time, all the build-up really didn’t matter from our point of view. This one is all about a game that throws in today at 3.30pm and and that’s where the focus has been for the last few weeks.

And what a game, what a challenge. Dublin come into it as champions, a truly great team with all the titles and all the medals to show for this. It’s self-evident that if we’re to beat them, the lads will have to put in the performance of their lives.

It’s not just down to the players either – those of us lucky enough to be in Croke Park later on today have to play our part too, supporting this great team to the maximum of our ability as they shoot for the stars. Knowing that we’re with them every step of the way will surely lighten their load, not by a huge amount but maybe by enough to make the difference.

As Andy said, finals are there to be won. Today’s the day to do this. Bring the colour, bring the noise. Give it everything. Sam is there to be claimed. Let’s go and do it.

Best of luck to Stephen, Cillian, all the players and backroom team today.

Up Mayo!

48 thoughts on “Game day: time to claim the greatness that awaits

  1. On bus up from Galway in pissing rain so looks like it will be a wet one. Could be a repeat of league game in Castlebar but we push on for the win!

  2. Like Willie Joe I only have to go down the road. Having flown into Brisbane from Papua New Guinea Mick O Mallys Irish Bar is 5 minutes away. They expect 100. To 150 tonight. Can’t wait. HON MAYO

  3. This is either going to be the best day of our lives….. Or one of the worst.
    Just think there is a touch of destiny with this team. They’ve come too far to just lose.

  4. Best of luck to Stephen and the entire Mayo Team. Here’s hoping and praying that we will be singing and dancing in the rain come 5pm !!

  5. Having an almighty weekend here in Dublin this team has given us some magical days out over the last number of years I would love it if ther could win today just for themselves for all their hard work dedication and sacrifices. Whatever happens I’ll be at the FBD on the first Sunday in January and we’ll dream it all up again and back them to the hilt. To the Mayo team squad management and back room team thank you for making all our lives a lot brighter

  6. Good luck to the players and management today. Also good luck to Galway minors. Let’s make it a double for the west!

  7. Pretty sure that we’ll have a dry cloudy day for the match based on forecast….so don’t be worrying about rain. To WJ and all my fellow posters enjoy the day and hopefully come 5pm when we ‘return to base’ here, we’ll all have experienced seeing our native county winning the All Ireland.

    I believe we’re going to do it and considering how close previous games against them have been I feel we’re being written off far too much.

  8. I well up just thinking about what it must feel like.

    If this is to be the day, I, and I suspect many thousands of others, am going to be a blubbering mess.

    Half bloody 10.

  9. In order to keep our heads up and keep the faith please dont read JoeBrolly piece in Indo today. Same old sickening re hash. And to call our great boys ‘celebrity losers’.
    My blood boils.
    Anyway its going to be the best day of our lives.
    Good luck to all involved and thank you guys for these great days.

  10. Hello All,

    Like everyone i am delighted for this Team. My sense is that as young men they have been through so much between one thing and another and the last few weeks will really have brought them up to speed.
    I was slow to accept SR but he has done so well to keep the team together and am more than happy for him keep any surprises for today. I would imagine he has been ‘through the mill’ as well for the past year.

    I

  11. Goodish omen.! Gas ran out and me doing me streakies. On this morning above any morning!!! Got the 904 canister out of attic ….. dead! Resorted to the baby camping can and phew, just got over the line… job done. Twas some battle but we got there!

  12. We’re promised rain by match time. That should suit us down to the grund. We’re well used to that in the West whereas the Dubs are shrinking violets when it rains – they’re so used to the dry east coast., But no matter what the weather this is our day – our destiny – what we were born for!

  13. The very best of luck to our great team and management, our supporters and to all on this great site.
    I as many, many others feel that this day is ours, we are the only county that the dubs fear because we’re so unpredictable and at our best are a fantastic football team, let’s be our best today. Am sure SR and the team have something up their sleeve for this one.
    The best of luck to the Galway lads in the minor. A clean sweep for the west today.
    MaighEo Abú

  14. I’m a mess this morning. It’s so bad I’ve started taking the perfectly good white mastic off the seals around the bath. Just because it’s there.
    Come on dogeen, we’d better go for a walk before I start painting the ceilings. Or climbing them.
    Half three, come on ta f*@k.

  15. Woke up this morning and went out to the back garden to be greeted by a lone Magpie on the wall cawing loudly, not good I thought. Although I am living in a large suburb in North Dublin so I hope a few Dubs seen it as well. Went back inside to be greeted by my youngest son wearing the complete Dublin kit. ‘What are you playing at?’ I said, ‘I was born in Dublin and have lived my whole life here so I am supporting Dublin’ came the reply. He turns 5 Sunday week. Thankfully my eldest was kitted out in Mayo colours. I told my youngest he would have to go live somewhere else, no good he is not budging. Have I failed as a Father? Where was his mother 5 years 9 months ago ?. On top of all this I couldn’t get a ticket for the game. This day can only get better it has too! To all Mayo people have a great day and best of luck to the team these men carry our hearts today.

  16. Best of luck to the lads.

    This wet ball will fairly mess up Dublin’s gameplan.

    Cluxton won’t know if he is coming or going on the kickouts. Need to be pumping high balls on top of him also.

  17. No sleep last night. Fingernails down to the nub.

    Pushed breakfast around the plate this morning.

    Why do we do this to ourselves.

    Best of luck lads, looks like this game will be remembered as “The bashing in the lashing”.

  18. Mayo 4-12. Dublin 1-16.

    “Keegan 2. O’Connor and Moran 1. Mayo 4. Dublin 1.”

    “Goals pay the rent and Keegan does his share.”

  19. Slept like a log ..freakishly calm..never so happy to dive up in the pissing rain..Hope it pours all day..PULL LIKE DOGS BOYS..Sam is waiting.

  20. Slight bit of drizzle in west Dublin at the moment…

    Some day that Dublin don’t like playing in the rain but they played Kerry last year in a monsoon and beat them off the park…they should have won by a lot more as well.

  21. when Mandela was being elected the catchphrase was SEKHUNJALO…THIS IS THE TIME…SEKHUNJALO MAYO…This is our time. Go seize it and we are 100% behind you…and proud of each one of you! Up Mayo…Sekhunjalo

  22. Great colour and crowd on the two trains from Maynnoth that departed in the last ten minutes.

    One Mayo supporter has sourced a ticket from a Monk in Kildare – beat that. !! The time is now. #DEFIANT

  23. Pay no heed to Joe Brolly,he gets paid for his thoughts,Stephen gets rewards for his planning,in Stephen we thrust,up mayo

  24. Best of luck to team and management today. 2016- what a year you’ve given us. Mayo have every chance today. Brolly spoke last night in Citywest at the Midwest broadcast. Nice as pie and brown nosed Mayo all the way. Then he writes that crap in the Sunday paper. Two faced prick. He said he would wear the Mayo colours if they win. I dont want him to. It would discredit the jersey.

  25. see all that energy about Brolly…save it for our team and give it all the way…Brolly is himself and who knows maybe what he says will be enough to push a few buttons and make someone that little bit more determined…absolutely everything for Mayo now and no one else…UP MAYO…FOREVER!!!

  26. I hope everyone enjoys the game but keep safe and kerp it in perspective. It’s only a game in a world so full of suffering. We’re underdogs so it may not be our day. But win or lose let’ it be with dignity and respect. The players deserve great credit for what they have achieved and hopefully they will cherish the great privilege they gave had… Mhaigh Eo abu.

  27. Watching Joe on his knees wearing a mayo jersey would be the only reason id switch over to RTE.Same people same bullshite. Fuck im nervous wreck.

  28. The lucky lucky bastards,, Connolly getting a yellow for battering the face of Keegan.. I’m almost as sick as I was this day last year.

    GREAT MEN ALL

  29. Fair play to the Mayo support. Best I’ve ever ever heard. Chant happened before team sat and Mayo Mayo Mayo was best it’s ever been. I’m so annoyed. We were by far the better team. Two own goals?!?!????????!!!We were great besides in my eyes. I’m hoarse. How the hell do we get tickets again?!

  30. Mayo will finish the job in two weeks. They are in the dressing room now and they know for definite they can beat them. Dublin are in theirs knowing Mayo have the measure of them.
    Every on will say Dublin played poorly and it wont happen again. Dublin were not let play and they wont be let again in two weks.

    If Connolly isnt hauled up on video evidence then there is no justice in Gaelic football.

    We wont gift them two goals again, we will be better in attack in two weeks. The long wait will end in two weeks time.

  31. Ref didn’t see it as it was brought to his attention. Connolly got the yellow card so the incident I’d deemed dealt with and it can’t be revisited. Je’s I’ve a pain in my head and I’m hoarse from roaring at the TV. Rock was brutal and I don’t see this happening again so Mayo will have to be diceplined the next day. Aidan needs to be more clinical when in possession, he coughed up silly possession on a number of occasions today and at the death of the game he kicked an outrageous effort when possession was critical oxygen for burning lungs, I despaired !!

    Mayo started like men possessed and tore into them, the Dubs seemed to be frantically turning the pages of the script on the “Process” to see what they should do,, with the shocking weather and obvious tag of unbeatable they only survived as a result of the most outrageous good fortune with two freakish own goals to get them the undeserved draw.

    Very exciting game to watch but Mayo must improve greatly on Saturday week if they are to win as the Dubs will be in a far better place when ye meet them again. I had a sneaky feeling ye would catch them today as a result of the dubs cockiness and the fact that Mayo were coming in low and hard without any expectation. All that has changed and gilroy will have little difficulty in getting his players minds focuses. Mayo lads giving interviews after the game and again for the RTE news was not what I would have expected, eyes down, shut your mouth and back to the batcave Robbin.

    It can be done but it has become harder, a lot harder but these boys are hard bastards and they will be ready for the fight. God I hope they do it as they were wonderful today, imagine the odds on Mayo beating the Dubs by six points today !!

  32. Before I’m corrected, Gavin obviously and not Gilroy, I was talking about the 2011 game when I posted,,

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