We drew 3-9 to 1-15 with Laois in that challenge match at Ballyhaunis this afternoon, or so I’m reliably told. I don’t have all that much information about the game and what I do have comes courtesy of PJ who got the lowdown from someone who was there (or so he said). Killer (playing at left-half forward?) scored one (or maybe two) of the goals, while Mort got most of the points but I’ve no info on what the team looked like. Maybe the Mayo News will oblige tomorrow. The only other point of note was that there was no Fairytale of the Haunis today, no Mac and Johnno running from opposites ends of the pitch to meet and embrace each other in the middle. No Mac at all, apparently, though, once again, perhaps it’s best to wait for the papers for the next update on that one.
Update: There’s some more about the game on this thread at gaaboard.com. An odd line-up and an equally odd performance, by the looks of it.
Hi – great website. Very informative. Was at game yesterday. the performance was poor but what would concern me more is the lack of shape to our team. Clarke was a contender for MOTM which for me sums up Conroys performance. Heaney needs to be full back for sure. Aidan Higgins did really well and should push for a first 15 slot. Trev was very good but has to be in the half back line. its his best position without a doubt. Thinking clear in front of goals is not something you could ever accuse trevor of, but he is a key player for us if in the proper position – half back line. Midfield got the run around but I wouldnt panic yet. Mcgarrity need a bigger man than parsons( who will be great!!). Where is Barry Moran???? Killer looked the real deal but was taken off free taking duties…..his efforts were abysmal. Ronaldson got stuck in and mort was our biggest threat. Compbell was poor….looked slow and sometimes not hungry which was disappointing. However he did show his value from 1 long range free near the end.
mayo news have the game down as a 1-point win for mayo:
Mayo 3-9
Laois 1-14
Thanks for the info on the match, Ted. I guess with Laois starting their Leinster campaign on 31st May, they need to be a bit more focused than we do at that stage. Our line-up was a bit strange, I thought, with a good number of what you’d now regard as first-teamers missing. That’s what challenge matches are for, I suppose.
Not sure I’d agree with you about a full-back line comprising Aidan Higgins, Heaney and Nallen – bags of experience, to be sure, but a bit slow on the lift-off at this stage!
Thanks for that on the score, Nathan – I hadn’t actually seen the Mayo News yet today but will post later on to clarify.
Hi – I Agree with Ted great site and extremely informative … well done . Was at the game yesterday and again Im with Ted…. Trev was excellent yesterday …extremely competitive and industrious through out … Back line still a problem … 1-14 is a big score no matter how you look at it …
For me also half forward line needs to to shape sooner rather than later … tom kelly flying up the field all on his own yesterday leaves a lot to be desired !! but we cant be toooo harsh and Mayo did win …. A lot done more to do … i think
Thanks, Perseus, I think there is plenty to do before 22nd June alright. We have the makings of a strong side, I reckon, but it’s question of putting the right players in their strongest positions. Trevor half-back or half-forward? Howley chb or in the corner? Cunniffe in the corner or the half-backs? Keith in the corner or at no.7? And on it goes …
I think we’ll see a fair few other permutations tried out between now and the Sligo game. At least we have the time, unlike last year and, if we avoid an ambush on 22nd June, the lads should be well up for a likely Connacht final with Galway. It’s all ahead of us!
It was a draw for sure. Not that it mattered. The PA guy put the cat amongst the pidgeons by announcing that Mayo had won but they didnt, and definitelty didnt deserve to even get a draw. The peno was suspect for sure but Mini mort took it really well. The backs have to be sorted or we will be out before the end of june for sure. For the record my back 7 would read a follows, Clarke, higgins, heaney, higgins, mort, Howley, Cunniffe….actually ill keep going while im at it, Mcgarrity, Moran(mcgarrity needs a big man with him – this was very obvious last Mon), Killer, Parsons, Dillon, Moran, Austy and mini. Well, what ya think????
Hi Ted… Not bad at all but can I ask if we can leave a guy like parsons out of mid field at the moment …. I take your point about Mc garrity needing a big guy beside him, but I honestly believe Mcgarrity has been mediocre for the season so far … Has he totally dominated in any game this year ? and also without being tooo harsh is his distribution that good ?
Harte and him made a good partnership in 2006 so maybe we could look at this ?
Rest of the team looks good and i have to agree heaney looks our only serious option at full back !
I’d have serious reservations, lads, about putting Heaney into full-back again. Remember what happened to us in 04 and 06 with him there? He’d probably be okay in the early games but eventually he’d get destroyed again. I don’t think he wants to play there and looks far more comfortable in the half-backs.
I’d stick with Conroy but having an old head like Aidan Higgins in the same line might be a good idea. Howley might be better suited to a corner position as well (he played there in the U21 All-Ireland winning team), as his displays on both Joyce and McGuigan raised a few doubts about just how solid his claim to CHB is.
It’s the other way round with Cunniffe – he clearly isn’t a corner-back but looks like a cracking half-back and a line that comprised himself, Heaney and Keith would be solid, I reckon.
Ronan is a certainty at midfield but your idea about Parsons at 11 is an interesting one, Ted. Assuming Mac is gone, then we need an option other than Dillon and Parsons, with his ability to run at defences and shoot from distance, could be the answer. I like him in midfield but if O’Shea or Barry Moran are up to it, he could be pushed forward.
Half-forward is a real problem line for us. I think we need Trev there and if Parsons was there as well then someone like Campbell or Dillon or Harte or Gill or Mullins or Killer could fight to the death for the other place. The full-forward line more or less picks itself.
The only problem with this analysis is that … I’m not picking the team, Johnno is. Maybe it’s just as well!
Willie Joe I respect your opinions for sure but shoring up our defence should be a priority. In 96 we had great backs and mid F but no Forwards and should have won an AI. This year we have decent forwards, decent midfield( potentially) and the potential for a decent back line. Trevor brings no scoring threat to the the team so why put him up front instead of the likes of Dillon, kilcoyne, cambell or even parsons???? He can be a top defender of that im sure. As for heaney, yes he was destroyed in 2006 but who wasnt that year by donkey. DOnt get me wrong, i would love Conroy to succeed, but if you saw him last Sunday I think you would be a worried man too.
Harte was poor the other day and just a couple of inches and a few pounds light for midfield. I think he will struggle to make it. Parsons will be a 1st choice midfielder but I dont think McGarrity can carry him this year. I do however think he can do a great job at chf. he can take points and goals and field the odd kickout also.
You’re absolutely right, Ted, that we need to shore up the defence and I suppose the question is how best to do this. I wasn’t there last Monday so I’ll take your word on how Conroy fared. I though he did okay during the league – certainly far better than BJ – and what I’d hope would be that if he had a few older heads around him, he might do okay. I accept, though, that Championship is different but it’d be more than a little galling if, for the second year in a row, we have a situation where Johnno gives a young lad a decent run at no.3 in the league only to jettison him in the Summer (and look what happened last year!)
Trev did well at half-back alright last year and if Heaney needs to be pushed back then he’s a definite candidate for there.
Parsons at CHF – which you mentioned in an earlier comment – is an interesting option and one that I agree could work well, with, I guess, Dillon at 12 and either Campbell or Killer on the other wing. Both of these guys needs to start delivering, though – Killer is 23 or so now and at that age the Gooch had established himself as the top forward in the country.
Wille Joe, Conroy did well against donaghy for sure but we still conceded 10 goals in the league. Mahony stuck with conroy and I suspect he will go with him as the championship full back. No one more that me hopes that his loyalty is rewarded but I have my doubts. All I will say is that we have the personel to be competitive this summer. I dont doubt that all. Its how the personel are put together thats important. Mahony got his team badly wrong last summer. he has to get it right come june. I dont doubt his motivational abilty, but the jury is still out regarding his selection ability.