Goodbye to 2020

Image: SpecialEvents.com

We’re just a few short hours away now from the end of 2020. A strange bloody year it’s been too and I don’t think too many will weep at its passing, even if an uncertain 2021 lies ahead.

From a football perspective, though, it was a positive year for us. Sure, we got relegated and, yes, we lost yet another All-Ireland final but we won Connacht for the first time in five years and several new players were brought through to the Senior ranks, lads who are capable of back-boning the county team for the next decade.

There’s a debate to be had, of course, about what the next decade holds for the inter-county scene at a wider level, in light of Dublin’s overwhelming dominance, which looks to be a fixed position in the scheme of things at this stage. That debate hasn’t even begun as yet but begin it will have to if there’s to be any hope for the inter-county game over the longer term. That’s one for another day, though, as tonight we can look back on a decent year for us in this weirdest of times.

Goodbye, then, 2020 – you won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Stay safe, all. Up Mayo.

12 thoughts on “Goodbye to 2020

  1. Happy New Year to all. Take care and mind yourselves. Let’s hope we see the men in green and red in person in 2021

  2. Happy New year to you Willie Joe, all bloggers here and the Mayo set up.
    Covid19 will come and go but one thing for sure, we will be always here in the hope that Mayo will finally get over the line.

  3. Happy new year all! Fair enough we didn’t land the ultimate prize, but 2020 was another final. We’ve been relentless in a “just shy” manner of speaking. If any county outside of Dublin has a reason to be optimistic it’s us. Best wishes to the whole blog community and let’s give 21 a rattle

  4. Happy New year all.

    Willie Joe, pedantic here but FYI.

    “won Connacht for the five time in five years” – wish that was true!!

    Can edit this when fixed.

  5. It could be a great & happy new Year?

    Old Moore’s Almanac says Mayo for Sam 2021!

    For 2021, our psychic thinks that life will be back to normal by the end of the summer and coronavirus won’t be a problem for us anymore. We really hope he’s right about that one!
    He also thinks that Mayo will win the All-Ireland Football Final in 2021, so if there are any Mayo fans who are sad about this year’s result, maybe there is hope for next year.

  6. Happy new year to Willie Joe and one and all on the blog. As ever hope springs eternal so who knows maybe 2021 will be the year Sam comes West to Mayo.

  7. I was just thinking about the sort of team we would have if we had Dublin’s population and financial resources! Given that we have been within a kick of a ball of them in most finals it is a scary thought how devastating we would be. You could argue that this supports Dublin’s contention that it’s not money and population that is winning AIs for them. This argument falls down when you look at Dublin’s bench. That is where you see the real dividend from money and population and this is why they can close out games as lose nothing when they substitute a player. No other county can come close to that depth of talent with an endless conveyor belt of clones feeding the team.

  8. Happy New Year to everyone. Health and best wishes to all and keep the bright sides out. We’ll be back in action before we know it.

  9. Thanks for that Therg2411 – it was wishful thinking alright! I’ve fixed it now.

    Cloud9 – I was surprised myself that Paddy didn’t make the list but I went with the data and that was the way the chips fell. Had he not pulled his quad right at the start of the final, I’d say the numbers would have come out different but that’s just another what-might-have-been for us.

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