We’ve had more than our fair share of bad luck with player injuries over the years, in particular inside the last decade. This year, however, the extent to which we’ve been hit with injuries is truly off the scale, so much so that it feels less like outsized misfortunate and more like an outright curse.
I can’t think of another example where a single county has had to cope with such a volume of concurrent injuries. No, wait, I can – we had it bad in 2018 and we had it even worse in 2019. I recall James Horan getting every so slightly tetchy about the issue during the latter year, claiming that “crazy stuff” had been said about whether or not it might be our training methods. That resulted in his “come to training!” moment but, of course, no invitations to training ever ensued.
Our 2019 travails – you’ll recall we lost Diarmuid O’Connor and Matthew Ruane for the bulk of the summer shortly after the League final win – seemed bad at the time but our current injury list is truly eye-watering. So much so that, unless things start to right themselves soon – as in, very soon – it’s hard to see how we can be expected to mount any kind of meaningful challenge this summer.
Adding to supporters’ concerns is the complete absence of any information at all from Mayo GAA about the situation. While the GPA asked players and managers not to take part in match-day interviews as part of its dispute over players’ expenses, the players’ body didn’t, as far as I’m aware, ask County Boards (who, in any event, are part of the GAA, not the GPA, and so are on the other side of the fence in this dispute) to join in too. Despite this, ever since the GPA’s call went out, everyone associated with Mayo GAA, including James Horan, have clammed up completely and have released virtually no public information at all on player injuries.
As many of you know, I have a rule here on the blog about posting unconfirmed rumours about players, the aim of which to ensure that the place doesn’t become a central repository for unsubstantiated stories. But what to do when official sources won’t provide any substantiation?
For example, after the unfortunate Brendan Harrison (pictured above) was stretchered off Páirc Seán MacDiarmada in obvious distress and seen afterwards on crutches and wearing a leg brace, the best information Mayo GAA could provide, a week on from then, was that the player was “being assessed by Mayo’s medical team.”
That nugget of information was contained in a piece on the outsized injury list by Mike Finnerty in this week’s Mayo News. It’s worth reading that article (paper and digital variants) as Mike is forced to reach again and again for the same adjective – ‘unspecified’ – when reporting on different players’ ailments.
It’s hard to know what purpose this cloak-and-dagger approach serves, aside from creating an extremely fertile ground for all manner of wild rumours. Nature abhors a vaccuum and all that.
In an attempt to get a handle on the magnitude of the injury situation and, in the absence of much in the way of hard facts, I thought it might be helpful to list and set out the position, as I understand it, regarding the twelve players who we know are injured or ill or otherwise unavailable at the present time. Here goes:
- Robbie Hennelly: last played against Kerry in Tralee, having missed the Armagh game when he “over-extended his knee” in the warm-up. Named to start against Tyrone but didn’t appear on the day and hasn’t featured since. Reportedly has had a minor knee procedure but this hasn’t been confirmed nor is there any indication of when he might be back. Prognosis: Doubtful for Galway game?
- David McBrien: last played against Kildare, withdrawn at half-time, possibly due to injury. Wasn’t included in the match day panel for Croke Park. Prognosis: Available for Galway game?
- Brendan Harrison: stretchered off after just two minutes in the game against Kildare with what looked like a serious knee injury. Prognosis: Almost certainly gone for the year.
- Paddy Durcan: last played against Kerry, reportedly nursing a hamstring problem, and hasn’t been included in the 26 since then. An optimistic take on his situation is that we’re wrapping him in cotton wool to make sure he’s okay for the 24th. Here’s hoping. Prognosis: Available for Galway game?
- Oisin Mullin: a late withdrawal from the starting fifteen at Croke Park and wasn’t on the bench either though he was reportedly at HQ on Sunday. Suggestion that his absence was illness-related rather than injury and, if so, he should be good to go against Galway. We’ll need him. Prognosis: Available for Galway game?
- Eoghan McLaughlin: stretchered from St Tiernach’s Park in Round 2 with an ankle injury, he then played a full Sigerson final ten days later (Sigerson and player welfare are clearly not good bed-fellows – see entry on Tommy Conroy below). Then, to add to the insanity, he came on against Dublin three nights after that. Predictably, that was the most recent time he featured and while he was named on the bench for Sunday, he was a late withdrawal on the day. Prognosis: Possibly available for Galway game?
- Jordan Flynn: here’s the new bad news. The Crossmolina man – one of our standout performers from the League – has significant ankle trouble, having fallen awkwardly due to a shoulder charge by Kerry’s Jack Barry right into his chest. If what I’m hearing about this injury is confirmed, it not alone rules him out for Galway but, in all likelihood, for the whole summer. This is a huge blow, both for us and, of course, for Jordan himself. Prognosis: Almost certainly gone for the year.
- Diarmuid O’Connor: withdrawn late in Tralee with what was reportedly hamstring trouble and then didn’t feature against Tyrone. For some unfathomable reason, he was sprung as a late replacement to start against Kildare but didn’t last ’till half-time and signalled himself to come off. Has to be rated touch-and-go for Galway as a result. Prognosis: Doubtful for Galway game?
- Fionn McDonagh: started against Tyrone but went off with what looked visibly like a hamstring pull. Nothing confirmed, of course, and rehab will depend totally on how bad the pull/tear was. Prognosis: Doubtful for Galway game?
- Bryan Walsh: featured in the first three rounds, starting against both Monaghan and Dublin, but hasn’t been on the match day 26 since. No word, good or bad, on his condition, it’s not clear he’s even injured, though you’d have to think he has been. Prognosis: Available for Galway game?
- Tommy Conroy: cruciate injury picked up when fielded for NUIG in a Sigerson game played less than 48 hours after he’d lined out for us in the League. Player welfare, meet my hole. Tommy was far from the only inter-county player risked in this way but he was the unlucky one. Get well soon. Prognosis: Gone for the year.
- Mark Moran: repeatedly name-checked by James Horan – back in the day when the manager would speak with the media – as being “in the frame”, “going well” and “close” but has yet to feature in a match day 26 this year. The Westport man has been plagued by injury since his shooting star inter-county debut, by a funny coincidence against Galway, in late 2020. Prognosis: Available for Galway game?
So, there you have it. More questions than answers but, when the guys who should be providing the answers aren’t minded to do so, that’s not a huge surprise.
In the absence of hard information, all we can say is that we’ve an extremely long long injury list at the present time. All we can do is hope that the lads who are working their way back to fitness will be ready for action again soon and that those facing longer rehabs make a full and complete recovery in due course.
I was suffering after the Kerry game and after reading this Willie Joe I’ve had a further setback.
Prognosis…I should be there for the Galway game.
Strength and conditioning program needs to be looked at. Nobody ever really seems to bring this up though when discussing injuries, recurrence of injury and slow recovery.
Can’t confirm any of the above Willie Joe but that’s a lot of talent lying idle and a lot of information not communicated.
That’s a quiet unbelievable level of injuries at this stage of the year and potentially 3 guys gone for the year already
That’s a tough & depressing read and awful for the players themselves. I too cannot understand no communication from manqgenent or PRO. Some good articles on Mayo News today (especially Michael Gallagher who dosent mince in his words on the lack of information, vacuum, the way Jack O”Connor dealt with media Sunday, etc). I also agree with your frustration WJ.
Imagine if P O Hora hit David Clifford with a late shoulder charge when he was wide open and he suffered a serious ankle injury as a result – there would be some outcry in the media.
But when it’s “only” Jordan Flynn and hes from Mayo been hit late by Jack Barry- not a word. Get well soon Jordan. Will be a big loss if out for a few games.
That’s sobering alright to read down through that list. You’d feel sorry for any player that gets injured, and now Jordan, the latest casualty. He was improving game on game and we really needed him this year I feel. Hard luck on his injury and to all our wounded players.
We better keep a closer eye on that under 20 team on the previous thread, because if any more injuries hit us we’ll be playing some of them lads.
I’m sure some of our players are coaxed to stay and give it another year with the ” let’s give it one more almighty rattle ” battle cry, and then they arrive in April with half their team mates on stretchers.
The only hope is that a few of our injured make it back for the Galway game, but it certainly doesn’t look good.
Clifford will get his fill of it if Mayo meet Kerry again this year. There will be plans for him and the entire Kerry team, that’s for sure. Clifford is not a saint by any means!! I’d imagine poor P O’Hora is so mad with how it all came across on tv and him been portrayed as the bad guy but there must have something that triggered his anger to such an extent.
Mayo will hit higher gears later this summer and who knows maybe Kerry have peaked too early.
Well that’s a depressing read
When you consider the crazy amount of effort that all of the squad will make it must be gutting for all of them, but it feels particularly cruel for lads that were cementing their places in the first fifteen or were well placed to really push on this year. I really hope that Brendan’s race isn’t run in particular and that Robbie’s able to pick up where he left off – for different reasons feels like those too in particular have gone through massive trails over the years
Very unfortunate injury list.. very unlucky for all the lads involved.
It’s certainly frustrating when there is no comment from management.
Hopefully you get those boys back on the pitch soon.
Can Kerry improve further? Until they win their first All Ireland, possibly not. Perhaps they’ve peaked for this year. Perhaps that’s wishful thinking but surely it will be hard for them to sustain Sunday’s form and fitness.
Dublin were a different animal because they had their celtic crosses from 2011, ’13, with their confidence snowballing from there and newer players adding to their strength in depth. I think we all feel it’s only a matter of time before this Kerry team get over the line. But they’ll earn it. They’ll have wobbles this year. They’ll probably be vulnerable at some point. Could Dublin take them out in a semi? Wouldn’t that be sweet. But I fear all their underage success is now paying off. The boys have become men and we’re probably looking at a long period of dominance.
I heard that the Cork footballers had almost 20 different players missing games with injuries at different stages just this year.
https://www.the42.ie/meath-cork-division-2-football-5707470-Mar2022/
https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-40822680.html
https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-40830794.html
Can I add this much.
I don’t know why Mayo supporters were so angry after the big defeat last Sunday, impossible to compete when 5 or 6 core players were missing. I had the feeling Mayo wouldn’t win prior to the game.
Things may be different when some of the listed or rested injured players make a return.
Jesus wept
Liberal, I find it amusing that you think Dublin beating Kerry would be sweet.
Liberal….Dublin beating Kerry sweet??…no I can tell you I would have Kerry any day.
Not nice losing to anyone but I always enjoy Kerry…they are as humble as its possible to be with 35 all irelands I know they have their share of gobshites like us all but overall I have always found them classy…
Dublin on the other hand I found to be the opposite totally bitter even with all their success.
A few players I have met in person have shocked me too….exceptions….Jack McCaffrey and Dean Rock others are very bitter and twisted which actully shocked me given they were the Victor’s of so many close battles
Didn’t realise Jordan’s injury was so bad, that’s put a tin hat on it
Kerry “humble” 1989?! You’re surely joking. It’s their sanctimonious nature I dislike, and you hear it in the terraces and stands and from some of their pundits. Plus, I can’t let go of 2014! Both matches.
I dont think Kerry have peaked. Gavin White is just back from injury and Sean O’Shea has to return so there is room for improvement in them.
I still fancy us to win connacht but i just cant see how we get over a northern team or packed defence and it will be our undoing in the championship.
Well I suppose 35 times winner’s are going to have a certain swagger…..
We blew it ourselves in 2014 by refusing to react with a bespoke solution to a tactical change when we were 5 points up with 5 minutes of so to go….and in the second game by leaving our fullback one on one with their star player…….sounds strangely familiar.
Un-fucking-believable
Thuggish late hit from Jack Barry – hope he doesn’t sniff a Celtic cross
@1989, make that 37 All Ireland’s, remember the Kerry 37 sign in 2014.
Let’s not forget, some things don’t change, Tyrone seem to have the measure of Kerry, easy for forwards to look good with an abundance of good ball played to them with loads of space to make those runs.
Dear all, can you help please? Are there qualifiers this year? Must we win versus Galway to ensure progression? I don’t know if there is a backdoor option.
Thank you!
There are qualifiers this year, Swallow Swoops, but not for everyone – unless you’re in Divs 1 or 2 it’s off to the Tailiteann Cup for you unless you reach the provincial final.
It will be a cold day in hell before I join the Kerry love-in, I can assure yee. I was critical of Swannie at the weekend but regret that a little now seeing what happened Jordon and knowing how nasty and cynical Kerry can be.
I commented on Sunday that at least nobody got injured after our bad day. So sorry to hear that Jordan Flynn is on the injuries list now as well. Get well soon Jordan-you’ve been playing a blinder with Mattie Ruane at midfield. And finally to all the team (especially Pádraig O’Hora) IGNORE the trolls that have nothing better to do than rant after a game!
There should be a photo of that thug Jack Barry smirking after his hit on Flynn the last day put up on the dressing room wall next time we play these assholes.
I wouldn’t mind if he was actually a decent footballer but he’s one of the worst players I have ever seen at intercounty championship level. Last year against Tyrone I actually started to feel sorry for him, he was so far out of his depth but after last weekends thuggery I’d love to see him humiliated again in Croke park on the biggest stage later this summer.
As for that list Willie Joe it’s just depressing.
Conor Finn got some heat on Twitter at the weekend and was defended by Ger and Ed I see, but it was for the complete wrong reasons.
I think you have to ask serious questions about the S & C regime when there are so many hamstring injuries happening? What exactly are they doing to cause these type of issues so frequently? There are several other players on your list that are now fit but had injury setbacks with soft tissue problems during the league too.
@larry duff ya might want to ease up there calling someone a thug!
Black card yes, thug no! Cop on!
As for S&C again your argument has no merit
Larry that’s a fairly disgraceful comment.
Jack was late and was incredibly fortunate to get a yellow and not a red.
I appreciate emotions are high but no need for the language above.
I think everyone should calm down alright, over-emotive talk serves no real purpose.
There’ll be no love lost if the teams meet again this year anyway and no lacking for motivation on mayo’s side, Kerry humiliated us but we’re not the “nice footballers” of old, this one stings but we’ll use it as motivation.
Why can’t Larry question the S&C Aidan as a matter of interest? Injuries such as Jordan’s are freak occurrences as a result of a dirty hit but he’s on the money with the sheer amount of soft tissue injuries. Is this down to excessive training load/improper warm ups? Are there pre-hab strategies in their gym regimes e.g Nordic curls/Romanian dead lifts can significantly reduce rate of hamstring injuries. Plyometric drills can reduce rates of cruciate injuries. So once again why can’t Larry question the S&C Aidan?
It’s hard though, isn’t it, to stay calm when we are all so invested and emotionally involved with our team and our long journey. I’m calmer tonight. I was so wound up and angry last night when I got news of Jordan. I was okish with our defeat – could rationalise it as I personally wasn’t excited about the final as a few rounds ago thought we would be better off out of a league final with our injury woes and I was petrified of more injuries. Then what happens – we get slaughtered and injured.
I don’t blame O’Hora for his perceived behaviour. I think he is an amazing man on and off the field. We could do with more of him everywhere in life, not just sport.
I don’t know what is next for us but I do know we will all overcome this setback and throw ourselves behind our team in 3 weeks for however long our run is. Last year when Cillian got injured on the back of all our big retirements, most of us thought that was us done but it wasn’t. Keep the faith. Who knows what could happen yet!!!!! We have hardly anyone left to get injured – that’s a positive!!! And Old Moore’s Almanac predicts All Ireland winners 2022 Mayo 😉 I’d cling to anything right now!!!!
Hope all the injured players recover soon. Thank you WJ for this safe space.
Such a depressing list of injuries, I’ve always said it, injuries are the real curse of Mayo football!! Just two points on Willie Joe’s list, I believe Jordan is out for 6 weeks before return to training, so hopefully we will see him late May, if we are still “alive” in championship! Oisín I understand has an injury! Sorry I could be put on the naughty step for the above, but I blame the information vacuum we are now subjected to, which frankly in my humble opinion is disrespectful to us Mayo supporters!
That’s a disaster of an injury list. For all those who have engaged in over criticising team and management for the limp performance see the list above. It does not include Cillian who cant be anywhere near fit either. Imagine our training sessions at the moment. They must be so dis spiriting with all that talent unable to take part. And still some of our supporters see fit to be mega critical. Imagine Galways trai ning sessions. No great shakes last Sunday but when they see Mayo injury list surely they will be supremely confident of getting one over on James Horan at last. If they cant beat a Mayo team shorn of so many players they may as well pack it in. Finally a note to all those gaa lovers and warriors on social media ( including a few from our own county ) have seen fit to stick the boot into P O Hora. One question. Which was worse. What J Barry did or what O Hora did. In fairness to Barry I am sure that he did not deliberately set out to injure Jordan, but there was absolutely no need for that challenge in a game which was won.Yet O Horas few words into Cliffords ear is portrayed as terrible. What about the brave kerry sub who hit a nasty late challenge on O Hora. Obviously thought hed make a name for himself with kerry up about 13 points. Its all so depressing at the moment. We couldn’t buy a bit of luck and then have to suffer idiots getting great glee slamming the boot in.
Last year we were raving about the work of Conor Finn. Surely his work has enabled the likes of Oisín, Enda, Eoghan and others to fast track to senior level. And surely, the physios, and we’ve appointed an excellent one lately, liaise with S&C and advise accordingly.
Also, we have no hard evidence yet about Jordan’s injury.
By god we love hiding behind excuses in this county. Every team has to deal with injuries, back in the 2017 AIF dublin lost jack mccafferky after 15 mins, their most influential player. Dublin got on with it, I can only think how we would use the injury of an important player as an excuse for losing if the boot was on the other foot. Last year vs tyrone we had a full strength team but we still fell back on ‘only IF we had cillian’! I suppose if mullin was in australia, we would be saying we’d have beaten kerry if mullin was here. No more excuses! The listed injured players are not going to address our scoring issues
So you don’t think Tommy Conroy, Diarmuid O’Connor and a fully fit Cillian O’Connor would help our scoring issues? He may not be in Australia, but Mullin wasn’t on the pitch in croke park either!
I think some reader’s and Posters here should just take a look at the Kerry GAA forum and the League Final thread. And have a look at what they think of our tactics for the league final, they I imagine have no pro or anti James Horan agenda.. Like 31 counties in Ireland several times, probably support Mayo in a final if we’re not playing themselves.
He did the same against Cork last year after Cork had gotten off to the flying start against Kerry.
Which means the steely Kerry of old might be back, will see come championship 😉
At least Galway were equally unfortunate to have to substitute a few of their players on Sunday too. Better to pass the test against a full and fit team.
Of corse wide ball they would help but people are sick reading here about injuries like there excuses. Other counties have had injury crises. Cork this year. Kilkenny hurlers a few years ago. Tyrone had it. Think Kerry hurlers had it very bad last year. Injuries don’t explain why Kerry were able to run through us and win all that breaking ball and the forwards having so much space
Lucero – Cork nearly got relegated to division 3 last week so not sure what that proves, except that injuries have weakened them too.
Would Kerry have ran through a half back line of Durcan and Mullin that easy? In Tralee we had them beaten in midfield when Flynn played the full game, along with Diarmuid, hennelly’s better kickouts etc. Horan does leave the full back line exposed at times but there were 2 rookies trying to cover in Brickendon and Hession. That’s the first game Enda started since Sligo and Leitrim last year. Talk about a baptism of fire for him! We didn’t even have the option of making changes in defense as young Donnacha McHugh was the only sub defender.
Having said all that, Kerry would still be warm favourites to beat our first choice team. They look a step above everyone right now.
After Edna Hessions performance in last years semi final I did expect him to win breaking ball and see him running at speed last Sunday. In All Ireland semi he was very impressive and played nearly 70 minutes with injury time and extra time
At what point would some of the posters on here who see an injury list used as ‘an excuse’ say to themselves ‘hang on maybe this is impacting the team’. Would it take say maybe all 15 starters to be out?…or would it take a couple of the subs to be gone to before a large penny might drop.
I’d expect Diarmuid O’Connor and Paddy Durcan to be fit for the Galway game and with a further 3 weeks under his belt and a few challenge games Cillian should feature also.
Possible team for April 24th (if Flynn is ruled out)
R Byrne
L Keegan P O Hora M Plunkett;
P Durcan , O Mullin, S Coen
D O’Connor M Ruane
C Loftus A O’Shea J Carr
R O’Donoghue C O’connor J Doherty
then sub options such as K McLoughlin,D McHale,A Orme, F Boland,J Carney etc. A side that should be more than capable and experienced enough to take on the challenge of Galway in Machale park
It can seem the world is against you but injuries are sadly part and parcel of the game
Galway had a very bad injury list too in 2019 in both codes if I remember correctly, that ultimately cost Kevin Walsh and Michael Donoghue their jobs
I remember Tyrone being a write off too in 2006, Donegal in 2013
Dublin had to cope with two of the best players of their generation in McCaffrey and mannion being absent at various stages over the past few years
Believe it or not Kerry went through a bit of an injury / retirement crisis too in 2014.. didn’t work out too badly in the end
Unfortunately shit happens
Who knows, one man’s absence could be the makings of another player who may not have got a chance otherwise.
Just have to keep the head up
Liberal…..I am certainly not advocating a love in of Kerry …let me be very clear on that!!
Many of ye have fell into the Kerry trap, Jack O Connor is thinking of the championship and hammering Mayo would demoralize them on Sun
Kerry couldn’t beat Tyrone a few weeks back with an almost full team.
There’s alot of yea up early on the ward this morning, and I told the nurse to slip a couple of sleeping tablets into all the mugs of complain last night before it was handed out.
It looks like the sleeping tablets got mixed up with the Viagra goin by some of the comments. At least some of yea will have a rod now to beat anyone yea disagree with.
Not at all, Inisbofin – both of those pieces of information are helpful.
To the fellas saying “injuries happen”, of course they do and other counties occasionally have injury crises too. However, I am genuinely struggling to remember at this point when was the last time we entered a major game with a clean bill of health? I’m inclined to say the All-Ireland final of 2017, which is the guts of five years ago now.
I’m not pointing fingers here (maybe the cause is systemic), but it strikes me as abnormal that we haven’t been able to field an entirely full-strength side in the last five seasons.
Jordan reported to be out for 8 weeks. If his recovery goes to plan that means he would be back for connacht final or the qualifiers.
Regarding the injury list it’s nonsense to say it’s an excuse. It’s a fact. Common sense will tell you if you take 5 or 6 important players from any
team then you have a weaker team. Without those players it’s division 2 level and nobody would be thinking about winning Sam. Also nobody said mayo would have beaten kerry if we had a full team just we wouldn’t have gotten hammered and came away with reputation intact.
With all the injuries a Connacht title and a decent showing in the remaining games would be a very good result. There’s a lot of training to be done over the next few weeks the intensity of which I am not sure but that list could get longer. I hope it doesn’t. It seems shit, does indeed, happen. A lot.
I’m told whoever loses Mayo v Galway aren’t out again till 4th of June , is that right ?
Conditioning is hailed when we are out running the opposition etc
So probably fair to question it when there are alot of soft tissue / non contact type injuries
In fairness some of our injuries were contact injuries, ie Eoghan, Jordan, possibly Harrison? Maybe some others that we’re unaware of, ie that occurred in training.
Mayomagic picked a fairly strong team yesterday evening from the lads that we will probably have available.
We still have the guts of a good team although I might jiggle a couple of the positions, as for example, we were caught out for speed last weekend, mainly down the wing, so Conor would have to start in some other position rather than wing forward.
Maybe, Chf for Conor if he was to start, with Aidan in on top of the Galway goalie to cause mayhem and always at least one player on his shoulder to lay the ball off to for all the ball he will win.
I believe Galway are a step up on last year, so the main worry for me would be a plan to stop their forwards, who on Sundays evidence will cause big problems if we mark them man to man.
If we set up in the backs, the same as we did on Sunday we probably don’t deserve to win.
Plan A. Shutdown the Galway forwards as much as possible (I dont think we’ll outshoot them). This does mean playing an extra defender.
I would play Aidan close to the Galway goal and send plenty of high ball in to him. He did very well winning the high ball everytime it was sent in to him last year.
If he attempts to start coming out the pitch, whip him off.
Anyone who doesn’t lob the ball in to the Galway square towards Aidan when we get posession, whip them off.
I think we still have the firepower to win against Galway, but I think if we play like we normally do, bombing forward from almost our full back line, I think we could be dead in the water.
Thanks very much for that info, Willie Joe, re the Qualifiers. Good to know they are there, anyway.
Have a good day, all!
What do people reckon, Will the Galway game be a sell out ??
Most of those lads will be back for the Galway match. Worst case scenario, we lose to Galway, we’re unlikely to meet anyone we can’t handle in the qualifiers until the 11th June when round 1 winners play beaten provincial finalists, even at that we may play the beaten Leinster or Munster finalist which will not be any world beaters. That’s over 2 months away. Plenty of time to get most lads back except Harrison & Conroy. A bit less of the hysteria please. I don’t give a sh!te about winning Connacht, sickened to be bet by Galway or Ros but not the end of the year by any means.
How many rounds in the qualifiers does the loser of Mayo v Galway have to play to make an all ireland 1/4 final ?
@willie Joe,I know i got slapped down for assuming Jordan would be out for the galway game and I know the rules for posting re speculation on injuries etc.I also know you gave me a bit of leeway when I posted about Robbies situation a few weeks ago and I appreciated that.
Please note that any time I’ve posted about an injury on here (probably less than 5 times in all the years I’ve been on the blog) has not been passing on a WhatsApp rumour or “a man in the know” told a friend etc but only when I’ve gotten it directly from the camp.Please note also that I’ve gotten plenty of things over the years from the camp but would never put them in the public domain as was asked not to or it would have been obviously detrimental.
Jordan has a fractured ankle,he’ll be in a cast for 6 weeks,the hope is if recovery is going well that might be 4 weeks and then a boot for 2 weeks.He is of course out for Galway but might feature later in the summer if we’re still there.
I appreciate that, FW – in normal times, I wouldn’t like to see info posted here that comes directly from the camp if it hasn’t been confirmed officially but, in light of the complete information shutdown, these aren’t normal times. It would be good if we got some kind of official confirmation (which doesn’t need to be at all detailed) about where things currently stand with injuries as I think supporters who’ve travelled all over the country to shout for the team deserve as much.
I agree WJ,
When an information vacuum is allowed happen as is the case here then the same weight is given to any nonsense on twitter as is given to the actually truth which often gets buried in the noise.
I can also see it from the other side in that we have so many injuries and it’s changing everyday that to be giving accurate injury updates would nearly be a full time job and a distraction.
What I will say is not to be surprised if there’s one or two more before the Galway game as Mayo are going into a very serious block of training,I understand the A v B games are ferocious.
Who is this Rossie that arranges for Mayo to meet Galway in the first or early rounds of the Connacht Championship virtually every year. This year we have it at both Senior & U20 level. Too much of a co-incidence for me!
I think it is fair to say that the more condensed nature of the championship following on immediately after the league does not suit us ….. gives very little time blocks for heavy training & allows very little time for recovery from injury.
Big day for both Padhraic Joyce & James Horan on the 24th as the loser will be on a slippery slope after that.
Kerry may have peaked a little early!
Not happy with our efforts in our last two finals in Croke Park.
The lack of structure on the big day is simply not acceptable any more.
It is not acceptable to help the opposition with their game plan.
Place their two most lethal attackers in front of our posts & then everybody else plays in the other half of the field.
We try to score into the congested end whilst the opposition tries to score into the non congested end.
Time to wake up.
Whatever about a sweeper can’t we at least keep our defence in our half of the field.
If we can’t score perhaps we could try to defend.
Perhaps the qualifiers wouldn’t be much different , you’d have two games to win after Galway to win Connacht. How many qualifiers is there to get to Qf. Stage if Galway beat us ?
Something worth mentioning is that the first round of qualifiers is down for the weekend of June 4, after the Connacht final.
Now if a division 3 or 4 team make a provincial final, then there will be a preliminary round on May 21.
The losers of Mayo and Galway, will at the very least have almost a whole month before they play again.
Not the end of the world at all should we lose in castlebar
What is the story with the U20S lads? If a player plays tonight does that mean we can’t use for the seniors?
Lots of doom and gloom around last few days but time to keep positive. Injuries unfortunate but in a couple of wks things can look a lot better. Outside of the longterm injured we should have most available for Galway bar 2-3. Galway are well beatable and it will simply come down to how we manage Conroy, Comer, Walshe. I saw nothing else to worry us, set up right and we’ll win. Roscommon had a few goal chances so there backline is not the best. I would be in the camp also of having Aiden in the FF line for this game and more going forward he can and should play havoc there (catch quick direct ball with quick release to runners before he gets swallowed up, when done right it does create space for others). Always felt Aiden has great hands so he should take more fisted points and flicked points. I know some will say this has been tried and failed but there were big signs last year against Tyrone this did / should work and should be persisted with and perfected. Alas this wasn’t persisted or perfected with in the league nor were there tactical changes, strategies developed or tried to deal with blanket defences or at least nothing different from what I could see. As one poster said earlier Horan always talks about the learnings but I’m not convinced on what has been implemented from these even for the most obvious failings we had in the past.
FrostTHammer – no they can still play for the seniors after tonight. It’s the other way where there’s a rule, i.e. if they play vs Galway on 24/04 then they can’t go back to the u20s. Of course the U20 campaign could be over tonight so it may not be an issue!
Thanks wide ball
@Thedarkyfinn
I’d agree with you there. It may not have worked in the past against the big teams but it has been quite effective against the minnows, and worked well in turning last year’s game against Galway.
Galway defense didn’t look like they’d anyone who’d cope with him. The rossies on the other hand, while not having anyone particularly tall, did look like they’d one or two with the required physical strength.
The one that really gets my goat though, is why we don’t have him close to goal for long range frees/45s. IMO that should have been Aidan getting that goal chance and not Loftus.
It’s not just a fault of this management, same thing was happening under Rochford. Obviously there must be a reason but I don’t understand it
Time to try Carney at midfield- his natural position
Does Carney have the bulk for midfield Spotlight?. I’d be of the view he’s cemented his position as a starter in the half forward line. It would be interesting to see how he’d do in midfield but maybe another year or 2 closer to goal might be better for him at this level.
We certainly need cover in Midfield but I’m not sure I see Carney as fulfilling that role just yet.
If Jordan has a fractured ankle as has been mentioned here then the most pertinent question to be asked is how he was allowed to walk off the pitch regardless of whether the exact extent of the injury was known or not.
There are procedures to be followed and walking on a fractured or a suspected fractured ankle isn’t one of them.
FrostT, we do need to ensure someone is poaching close to goal/the posts for 45s, long range frees, kicks dropped short.
We had several chances like this last Sunday and no-one was there to capitalise. It’d have put the cat among the pigeons if we could have nailed one or more of these. (It would have rendered the smart Kerry defence void).
Diarmuid is the poacher par excellence and it’s glorious. Would love this to be a part of policy in the team. I think we need to make sure of it.
Not only did he walk off
He did a few test sprints on it as well . After a stretcher had been called for ………
Carney was subbed shortly after HT was he not in Sunday ? He has far from cemented his place in half forward line after that performance and isn’t physically ready for midfield at intercounty . It will be back to o Shea and Ruane with a third midfielder which might be Loftus again. Not ideal……
Head-spinning injurt list there WJ – thanks for compiling to fill in the information vacuum.
Interesting point made by James O’D on the OTB Football Podcast
-Taking on a 50% shot from 30-35 yards out is not the worst option even if the ball goes wide. It it far preferrable to kick a wide and then get organized for an opposition kickout than get turned over in front of the D (which happens Mayo repeatedly) and then get hit on the counter-attack.
Mayo will not win a high tempo , open game against Kerry, becuase unlike previously, this Kerry team has more speed and more athleticism than Mayo do. The more open the game the worse for Mayo (at least against this Kerry team)
Carney doesn’t look bulked enough for centre field.
The Kerry team has more speed and athleticism than the Mayo team last Sunday
That Mayo team was missing almost all their speedy and athletic players in the middle sector
@FrostTHammer
Great name I’ve often meant to say ! and maybe WJ when things quieten down a bit you could run a thread on why people choose the names they use. There are some beauties here no doubt…
Anyway back to football wasn’t there 4 balls coming back of the post and a poor reaction/response to all (yet again I might add, we have had that discussion on here several times before). I don’t believe Horan will keep Aiden to a FF role anytime soon but if it was my choice I would leave him there full time for several games to properly perfect it. No roaming around the field like the 2nd half of the AIF either, limit his role with a clear instruction on his objectives (he cant do everything everywhere). Teams know we along with them can clog up our scoring zone with our style so makes it easy for them to defend but harder for us to score (Paul Galvins quote that someone often mentions here sums it up). Kerry won the last day with quick direct ball and creating space. We don’t do that well most days and its why we feel we have poor half forwards or forwards in general particularly or mostly prevalent against the big teams. That I believe helps justify Aido at FF along with Carr (big athletic and has pace who I still believe can be a special player for us with a good run of games) in that it should promote that more direct space creating option – not saying hoof it all the time but develop a strategy that can be executed several times in a game
And Premier League clubs/International football/Rugby/American Football teams hosting press conferences announcing specific dates players will return from injury and what injury they had!!
Km79 Carney was indeed subbed off, he didn’t have his best showing the last day but I’d have him starting ahead of Fionn McDonagh, Brian Walsh and probably Conor Loftus assuming all were fit. I’d also have him marginally ahead of Boland purely as he’s taller and to my mind is less likely to be shoved off the ball. Appreciate that’s not an opinion that would sit well with all but I think he’s earned his spot there based on how he’s played so far this year, and the fact he’s outscored the others in our half forwards so far.
If Jordan Flynn is in a cast for 4-6 weeks then i cant see him playing much of a part in the championship this year. When not putting pressure on your leg it takes a while to rebuild the calf muscle and muscles around the ankle.
In fairness Joey last three senior Connacht draws Roscommon got Galway and Mayo twice in the semi finals. Sligos U20s BTW will be strong, won minor last year and reached the final the year before their 2019 minors beat Mayo and Galway in the group stage if i recall right also.
Carney was taken off for Kevin mcloughlin at have time. It was probably the obvious change given how much we were being beaten on the breaking ball.
@swallow swoops
Good point on diarmuid. I think he flicked one over like that last year, can’t remember who it was against. Can’t remember for definite if was a placed ball either, but a Robbie 45 is what springs to mind
If the time Jordan Flynn is due in a cast is 4-6 weeks this suggests a non-displaced hairline ankle fracture and/or torn ligaments. A full ankle fracture would require at least 6-10 weeks. Wayne Rooney used an oxygen chamber to speed up recovery from a broken foot for about six weeks before the 2006 World Cup. Any oxygen chambers in County Mayo –in Castlebar maybe?
@Thedarkyfinn
The name is nothing to do with Mayo football. I was creating an email address as a teen, and couldn’t think of anything. Was playing a lot of final fantasy video games at the time, and Frosty Hammer just popped into my head from one of those. I’ve tended to use it when posting online since then. The FrostTHammer evolved, when I found Frosty Hammer already taken, probably by myself using it and forgetting
For me, one of the big problems with Aidan at FF has been we’ve tended to leave him isolated there. I felt it was particularly noticable last year. I think this happens because our runners tend to be coming from the half back area, irrespective of whether they’re half forwards or half backs, and their just too far away to get in and support Aidan. In theory moving Aidan to half forward counters this but we never seem to kick to him when he is there.
And there was I thinking it was Jack BERRY who was playing for Kerry last Sunday. Also, as I stated before, it may not be at the discretion of management to give information re the injury status of player(s) – personal-privacy is a legal entitlement nowadays.
With the conveyer belt of injuries I think a lot of us are close to writing off this year’s ambitions altogether.
Best of luck to the U20s this evening as they’re coming up against a Sligo team who are in a very good place. Will be tuning in on the TG4 stream on YouTube.
I actually watched rooney documentary recently and he commented that he was nowhere near fit after rushing back from the injury ……
Agree with posters who say Flynn just seemed to limp off on Sunday. On the face of it, it didn’t seem too bad. And, do we have any actual evidence about the ankle problem?
@Willie Joe, just wondering will there be a poll as to our league player if the year?
There will, Leantimes – it’ll be tomorrow or Friday before that’s up. Need to crunch a few numbers for it first to produce the shortlist, even if we already know who the winner will be!
If it’s official confirmation you’re wondering about, Catcol, then there’s nothing of that sort but I’ve seen enough corroboration of the story to be content that it’s accurate and that it does involve a break of some sort. Recovery times are another matter and there’s no detail on that at all.
Fair enough Willie Joe, though I do recall us all practically writing off Eoghan MacLaughlin after the Clones injury, and he was back in no time.
He was but way too soon as it turned out. Eoghan hasn’t featured at all since coming off the bench against Dublin and that was back in the middle of February.
https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2022/04/06/mayo-hit-by-another-injury-blow-ahead-of-championship/
Connaught Telegraph are reporting Jordan`s injury now. They had the scoop on Cillian “flying” in training last week.
Sorry wrong thread, does anybody have link to u20 match on TG4 You tube? Was hoping to make Bekan but work intervened!! Thanks all.
@Inisboffin I don’t have the link on my phone but if you open YouTube and search “Sport TG4” you’ll find the channel. The livestream begins at 6:55pm and it should be up near the top of the video list
Inisbofin – all you need to do is click the player here on the blog and the stream will play.
Indo reporting on our injury woes. Not a lot that hasn’t been flagged here. They don’t give much detail on Jordan:
https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/jordan-flynn-is-fresh-injury-worry-for-mayo-ahead-of-connacht-sfc-semi-final-41524629.html
Thanks very much for throwing the link up to the u20 match WJ, watching a Mayo win (even in those conditions) definitely helped. With a touch more distance from result, does anyone else feel like Sunday was a missed opportunity to try out a different tactical approach (i.e. more defensive)? Would get not showing a full hand, but those type of defeats aren’t great for anyone and we weren’t going to give a ton away with the amount of players not available for the 26 anyway. The thing that’s been nagging me the most after listening to post match analysis re tactics is the fact that we looked to go into the game with “our” style of play when we didn’t have the people available to execute that style anyway.