The Championship shifts pace this coming weekend as the All-Ireland quarter-finals are set to be contested. On Sunday, at what’s expected to be close to a full attendance at Croke Park, Mayo face the toughest of assignments as they take on Sam Maguire favourites Kerry, the team that beat them so comprehensively in this year’s National League decider in early April.
To preview Sunday’s big match, Rob Murphy is joined on the podcast by RTÉ’s Kevin McStay and Tony Leen of the Irish Examiner. They talk about likely starting line-ups, defensive match-ups and what has to happen for Mayo to have a chance against a Kerry team that appears to be far more formidable than last year but about whom key questions still remain unanswered.
Kerry and Mayo also meet this weekend in the All-Ireland Minor semi-final so Kevin and Tony also discuss how that contest between two exciting young teams could play out on Saturday.
This episode of the Mayo News Football Podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes, SoundCloud, Podomatic and Spotify. You can also listen to it directly on the Mayo News website as well as here on the blog using the SoundCloud player below.
The podcast is also on Patreon, where club members enjoy exclusive access to bonus episodes and more besides. The Patreon variant of this episode is an extended one, which includes discussion on the strength in depth of the Kerry forward line and how Mayo’s injured duo of Ryan O’Donoghue and Tommy Conroy would compare with those in the Green and Gold.
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It’s frightening the way Tony Leen describes how good Sean O’Shea is! Better than Clifford.
Kerry have an “embarrassment of riches compared to Mayo”. It’s true, especially in the forwards. Hard to believe Brosnan mightn’t even start. I think he will, he’s an awesome player and could explode in Croker.
We could be on for a long afternoon….
Yet another Patreon breakfast enjoyed! Thank you.
Tom O’Sullivan
33/1
Stephen Coen
40/1
Tadgh Morley
50/1
Brian O Beaglaoich
50/1
In between o Sullivan and coen was oisin Mullen at the start of the week , Oisin Mullen has now been removed completely.
Surely I’m reading too much into this , we couldn’t have another injury to a star player ?
Sean OShea being better than Clifford is one of those hipster “I preferred their early B sides ” viewpoints.
I heard that before when they were both coming on the scene that Sean OShea was better.
It wasn’t true then and it’s not true now.
The only advantage Sean OShea has is he’sa better freetaker.
David Clifford over the last three seasons has been the far more match winning player.
That’s like that old trope that Deschamp made France tick. No he didn’t, he was surrounded by generational players.
Briefly Fellaini of Belgium, we seen how that worked out in the white heat high level.
Sean OShea is a good player, but he’s not on that level of a David Clifford or Con OCallaghan or Ciaran Kilkenny or Michael Murphy where they are a problem you need to plan for.
Sean OShea might have a fine game on Sunday, we go off of what the body of work is on seasons level.
David Clifford is the best in the country right now, it’s not arguable.
This is the equivalent of debating if peak Robbie Keane was the best striker in Ireland.
Not in doubt, not even a chink of light of an alternative view.
I will travel in hope rather than expectation this weekend. We are seeing potential of the Kerry underage boom starting to be realised, JOC has brought a ruthlessness to the set up that I think will bring them ultimate glory this year.
I was in Tralee and felt that CP will suit this Kerry team. The league final tended to confirm that suspicion and while I know that we will perform better than that awful match, I cannot see how we will turn this around. Our middle 8 will need to really step up and we will need to take our goal chances to create any uncertainty in the Kerry mindset.
Clifford is a very skilful footballer , I just don’t buy into the Rolando/messi type status he has , not yet anyway . Con o Callaghan is worth more in the imaginary transfer world imo . Let’s see what he does Sunday , he has to go and win it for Kerry at this stage . Con o Callaghan has won all Irelands for Dublin , he has been the difference during the course of a campaign. Star players do that .
The more comments I read the more I realise about the human mind and how we perceive greatness . Jordan flynn scored a magnificent goal v Kildare , using a high level of football intelligence but it was even debated whether he meant it or not , if Clifford did it , well ya know the rest . I remember Andy scored an absolute beaut of a point v Galway in I dunno maybe 2015 , way out the side , dirty angle , near impossible, went over and every second person was saying he didn’t mean it but I guarantee you he did , that’s the gift of a football brain and been a scorer . Again if he had a green n gold jersey on it would be a thing of pure genius.
@Sean Burke.
You are spot on. 100% correct.
Good points Sean Burke, I remember that Andy point; it was one of his trademark scores, and Ger Canning, pronouncing he didn’t mean it. Jordan’s goal was an absolute beaut, and we had a debate about it. Clifford is good, but over-hyped at the moment. All this should suit us on Sunday; we’re certainly not going in with swelled heads, and we should be gunning for them.
David Clifford was by an inarguable distance the actual footballer of the year last year. Kieran McGeery who got it was a mile away from him.
Anyways there’s no convincing if people are just going to jump to “show us his medals “.
I’d argue the best overall footballer of the 00s was Paul Barden Longford. He didn’t even play in a Leinster semi final.
Just listened – unbelievable the confidence and indeed arrogance Kerry always have, from Tony Leen here, and particularly amazing on this podcast when the team have massively underachieved in the last few years.
And the arrogance to pretty much diss the Mayo players. I actually don’t think I ever heard as much arrogance as what I have just listened to here!
And of course we have our Kevin licking it up like a lap dog…Kevin offering that Paddy Durcan would have to totally sacrifice his game to even stay with Sean O’Se!!, show some self respect. I personally find it embarrising how we lap it up to Kerry and cant seem to back our players up at all. God I hope players are above listening to this stuff from our pundits…
Sean, Oisin is still at Burlington Bertie odds . personally, i’ll take 15/2 on Cillian for the first goal
sorry. he’s 33/1 not 100/30
Croker is going to be unusual on Sunday – the first time there will be a full house, or near it, for nigh on three years. Because it’s a double header, the full house aspect may be most apparent during the latter half of the first match. By the time Kerry or Mayo are playing into the Hill, the crowd may have dwindled. Which team will benefit from this? We have more experience, but our experience has been before small attendances. Can Mayo feed off the crowd? It’s an open question, and one I hope our brains trust are considering, but I’m not sure there’s an answer.
@JP.
Tommy Walsh was on Newstalk a couple of weeks ago.
He played with both The Gooch and Clifford.
Tommy said that someday Clifford might go on to be as good or better than the gooch but he hasn’t seen it yet.
He said he saw the Gooch do things that he had never seen before.
Nobody is saying that Clifford isn’t a very good footballer.
He has great speed.
Savage strength.
Great accuracy.
He can power by most defenders and match their strength.
The Gooch could ghost by defenders.
Defenders one way and gooch gone the other.
In his prime the gooch could not be marked.
Clifford is dangerous but a shrewd manager would have a plan in place for him.
You could plan for weeks for Cooper and he’d still leave yea sitting on yer arse.
@Revellino, I seen that interview with Tommy Walsh. The question was sprung on him and it was 50:50 which one he would plump for and he chose the safe answer.
How about this. In an era of blanket defences David Clifford is outscoring Gooch from play.
To ignore that fact ignores mainly the far more difficult conditions Clifford operates under.
Also athleticism and power can’t be ignored in a physical sport so if you mark them equal on football, Clifford is by a chasm distance the better athlete.
Most modern managers with a transfer market with modern blanket defence would buy Clifford not Gooch.
Do you think Philly McMahon would have any success against Clifford 1 v 1? Clifford wins that duel.
@JP.
I’m not trying to change your mind by the way.
I’ve seen plenty of Kerry games where Clifford hasn’t been the best Kerry player on the day never mind the best player of all time.
I’ll move to a classic Michael Healy Rae quote “Don’t go confusing the matter with facts”.
Alright we’ve played that one out to it’s course.
What do people think of the idea JOD and David Brady put out of Stephen Coen as a sweeper selected in the forwards?
If Ryan O Donohue is fully fit?.. Ryan definitely starts on recent form our best forward absolutely no doubt about it.. Cillian is probably our best free taker of all time for more than a decade now and the highest championship scorer of all time. However who takes the frees?. In my opinion, Ryan should take the frees, because Cillian (despite his 2020 form where he was rightfully nominated for the Player of the year award) free taking has been slightly off in the last 3 championship games, . And versus Kerry we need our best “current” free taker on the frees, but I would still start Cillian and he would definitely be on the penalties if we get one…We still haven’t developed a left sided free taker, which is a weakness…..If everyone is fully fit, and by that I mean Ryan O Donohue, Kevin McLaughlin and Jordan Flynn who have been in some doubt..My team and my set up versus Kerry is as such.. Starting from forwards to backs…Jack Carney keeps his starting place in a 5 man forward setup..in a 2 man Full Forward line with Cillian.. Our 3 half forwards would be,.. Diarmuid O Connor,.. Ryan O Donohue at CHF, because he is an excellent kick passer of the ball, and James Carr..(definitely Fergal Boland, Connor Louftus and Darren McHale coming early in on in the second half) .. Midfield is Mathew Ruane and Jordan Flynn… Back 7. .. is a half back line of Eoghan McLoughlin, Oisin Mullen and Paddy Durcan… Full Back line is Lee Keegan, Stephen Coen at full back, and Padraig O Hora.(Now Padraig O Hora would not be marking David Clifford, too much attention given to that Match Up, with no assistance given to Padraig in the recent League Final, and I expect Ref Gough will be keeping an eagle on whoever is marking David Clifford, some speculation about the fitness of the Kerry Star Forward but I expect David to lining up on Sunday, as every neutral in the country would want, even if it fills us with a certain amount of dread) .. Starting as sweeper around the D would be Kevin McLaughlin.. And of course Robbie Hennelly in Goal..I would start off very defensive, knowing that Jack O Connor has blitzed Mayo in the past with early Goals… Aiden O Shea would be on the bench, and definitely coming on regardless of how the game was going..If Mayo were in a lead or close to Kerry within a few points, Aiden would play in the sweeper role , coming on around 25 minutes to go.. Alternatively he could tag David Moran as I expect David to make an appearance and Jack O Connor will have planned for David to be making an impact early in the second half…We need something in reserve to deal with this threat.. This is the way I would set up, giving us what I believe is the best chance to beat Kerry… When I was trying to figure out what would be the best way to set up and going through all the various alternatives, ..I found that we have far more alternatives of a similar standards in the forwards… Bryan Walsh,.. Darren Coen ..Fionn McDonagh…Mark Moran.. That’s the reason I would start Kevin McLaughlin in the defense, and much less alternatives in the defense, badly missing the injured Brendan Harrison and Michael Plunket (because of the amount of various alternatives in the forwards line, especially the half forward line, admittedly not all currently All Star material) he started his Mayo career in the half back line, possibly not lasting the full 70+ minutes, but Aiden O Shea could also possible come in in the last 20-25 minutes..Of course we won’t be able to play AOS on David Moran and expect him to play sweeper… Now the chances of this being Mayo’s first 15 on Sunday or this setup is slim.. But good luck to our team and management, regardless of selection or stragety… And safe travelling to everyone going to the Match.
PS..Of course I would be bringing on Enda Hession, to help with the push for Mayo to win the game in the final quarter, but I feel we need the physicality of Padraig O Hora to start the Match. And I expect it to be quiet physical especially the first quarter!
Eoghan McLoughlin should be given the marking job on Clifford. Clifford needs to get some timber early, he gets it handy from backs.
Paul Gallagher , I wouldn’t be as harsh on mcstay , I thought he stood his ground and fought the mayo corner when it came to Tommy conroy for example . Mcstay is mild mannered man doesn’t mean he’s a softie though , I used to think he was a bit like that but like I say I think it’s just his mannerism not his actual make up . That’s just my opinion on the man I suppose .
If Stephen coen starts it has to be in some form of a sweeper role . I believe if we are to give ourselves a chance of winning a sweeper has to be put in . Jesus like it’s 15v15 and we are hardly a low tier team , we keep this thing fuckin tight for the first half and have a pop then , why can’t we . Kerry for all their plaudits down the years they don’t like tight games , they like to blow us out of the water early , (of course so would every side ideally ) but they will be iffy if mayo are still in it with 20 to go . We still have experienced cohort who will fight till the bitter end especially if we are in with a shout , for all the critical studies done of our seasoned campaigners like aido , cillian , Leroy ,Jason, Robbie and now a few more besides , no one can deny they are a spirted ballsy group .
@ Sean Burke – accept your opinion, but think the podcast is a major cringe from a Mayo perspective, even Leen said ye are talking like ye are Carlow at one stage!. Even on the Minors, McStay going on that Galway are the best team in Ireland in his opinion, he may ultimately be proven correct, but jays we beat them in Connaught twice by 14 points and 6 points respectively and he still cant back them!
Kerry have every right to be confident and arrogant. They have after all 37 all Ireland titles.
Mind you a lot of Mayo supporters were both confident and arrogant before last years all Ireland final- based on what I still can’t work out. But we got our answer on the field that day – mabye Kerry will get the same next Sunday
We were still in the league final with 20 to go, that’s despite 5 or 6 of our best players out. Kerry then blitzed us even though we were a man up for half that time.
We’ve regained some of that lost speed with a few of those guys back.
Can everyone please lay off on the rumours? We all know that completely made-up nonsense is being peddled on that front this year and obviously this stuff is best ignored.
WJ…it amazes me that people still peddle rumours. Paper doesn’t refuse ink and we haven’t a clue who will line out for either team. I am enjoying the permutations and possibilities. I find myself twitching between being quietly confident to catching myself on, every now and then. I do agree that Kerry haven’t actually proven anything in the white heat of championship football, in the past few years. But i also know they have an abundance of strength, especially up front. But this Mayo team has defied the odds on so many occasions and win, lose or draw on Sunday, I expect that we will make a great game of it.
Rumours are only designed to create anxiety and chaos. We can do without them and Mayo will create their own ‘chaos’ and passion on Sunday. Bring it on.
Thanks everyone for the interesting chats and views. It is great to see comments from Kerry and Dublin as well, not to mention our exiles in far flung corners of this little world. Keep the faith and let James and his squad do their bit on Sunday.
Maigheo abu!!
This David Clifford chat is amusing.It reminds me of Eammon Dunphy saying ” this Ronaldo fella is a cod” which is now painted on the gable of a pub in Phibsboro……we all know how that worked out!!
For me Clifford is the best ever and he doesnt need a medal to prove that……
I hope it is okay to post this here. 2 Upper Cusack Tickets (Section 725) available if anyone is interested. Reply to me and I’ll send on number if interested. Thanks.
1989 , who in here said Clifford was a cod or anything remotely in that context .
Loving the recent pod. Can’t help but agree that Lee should mark Clifford. Lee’s playing the football of his life and he has indeed a proven track record of taking down the big guns.
Lee Keegan 2022 is a very different full backline defender than the Lee of 2019 when he marked Con O’Callaghan. What a tussle it could be between Lee and Clifford.
Goff is going to play a big part in this match. I fear it will suit the likes of Clifford, the golden boy. I just hope Goff is as quick to spot Kerry’s tactical fouling, clamping Mayo breaking out at speed for instance.
Also, if Clifford ever dares to stand triumphantly over an injured Mayo player again, ala Jordan Flynn, he should be sent into the middle of next week. I mean that. Regardless of the consequences.
Yes mayomagic please
@liberal role. Yes, great idea that. Send him into the middle of next week and get a player sent off. Vaughan might have had the same illusions in a few seconds of madness in the 2017 final. How did that work out for us?
I am getting slightly more confident the closer to the game we get.
Confidence on outcome will be all about who is togged , in a normal world of a clean bill of health I still think we would beat them . I’m not doubting their potential but you’d think they’d won six of the last seven all Irelands ,no folks , that was Dublin .
When was the last time Kerry played in croker in the wet?
I’d imagine it plays very different.
With that said, I’m not entirely sure when Mayo played a championship game in the rain up there either.
Mayo were there in the league this year, I think the weather was mixed for that.
I never buy this poor weather benefits the weaker teams argument. Both teams have a drop in execution of skills but I’ve seen a lot of games in the rain where the higher base level of the basic skills is ultimately the difference maker.
With that said, I do think that the lower scoring this game is better chance Mayo have of winning. I’d be worried that poor conditions will reduce our ability to hold possession for long periods.
To win Mayo will probably need to win the key stats, possessions and shots, at least 60/40. I think the 2019 league final is a good blueprint for what we need to do.
I think we can do this. Kerry outran us a few weeks back, I’m not sure they’ll be able to do this again.
@FrostTHammer – 2017 AI Semi drawn game vs Kerry was a wet one, if I can recall, was the last time we played in Croker in wet conditions
I’m fairly sure it rained during last years Semi Final vs Dublin, and for most of the match too.
Interesting posts. I’m a Kerryman working up in Mayo, I’m down here at home now for the summer.
Let me be explicitly crystal clear about this, two posters have pointed out, Tony Leen is a Kerryman living and working in Cork for a newspaper really called the Cork Examiner, there is no arrogance down here, we don’t do tgat, yes, we’ve have and have had a few arseholes in the past that have behaved this way, and have therefore let us down, but it’s the exception rather than the rule.
No matter who you are playing, if you are confident, keep it private, but always respect every opposition. I always do, arrogance is a negative connotation. Tony Leen does not represent us, he does not represent me.
I have ultimate respect for Mayo, always have, always will.
I actually fear for us now more than ever on Sunday. Wet day in Croke Park forecasted. This will definitely not suit us, we are a dry ball team. Our teams of old could play either way. I think we will be ambushed, if we manage to beat Mayo, Dublin will beat us in the semi final. I said this all back in March. I’m still sticking to this school of thought.
As for David Clifford, he is box office, he’s a great player, but he’s not a legend, we love him, but he is not the best player of all time. Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper was a much better all round player at the same age as Clifford is now. Gooch was magic.
As for Con Callaghan, he did not win games on his own, nor was influential as Clifford, because Callaghan was surround by better players than this current Kerry team have. Just saying.
I was unfortunate to own a leg of a slow horse once upon a time. A punter I knew asked me on race day if the horse would be trying. I was unaware of the intricacies of Irish racing at the time and that a horse may not be trying in order to improve the horses handicap and consequently the odds for example. Not saying that our trainer was employing such tactics but I never forgot the expression. The best way of stopping a dog or a horse is not to train him. Mind you it would not have mattered if our horse was very fit or otherwise he would not have won anyway.
So I am hoping that James Horan is a genius and that Mayo were not fit enough for the league final. You could only observe this if you were at the match and I was struck by how much fitter Kerry were on the day. They were faster to the ball and our lads seem to run out of steam. Matthew Ruane and Jordan Flynn, among others, were substituted early enough. That will not be the case on Sunday. We will have a better team than for the league final and we will be fitter. We will not concede three goals.
So if we are to judge on the form anyone that ever attended the Galway races will know that if you do so you will come away with a lighter pocket. Some horses are trained specifically for the Galway races and they may have won nothing in their previous races. So Kerry were beaten by Tyrone the week before the league final. Some would say that they were not trying as they were already in the league final. But I put it to you that Mayo were not trying in the league final and the form goes out the window.
I am not underestimating Kerry but I will not underestimate Mayo either. This will be a close contest and it will come down maybe to a bit of luck. A goal got by one side and a goal saved on the other is a six point difference.
We travel in anticipation of an upset that will leave all the pundits scratching their heads. Don’t ask them for any tips for the Galway Races.
Paul Gallagher. Did McStay honestly say that Galway are the best minor team in Ireland on the pod?!!!!!!
My stab at match ups and playing James Horan…..Firstly if we look at what everyone references and recognises as our biggest problem is our forward line not scoring enough. So while everyone says we need to play a sweeper to combat Clifford etc. that sweeper can usually only come from our half forward line, and here is the problem if we are already struggling for scores, pulling back one of our HFs immediately gives Kerry an extra defender, which will be Morley sitting back protecting the D as he has done all year, one case being in Tralee when Aiden played CF and dropped back and Morley was left free.
So we still have to plan for Clifford somehow and restrict him somewhat. My take on it is one option, put O’Hora on him again (i actually think he did well in league final when left on his own). After that play Oisin at 6 on O’ Shea, now here where we vary it play Coen midfield on Jack Barry, Coen out of form and will struggle on any Kerry forward, but if we play him on Barry i think he will do ok on him will contest kickouts Barry not huge man, and not a big scoring threat. Main part of this plan is Flynn with him in Midfield with Mattie going to centre forward on Morley. When we haven’t the ball coen drops of Barry to pick up O’Shea momentarily allowing Oisin to sweep in front/plus 1/ or double up on Clifford, if need be Mattie can drop out to Barry but as i said Barry not a huge threat scoring wise.
This system allows us extra solidity at the back but does not give Kerry and Morley a free man, in fact it is the exact opposite Morley could not afford to drop off Mattie, along with this Mattie is off form so a run in CF could reinvigorate him….
The other problem we have is Gavin White….my plan would be name Paddy at 5 and Diarmuid at 10 which in a direct lineup would see Paddy on Adrian Spillane and Diarmuid on white…very simple swap Paddy to man mark white and hopefully if got back to form (ala Mccaffrey, Ryan Mchugh, Shane Walsh a few years ago) restrict him and maybe do damage the other way. Also Diarmuid could pick Spillane as he will play as an extra midfielder/defender so ideal for Diarmuids positioning and game
I’d give anything for a player like Sean O Shea in the Mayo half forward line. Whether or not he’s better than Clifford, I really couldn’t be arsed arguing. He’s still a player every manager would want, but does Jack O Connor have SOS running up and down defending all day… No… He let’s him roam and score…. I think we will be torn apart the next day once our backs tire from having to do the same thing they do every game.
Hopefully all these learnings we hear about will mean we aren’t embarrassed like we were in the league final.
As an aside, I don’t ever remember James Horan use the phrase “learnings”. Yet people constantly take the piss out of him for it?
@micko
You said Tony Leen doesn’t represent you but you didn’t say whether you agree with the other posters about him being arrogant?
I’m curious if you listen to the podcasts? For me I wouldn’t have been familiar with Tony Leen before this year. I think we’ve had 3 pods with him this year, and it does feel like he’s gotten more arrogant seeming over the course of the year.
He reminds of a bit of Viper tbh
That was a strange comment by McStay. Obviously we may not win it out, but the Mayo minors have been clearly the better side in every game so far. I’ve seen every game apart from the 1st one vs Leitrim.
I have to push back as well about Tony Leen on the podcast. He was hugely informative and was anything but arrogant. At one point he started ribbing the lads about being too downbeat on Mayo’s chances, saying c’mon this isn’t Carlow we’re talking about here, it’s Mayo!
Micko A good fair and balanced post. I still think Clifford is a genius but you have seen more of him and Gooch than I have.. As for judging the greatness of a player by the amount of medals he has won, well I don’t buy that one. I thought Kenneth Mortimer was one of the greatest corner backs we ever had and he was great for us in the mid 90s. Then we had Higgins and Boyler and of course Leeroy whom I consider the greatest ever Mayo player. Has been doing it for 10 plus years. The fact that none of the above does not have an AI medal does not lessen their excellence. Clifford doesn’t have any yet, but he is still a brilliant footballer and at his age and on a Kerry team with lots of talent I feel it’s only a matter of time til he has that medal and more game in his back pocket
I enjoyed the podcast and thought Leen was bullish about Kerry but those are his views and surely it’s what we want from pundits rather than just saying stuff to please his audience.
I’m glad OTB (yesterday) at least mentioned David Clifford’s antics on Jordan Flynn. To be honest I didn’t really cop it during the match or afterwards.
Agreed Micko. I’m actually very surprised to see people calling Clifford the best ever. Clifford is a superior athlete to the Gooch given how times have changed in terms of fitness, strength and conditioning and so on, but Gooch’s skillset was on a completely other level. The things he could do with the ball, I don’t think anyone had ever seen a player like that in Gaelic football before. He’s without doubt one of a kind and still the greatest footballer of all time.
@williejoe
“He was hugely informative and was anything but arrogant.”
I completely agree with this. I think arrogant is the wrong word, and should not have used it. The word Joe G used “bullish”, is far better.
IRC the first podcast tony was on, he told there was a lot of questions over this Kerry team. In this one it seemed as if those questions had never existed.
I’d love to have Tony on again, particularly if we win but even if it’s not. I’d like to hear him and Kevin on again together too. I got the impression that it was first time Tony and Kevin spoke at length together. They seemed to have a lot in common, opinion wise, and I think they could be brilliant together.
Blondie, very interesting take. Agree with a lot of your ideas & I had thought similar re Coen. He simply can’t be marking one of the Kerry forwards, it won’t end well in my opinion.
Mattie at 11 would certainly mean Morley would have to engage.
Looking forward to listening to the podcast but that can’t be right that McStay said Galway were the best minor team in Ireland? They have played 6 games and lost 3 times (twice to Mayo).
@Muckle…We should have been trying in the League Final regardless..A number of reasons, our fans who went to Croke Park..The League is well worth winning in it’s own right, and with the performance we delivered, the momentum we lost with Galway coming up two weeks afterwards, mind you we didn’t seem to have much of a plan for the first 25 minutes of the second half for Galway, and conceivably we and not Galway would now be in the easier side of the draw.. Anyhow that’s all in the past.. Two wins in a row, two games that could have gone the other way, but it’s Monaghan and Kildare that will have the regrets.. Great to finish with a flourish versus Kildare having been 6 points down early in the second half.. Plenty for James Horan to have been working on in the meantime, and we seem to be slightly in a better place as regards injuries..The ideal way to meet Kerry without a serious competitive game since Tyrone, their nemesis again defeated them one week before the League Final!
“Mattie at 11 would certainly mean Morley would have to engage.”
This is definitely something we should try. Mattie also got a score or two from the 12 position, in the Tralee game if IRC.
Pushing Mattie forward, may not end up occupying Morley though, his man may follow him, which would presumably pull a Kerry man from around the middle, and if not at worst, we might be leaving them with a spare half back or they might trust in their zonal defense.
It’s a good idea, and hopefully something we see but I think the midfield battle will be huge, and so I’d flood that area early doors. Get a platform there first, then consider changes like pushing Mattie forward, or a big guy on the square.
Edit: we might be leaving them with a spare half back who can pick Mattie up
@James Fleming
083 3654870
Kerry played galway in torrential rain in 2008. Quarter final. Best exhibition of scoring from both sides in a long time that day. Someone has asked above. Absolutely no relevance to Sunday s game. Completely different team now. We can take them down if at near to full strength.
Currently since August of last year, yes but overall, Tyrone are not our nemesis at all. They were for a while, 2003 – 2008, 5 years, nobody talks about all the defeats and the way we dominated them from 2012 to 2021, that’s 9 years, and not to mention pre 2003.
For FrostThammer, Tony Leen doesn’t represent me, in that the clue is, I don’t agree with him at all, I agree with the all of the Mayo posters on here that he is arrogant. Absolutely ?, I’m with you all on that, so he doesn represent me at all, and never will, until he comes down to earth.
Not a mention at all of Fergal Boland in the Pod.
He scored 3 points on an awful night in Tralee.
Maybe if he had scored 3 goals he might have got a mention.
Sean O’Shea for all the hype has yet to do it in a big championship game for Kerry.
He went hiding last year against Tyrone when the going got tough and also in previous years.
He has it all to prove yet.
@Micko..I think Tyrone are Kerry’s nemesis… Tyrone are so much so Kerry’s nemesis that the ‘Healy Rae Kerry’s Political, Family Dynasty’ had a banner on one of the overpasses on the M5 wishing Mayo good luck in the All Ireland final..Them boys don’t miss a trick! ..
Need to be very careful talking about Kerry players going hiding and not doing it on the big day. They haven’t had too many big days of late. Funnily enough that’s the accusation thrown at me constantly about a big number of Mayo players.Its something I argue against but I hear about Aido, Cillian missing crucial frees, Ryan missing the penalty, Mattie being marked absent on the biggest days etc etc I don’t like those comments. They are disrespectful to us. Likewise passing similar comments re O Shea, Clifford etc are disrespectful and could leave us looking daft on Sunday night
Most people wouldn’t agree with you at all Leantimes if they went to the bother of checking stats and fact finding research, since 2012 to 2021, that’s your prerogative, if you think that way, I respect that, but it’s a bit like all of the bandwagonist western media over the war in Ukraine, all lazy stuff really, no fact checking, historical research etc,
Interesting that our Minors outTyroned Tyrone in the Quarter Final two weeks ago, so you can beat them at their own game. They only know in how to play one way only anyway, very effective, don’t get me wrong, not always fair, nor easy on the eye, we’d rather keep to our traditions down here if at all possible.
Surprised that Galway minors would be favourites as Mayo were better than them 2 times I saw them play this year but Galway may have scope for improvement but we will see. I still think Gooch has delivered far more than Clifford but David has age on his side while poor Gooch career was ended with injury. The wet day promised on Sunday just adds a bit of uncertainty with the ball skidding around the place, still hoping Dublin avoids brunt of bad weather. Jesus it’s roasting here today the Iveagh gardens were full and the sun splitting the stones. Looking forward to seeing teams named tomorrow night. I will be up in 709 on Sunday hoping for a second Galway win in 21 years!!! It’s quiet down home nar a sound while Armagh are buzzing with expectation, may suit us but we will have to deliver the A game.
@leantimes I agree with you we should have been better prepared for the league final. I just wanted to make the point that using league form is flawed in relation to the game on Sunday. I suppose the attitude among some Mayo supporters is that we are so hungry for Sam that the league is of no consequence. I take your point that the league is an important competition and we should strive to do our best but personally I want to see Mayo win Sam in my lifetime. Getting on you see.
I enjoyed the chat.. People here getting worked up about nothing.. Tony was very fair in all observations, I like Kevin, find him interesting always but I had to sit down when he said Galway minors were probably better than Mayo..
I saw that game in Tuam and Mayo were a million miles better and still are..
Facetheball – Seanie was incredible against Dublin in the 2019 drawn game so you are wrong there.
I think lads are clutching at straws questioning Clifford or OShea.
Only listened to the first section so far – so didn’t hear McStays comment re the Galway minors.
Absolute nonsense anyway. They aren’t a bad side but clearly are not the best in the country. Mayo have already proven they are better than them.
They will do very well to beat Derry at the weekend.
I’ve seen Mayo twice in the flesh and think they will win the AI. Very well drilled team.
On a completely different unrelated note – I’m driving to Dublin on Saturday to support said minors. Anyone recommend a decent spot in the capital to watch the senior games on the telly?
Would I be right in saying that Mayo have bigger players that, I mean height wise, should Mayo not exploit this in the main areas of the pitch, or throw in a few curved balls by giving one or two of the lesser known guys in the panel a starting jersey for Sunday.
@Mayo88
David mcbrien would be an interesting one. If he’s right physically I think he could match up with a Kerry forward. We’re not blessed with defenders atm
I agree with your other point, it definitely feels like we’ve a lot of quality fielders. I think it’s something we will use
I thought Tony Leen was excellent on the pod. He was in no way arrogant. He’s entitled to be confident about the prospect of this Kerry outfit in Croke Park.
Having said this, it’s important to note that he also acknowledged that they need this match against Mayo, but it’s fraught with danger for them.
I actually enjoyed the exchange between him and McStay.
Didn’t think Leen was arrogant at all, just called it as he sees it.
@Galwayman: Big Tree on Dorset St.
I saw David Clifford run out to Jordan Flynn,it was after that that OHora slagged him
Sean
There has been lots of commentary saying Clifford is overrated at one stage before the league final there were comments saying Ryan ODonaghue was better than Clifford.
Dont know if you can check it back bit its there.You are right though no one ever said he was a cod
Height wise Mayo and Kerry are much of a much. We might be able to select a bit taller our forwards than the Kerry backs. But they can do the same the other end.
Any words on the jerseys for this weekend? I’d say its likely both will wear their alternative strips. Not the easiest teams and colours to distinguish from each other on the TV. Hopefully its easier in the flesh!!
Remember being in the Nally terrace in 2016. A few young lads from Fossa in front of use. Friends of Clifford. Were roaring some nickname at him. Didn’t think he’d be able to hear them as he was more on the Cusack side of the pitch. Eventually he gives them a wave (they give him a cheer) and he immediately then calls for the ball, catches it and kicks a wonderful point. Myself and my brother looked at one another and laughed. You knew this young lad was very likely going to haunt us Mayo folks down the road. He actually looked like a senior player playing against young lads that day. That said, IMO he has a lot to do yet before he can be classed with the Gooch who for me is the best I’ve ever seen. Funnily enough one of my mainI memories of him was in Kerry’s QF defeat to Down where he tried desperately to drag them over the line.
Soapy ball on Sunday will definitely make proceedings more interesting. It’s hard to imagine JH trying anything very different – maybe he’ll surprise us or maybe players will raise their game to another level given what’s in front of them. If Kerry get their tails up, gonna be awfully difficult to stop that train. Best of luck to our lot regardless. .
Given the way we’ve been playing, given who is definitely out, given who is possibly out and given who is rumoured to be out, its hard to see a Mayo win no matter what way you look at it.
But there’s always a chance we explode into form and Kerry don’t.
It would be the greatest win of them all.
Have to agree with west Kerry there. Clifford and O Shea talents are unquestionably really. These two lads are only 23 (ish I think) are ferociously talented with the vast majority of their careers ahead of them.
Craggy, the quality of that game in 2008 in the torrential rain was nothing short of outrageous. Real old fashioned when you think of it now.
I watched that Galway v Kerry 2008 match in a pub on Harcourt St. There was torrential rain outside all through, and then once the match was over, the news came on the telly to say Ronnie Drew had died.
Twas a bad pub for a match and worse for trad/folk, so nobody apart from myself seemed to gave a shite for either event
With Covid rampant around the country again- it could upset the plans of either team between now and Sunday.
One of my favourite games (without Mayo being involved) 2008 Kerry v Galway. The conditions that day and the ball skill. Kerry started with one defender on Michael Meehan. That soon became obvious they needed more. Then put on two against him. He still beat both. Then they had three … after which they decided to go back to one and back themselves to out score galway … Lol. Brilliant stuff all together.
I’m looking for one ticket if anyone has one spare seated preferably
I’ll second that tubberman , it would definitely be the greatest win of them all .
@OlivaMoran I have one spare ticket for the Cusak stand. Selling at Face value.
MadMayoRob perfect email me at oliviamoran76@gmail.com
Travelling Wilbury – Mayo GAA have tweeted this evening that we’ll be wearing the alternative strip in the Senior game and the proper one in the Minor game. No word on what strip Kerry will wear in either game. Tweet is here: https://twitter.com/MayoGAA/status/1540027717915115528.
@Travelling Wilbury – Our boys will be lining out in the alternative strip confirmed, presumably Kerry also but not confirmed officially from them
if Kerry are so good how have they only reached 1 final in the last 6 years with zero competition in munster.They are obviously favourites based on how Mayo are playing but would fancy the Dubs against them if they get through. The analysis on Sean O Shea is ridiculous a player that has not proven himself in big matches give me Paddy Durcan every time ahead of him who is proven in the big games against top level oppponents
Thanks Willie Joe and Mick11. I’ve spotted that tweet just there myself.
Centrefield, yes only one final in the last six years. But don’t forget, 4 league titles in that same six years. My own opinion is that their team was raw, inexperienced , unsettled and poorly managed. Even with those obstacles they still managed to win 4 leagues. Better management, game plan now and are also more experienced.
Now is the time to play them though seeing as they haven’t been out in so long. We’re all clutching at different straws and that’s my one.
31km wind and rain promised for Dublin on Sunday. That’s quite strong. This will likely impact the scoring, especially point-taking. Could be a day for the big bruisers to impose themselves.
Some people I know are getting the shits re game v Kerry, they tell me they are afraid to go to the game as it may be a repeat of the League final.
I will go more in hope this time.
Depending on what exactly is our alternative strip, if it’s the same one as the League Final and Kerry have the same one as the League Final.. There was plenty of time for both teams to come to a more amicable solution… Have to say the Black with the Blue vertical stripe Mayo alternative strip, I don’t like it at all!
mayo88 it will more likely to be a repeat of the league encounter in Tralee than the league final. Looking the weather forecast looks similar to Tralee. I don’t like that alternative strip one of the worst designed jerseys i recall.
As long as the colours don’t clash and players can pick out their team mates, that’s all that matters.
Go easy on the kit bashing lads.. Research how it came about
Obviously the Mayo News podcasts are great stuff but if you want to listen to some other GAA podcasts this week without wishy washy predictions from many media folk, I have been blown away by the Andy McEntee chat in The GAA Social podcast. Best podcast I’ve heard in a long long time. Fair play to them, great flow to the conversation and massive respect to McEntee.
Wide Ball you must not fully listen, every time Mayo lose he says will Learn from this
Kerry to wear Green and Gold on Sunday… Up the Kingdom
@West Kerry.. I was hoping that Kerry might revert to the Star Trek Kit, so our Black with a Blue strip Kit wouldn’t look too bad in comparison to that.
Yes that gold Jersey was appalling!
Thankfully they’ve seen sense with the jerseys. With wet weather forecast it would have been impossible to tell the difference between between the alternate colours.
Just heard of this site – it is v good, just like being among ye at a game.
I suppose we (Kerry) are the bookies favourite but it’s 15 v 15 – us and Dubs aren’t without our weaknesses so it being Mayo’s year is a live possibility; have ye as good a chance as the other years when ye went close?
IMO Mayo will always entertain in terms of purist skill, probably the nicest of the 32. Mayo man also the best man to have a pint with and I can vouch for taking a statistically reliable sample, over more decades than I’d care to mention.
It won’t happen until it happens so let’s look forward to another bout and may the best team win.
Ballyfireside, nice to see new posters who nail their colours to the mast from the off, fair play.
The bookies don’t normally get it wrong, and I don’t think they will get this wrong either. I’d love a crack at ye with a full deck, but missing our two best forwards is a bridge too far. The weather should act as a leveller, but that doesn’t always be the case. Im hoping we put in a far better performance than league final, and implement some form of defensive system other than the suicidal 1 v 1 marking of Clifford and co.