This year’s National Football League campaign reached a thrilling conclusion for Mayo at Croke Park yesterday. Trailing by four points at the break in yesterday’s Division One decider they stormed back into it in the second half, sweeping Kerry aside to win by four at the finish.
In this episode of the Mayo News football podcast we bring you all the excitement of a truly memorable day at Croke Park, with the cadence shifting back and forth between emotion and analysis. Co-hosts Rob Murphy and I get the show underway in the Lower Hogan amidst the tumult as the cup was being presented to captain Diarmuid O’Connor.
Next we hear the post-match thoughts of James Horan and Diarmuid O’Connor before Edwin McGreal of the Mayo News joins the fray as he catches up post-game with Matthew Ruane and Lee Keegan.
Back out in the Lower Hogan, Danny Carey makes a welcome return to the podcast where he chats with Rob and I about the win. Meanwhile, up in the press box Edwin gets the views of his Mayo News colleague Seán Rice, while Rob then elicits Ed’s own thoughts on the win.
Next we hear from Colm Keys of the Irish Independent, who discusses with Ed about where this win leaves Mayo ahead of the Championship. Then it’s back to Rob, chatting with Mayo News editor Mike Finnerty as they make their way back to the car after the long day at Croke Park.
But there’s more … Rob and I have a final wrap-up bit of chat outside Croke Park before we dive right back into the in-game action where we take you through the key moments of the final. Amongst the hubbub of voices at the end we hear from two hugely proud Mayo parents – Brian and Laura Ruane, whose son Mattie played such a pivotal role in the win.
This jam-packed edition of the Mayo News football podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes and SoundCloud. You can also listen to it directly on the Mayo News website and as well as here on the blog using the SoundCloud player below or the one on the right.
The Mayo News football podcast League final coverage is sponsored by Supermac’s, the ideal pit-stop for every Mayo fan on the move. Pull in at McHugh’s Spar/Supermac’s in Ballindine, the one-stop shop for all your GAA gossip.
Supermac’s has 100 family restaurants across Ireland, serving quality Irish food and Papa John’s pizza. Online ordering and delivery now available. Tasty & tempting at Supermac’s.
Excellent podcast as usual lads. Thanks. Enjoyed it on the drive home from work. I was a bit surprised James to say we could have won by 12 I know we could but I have visions of John Maughan going into the Kerry dressing room in 96 swinging the Mayo Jersey lol in fairness to Maughan he was well entitled to and if he ever win Sam we can trace the beginning of the journey back to 96 when he made us believe properly again. Anyway thank God we won and if we all keep the head who knows what September might bring
My favourite colour was always blue, may buy one of those new jerseys.
Great win . with more educated /patient ball usage we cud hav won quiet easy .v happy wit bench use by horan .hennelly quiet brilliant .cillian ,parsons returning roll on summer
I would prefer James to be a little bit less honest in his interviews quite frankly. You would never hear Jim Gavin or a Kerry pundit coming out with such bullish talk, as they don’t want to give the opposition any added incentives.
We in Mayo don’t generally play the media very well, at least compared with the party line merchants (“pundits”) from Dublin or the Kingdom. I still shudder to think of Liam McHale writing a piece in the Sindo on the morning of the 2004 final essentially advertising how Mayo were going to play.
Hopefully the lads enjoy the next day or two and then get back to focusing on the championship.
BTW any word on arrangements for New York?
I really enjoyed that, nothing like winning. I think we are getting to grips with this puts us on track to get better, I have said before that people like Fergal Boland and Conor Loftus will be big players for us yet. Now add in Ruane, Treacey, Carr etc and we are building. JH likes players that have an overall skill set and he can improve players as long as they have genuine ability, he does it in a short space of time so come August if we are still there expect more from young and old. Horan is a real football coach not a figure head or a director of operations that’s what has me excited about the future.
@ itmeansnothingtome, I agree. Defo wouldn’t be coming out in public saying we should have won by 10points. Perfect ammo for Kerry in the summer. That kind of talk should be conducted behind closed doors. He did say we made lots of mistakes but I’d have talked up Kerry saying they’re a great young team. Anyway, let’s hope his approach works.
Great to see that so many people have been listening to the League final podcast episode. Rob did a super job on the editing side for it, stitching all that memorable audio together. If you know of any Mayo fans who you think might be interested – and, let’s face it, who wouldn’t be? – but maybe isn’t comfortable with the whole podcasting thing then you could do worse than letting them know about the League final show and how to access it via iTunes and SoundCloud.
@Mayonaze: Exactly. I wouldn’t mind but JH has a bit of form in this regard, given his low-energy comments on Galway back in 2016. No harm being confident in private but it’s hard to see what can be gained from airing such views publicly.
Lads, JH has always been the same in his interviews from day dot. He will always focus on where we went wrong and where we can improve.
You know what? We should have won by 10 points! On second viewing last night, we were by a distance the better team.
I have no problem with him saying it to be honest.
Will get to the podcast shortly.
Meanwhile, did anyone wonder about our very short warm up period pre-match?
Kerry were out during the Limerick post-match celebrations – no nonsense there. It was going on for 13 minutes to 4 when we came out. I felt our drills etc were curtailed, which wouldn’t have suited us, given we take 30 minutes on some occasions.
MayoMark is right. I too looked back at it and we should have tagged on another 7 or 8 points at least. We went through a 6 minute period in the first half where 4 attacks ended up scoreless (Vaughan overcarried, DOC got turned over, one shot went short and another went out over the endline). We hit the upright, should have had a peno and were guilty of some wild efforts under pressure (DOC again!) when we allowed Kerry to block our shots. Still, as they say, it’s a sign of a good team when it wins playing badly.
Catcol, Mayo most probably started their warm-up in the rooms beside the dressing rooms. There is a big warm-up room in there.
I don’t know much but compared to Kerry I thought our warm up was more intense looking than what was going on down their end. Esp the A v B bit. Of course I might have had my green and red tinted glasses on though!!
Take your point Pebbles – and I have been in the warm up area but it’s not the same as the big field.