Lee free to line out on Saturday

Willie Joe

LeeKeegansentoffAug14

Photo: Irish Examiner

Lee Keegan tonight won his appeal against his sending-off last Sunday and so his one-match has been lifted and he’s available to line out in the replay on Saturday. The County Board broke the very welcome news via Twitter a short time ago:

There’s no further information to hand on why Lee’s appeal was successful but, whatever the reason, you’d have to say that it’s a victory for common sense. Sure, our man was wrong to kick out in the way he did but Buckley was equally wrong to draw that punch on him beforehand and there was precious little justice either in the fact that the Kerryman got off scot-free without any sanction arising from the incident.

It was punishment enough – and it sure must have been tough – on Leeroy to have to sit out the remainder of last Sunday’s match but it would have been a hugely disproportionate sanction if he were to have missed the replay too. He’ll now be roaring for road come Saturday, I bet.

Make no mistake – this is a massive, massive boost for us. I really can’t wait ’till Saturday now.

42 thoughts on “Lee free to line out on Saturday”

  1. Huge boost WJ, absolutely mighty news!

    Worth a couple of points before a ball is kicked

    As I’ve said this is one massive coop for us and sometimes you just need that bit of luck…

  5. love lee… heads down now and hearts ready to pump for all you’re worth Mayo men…
    we deserve nothing…we have to win what we want to win and let this be the step to a final…come on Mayo…

  6. Fan-flippin-tastic.. he hadn’t even warmed up the last day before he was sent off, so he should have plenty in the tank for Saturday. No more petulant air kicks Leeroy if you please, my ticker just aint up to it 🙂

  7. Absolutely agree with you wj.its a massive psychological boost to mayo and the players will get a massive lift from the decision im sure .

    Kerry will conversely be deflated somewhat by this unexpected news.

    I thought there was as much chance as L.o’neill leading the Gay pride parade in Limerick as lee winning his appeal.

    Finish the job now boys.

  8. Would anyone be willing to swap a Clare end terrace for the city end? Please I’m really stuck

  9. Brilliant news, I hope Lee can deliver a massive performance on Saturday to right the injustice done in the first place.

  12. That’s the best news I heard for ages. I was hanging on to my phone all evening waiting for word. Lee will be completely fresh. Brilliant brilliant. Justice has been done

  14. Correct decision from the appeal, the decision may have been swayed by our objection to Limerick. Two injustices for one of the most unluckiest counties in the G.A.A. for the last quarter of a century may have been too much for the top brass to dish out. At this level everything counts, is our luck turning.

  16. A victory for common since for sure and maybe an attempt at building bridges after the shambolic goings on of late. Having Lee Keegan available should be a fantastic boost for Mayo and if ever we had a reason to feel confidant of beating Kerr,y well this surely is it. And regardless of what field the match is played in, when the ball is thrown in we’ve got to be ready – seventy minutes between us and mortality!

  18. Im suprised , but its a great decision for us, he is always good for scores and his defensive abiliyty is as good as it gets

  20. Great to have Leroy back, right and proper.
    We still one helluva game to play.
    We need to play our game, and let them worry about us.
    The players are growing with the responsibility on them this year.
    Let them go man for man and cover the attacker. Let Kerry worry about our “ordinary” players.
    I would stick with Robbie between the sticks.
    Great distribution, great shot stopper, knows his backs, and showing great leadership also.
    Loved his destructive punch

  21. Fantastic news. GAA must be feeling guilty about the sending off, Limerick etc…. It’s a huge plus.

    We have the winning of this game if we go for it from the start but keep a check on James O’Donoghue. SOS needs to mark Donaghy when he comes on in the second half imo. James needs to jump faster e.g. Cafferky being injured in the last 10 minutes. What a team, it’s a privalege being a supporter in this golden era. Focus and execution will get us over the line.

    Maigheo abu…

  22. Not surprised by this. No intent by lee to hurt the opponent.

    Release the doves!

    Onwards and upwards.

  23. Wonderful news. Such a boost to team and management to have his ability and engine back for Saturday. It must help JH with overall planning and choosing his bench. The game cannot come quick enough.

  25. Word prediction wrecked my username in the post above.

    Justice is done at last with a sensible decision.
    Right lads, now it’s time to put all the distractions behind us and get 100% behind the team on Saturday evening. The Green and Red Army of supporters need to mobilise and urge the team on right through the 70 mins. I sense victory now but more importantly the team must sense it, believe in themselves and deliver.

  26. Great news, no doubt influenced by the wave of negative press over Limerick. Need to keep the focus and not get ahead of ourselves. It will be tight again. Maigheo Abu

  27. Great news to hear about Lee, Kerry got the advantage with the venue and we got the advantage of having Lee back. We are even now so roll on the big match and may the best team win, fingers crossed that will be us!

  29. Dave o c
    I have a city end if that’s what you need, just don’t know how to make contact with you.
    Maybe W J can help by giving email address.

  31. Maybe Great boost ahead of Saturday. Keegan will be fresh and determined to make it up to the lads after last Sunday. I expect a big performance from Leroy.

    It’s a big break but we shouldn’t get carried away with it. We still have to perform and win the game but the panel and JH will be greatly heartened by the news.

    Team should start the same with one change in midfield, hopefully Barry Moran,

  32. thats great news it was expected was a very harsh decision he swung a feathered kick out of frustration not purposely justice was done only he didn,t get to play the second half on sunday ah well great to have him for saturday he would be a very big loss great team should win on saturday up mayo!!!!!

  33. This is a boost to us but I reckon it will also galvanise the Kerry lads. They will have a sense of injustice the same as ourselves on Sunday. Beware!
    Which ever team can now focus on the task ahead will win. Hopefully this hasn’t been too much of a distraction for Lee or the rest of the lads.
    If freeman starts he needs to up his game a bit. He showed a couple of times that he can pose a threat. But he needs to get stuck in big time and start winning possession inside. Same with Doc. You can be sure Cillian will not get 1-8 Saturday. Other lads are going to have to deliver more scores.
    Midfield will need to improve significantly. We could put AOS there but I would prefer if he could be left at CHF.
    We won’t know of course until throw in.

  34. Great news that lee is available. Hope it doesn’t allow a siege mentality to be built up in Kerry against us as they are seething with this decision and feel that they have been at the wrong end of 5 or 6 of these type of decisions over the last few years (which probably has an element of truth to be fair). Nothing worse than a Kerry team with a chip on its shoulder. I just hope mayo play their own game and don’t be afraid of Kerry, while lee was on the field the last day we played with too much fear, petrified o donoghue and co going to get a run on us. Then at half time the game plan went out the window and the lads played like they had nothing to lose – and the blew Kerry away in the 2nd half. Turns out Kerry are not that good after all.

    Joe brolly was right at half time – why should Mayo be showing Kerry too much respect?? It’s them that should have been looking to get to half time still in the contest, not us. As he said the last day – what has this Kerry particular team ever won? Many of them have never even played in an all Ireland final. Some have never even beaten mayo in a league or championship game. Apart from Marc o se and Aidan o Mahoney none of the other starting team members have any tradition of beating mayo regularly – and both those boys are 34!

    Doesn’t matter that the rest of them are wearing Kerry jerseys. Show them all who is boss the next day from the throw in and we will win easily.

  35. Great to have lee back, but Kerry will be seething as they feel they have been hard done by again, I have a feeling the ref won’t be as good to us again, as we got 8 close in frees the last day to Kerry’s 3, looking at the game again last night they should have had another 3 close in frees, for 2 fouls on Walsh and 1 on Geaney. Paul galvin or Tomas o Shea never got reds overturned so we can count ourselves very lucky, must not get carried away, lee started the last day but we were still beat all over the field in that first half.

  37. Goldrick red card makes far more sense now. He thought Lee made contact! You know I think the GAA system has kinda worked this time albeit with a typtical Irish solution. Everyone was in agreement Lee sending off was harsh (technical possible correct), but in the ref perspective he thought Lee kicked and made contact … So no question he would have to walk. We win the appeal on a technicality and so correct order is restored.

    Delighted he is back .. Now just hoping that the lads recovery this week has gone well and they’re in as good shape as last week.

  38. Great news on Lee.
    I think we need to focus on our own game more and let Kerry worry about us . Let them worry about who is going to pick up cillian, Aidan and Andy when he comes on . I think caff is having a poor season but he is capable of marking donaghy when he arrives . I would be more concerned with getting our middle 8 performing putting us on the front foot and stopping the ball supply to Kerry forwards .

  39. Caffs fitness is a bit of a worry. He was cramping again in last 10 minutes and had called to be taken off before the goal. Given that the ball was in not in our half during most of the 2nd half, this is worrying and not the first time this has happened including the delay on the line replacing him. We need a plan B if Caff has to go off.

  40. Delighted for Lee and Mayo that he is able to play now time to go an win the fucking thing. Says plenty of fools last night on social media especially Dublin supporters who appear to have big issue with all things Mayo while conveniently forgetting Mr.Connolly’s appeal last year.

  41. As far as getting lads off on a technicality, Kerry can cry me a river. The ‘convenient solution’ dreamed up by their County Board in 2002 so that Darragh Ó Sé could play in the AISF set the standard for cute-hoorism in these matters. We’re only following where they led.

  42. Regardless of technicalities, he deserves to play on Saturday.

    If we’re going to be consistent regarding the rules of the game, then bring play 13 metres forward everytime a player attempts to impede free kicks being taken quickly (something that was going on constantly last Sunday), etc. and yes, that would mean yellow cards at least for Walsh and Buckley.

    Coldrick’s performances as referee seem to have gotten worse as his profile has risen which is a shame because he’s probably one of the best we have. Maybe he’ll learn from this and use a bit more common sense now.

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