There’s little or nothing in the nationals today about tomorrow evening’s showdown but there’s oodles of stuff in the locals, which you may or may not have seen by now.
Michael Gallagher (a new name to me) does the preview in the Western, where he says – in the same way that Ivan Neill so often did down the years, regardless of who we were playing – that “Mayo might just sneak it”. The same writer also has an interview with Sligo-based former Mayo great, John Nealon, who expects us to do the business tomorrow evening.
Over at the Mayo News, Sean Rice says it’s “hard to believe that Mayo will be beaten” and although Sean wrote this prior to seeing the team sheet, I think he’s got it fairly well nailed. Kevin McStay, as he always seems to be, is more circumspect about our chances and goes so far as to say that if Alan Dillon doesn’t start (and we now know he won’t), we’ll be beaten. While I think he’s right to say that a slow start for us could mean that the match will be an awful lot harder to win than it otherwise should be, I think our Kev is being just a little too downbeat on his assessment on the likely outcome of the contest. I mean, even Billy Fitz thinks we’ll do it.
On the audio side, the Mayo News lads have done their now usual podcast on the game and the Mayo News also have another podcast this week, this time with former hurling manager, Martin Brennan, who speaks fondly about the late Adrian Freeman, who died so tragically in Australia last weekend. That awful occurrence will obviously be commemorated appropriately at Markievicz tomorrow evening and as it does it will, of course, provide confirmation to those of us who are fortunate enough to be still counted amongst the living that, regardless of how vital we think this contest is, there are other things that are of far greater importance.
‘he says – in the same way that Ivan Neill so often did down the years, regardless of who we were playing – that “Mayo might just sneak it”’
Ha ha! There’s probably one of these in every county. John A Murphy in the Waterford News & Star is a divil for this. It cuts both ways, i.e. we might “just sneak it” whether we are playing Kilkenny or Antrim. My brother has lived in Laois for a number of years and he says that the local rags there are always predicting amazing things for Laois, no matter what the evidence
That’s what makes the local papers the jewels they are, I guess. It’s when a lack of bias comes into it that it all starts to get a bit too bland!
are you serious willie joe that you dont know michael gallagher ? or is it some kind of in joke ?
pick up the western at any time and he will have done 10 match reports from all around the county..
A Ballycroy man , been with the western a fair few years now.
……..and a very nice guy too (Michael Gallagher) Sorry about the previous typo
Michael is the Western GAA man for years. Covers them all, All-Ireland finals down to schools cumann na bunscoil. One of the good guys.
I’m serious alright, Roger, but that’s just a reflection of the fact that I’d mostly read the online versions of the local papers and the Western isn’t really at the races compared to the Mayo News in this respect. Thanks for putting me straight on it.
Lovely way to round up your latest article WJ…..well said!!
Best of luck to Mayo tomorrow. Im not expecting much this year but who knows….
just doing the predictions on facetheball – i see your in 2nd spot WJ. Good man.
I probably didn’t read the rules properly so it’s probably in there but I see that facetehball takes the score after 70 minutes as the result. So unless you had Donegal and Down down for a draw last weekend it was nil points and no points if you had a Down win like I did.
How about Cork and Kerry being a draw at 70 minutes and extra time on Sunday … could easily happen. Or closer to home what’s the chances of ourselves and Sligo going to extra time? – can’t see it!
one of the good guys is right lads , i am sure you will keep an eye out for his stuff going forward WJ !
and if anyone wants to know what he looks like check out the toutube footage of the replay against meath in 96 , at the very begining they focus on a young mayo lad with a broken legs and crutches waving to the crowd.. i saw michael gallagher out on the pitch trying to interview players in salthill last year , he hasnt changed much since his broken foot over nearly 15 years ago!
Best of luck to Mayo tomorrow , I will be watching in Frankfurt and let hope its the first of a few good weekends for us all.
Those of you lucky enough to be going then enjoy the day and give voice to all the emotions that you express so well here on WJ’s blog.
Beir Bua !!
That’s right, Ma-Yoman, I’ve somehow managed to blag my way into the upper echelons of the table at this early stage. I meant to do a post on the mini-league this week but I’ve been pretty busy on non-blog activities (aka work).
I didn’t realise they had that 70 minute rule and I thought I’d got marks for Down’s win but obviously I didn’t. There could be a draw or two this weekend as well but I somehow think that our one won’t be one of them.
Lads there is absoloutely no reason why this mayo team cannot be at the business end of things come late summer!
We will know for sure tomorrow night JJ. Here’s hoping.
ya lads,we shoud do it by couple points.c,mon mayo
“Lads there is absoloutely no reason why this mayo team cannot be at the business end of things come late summer!”
If the ball hops right on the day . . .
(Just realised that that particular cliche is probably acutely cutting in Mayo *cough* Colm Coyle *cough*. Oops.)