Remember once upon a time that we, as a footballing county, didn’t do the qualifiers? Now, well into a second year of hard pounding, it’s a far more familiar route for us and even this welcome two-week gap between the Round 3 and 4 ties hasn’t come as a huge shock.
The mini-break we’ve got until Saturday week means that we don’t have to dash away from thinking about the last game in our haste to get where we need to go for the next one. Instead, there’s a bit of time to review last weekend and where it leaves us in the scheme of things before thinking ahead to Cork.
Mind you, the tickets for the Cork game are now on sale so if you want to get those sorted, you can do so now. The online link for this is here, though tickets will also be available from Centra and SuperValu in the usual way. Given the capacity of the Gaelic Grounds, tickets won’t be a problem on this occasion.
I’m not going to pen a long essay here about last Saturday’s match. Instead all I wanted to do was provide you with a few links which might be of interest.
This week’s Mayo News has loads of relevant coverage and analysis. Here’s a sample – Billy Joe Padden’s tactics column, Seán Rice’s column, Mike Finnerty’s On the Road piece, Mike again with a piece on three players who caught the eye in Ennis. There’s loads more besides – I even scribbled a piece for them myself this week – if you fancy picking up a paper or digital version of this week’s edition.
Rob Carroll did a great in-depth analysis piece on our Cusack Park tactics in The 42 the other day. Well worth a look – here.
Aidan O’Shea features heavily in that piece and he was on the radio last night, speaking to the lads on Newstalk’s Off The Ball. If you fancy a listen, that one is here and The 42 also have coverage of the interview – here.
It’s funny how the narrative on Aidan has evolved over the summer, both in the wider GAA world and closer to home amongst our own supporters. Aidan’s barnstorming displays against Derry and Clare have been instrumental in this and nobody can dispute but that he’s doing his talking on the pitch right now. The interview linked above shows he can speak in a level-headed and intelligent way off it too. More power to you, Big Lad.
Finally, just in case you think I’m falling down on the job or anything I should let you know that I am continuing to collate the match report links as normal after every game, even if I haven’t had the time to do the usual Monday match report posts the last while. You’ll find them all in the 2017 results page – here.
I don’t know about ye, but I have loved the qualifiers the last couple of years.
Saying that, we want our trophy back, but it’s in safe hands until then =)
Have to say I really enjoyed the day out to Ennis on Saturday. Great crowd at the match and got to go to a stadium im not normally at. Fair dues to the Clare fans, very hospitable people and great craic too. Had a great laugh with them before and after the match. I love these days out.
Talking to a few people on the way to ennis and while there they couldn’t get over the mayo support. Main street ennis was green and red in the lead up to the match on sat. Our supporters are a credit to the county and it just shows how much football means to us. Thanks again Willie Joe on the continued daily updates on the blog. Makes work that bit easier when there a new article on chat sprung up.
Heres to more days out!
I have enjoyed reading this article and fair play for the good analysis for both sides, but I have to get something off of my chest.
Standing behind the goal we scored into twice on Saturday I again have to question the role the umpires are supposed to play at these games are they just score verifiers or do they have any other purpose in the game. My reason for questioning their apparent status in the game is because for the entire second half Cillian O’Connor suffered nothing but abuse both, physically and verbally, from the Clare #6, who appeared to want nothing to do with actually playing football, and the clare Goalie. The # 6 only stopped short of humping Cillians leg like a dog because Cillian wouldn’t stand still for him, then, during an attack along the left goal line Cillian off loaded, the pass was intercepted and Clare took off up the field yet the Goalkeeper who was aware that the ball had been turned over continued on his quest and elbow charged Cillian straight into the middle of his chest.
To me, this is akin to deliberately striking an opponent with the fist only it would seem umpires just look, see and do nothing!
Next, when Aidan went in full forward he suffered the same abuse only from several other players as well, In my opinion, just trying to provoke a reaction to get him dismissed!
This is one element of today’s game that repulses me, a kind of “if you can’t beat them fairly, do whatever it takes” attitude. It needs to be stamped out. The # 6 or the goalie should have been sent off which would have made others stop and think about what they were doing. Thus giving us a better game, and of course the ref wouldn’t have lost control of the game like he did towards the end.
Ok, rant over!
The qualifiers are enjoyable because we are winning. It is like a pumped up version of the league with games coming fast. Let’s hope the winning continues….we are on an upward curve.
Thomas Maher I agree wholeheartedly with your comments, we too were camped behind that goal and I saw what u talking about. On another note I see Dublin Gaa have condemned some posts on their site after the game in particular about Cillian, the comments were just gross and personal and have no place in any sport not well done to them for dealing with it.
On we go to Limerick Maigheabu
Getting game time for these players after the winter and spring is a godsend. Better than a connaught title in my opinion.
Plus they are good days out. Ennis was excellent on Sat. Games let’s team iron out difficulties.
For example, K McLoughlin is not a corner fwd.
C Loftus well good enough for this team.
Barrett & Harrison have the corner back positions nailed down.
One thing needs sorting out, who and how to play the sweever role. I believe mayo lose too much going fwd is k McLoughlin is given this role away from his half forward posite on.
qualifiers!! didnt one of our players say one time that Mayo werent a qualifier type team? i wondered at the time if he was thinking that same thought when he went out training and abstaining from drink and tayto and the like? if he was, then it was no wonder he was easily marshalled in the games that he was needed in.
Thank God that these current fellas have the mindset of winners and are not going away after the near misses and bad luck like any normal team would.
Strange days indeed, all quite inside the Mayo camp, Everybody Loves Aidan, Galway tumble out to 50/1 after failing to rise to the occasion after a one night stand with Roscommon, Willie Joe doing a temporary Brexit, or should that be Maexit, for Cork game, please don’t go, don’t go don’t go away, and all of that. All very hush hush on Leeside, time to start heaping praise on them me thinks.
A few things seems to be obvious after clare match, kmac can take a score better running at defences than been static in ff line, conor loftus best option corner forward and Stephen coen best as roving half back although not much places there
I agree with many posters that the qualifiers are most enjoyable. The atmosphere in Ennis was special. The weather and the banter made it a great day out. Looking forward to Limerick every day. We have been treated to some special goals this year. Last weekend was as good as it gets.
Hi all, tickets for the match online now….just online and offered location GA for the Mackey stand….is that general admittance or is their a section G row A and if so is A pitchside? Have searched the net for detail but to no avail?
Thanks
Looking back again to game ….JD took some great lines….two goals on if if and if….! As someone said players got themselves into good positions in time with numbers. Was this Rochford or was there a >% of the players up for it… on the ball…fitter/faster than they have been in line with the great idea that the qualifiers is proving to be?
Nice one bacon factory end! I think Donegal will dump Galway too, they’re not the pretty young things they think they are! WJ might even reverse his maexit decision too and show up in Limerick! Hopefully next stop then will be Kerry in the Q/Final, good time to play them and God do we owe them one! But cork first, this team is coming to the boil nicely!
I’m opposed to the GAA going pro but it might be high time we hired WJ as a full-time conduit!
@Tomas Maher, your dead right there! Then the mad thing was, on the Sunday, the referee in the Galway v Roscommon game was giving frees at times for what seemed like very minimal contact by some of the defenders
.
So in some games a player is almost assaulted in front of a umpire or linesman and nothing is given. Then in another game a player might be barely touched 50 metres from a referee and he’ll give a free.
As the saying goes, you never know what your going to get. A bit of consistency wouldn’t go amiss. It’s almost as if the referees are using different rule books on different days.
Are we sure at this stage that Cillian and Harry won’t be cited? I think any potential ban has to be proposed within 48 or 72 hours of the game.
In all fairness we’re blessed that Harrison got a black card at the time meaning no further action could be taken. A moment of madness that I’m sure won’t be repeated any time soon.
There was a bit of a stink about how Cillian was singled out by TSG while a full on brawl was ignored in the Connacht final. Even though nothing has come of it so far, I’d be worried he’ll get done for something borderline down the road.
I think Galway will take Donegal
They could be that bad of a team after beating us
Would love the rossies in a quarter final , imagine the banter
Folks quick question, there is a question doing the rounds at the moment:
Since 1980 name two player who have played for Mayo but also won an all Ireland medal with another County?
Sean Lowry is the only one i can get, Offaly & Mayo
Anyone know who the other may be? Thanks
Dan O’Neil with Louth in 1957
Thanks CH-icago, We had Dan O’Neil as well but then we were reminded that it needed to be since 1980
Enda Sheehy, with Dublin in 1995 and played with Crossmolina and Mayo for a short while
Or was it Galways Tom Tierney/Tiernan?
Cheers PBarret
Tomas Maher
I agree 100% with your views. I would love to see this kind of sh#te stamped out of our game. How one might go about it is a difficult enough challenge.
Players and teams engage in it because it seems to pay off at present. The trick of course in dealing with it is to make it cost players and teams – not profit them.
Take the verbals – its very hard for officials to deal with on the day. For televised games, where they can be reviewed by a disciplinary committee, very severe penalties should be handed down to individual players and counties where it is obvious a player is goading an opponent. It would need to be so severe a punishment as to ensure management acted to stamp it out (instead of encouraging it and in some cases actually coaching it).
Physical intimidation is easier. The linesman or umpire simply brings it to the attention of the ref and a red card straight away. Certainly there would be some unpopular decisions to be made early on but if players and managers think they might get red cards lads would be forced to focus on actually playing football. Again video reviews by a disciplinary committee who are prepared to dish out severe penalties would help.
One last thing – no subs, mentors or anyone along the sideline bar one medical person from each team to allow the officials do their job free from intimidation!
Then we could all begin to enjoy the likes of Cillian O Connor and Conor Mc Manus and other good players.
Rant over!
CrossFlan/Inbetweener – Tomas Tierney from Miltown did play for both Mayo and Galway but I don’t believe he won an All-Ireland. Good friend of Peter Ford, TJ Kilgannon and Anthony Finnerty who were in UCG together.
Tomas Tierney, did not win an All Ireland medal.. But he deserved one, because he, got sent off in the 1983 All Ireland final, I was at the excuse for a match, my first All Ireland final.. Got in under 12 for a £1..last All Ireland when you could buy terrace tickets on match day.. I was more than 12 and I kid you not got in for £1..Anyway I think Tomas deserves a medal for whatever he did to a Dublin player, because they certainly had it coming.. Dublin finished with 12 ‘Apostles’.. It was an absolutely filthy match and the Ref fair play to him, had some nerve to send off 3 Dublin player’s..Brian Mullins, don’t think’ Connor McGreggor ‘ would stand up to the punch that Brian dished out that day.. Ciaran Duff kicked Pat O’ Neil in the head when he was on the ground.. Don’t know what Ray Haseley did or Tomas Tierney for that matter… But Tomas deserved a medal! PS.. Brian Talty got a belt in the tunnel at half time and could not resume his position in midfield for Galway, but he still joined the Dublin back room Boys afterwards.
There’s a big kick in this cork team. Mayo must be ready…if not, this season will come to an abrupt end!
Some ppl are getting ahead of themselves, relishing Kerry or the Rossies in a qtr final.
Let’s by all means enjoy the Clare victory and then focus on Cork. They are a super confident ppl and will in no way fear playing us, anytime, anywhere!
KMacs best position is in the half forward line roving around the middle picking off loose ball. Mayo are much more potent when he does this.
Meanwhile young Coen is ripe for the sweeper role. He’s sharp, physical and can move the ball quickly upfield. He doesn’t eff around with the ball in the danger zone.
Great stuff Leantimes…..rem the game somewhat….bad wet day? Was M Kerins the ref? And a good one he was. Never reffed again for having the nerve!!
The
ref in .83 was j Gough from Antrim
Let’s not take Cork for granted here, I’m sure that they’ll be revved up to face us, between being lambasted in the press by certain Kerry pundits and seeing the hurlers hoover up all the glory and support again. We’ll need to be tuned in from the throw-in (a rarity with Mayo these days) and also have a plan to deal with a few of their big men.
Inbetweener, No the Ref was not M Keirns,. No way a Connacht man would be reffing a Connacht team V a Leinster team in an All Ireland final….Of course nowadays, every little thing possible is done to assist Dublin in their quest, including the appointment of (Leinster Referee’s) so as this Dublin team can be lauded as the ‘greatest team of all time’.. with as Jim Gavin might say, only last Tuesday,’ don’t indulge in the dark art’s ‘. His Dublin friendly media, ex Dublin pundits, seem to turn a blind eye, pardon the pun, to’ ‘eye gauging ‘..’ several incidents of dangerous play and even smear campaigns!…The ref in question was ‘Gough’ from Antrim,… Brian Talty joining the Dublin back room team in subsequent years seemed the strangest decision to me,.. For two reasons.. It is the only example that I can think of, where a non Dublin player has anything to do with the Dublin team, and Talty and his Galway team mate’s were the victims of an assault fest in an All Ireland final at the hands of Dublin… Still I see the logic of it from a Dublin point of view.. After Talty’s appointment ‘what happens in the tunnel, definitely stayed in the tunnel’.. September 1983, from stabbing in the Hill 16, to the stoning of Galway bound busses to the thuggish behaviour on the field, not even’ Jim Gavin ‘ could spin this into the’ sweet as apple pie’ that he likes to associate with Dublin.
@Leantimes.
I have fond memories of that game, it was my first all Ireland, and the last I think you could lift a kid over the turn-styles for (I was that kid). The games itself was dire, and the whole Cusack seemed to be standing up all the time – couldn’t see a thing.
On the Dublin backroom team, there are at least a few on the current setup that are not native.
Jonathan Courtney used to manage Sarsfields in Kildare, his native County. Dan Davey – Nuitrition is a Sligo Native. (Plays for Bodens though). Seamus McCormack – Media is from Wicklow, I think.
There’s probably a few more. Not sure if you’d count Declan Darcy, who won a Provincial medal with Leitrim.
Jaden,.. I have a ‘hazy’ memory of someone in the Dublin set up saying something like ‘only Dubliners for the Dublin team.’ . Can’t recall his exact word’s or exactly who said something of that ilk.. The thing about.. Talty is that he was a ‘selector’ which is inner santum ‘.. Nutrition and Media are part and parcel no doubt it,.. No special loyalty or football nous is required for these job’s, important and all as they are… But I think selectors are definitely part of’ ‘management,’ and plotting of a team’s success.. But thank you for the clarification…. As for Declan D’Arcy.. Well Declan is a True Blue Dub who on account of his Leitrim heritage played for Leitrim and won the 1994 Connacht final…. In 1983 I was in the Canal End.. The official attendance was 71,988,.. The real attendance was, it can only be guessed at?.. Considering I doubt that you were the only child lifted over the turnstyle…Following the 1983 final the capacity of the old Croke Park was restricted to 65,000 … I seen people being sort of, moved along over the head’s of people in the canal end, such was the congestion and for many people they seemed close to fainting.. It wasn’t too bad for two lively teenagers from Mayo who decided to support Galway on the day… We were used to climbing the Reek and were as sure footed as mountain goat’s, and by God we needed that agility in the Canal End such was the ‘wave’ in the terrace after every, score, wide and incident in the match.. The ‘wave’ in the Hill seemed even worse.. I remember seeing the Hill would change colour as the squals of rain came down, and umbrellas went up, coats went on, and flags came down looking across from the Canal.. I’m sure that’s the way the Canal seemed from the Hill as well… Many of the younger GAA will have to guess as to what a ‘wave’ on a football terrace would be?
@Lean – We probably passed one another that day.
As for the hazy memory – Guinness will do that 🙂
I remember having blue “tear-stains” down my face, from the rain and the Crepe paper supporters hat I was wearing. I don’t think I took that thing off that day – even going to bed.
I also remember the noise when Rocks attempt went in. I though the end of the world had begun, the noise in the lower Cusack from everyone above you simultaneously jumping to their feet was immense.
Anecdotally, I think I recall a discussion on attendance, and the general agreement was it would have been 80k-85k. Certainly in the Cusack there were no spare seats, a child on every third knee, and the steps black with people standing/sitting – not forgetting the two complete headers who had managed to get onto the ROOF of the stand.
Agree about Darcy, true blue indeed. Alot of the current backroom team are fellow club mates of Jim’s, or have links via the Air Force. It’s a tight knit bunch alright. I guess that’s the way it has to be.
Even after they started to regulate attendance a little more, I remember the Hill always being a little bit of an adventure. The 4 Game saga against Meath in 1991 was a case in point. I couldn’t have told you what colour me runners were for any of those games…..
I was too young to be drinking Guinness in 1983!.. Anecdotally, we cuilchies would hear tales of not needing a ticket for a sold out match in Hill 16…. A Fiver might do the trick we were led to believe,.. mind you similar tales, are told about Connacht Finals in McHale Park, from long before my time!.. I remember the unofficial fake match programme, being sold outside Croker in 1983.. I bought the fake one first, and then had to buy the real inside Croke Park. They even had the audacity to name a Dublin team, somewhat off the mark, in a time when team’s selected were the team’s that played..
Great memories there between ye Lean and Jaden…..gas to read and fair dues to your powers of retention.What game was it that M Kerins put off a few fellas can anyone recall? I had great regard for him as player and ref. I suppose he was doing the job too well for the times. Refs at the present time need assistance and they re not getting it from their friends on the line or the white coats. Why can’t they have an ould TV or something on the line to consult when they re not sure of something? Twould help big time to get rid of much of the embarrassing and unsavoury elements that mar so many games.