I’ll explain about the beardy lads in the photo in a minute, but before I do here’s the usual Monday-morning-after-the-game-the-day-before link-fest to all the online match reports you might want to read. Here they are: the Times, the Indo and, given that it’s a Munster team we were playing, de Paper even deigns to provide one. The Mayo Advertiser, who were quickest out of the blocks with their on-the-day report on the U21s win over Galway on Saturday, also have a good, comprehensive report from Colm Gannon up on their site already and, while we’re on the topic of the U21s, make sure to check out this fine, detailed assessment of Saturday’s win over Galway from There is a light that never goes out. Back to the seniors, No One Shouted Stop! (who made the long trek down from Mayo to Tralee for the game) hasn’t got his match report up yet but he says that he’ll do so at some point today so keep an eye out there as well. (UPDATE: He’s now done so: here it is.)
The main talking point from all that lot is sure to be what Johnno had to say after the game and, I dunno about the rest of you, but I didn’t like his comments one bit. He said this:
“We literally weren’t able to pick a team until five minutes before we left the hotel. I know Kerry were probably affected as well but we’re fighting for our lives.”
And then he said this:
“I know this team will come good. The talent is there and we have more to come in. I just don’t know if it’ll come good in my stint or not.”
I’ve already dealt with this first point in last night’s match report but it’s worth, I guess, repeating it again. This fixture pile-up wasn’t something that hit us out of the blue – we’ve known for months it was going to happen and for Johnno to admit that he was still scratching his head trying to come up with a first fifteen just before leaving the hotel prior to the game yesterday is a complete and utter joke. It’s worse than that: it shows that, from a management perspective, we’re hopelessly disorganised and, if what Johnno says is true, then it really only was by the grace of God we didn’t get walloped yesterday. Maybe we should put an ad in the paper to let him know that the same thing is going to happen again this coming weekend. Just so as it doesn’t come as a shock to him, like.
As for that second point: what the fuck, I mean what the fuck, does he want to be coming out with stuff like that for? Sure we could all get killed crossing the road tomorrow, couldn’t we? I’ll tell you something, Johnno, no team that you’re managing will ever come good if these are the kind of vibes they’re getting from you. I know it might be just a throwaway remark but really someone in his position should, knowing full well he’d be reading it over his cornflakes this morning, know better than to come out with this kind of crap in public.
Right – I feel much better after that rant. Now, onto the beardy lads which those of you of a certain age would have had no trouble identifying (and, for the twentysomethings among you, no: – it wasn’t a late-night shot of Tyrone’s All-Ireland celebrations). And, for those of you who do remember them, I’m sure that this number from them will bring back all kinds of memories from way back when. But why all the Seventies nostalgia, you may ask? Well, the table below – which sets out the state of play in the Face The Ball Mini-League after Week 4 – provides the answer, as the new leader trades under that iconic moniker made famous by the Kings of Celtic Rock.
The rise to the top of the pile by the Horslips devotee has been quite impressive too, because after Week 1 he was slumming it down in 18th spot, rising modestly to 15th in Week 2 before then powering up to fourth last week. The current top four now comprises the quartet of leaders we’ve had over the four weeks of Mini-League action and, with large-scale movements in the table now apparently less of a feature, it could be that we’ve now found our own Big Four who are destined to fight it out for the main prize. For my own part, I’m starting to dig in mid-table but you’re not going to hear any poor mouth stuff from me as to why this is happening. Not for now, at least.
WJ, have to agree with your comments on JOM, can’t believe the clap trap he’s coming out with, while he has a point on fixture congestion/burnout etc (Radio 1 – interview – http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/mediaplayer.html?features,2507793,2507793,0,209) He’s known about this for ages – the comment about the team coming good was incredible. That attitude will do nothing for the team. I thought this guy was ment to be shrewd, uber organised and all that. Those comments don’t seem to point at that.
That JOM comment can be heard on audio on the Sport Audio list in “d’Examiner ” – if you don’t see it just click on the last item on the list and it will scroll down to the next few items – not only is it what he says but the tone of voice in how he says it !! http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/sectiondynamic.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=GAA-qqqa=sport-qqqtt=GAAmatchreports-qqqc=5.4.3.1-qqqn=3-qqqhc=5.4.3.1-qqqhn=20-qqqx=1.asp
I’m not sure what to make of those comments alright. hard to keep the faith and remember this is the man who has had success with almost every other team he has had, when he is doubting himself in public. I think it shows either a lack of political cuteness on his part, OR maybe that I’m not cute enough to interpret any deeper intentions on his part!
true words from you willie kerry and galway and others are in the same situation and i dont hear sammon or o connor crying .do all mayo managers have to cry please shut up and stop making excuses .
forgot to say ,willie just recently learned about your blog ,have to say i love it .living in the states it great to get more info on all thats happening at home keep up the good work
Willie Joe
I was in Tralee and it was a positive performance and I came away feeling quite good about things. There was a game plan, we defended relatively well, didn’t concede a goal for the second game in succession and Kerry’s problems were caused by us being in their faces.
And then I read the manager’s comments in the paper. I couldn’t believe it. Clearly his heart is not in the job and maybe a team of Holmes/Connelly who are putting immense work into setting up a bright future for the seniors, should just be handed the reins. They put out teams that play with heart and pride, and they clearly want to be involved in Mayo football. It is just a headache to the current Manager it appears.
What a bizarre comment from JOM, couldn’t believe it. I thought he was supposed to be this cute, savvy political operator?
Now I’m trying to be positive here and assume that comment is not a reflection on what he actually thinks. Maybe he’s just trying to be cute and lower expectations within the county, but is telling the players something different.
If he’s not, then quite simply, we won’t win a thing this year with this attitude
Hi Willie Joe
Just a reminder to all that the Club Mayo Dublin Year 1 Review takes place this Thursday evening at 9pm in the Garda Club, Harrington Street.
“Lower expectations”. What a weird job spec to come in with, especially in a sport that thrives on confidence, craic and dreams. John O’Mahony came in with that as his first ambition. Well John its a roaring success, better than you ever dreamt of, could we know go back to a little more hope, a little more dreaming. Personally I believe O Mahoney is a very astute operator, however as a Mayo native living away I cringe when I read or his his perpetual poor mouth “ara mushaa its poor us, always raining down here” type of bullshit. There was a great song in the late 1980s on a country and western station up here called Treble T.The song was called “Kilkelly Ireland”. All sad and emotional. The Celtic Tiger boxed that song. Time to bin the “willa willa waile” Johnno.
Hi WJ
took a while to get this up to you with paddys day getting in the way (did anyone see the simpsons – have to say was a bit disappointed with it thought they would take more of the mick out of us)
I too was at the game in Tralee and like Eriads comments above I too came away quite satisfied with the overall performance. It was a strange game though and lacked a lot of intensity both teams seem to allow each other a lot of space in the first half and both teams were also guilty of poor passing and shot taking – mayo more so, the much maligned mayo back-line actually coped realitively well with the kerry forwards and as mentioned we leaked no goals, i suppose what struck me more so was the lack of cohesion with the front line, young mortimer didnt show up and was left on the field ronaldson didnt really get into it either, felt austie had quite a good show but some of his shot selection again was questionable. We seem to lack an incisive cut up front especially when the ball is played in from the half forwards we are not making or creating space properly and we end up running into cul-de-sacs all too often I counted about 6-7 occasions where the forwards just ran into trouble or had their shots blocked when there should have been more options available we need the management to sit down with the forwards and devise a couple of game plans because at the moment they all look like individuals trying to run their own show.
Ronan had a good game especially the second half and what was most heartening was putting kerry under pressure in the 2nd half. We made them make mistakes got possession and scored at least on three occasions this brought us to within a point of kerry and just when you felt we could push on we were guilty of some bad misses and kerry took the initiative back, this lack of forging on when in good positions is something we will have to address we had dragged ourselves back into contention and then threw it away.
OK i think Ive said enough sorry it lacks a bit of cohesion. Was disappointed to hear JOM comments i really do think he is just seeing out his tenure, I think the potential is much greater in this team then JOM has realised but my fear is that JOM hasnt instilled inspiration into the team which if we keep losing can take a lifetime to address we need to start winning, looking at our remaining league games doesn’t inspire me with confidence I hope I am proven wrong.
Hi Nathan
Thanks for the feedback on the game (likewise to everyone else who did so here). I got the same impression as yourself when I watched the highlights of the match on TG4 on Monday night and, in retrospect, I wonder what Mike Finnerty was on about in his commentary when he said that the pace of the game was approaching championship standard?
The contrast between the way the Kerry forwards went about their work and how our lads did was also significant. Gooch and the likes of Darren O’Sullivan took their scores with such languid ease where, as you say, our forwards didn’t have the same incisiveness. It looks as if we’ve no moves pre-planned whereas the Kerry lads looked like they could do this stuff in their sleep. It’s in the breeding, obviously!
All the best
WJ