The GAA are obviously burning the midnight oil tonight – our quarter-final against Donegal has now been confirmed for next Sunday, 4th August, with a 4pm throw-in. The curtain-raiser at HQ that day will be the Kerry/Cavan quarter-final that throws in at 2pm. I kinda like that – having Kerry doing the warm-up act for us.
The minors’ quarter-final against Westmeath has also been confirmed for Bank Holiday Monday, 5th August, at O’Connor Park in Tullamore where throw-in will be at 2.15pm.
Because the seniors and the minors are both provincial champions, they will – should they both win their respective quarter-finals – appear on the same card at the semi-final stage (which didn’t happen last year due to the fact that the minors were beaten in the Connacht final). Now all they’ve got to do is win their respectives matches next weekend and we can look forward to an even bigger day out in late August.
Time to relish the opportunities and all mayo get behind the team.no negativity accepted.lets go mayo!
Nice to have Kerry and Cavan as the warm up for the ‘Real Deal’ for a change
Cant wait for this clash!
Good to see both London and Galway walking away with their heads up today too.
anyway, all you might think that i have been living under a bush for the last few weeks but what is the storey with Donal Vaughan? Is he injured? Is he out for the rest of the Championship?
PS the Kerry gang down here are delighted to be going under the radar so late into the summer and next weeks game wont raise their profile much either, no matter how it goes.
Donie’s back – he came on as a sub against London and looked okay. I’d expect to see him starting at centre-back against Donegal with Keith moving back to the corner.
The selection for right corner back is going to be very interesting. Horan will hardly risk relatively small men like Barrett or Cunniffe in that position. Could it be a start for Shane McHale?
Can’t see McHale being started without much exposure thus far (he has been brought on with games almost over). Don’t think Barrett will be started but I’d be amazed if Cunniffe was dropped. To be fair, he’d probably suit well, McFadden isn’t the quickest so he’d stick tightly to him.
Wish I was at home to soak up the atmosphere and lead up to this game ,this is the one we want ,to me this is game one of 3 ,it will be close but a 2-3pt win is what we will get and then move on to challenge 2.team selection is important pace a d speed up front has to rule ,so I hope younger fresher legs are giving their chance from the start ,see ye in Dublin in september
Have to say this is the perfect draw. Its time for war. No more shadow boxing. Im sure the players will rise to this challenge.
Expect a big donegal performance but a bigger one from us.
C u there its a trap.
Well we knew there was going to be no easy game come the quarter final but I didn’t think we’d be facing Donegal at this stage. Having said that, it’s a fascinating matchup. Last years champs against last years losers. If the team can’t get up for this opposition,, then I don’t know what opposition they would get up for. Of course, Horan won’t be looking at it like that, he’s more pragmatic that us bunch. Nevertheless, I’m sure he’s hatching a plan already and will have them ready and well prepared.
I didn’t see the Donegal/Laois match, but by all accounts, Donegal parked 14 men in their own half for the entire first half! Perhaps Jimmy is reverting back to basics given his teams injury woes? Perhaps the blueprint for how they will play Mayo?
On another note, I was disappointed that Galway didn’t press on and beat Cork. They lived dangerously but nevertheless, I thought if they had more experience and took those easy point chances late in the match, Cork would have wilted. As it turned out, their luck ran out as did time! I couldn’t understand why oh why, when they were up by 3-4 pts late in the match, they kept kicking the ball down the middle, thereby creating a 50/50 ball! It was a possession game at that point and Cork won the vast majority of these 50/50 kick outs.
Anyway, looks like Kerry will got the easier side of the draw. Suits them fine, but Cavan might lift their game, who knows?
Can’t wait for Sunday!
Delighted with the draw and there is no hiding places now and we are ready for this, time for this bunch of players to deliver now, last chance saloon for few them anyways, dillion, moran ect………Dissapointed with our game on the late sunday afternoon, because any of 1 that want to travel by train will be rushing back to heuston to get last train and you could easily miss, yet they give the dubs a sat. even gig in their own back yard, i thought our game should been on saturday and then to make a right fuc up off it for us travelling down on monday thats gonna support the minors they take us off the beaten track the N4 and land us down in tullamore thats even south of the N6….I often wonder is their any brains a tall above in croker, the way they market and come up with solutions in the Gaa, very similar to our politicians i say….F……… idiots……… Also again how in the hell is tullamore a neut. venue really for our minors as jus 5 min. out the road is county westmeath, we have some plonkers in our own county board that lets them away with it and have been doin so for years………Anyway against the odds a double for good ole mayo, c,mon the coillti,s.
So we meet Donegal next. It is not our biggest challenge this year ,just another game.
I believe (like others) we are better than Donegal and where Donegal need their players firing on all cylinders (the forwards -Murphy,McFadden and McBrearty) they are not and we have not been weakened in our backs- in fact we are stronger than last year.
Midfield is a problem for Donegal- we have our two boys there playing well all championship.
And Moran,O Connor,Freeman,Feeney, Varley Coen and Kevin or Alan will not be found wanting.
Psychologically our preparations have been for this except we thought they would be Ulster champions when we met them – cocky and arrogant. THey are not and their flaws have been exposed plus they have a few injuries too.
We can beat them. Ok so the road ahead after that has a few major bumps but focus is on game four for now,nothing else.
Let us be the 16th man- Full out support – no arrogance just a confidence that we are better.
From Balla to Bohola, Mulranny to Manulla, Belmullet to Barnacaroll,Knock to KIlkelly, Achill to Ardnaree let the buses roll, and the trains chug their way to support the boys.
Game four- this one we will not leave behind.
Anyone hear Mc Guinness on today fm this morning sickening to say the least implying one of his players got a massive hit in last years all Ireland and ‘not happy’ with all the heavy hits his players got last week … Did I miss something but why didn’t he say all this last week … Mind games again trying to influence the referee … I’m seething … Well his poor mouthing will get him nowhere next week …. Delighted with draw its now or never!!!
I went to the Donegal/Laois match and yep both teams parked 14 men in their own half, turning over possession and running en-mass out of their defence at pace with one target man up front double marked going nowhere. Laois only scored one point in the first half taking on long range crazy shots from the corners and out field and Donegal werent much better. If Laois’s shot selection had only been a little bit better, less fouls in score-able positions and taken their goal chances the reading in the papers would be different today. McFadden and Murphy were poor and therefore Donegal were poor. Having said that the surface of the pitch wasn’t great, it certainly no Croke Park and the ball was wet.. so all in all it didn’t make for a great spectacle. From what I have seen of Donegal (IMO) Mayo should have nothing to fear. If Mayo turn up to Croke Park and play the way we know they can then they will blow this Donegal team away. This one is Mayo’s to loose and as such is the perfect time for this game.. if we have any ambitions this year we need to able to put teams like this away.. If not then it will save us all the heart ache later.
Any thoughts on starting both dillon and Moran?
2 great servants exiled but that should not come into team selection for next Sunday. Can we afford to start with both not fully fit …..I don’t think so. Of the 2 I actually think Dillon has been the poorest . I would not start him unless things have improved the last 2 weeks. Moran is still fully match fit but I’d still go with him due to his physicality. Also his problem is probably match fitness rather than Dillon who is clearly struggling with his injury
Km79,
What about starting both giving them 20-30 minutes and try to build a lead, rather than bringing them on to possibly chase the game. If we get a good start that could be half the battle?
I’m assuming O Connor will be started too an going in with 3 is just too much of a risk . Still Horan will have seen them and he will decide. I do think that Moran will improve by the week so hopefully we can get over Donegal. But I’m REALLY worried about Dillon. I hope I’m wrong and if he plays he is able to deliver to his true potential
Time now for Mayo to lay down a marker. The time for talking and blogging is over it is now time to step up and move on. Disagree with comments about Mayo supporters at last years all Ireland simple fact is that letting in two early goals silenced and almost stunned many of the supporters. Your team needs u most when they are down so just go for it Mayo if we are good enough we will win it.
Fair point Olive.
Dont think Dillon should start if not fit.Moran is fit and going well in training.no issue there.
Mayo just need a bit of luck and fair ref.
Due to my brothers wedding i probably can’t go 🙁 was disappointed to be missing such a big game……and now it appears to be on tv3 I am doubly upset
Important that we get a proper referee for this game. A real referee who is not afraid to send off 3 or 4 of them when the “off the ball dig into the kidneys” start. They will play dirty and negative and sloppy. One possible reason why they outnumbered us on the terraces last September is this was only their 2nd ever final i think. They have no history like us. I think they never even won an Ulster until the 1970s. The roar they received when they ran out far outweighed the roar for Mayo. That must never happen again. It had nothing to do with the 2 early goals. Mayo need to go back to playing in a traditional red and green jersey. Our current strip looks too much like Cork. Glad i was wrong in my prediction that we would draw Cork. I think if we get a fair referee and start with 15 fully fit men we should have about 9 points to spare over them. We need to take over Croke Park on Sunday and deck it out in green and red. We will have the place to ourselves and the men from the hills. There will be nobody there from Kerry as they will wait for the semi. Not sure if Cavan people will bother. Would expect to meet the men from the stony grey soil in the semi.
Reading through the last few threads the excitement and expectations is as huge as i ever remember before i hope they can live up to these high hopes.
IMO it’s the toughest QF draw and Mayo going into the game as favourites doesn’t help. After their disjointed display in Ulster final Donegal are like wounded animal and Croke park and that win last night will bring them on by 50%. Have read about all these injuries they have however Lacey along with 12 that started the All Ireland final could start next sunday.
Saying all of that I think Mayo will get narrow win as they have a good record in these type of games.
This will be some battle! Will be interesting to see how Donegal setup, will they be defensive, hold the line, so to speak or break at speed?, I suspect the former. But depends on Lacey being fit and all.
It’s a hard call really. I’m still not convinced we have improved from last years final on our ability to deal with the high ball into Murphy. He’s been very quiet thus far but he will be pumped up for this one and will feel rather confident he can net again. That would be a blow if it were to happen therefore we must defend against it at all costs.
Wil be interested to see if Dillion and Moran get the starts. We have to trust in Horan and hope he makes the right call.
Btw, anyone hear from John Cuffe? Haven’t seen him post in a while! Hope he’s just on the hols!
One comment to make – we need a sweeper. I have made this point all year and not one has commented on it. If we had a sweeper last year Donegal would not have scored those two goals. Same in the league, the Dubs, 2 goals.
Kevin McLoughlin,Feeney both sweep back same as Mark McHugh for Donegal will be interesting how they do without McHugh.
One point that seems to have been missed re last year’s final- Donegal qualified for it before we did. That week meant that they hoovered up all the tickets from Munster (who knew they hadn’t a representative). Therefore they had way more tickets than Mayo- look outside The Big Tree etc around 3.30 on Al Ireland Final day and you’ll see that Mayo folk travelled, but didn’t have the tickets to get in.
Yes Livenhope I heard Jim McGuinness on radio 1 today complaining bitterly how his players are being targeted for special treatment – four concussions in last three games and McHugh left with a burst eardrum. Karl Lacey chimed in as well. They’re doing a Brolly on us in advance of next week’s match. Let’s hope the referee can see through them, unlike last year’s man. Oisín McConville was on the same programme and made some caustic comments about how Donegal are well able to dish it out themselves.
oisin comments where hilarous he was right though donegal get away with a lot how do you stop murphy mcf and mcb
Maybe its from a lack of understanding about modern gaelic football but i just struggle to understand the confusion over ”how do you mark” someone.
Whats wrong with up your arse everytime old fashioned man marking, Donegal funnily enough done an old fashioned man marking job on Stephen o Neill in the first rd Ulster and it worked too.
MO2013, you’re right; but is it consistent?
Sean-is any of this relating to my comment? Maybe not. Everyone says that Mayo defence is suspect under high balls. That would warrent a sweeper. Hope I’m not crossing wires.
Was replying to Cat, sorry about the confusion.
Yes though the high ball is a worry into our fb line, a sweeper is certainly an option .
What fb line do ye think he should go with.
Id like Higgans Caff McHale. (for size and presence)
just an idea what about putting caff on murphy and man mark him will it work cant wait for sun what are earth was going on between jim mcg and the laois manager on sidelines very funny
please keep what you see/hear from A V B games out from this forum shotstopper. it behind closed doors for a reason
Agreed, glasshalfull. Shotstopper – please keep any info from inside the squad to yourself. I’ve deleted your comment as I don’t see what use would be served by making this information public.
I think it would be very for difficult for any full back to man mark Murphy. He is huge and mobile as well as deadly. Another thing, have you noticed how many defenders slip on the turn and their man is free to go for goal, both in Hurling and Football.That is where a sweeper is so valuable.
Before McGuinness starts complaining about any big hits his team suffers, he should put his own house in order. I don’t think I was the only one to see the YouTube clip of Kevin McLoughlin getting gouged and stamped on in the league game earlier this year. That sort of thuggery has no place in football but two-faced statements from McGuinness lowers him even further in my estimation. Only one way to answer it , go out and beat them at football.
Jimmys rants !! i hope Horan says nothing in the build up to this game this week.
When will the ref be appointed?
Those McGuinness comments are aimed purely at Mayo and the referee for next week’s game. Hopefully the referee will have the sense not to buy into those comments.
Measured stuff by McGuinness. Clever out but not true.
I agree that the sweeper is important to cut out any diagonal balls coming into their forwards, hoover up any breaking ball (high or low) from our backs, support the player in possession bringing the ball out.. but its more than that.. as has been previously posted here.. it starts when they get possession.. tackle tackle tackle until we get the ball back, hold up their attack, put pressure on their passes and get players back into position to face the field of play.. The sweeper can be more than one player and can often evolve during a game.. its about been able to read the game.. when to get forward,, anticipate a break down in play and when to get back.. It has been mentioned on this site before about an attacking midfielder and a defensive one.. IMO AOS demonstrated the defensive midfielder/sweeper role brilliantly against Dublin last year with his strength and power dispossessing time and time again and linking up effectively with the half forwards allowing us to press high up the field to great effect.. We cant sit back deep against Donegal.. we need to stretch them out in Croke Park and get those early goals making them come at us.. As we know now.. they have no plan B.
Donegal will not beat us if we have 15 fit players on the field and play to our potential. This is a great opportunity for our team to lay down a marker and send out a terrifying message to all comers. It’s also an opportunity for some players to lay claim to being the best players in the land.
I don’t think we should focus unduly on Donegal or give them undue respect. Instead we should focus on our own game and let them worry about us.
I think this is the draw we needed mayo have been traing all year for this weekend the team have learned so much from the final last year. We have been in second gear all through Connacht. The games we needed to win in the league however we won and won against donegal and cork the two most physical teams in the country and that tells me a lot. The Galway game was also a huge game mentally and look how we hammered them and look at their last two games that says how goodwe are!! We will be so well prepared for this game it’s unreal! Dint worry about injuries the squad is looking so good and pushing each other so hard. Think we will beat them well. In 3 years of management what hasJames Horan done wrong? We have gotten better each year. People will say about the goals in the final last year and fair point lesson learned. WHEN we donegal every tam left will realize that this is finally Mayo’ s year and mentally will be half beaten before we take them on. Carpe Diem and enjoy this glorious period in mayo football the day of reckoning is fast approaching.i am in lanzarote on two weeks holidays and it is killing me to miss this one!! Come on the might Mayo team that we are so lucky to be supporting.
P.S. no more negative we will win
diehard ,
I agree , and they are worried. Just listen to Jimmy tonight. He knows he can’t rely on Brolly again . What a two faced bastard
Look it, the 96 team came out of nowhere, a bit like monaghan today. This Mayo team is a serious one built from the the omahoney vote parading years to this serious Horan team. All were neccesary for the end result and more. Let the nation see the red and green in croagh park next sunday. The team need us now. This is Mayo’s time. Believe before it’s easy too. Paint your faces bring your flags, jerseys caps and all. Lets start to roar our county home on this long awaited home stretch…
“Come On Mayo!!!”
Now lads and lassies, for what it’s worth here’s my take on Sunday. I haven’t a clue!!! I know, not think, Mayo has the beating of Donegal. That’s certain!!!
Remember, Mayo had the beating of Donegal in the All Ireland Final. But, being one of the nicest Counties in Ireland they decided to give them a head start with two goals, as well as missing some terrible scores in front of goal. Do you realize that if Donegal hadn’t got the two goals they would have had to score an extra ‘6 POINTS’, a much tougher task.
Statistics at this point, about so many teams of equal capabilities, don’t mean a thing. Except for Kerry, who will most likely win, every team has a chance of beating their opposition this weekend. The problem is that a win can depend on so many unpredictable events, i.e. the referee, injuries to key players, missed goal chances, the weather, the bounce of a ball. Because a team should win doesn’t mean they will. Look at poor Galway. They had Cork beaten with a few minutes to go and lost. Now that was heartache with a capital H.
So as I said I don’t know, haven’t a clue. I will just have to sweat and cheer and roar and tear some of the fews hairs out that I have left and of course, avoid a heart attack.
If we win I will collapse in a heap of joy. If we lose, well, there you go.
If we win on Sunday lets rem it is only a quarter final. No need to be collapsing in heaps of joy. We’ll have won nothing. Beating current all Ireland champs is nothing new to us. We’ve done it in ’12, ’11 and ’04.
Best of luck to our boys. Go out there and do ur stuff. We’re all behind ye… But there’s a long way to go still. Focus.
diehard says:
July 28, 2013 at 11:44 pm
This is a great opportunity for our team to lay down a marker and send out a terrifying message to all comers. It’s also an opportunity for some players to lay claim to being the best players in the land.
Not sure about lets be honest, Donegal aren’t in the form of last year and Monaghan who were playing div 3 football this year beat them by six points. Was that marker layed down? they have Ulster title to their name but they certainly can’t claim to have the best players in the land.
Revenge is the buzz in this quarter final. It doesn’t matter how Mayo win just win it and then it’s probably another div 1 team in Tyrone to focus on at least that game won’t be as hyped up as this game.
The pressure is all on Donegal. They havent performed for two weekends now and will start to feel things slipping. The loss of McHugh and Lacey rips the heart out of them. Even if Lacey does play he wont be 100 percent – which he has to be for his role in the team. Mayo on the other hand are at the business end of the table after a few challnge matches to warm them up. They are where they want to be pitted against a Donegal team in decline. Football teams dont retain All-Irelands, so its a matter of who will beat Donegal in the run up. Mayo never have much of a problem with quarter finals – or semis for that matter – and have nothing to fear next Sunday. Its the lead up to finals day where the genetic make-up of the Mayo phsychy starts to erode. Mayo will win on Sunday – possibly with ease. But, if they dont – well it will just be another year added onto 62 since we won it last – and we will get back to our club championship as usual – and let the mentally stronger counties play out for title as usual. No pressure on Mayo – all pressure on Donegal…
Mayonaze, “collapsing in heaps of joy” is just an expression for being happy. if I collapsed I mightn’t be able to get up again. I know we haven’t won anything yet. If you have read any of my blogs you will have seen that comment on a regular basis.
If Mayo win on Sunday it will prove how good they really are and will dispel the nagging doubts that they haven’t beaten much yet.