The four matches involving Mayo last weekend are disappearing away in the rearview mirror, the ones that are on next weekend are up ahead and coming closer. It’s a quiet weekend by comparison – just the three games this time – with action on both Saturday and Sunday.
Let’s start with the team that won’t be taking the field next weekend. That’s the hurlers who now have a whole three weeks off until their final round NHL Division 2B game. Because there’s an odd number of teams in the division everyone gets to sit out a round and our turn comes next, hence the unusually long gap between yesterday’s match against Donegal and the Round 5 meeting with Kildare at MacHale Park on Saturday, 12th June (throw-in 2pm).
That’s maybe no harm. Yesterday’s big loss was a bit baffling and it’s good that the team will get a chance to regroup before they take the field again. Keith Higgins will, you’d have to assume, be back in harness three weeks from now and, providing he is, Derek Walsh’s team should be well placed to give a far better account of themselves than they did up in Letterkenny yesterday.
The county’s camogie team by contrast, are sure to come bouncing into next weekend’s Division 4 Group 2 meeting with Louth. That game takes place on Saturday and it’s another home fixture but the match details haven’t yet been confirmed, though I’d assume our preference would be to play it in Tooreen. I’ll post the details nearer the time when these become available, including information on streaming if that’s going to happen for this one.
The women’s footballers are also back in action next Saturday. They’re sure to be on a high too, after that scintillating smash-and-grab success over Galway on Saturday evening. Next time out they travel to Ballybofey to face Donegal and that game throws in at 6pm on Saturday evening.
I’ve no idea if TG4 are showing that game live but if they’re not then it’ll definitely be live streamed, thanks to the great deal the LGFA have done with Lidl to stream every LGFA League match that isn’t on TV. Once again, as things become clearer closer to the date I’ll post an update here on how to view it.
The men are, of course, in football action on Sunday, a Division Two North match at MacHale Park against Meath which throws in at the earlier time of 1.45pm. Both counties are already through to the Division Two semi-finals playing whoever emerges in whatever order from the intensely competitive Division Two South.
That game is live on GAA GO and I’ll have a more in-depth piece on this tomorrow, focusing on Meath and what they’ve been up to of late. This’ll be a tricky assignment for us, I reckon, but let’s leave further discussion on that till later.
Finally, just to let you know that the next episode of the Mayo News football podcast will be online on Wednesday. Squad rotation continues for this one, as myself and that McGreal lad are benched, Billy Joe shifts across to the analyst’s chair, Mike Finnerty is recalled to the starting line-up and Colm Keys of the Irish Independent is parachuted in from nowhere. The new episode will look back at the Westmeath game and preview the Meath match and it’ll be online, as is now the norm, on Wednesday.
Looking forward to it already and hope to see some more panelists get a run. Some stuff online this evening attacking our manager and chairman doesn’t make for pleasant reading. Someone try to stir the pot
Whats the point in late substitutions? James Carr, Rory Brickenden, Aidan Orme and Jack Carney were all late substitutions. Did we learn anything about any of them.
Horan made 3 substitutions at half-time. Carr was on the pitch for over 20 minutes, Orme and Brickenden around 10 minutes. How much earlier do you expect changes to be made?
I think myself james carr needs time to get into a game. Some players can instantly make impact when they come on but I dont think he is one of those. Of course he was generally on starting line up on most teams he was involved in. Being a sub is different role.
I’m a bit surprised about Carr myself not getting more game time. He ended the Galway jinx on us down in Limerick with those 2 quick fire goals, one of them had to be one of the best goals I ever witnessed. I hope to see him firing on all cylinders again. Soon.
Well I suppose next weekend is an ideal time to give the extended panel game time. With nothing to play for and no idea who’s going to finish first and second in the other group, we could start with a completely new 15. No reason not to really.
Ontheditch,
You ask what’s the point of late substitutions as you don’t learn much about the player sent on. You might equally ask what’s the point of early substitutions. You might equally say you don’t learn much about the player you have taken off.
The first point of substitutions really is to replace a player who is not performing up to expectations. The second is to replace a player who is injured or running out of steam. When that happens it doesn’t matter whether it is early or late in the game, you are not necessarily doing it to learn anything, you are doing it to maintain team numbers on the field. The third point to consider is how are the team doing overall, is the game in the balance or are his team winning comfortably. The answer to that question will often decide second half substitution tactics. Unless a manager feels he can strengthen the team he may decide on no substitutions if the game is in the balance. If his team are leading he has to decide when is the time to introduce subs but the imperative is to not risk losing the game. He also has to consider the possibility of late injuries
No doubt,
Maybe there is somebody trying to stir the pot.
If so there is no need for you to give them a little help by mentioning it here.
Youre not hoing to learn anything about a player by giving them less than 20 mins game time. Fine if someone is running out of steam or carrying a knock. Im not disputing that. But the essential aim of the league is surely to establish a panel going forward into championship.
Im not trying to stir any pot, but in my opinion, we could me much smarter in our use of substitutes.
We were coasting against Down and we substitute our newbies, when any of our experienced players could have been called ashore. Doesnt make sense to me. At the end of the 3 game stint, how much will we have learned about the newbies? The subs policy will be very interesting on sunday next.
I hope to see a fully changed 15 for this glorified challenge game. If we dont get a look at the extended panel against Meath, then when will we?. I hope we something close to this team start:
1. Byrne
2. Coyne
3. McBrien
4. Harrison
5. Eoin O’D
6. Boyle
7. Brickenden
8. Loftus
9. P Walsh (The Neale) worth a look.
10. Boland
11. J Doc
12. Mchale
13. Orme
14. D Coen
15 J Carr
A combination of lets see what these young lads have, and getting some match fitness into others.
I do think if you wish to evaluate newbies, you do need to see how they combine with established players, so i dont know about a completly experimental team but thats only my opinion. How a player combines around O’Connor or O’Shea. The game is definitely of interest.
I agree Ontheditch, my team is just a guess, assuming everyone named is fit enough to play 50mins at least. I’d always put an experienced head on each line if possible, hence Harrison, Boyle, Loftus, J Doc, and D Coen all starting. Coen and Lofus are around a long time now.
I hope we see big changes, if Bryne doesnt start here, you really couldn’t blame him if he walked away. Its imperative he starts, for better or worse as they say.
Rob Hennelly had an excellent game last Saturday but he needs an understudy what happens if he gets injured? Has Rory Byrne even played Senior once for the county? He needs to be given game time Saturday. Against Meath would be the ideal game to give him a chance
There is no way Harrison is going to be fit to play yet, hasn’t done any contact training yet I believe.
MayoDunphy,
Putting out that team against even a semi seasoned county team will not prove anything. It would probably be more demoralising for the players than anything. By the way is P Walsh of The Neale even on the county panel? Are any of the injured players you name fit to play? Wishful thinking will get us nowhere. Playing four or five of the fringe players is as far as any sane manager could go.
Backdoorsam
While I agree hennelly had a good game against a team that will likely be division 3 in a few weeks, he’s never performed for us in the biggest games. No disrespect in terms of his service, he’s played to the best of his abilities but don’t know if he can even show his abilities are shown on the biggest stage – think Dublin 2013, Kerry 2014,Dublin 2015 semi final, 2016 final, 2019 championship v roscommon, etc.
He’ll get you so far. We need a long term solution to goalkeeping issue. We knew Clarke was retiring for a long time – bizarre we haven’t given Reape (knockmore) a go.
That sells Robbie a bit short, Tommy Joe. I know he’s had bad days but he’s had good ones too and in the 2019 League final he was immense.
Some posters and their opinions are making a very strong case for the Mayo supporters to rejoice in the fact that James Horan is manager and not one of them. The priority is promotion back to where we play our best football at the top table. Everything else is noise.
That’s true Willie Joe – I can focus on the negative too much. I completely agree he was class in that game! Just wish we could see him do that more often. I don’t doubt his ability one bit.
@AndyD, Padraic Walsh was named (and photograhed), as being part of the 2021 Mayo panel that was released and put on this blog a few weeks ago.
@PJMcManus, I agree, promotion is everything, but the Meath game doesnt get us promoted. I think its an ideal oppurtunity to rest alot of the lads, and insure that a key player doesnt pick up an injury for the promotion game. No harm having a look at other playrs and seeing what they can do. Imo its the smart thing to do, irrespective of the result.