We’re the National League champions once again.
Our three-point win over Galway at Croke Park this afternoon saw us claim NFL honours for the second time in five seasons and for the thirteenth time in all. It was a deserved win too in what was in large part a rather muted contest, in which both sides tended to pull their punches, but we had more about us over the seventy minutes and a strong finish saw us home.
The celebrations afterwards were understated too, in marked contrast to the joyous aftermath of the 2019 win over Kerry. That’s no surprise, however, as we simply haven’t a moment to spare this time round, with the Roscommon game on this day week.
For all that, though, there will undoubtedly be satisfaction within the squad that we sealed the deal today. We were the form team in Division One this year and this good form cried out for a winning performance today to cap off the campaign in the appropriate way. This we provided at Croke Park today.
At a more basic level, it was also good to win a final at Croke Park. The only balm for our desperate All-Ireland final record is, of course, a Sam Maguire success but winning League finals has to be of help in achieving that ultimate objective.
This was a game we took by the scruff of the neck early on. We led from first ’till last and, even though Galway stuck with us the whole way, we managed to keep our noses in front and pulled clear coming down the closing stretch.
We owned the ball for the first two minutes. Galway unfurled the shawl to the full, all fifteen players behind the ball as we probed for an opening. The score attempt, when it finally came, ended with Diarmuid O’Connor shooting wide off his left.
We struck for two scores in as many minutes. Ryan O’Donoghue got shunted off the ball by McGrath and Colm Reape, from close to fifty yards out, lofted the opener over the bar. James Carr doubled our lead with a fine strike soon after.
Our positive opening continued when we got another free, this one close to the posts, after Fitzgerald impeded Jack Carney off the ball. Ryan stroked it over.
I remarked to Rob just then that the last thing we needed after that start was to concede a goal. We nearly did, as Galway knifed through our backline but Colm Reape was equal to Maher’s shot. Kelly claimed the loose ball and fisted it over to open their account.
We kept up the offensive, firing over three on the spin to stretch our lead to five at the end of the opening quarter. Ryan, from a mark well out on the left, Paddy Durcan and Jordan Flynn got these scores. At this stage, we were fully in control of the game.
Galway finally got moving again, their second point coming from a Shane Walsh free fifty yards out, following a foul on Paul Conroy. Soon after Galway had a second goal chance but Heaney’s shot was off target. The out-rushing Colm Reape clattered into the Galway player, earning a yellow for his trouble, and there was a long stoppage before play resumed. When it did, Walsh tapped over the 14-yard free to cut the gap to three.
Our early confidence had now deserted us. When Aidan O’Shea was fouled, Ryan screwed a straightforward enough free narrowly wide and when Walsh landed one from play from forty yards out, it felt as if the momentum had shifted strongly in favour of the Tribesmen.
This feeling was amplified when Maher, with little or no angle to work with, shot over to cut the gap to one. By now Heaney had departed the fray, with Damien Comer coming on, sooner perhaps than Galway would have wanted.
Our sense of discomfort deepened when Jack Coyne, hunted down by Walsh, essayed a back-pass that Colm had to scramble to claim but was unable to stop from going over the end line. That presented Walsh with the chance to level the game from the resultant ’45 but the kick was wide to the right of the posts.
As Walsh was shaping to shoot, I mused that there was a real chance we might yet go in behind at half-time. Instead, following that missed ’45, we closed the half with two scores from placed balls, converted by Ryan and Colm, and we took a three-point lead into the break.
David McBrien failed to reappear for the second half, with Eoghan McLaughlin replacing him as Paddy Durcan took up the role as makeshift full-back.
Rob Finnerty was to the fore on the resumption. Two points, the first from a mark and the second from open play, cut the gap once more to the minimum. He then had a chance to level the game when he claimed another mark but this time his shot was off target.
We needed a score to settle us and we nearly got a significant one. James Carr got on the ball close to the Galway goal and he shot hard and early but Gleeson pulled off a superb save to deny the Ardagh player.
Colm landed the resultant ’45 but Walsh responded in kind at the other end soon after, as this contest remained on a knife-edge.
Galway continued to look dangerous and Colm was once again called into action, batting away Tierney’s goal attempt. We were living dangerously now.
Up the other end. Aidan was fouled and, on a day where the ref decided – unlike many other officials down the years – that a foul on Aidan merited a free for us, Ryan gave us precious breathing space by knocking over the placed ball.
Soon after Aidan turned provider, punting the ball into Ryan who bravely claimed the mark out on the left, getting a belt in the face as he grabbed the ball. He rammed the resultant kick between the posts and now we were three to the good once more.
Walsh then took off on a rare trademark mazy run and pointed with ease. Then Comer burst through on goal but once again Colm was equal to the shot. Walsh’s ’45 was off target and soon after Comer’s effort for a point out on the left wing hit the upright and bounced wide.
It just seemed like a matter of time before they’d overhaul us. Cooke, finally getting a chance to strike at the posts, clipped over a delicious score from out on the right. That left just one between the teams again.
We’d brought on Tommy Conroy for James Carr by now and immediately Tommy’s blinding pace added a new dimension to our attack. This yielded the first tangible return for us when Glynn was forced to foul him and Ryan did the rest from the free.
Comer looked to have cut the gap back to the minimum from a mark but Hawk-Eye chalked his effort off. Then Tommy took off again and this resulted in another despairing foul on him. This one was in front of the posts and Ryan stroked it over.
The game was now entering injury time and it was increasingly clear that our late surge was going to prove decisive. When Jack Coyne raided forward to fire over, it was, amazingly, our first point from play in the second half. It was also, without doubt, the insurance point.
With just a minute of injury time left, Cooke had a late, late goal chance. Once again, though, Colm was equal to the shot and Walsh missed the ’45 that resulted from it. Culhane got the final score of the day but this final was now ours, as we closed out the win and, with it, our 13th National League title.
Although the emotional quotient was without doubt lower this time compared to 2019, it was nonetheless great to be there in the Lower Hogan (I was close enough to the presentation to appear on the telly, as screenshots sent to me on WhatsApp afterwards confirmed) to see Paddy get the cup and to celebrate our winning this national title. We could, you know, get used to this.
But, of course, we now need to box this win away, with our focus already having shifted to the Connacht Championship and next Sunday’s provincial quarter-final against Roscommon. As we do, however, it’s with a degree of quiet satisfaction that we’ve closed out a fully deserved Division One title.
Mayo: Colm Reape (0-3, two frees and a ’45); Jack Coyne (0-1), David McBrien, Sam Callinan; Stephen Coen, Conor Loftus, Paddy Durcan (0-1); Matthew Ruane, Diarmuid O’Connor; Fionn McDonagh, Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn (0-1); Aidan O’Shea, James Carr (0-1), Ryan O’Donoghue (0-7, five frees and two marks). Subs: Eoghan McLaughlin for McBrien, Tommy Conroy for Carr, Darren McHale for McDonagh, Bob Tuohy for Ruane, Padraig O’Hora for Coyne.
Our bumper Mayo Football Podcast Final Whistle show is online on Patreon. Recorded at Croke Park today, Rob and I savour the win and we hear post-match reaction from Stephen Rochford and analysis from Colm Keys of the Irish Independent, with Paddy Durcan’s acceptance speech too. Join the club here.
Who was our MOTM against Galway? Pick your top three performers
- Colm Reape (36%, 1,282 Votes)
- Paddy Durcan (13%, 483 Votes)
- Jack Coyne (12%, 447 Votes)
- Diarmuid O'Connor (9%, 336 Votes)
- Aidan O'Shea (8%, 298 Votes)
- Sam Callinan (7%, 239 Votes)
- Ryan O'Donoghue (5%, 173 Votes)
- Conor Loftus (3%, 116 Votes)
- Tommy Conroy (1%, 39 Votes)
- Matthew Ruane (1%, 30 Votes)
- Stephen Coen (1%, 24 Votes)
- James Carr (1%, 23 Votes)
- Jordan Flynn (1%, 22 Votes)
- Jack Carney (1%, 19 Votes)
- David McBrien (1%, 18 Votes)
- Bob Tuohy (0%, 13 Votes)
- Padraig O'Hora (0%, 10 Votes)
- Fionn McDonagh (0%, 9 Votes)
- Eoghan McLaughlin (0%, 9 Votes)
- Darren McHale (0%, 8 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,666
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Beat a fancied Galway side without playing brilliant.
Division 1 champions.
Lots of learnings and areas to improve for players and management.
Great feeling leaving Croke Park after beating Galway , safe in the knowledge that PJoyve will blame everyone else but his himself for defeat …
Good warm up for the big one against Roscommon next week … injuries / knocks were always going to be a danger today with the 1 week turnaround.
Well done player’s and management!!!!!!
Good win today, dug it out after a bright start. Plenty to work on though, including allowing too many shots on our goal, and also some very bad decision making and turnovers in our forward line, particularly in the second half.
Roscommon will present a different challenge though, and will be mad to get back at us for beating them in the league. Bodies and minds will need to be refocused, not an easy thing to at six days’ notice.
Reape was obviously superb today, a clear MoM, with Paddy, AOS, Jack Coyne and Diarmuid O’Connor being excellent also. Thought Tommy Conroy made a big difference when he came on, skinned his man and forced two tap over frees.
What’s rare is wonderful!!
That’s Aiden O’Shea getting frees when fouled.
He has been pulled and dragged in almost every game for years and kept his cool – an amazing man
After a great opening quarter, we lost our way somewhat.
From there to the end our translation of opportunities into scores, from play, disintegrated.
Paddy Durcan had an excellent 2nd-half in the full back position – his pace enables him to do what most others cannot. Coyne for the most part was exceptional as indeed was Aiden O ‘ Shea.
Felt we were a bit overrun around the middle so an injection of pace (Tuohy) may be neccessary.
Neither forward line had the poise/ability to take clearcut goal chances as they invariably shot straight at goalkeeper. Having said that, Colm Reape was just great, particularly his scoretaking from placed balls.
Overall a real gutsy performance – in addition, a little more poise and scores from play next time.
No problem Pádraic.
We’ll be in Croke Park too at 4pm on Sunday.
Whooooooooah.
Fantastic.
Whooooooooah.
Always nice to lift a cup so well done to the lads but the league will be quickly forgotten about as it is most years. Definitely quite concerned about our openness at the back – keeper having to save us far too many times. We can’t be relying on that later in championship. Simply must clog up that centre. Roscommon were able to cut right down the middle in that 2nd half two wks ago in Hyde. We won today; nice to lift the trophy, I think McStay has blooded a few new young lads like Call and BobbyT, but for me, we just don’t look fully right at the back, not fully settled yet.
Also, I think Joyce is getting a lot of stick. I didn’t see much in his post match interview. He said Mayo deserved the win. Yeah, he complained about a few soft frees, in his opinion, but I’ve heard opposing managers whine a lot more.
The key lesson is that our forwards need to score more from play…until Jack Coyne’s point in injury time we hadn’t scored since the 16th minute.
We will always have defenders and midfielders however it’s up front where we need felllas to take on shots and score them against quality opposition.
James Carr, Fionn McDonagh and Audi need to score more from open play….and no zi don’t think the Galway defence being decent is an excuse
@Mayo Exile, you’re right about us being over run for some lengthy patches in midfield. I expected more from Diarmuid and Ruane. Hopefully they’ll be right when we need them later in the summer
Cantwell doing her best to blacken Reape, she is thinking the big games further on this Summer.
Congratulations to Mayo, always nice to win a cup in croke Park.
They deserved it. My thoughts were Kevin did the right thing making 10 changes last week as the rest gave them fresh legs at the start.
Once you give a te a 5 point head start you are always playing catch up.
On the game it was a poor spectacle. Both teams playing defensive, and God did we have some off day up front.. The 5 goal chances made Reape look unbeatable but they were mostly hit straight at him. To also miss 45s is poor going. Where’s Reape nailed 3. A lot more work for Galway to do in 3 weeks.
I think the Rossies will be licking their lips to get a crack at ye next week. 4 points from play, 1 in the dying mins if the second half may not work next Sunday..
Its ironic – when Mayo lost finals and complained about poor refereeing decisions we were called whingers and chokers.
Now that we have won – some of the same people who called us whingers are now whinging about the referee after today.
Mayo win a national title and the Sunday Game spend 70% of their analysis on one referee decision followed by nonsense discussion on the losing team’s free taker. Ridiculous
The analysis on league Sunday is now a laughing stocking .asking David tubridy was he ever ask to go in goal and that if it was championship Shane Walsh would be kicking frees with his right foot.a totally vague interpretation of the rules on the colm reape incident
100% agreed FGD
You’d swear Shane W ran us ragged today.
Tonight is about celebrating silverware Tuamstar but thanks for the advice.
We do have a lot to work on it wasn’t our best performance but we beat well a well fancied Galway side and I will take that anyday!
We can’t win see loads saying we are celebrating like its the All Ireland if we lost we would be called chokers haha
Guess people always Diss the people at the top. Given up caring what other counties thing at this stage as Lee keegan says its a circus in a regards to that you would drive yourself mad looking at all the stuff about mayo haha
Its only early days and we have to dust ourselves down for the big one against a tough Rossies side next week but we are well able to beat them . No doubt mcstay and Co will work on on the stuff we def do need to work on maybe the guys were nervous as a lot of them would not have had big final experience like that. They pulled it off though and we were the better side on the day !
In regards to reape it was no way a red card entitled to stand his ground. What guy he is made some unreal saves number 1 for me in goal !
I am going to enjoy this one until next weekend anyway haha already have the Rossie mate in my ear ha!
But well done guys you always give it everything !
Any idea what happened with McBrien, hope any injury he has is not serious, he had been on a good run.
I agree 4 pts from play doesn’t sound great but of the 10 frees scored some of them would definitely have been scored from play if the foul wasn’t committed. Maybe that’s clutching at straws
@first gen Dub totally ridiculous decided not to watch it as knew well they would focus on that we can’t win haha onwards and upwards for mayo though!
Mayo the better team today and deserving winners, no issue. Not sure it was the greatest quality Mayo Galway game or all time but Mayo wont care. On the Heaney incident, if that happens up the other end, I reckon yellow, keeper is committed. Free and the yellow was fair for me.
On Mayo, keeper is a big plus and I thought Diarmuid O’Connor was excellent, does a lot of unselfish running. Glad to see Tommy Conroy back on the pitch too, he’s had a tough year and will be better in the summer.
On Galway, thought the 2 young corner backs McGrath and Fitzgerald battled away after a shaky start, they will get better. Also thought Walsh and Comer were good considering may not be going at full speed just yet.
Looking forward to the summer.
Well Done Mayo watched it here in Sorrento today great win.
Totally agree with you @southmayo Exile.
Padraig Joyce is some sore loser.
The GAA President statement was poorly timed as Mayo’s Captain was about to collect the cup .
The Sunday Game coverage was shocking.
Maigh eo Abu.
Don’t be taking advice from me Moose, sure we’re all nobody’s on a forum!
Poor analysis from RTE again. But I think Kevin can use it to our advantage, as that was a “league” version of a witch hunt on Reape. We’ don’t seem to be fixing the galing hole down the middle channel in every game. Is it the system or players that are at fault? It needs fixing for weeks now and still every game teams are running through us.
I said it during the week on here that the pressure is building on Padraic Joyce,. Thats another final lost that he clearly wanted to win, 4 years is a long time and his post match interview tells me he is feeling the pressure a bit.
Great to see Kevin Mcstay win a National title with Mayo at his first attempt .
Reape has impressed me so much. His kicking is top notch, but I’ve always wanted a keeper who will prevent goals and be tough as nails in the process, hence why Clarke always got my number 1 vote. Forwards knew goals would have to be earned.
Reape has impressed me big time today. Kudos to him.
I have to say, I though we got a couple of soft enough frees but we’ll take them.
That team would have learnt so much from today.
Take off the green and red glasses now lads when it comes to RTE analysts. Diabolical stuff from Keegan, Cora Staunton, Cavanagh, Gooch and the rest in recent weeks. It’s as watery as I’ve ever seen. I never thought I’d here myself say this but bring back Spillane and Brolly. Or at least Canavan and maybe McGuinness or Fitzmaurice, actual analysis of games
Tuamstar and Big Mike above are right – while it was nice to win it was a very poor quality game. A few players anonymous for most of the game. Subs slow been introduced as well. Hopefully we can lift the performance by at least 30% next weekend.
Great for us to win despite it being our poorest attacking display of the league.
Not a great sign for Galway only scoring 10 points. Our full back line in the second half was Coyne, Durcan and Callinan up against Galway’s first choice FF line.
@Big Mike you would nearly miss pat Spillane even tho he was never really a fan of us but entertaining haha
Margie , Joyce has a drawer of medals at home including 2 senior All Irelands, he’s a legend here in Galway and last year , winning Connacht and getting close to an All Ireland means he is on the right track.. There’s no pressure up here now, sure James Horan had two spells totalling 8 years!
We’re all fairly chilled up here… Let PJ at it im looking forward to the championship and I think we’ll have a major say..
Canavan was on tonight Big Mike. You must have missed him . He called out Shane Walsh for switching feet for the 45s. He missed two of them. And a free which he took from his hands. Ye lost by 3 in the end ……Thought that was good analysis myself .
@Tuamstar and Big Mike.
When teams wanted to play football against Mayo this year Mayo played the best football in the country.
Galway didn’t want to play open football today. They wanted to smother the Mayo game.
Their decision.
We played as much football as we were allowed play and if Galway had decided to play more open football they might have had a better chance of winning today.
Football was the winner today.
Football and Mayo.
I thought young Coyne was superb today and to saunter straight up the middle of the pitch to knock over a score when the game was in the melting pot.
The barefaced cheek of it!
We’ll have to defend a lot better than we did today but that’s for another day. Mission accomplished and for tonight that’s all that matters.
Where is this narrative coming from on pressure on PJ? Our first all Ireland final in 20 years last year, won our first Connacht since 18’, he is doing grand and tbh the team overall are going in the right direction. Todays result will not change that opinion.
Although disappointing to lose I don’t think he will lose much sleep over it. Like Mayo, Galway will have eyes on bigger targets now.
Thought analyst comments on Sunday Game were fair.
Not playing great and winning is a brilliant position to be in.. I felt Mayo were in 4th gear all day.. very controlled measured performance and led from start to finish.
As I’ve posted before, I look at Mattie and think come on there is more in you.. I felt looking from my seat today that he isn’t getting himself into the middle channel enough and coming off shoulder.. he’s seems to have slipped into working hard, covering, but not penetrating through the middle.
I absolutely could be wrong here, however I thought swannie was off the pace in the warm up.. I was in Hogan watching and they were playing 4 on 4, and he just couldn’t get a hand on.. even when he came on, just sort of looks like a man struggling now to find that 5% extra.. perhaps mentally he’s a guy that needs to start and perhaps concentration is an issue for him if on bench?
Eoghan absolutely looked like a man who has missed loads of pitch sessions, so he badly needed that today.
Slightly concerned we were slow to make changes as Fionn was very tired 5 mins before being pulled..
Jordan fly is incredibly fit and strong.. was still moving well on 70 minutes.. Mattie could get in bother soon as Jordan and DOC would be very strong..
Slightly concerned re Ryan today.. gets the ball, runs hard, but lacking a bit of a dink just to create a clear shot.. if he doesn’t outpace his man in the first 10 yards he offloads? Id like to see him dink and shoot etc..
Galway will be absolutely raging as mayo weren’t near their best.. however, for me, if I was a Galway supporter I’d be concerned with Shane Walshs composure near the end.. looked like a dejected man.. he’s their star player, they need him driving hard till the very end, and he didn’t.. it can show a lot about a team.. I saw Aido countless times nearly running full length of pitch to get up into attack to support.. says a lot there….
Well done Mayo. ?
Tuamstar , 4 points from play was down to a 50/50 combination of good Galway defence and giving away free after free which we were happy to take and put over
PJ is some whinger pathetic interview at the end full of excuses.
PJ has a drawer full of medals and a bowl full of grapes of the sour variety. No doubt the man was a brilliant footballer but I really don’t see it as a manager. Very hard to see strong leadership qualities in a man that whinges like he does.
James Horan had two spells over 8 years..May never have won an All Ireland but put a team together that went a lot closer than that Galway team has and won numerous Connaught titles and a league title. And he knew how to lose with some grace unlike the great PJ.
A great win, with some super performances. Reape, Callinan, Coyne, Durcan, DOC and ROD were all excellent. Very disappointing to hear so many Mayo people booing the Galway free taker. Walsh does take his time, but the booing is sickening at this stage. Long term, I’m getting very worried that Mayo management are blind to the gaping holes that exist in the heart of our defense. Heaney got inside Loftus far too easily for the first goal chance. If it was one game then fair enough, but the centre of our defense has been opened up in numerous games and today was just another one.
We should lay off Joyce IMO, today is about us digging out a win in tough circumstances. There will be other battles ahead with the Galwegians, no doubt. Ironic though that we are often accused of whingeing from the southern side of the border.
I will say though that perhaps we are still a little bit naive in our defending at times, no surprise given the relative youth and inexperience in our back line. When Tommy Conroy came on today, we really saw that Galway foul anyone who gets past them, which is part of the reason why they don’t give up many goal chances. We are a still a little too nice in allowing players to ghost past us IMO. To win the big prizes sometimes you need a rugged full back who isn’t interested in soloing out with the ball and will take man and ball in the tackle, a Francie Bellew type. Hopefully McBrien is developing in this direction.
The centre back position is still an issue.
I’d have to agree on Eoghan, gets into good positions and doesn’t shy away from work but his distribution needs to be worked on,by hand and foot. He will have a major say in our championship run this year though I’m sure. Maybe he is slightly down in confidence atm or just the effects of injury still hindering him a tad.
A fine win. Well done Kevin and Team.
I’m a real fan of Coyne. I like the cut of him as a footballer. Big test today and he came through.
Joyce wasn’t the only one whinging. What was that from GAA president McCarthy?? Rambling on at such an inappropriate time about criticism the organisation faced recently while Paddy standing there patiently waiting to lift a hard fought cup. Maybe I heard wrong? Absolutely absurd, especially considering what Mayo are facing next Sunday after a really tough battle today. All the GAAs fault regarding the structure. Absolute shame on them. I’m sick to the teeth of them.
Not a great game but to win without playing well is very satisfying. Some silverware in the cabinet and that winning feeling is hard to beat for players and supporters to get us all on the crest of a wave. Mayo are now ranked 1st going into championship now as well? Does Connaught really matter in the grand scheme of things at all? Do we need some rest and negate the chance of any injuries moving towards the business end in July.
@Tuamtar fair play to Joyce for his medals I guess ha.. but his interview afterwards as others have said full of excuses why can’t he just say congrats to mayo the best team won?
I know the Mayo/Galway rivalry is a fierce one but always in good nature (most the time to ha ) hard luck to Galway today but I’m proud of the mayo team for grinding out the win when we didn’t even play our best football at all .
Joyce should just admit when he was beaten by the better team instead of excuses I am sure mcstay and Co would have if it was the other way around . And we will see if ye have a major say come championship think I heard a lot of ye saying that ye would have a major say today to hmm.. haha
Hope our guys enjoy this win till the tough Rossies match confidence boost for sure for them !
Well done Mayo. We played particularly well in the first twenty minutes. I thought the defence was well organised and very disciplined. We were incisive in attack and played direct football. I thought McBrien was a big loss and wondered was he injured. The young back line did well. Paddy Durcan and Diarmuid awesome. We stopped them getting goals or should I say Colm Reape did. He is a member of the team and isn’t it great to have a good keeper. All that looseness in the back happened in the second half mainly and I still don’t know where we lost our shape compared to the first half. Will require more analysis which I am sure the backroom will do. It is great that the young guns got the experience of Croke Park, coped so well and got the sweet taste of silverware. Has to be of huge benefit. We can dare hope lads. Come on Mayo.
Just home…..Deserved win and a lot of folk on social media saying we only scored 4 from play. Galway will foul every time rather than let you get a goal chance so that’s their problem. As for the Galway goal chances, any coach will tell you that coming in at a poor angle always favours the keeper so Colm Reape really just did his job. Our kindergarten back 4 of Reape, Coyne, McBrien and Callinan were exceptional and will get better. Great to see Tommy, Eoghan and Padraic getting minutes today and hopefully Cillian and Enda not far away.
A win is a win, it doesn’t matter too much how you go about it. Average game today from both teams, Mayo wanted to win that game & they did it not going at full throttle, well done to all involved. Championship football is faster & tougher game than league football, so it’s game on next Sunday & it will show a Faster better Mayo side taking on Roscommon, Up Mayo.
@2 hops – Yeah, he hasn’t played much football with Mayo this year so he’s a bit rusty. I’m pretty confident he will sort out those errors though.
It is always someone else’s fault with Joyce. Blamed O’Hora after the 2021 Connacht Final loss, blamed the John Daly free out in last years all Ireland as the losing for it for them and Colm Reape today.
The reality is Joyce is a average manager and if it wasn’t for Cian O’Neill he would have been given the boot last year, he is loved in Galway for what he achieved on the pitch but now has 3 losses in national finals in the last 12 months.
Joyce and co can go off now and tan themselves on their sun holiday but he will be coming back not knowing his best 15 and i’m not sure Galway has as successful as a league as they are making out they did.
For whatever reason, Fionn is really struggling to get up to the pitch of it this year. It’s certainly not for the lack of trying. But if Cillian is fit he must slot into the starting 15 ahead of him. I’m no longer of the view that we can’t start Cillian and Aido together. We can and we will. We need our best 15 on the pitch. I’ve no doubt Fionn will play a significant part yet this year regardless…
My my Kevbyrne , a lot of bitterness in your posts regarding Galway.
I’d say he knows his 15. MC daid will come back and hopefully Johnny Heaney is OK after that tackle..
It’s a training break , no time for Sun !
Isn’t it great to be getting to finals at least , shows he is on the right track…
Speaking of red card incidents, how about Paul Conroy’s nasty leg to the face on Reape in the last few minutes of the game. If you don’t think it was intentional then cast your mind back to Conroy’s knee to Aidan O’Shea’s face back in 2020.
Sean Moran in the Irish Times says David McBrien was withdrawn at half-time “as a precaution”.
@Tuamstar there is no bitterness here towards Galway they are always great games it’s more banter I would call it myself.
This is a mayo blog people are just showing support for our team more so then bitterness.
Galway are a great team and if it was not for our goalie and good defence ye would have gotten a good few goals in .
We will meet again for sure maybe hopefully I do think we will get passed the Rossies no offence to them and meet ye again haha isn’t it great the entertainment though all the same either way…
Glad no major injuries from either side at least I think there was not!
Where is the bitterness @tuamstar ? Just calling it as it is. Joyce was one of the greatest forwards Galway ever produced but doesnt make him a good manager. I’m sure the lads will be able to enjoy themselves on their sun holiday.
Mcstay said the same WJ.
That he “cramped”.
@KevByrne98 don’t think it was bitterness at all just the truth.
I’m behind ya Kev and Clare, it’s a Mayo blog and it’s only a bit of banter. Some of the Galway lads around me today didn’t hold back with their commentary. It seems to them Aido should never ever get a free and the ref may as well have been Enda Kenny himself as one lad said to us!
My kids had their first day out in Croke park ever today and the youngest was awestruck by it all and can’t wait to do it all again. Mayo abu!!
Fair play to you Tuamstar. You are on here and although your disappointed you offered your congratulations. Hard luck. It’s not nice losing the finals especially to the greatest rivals.
I think yea could possibly have anothe two cracks at us in the championship, but I’m not certain about that.
We all have to get ready for the championship now.
The Rossies are licking their lips and cannot wait to tear in to us next weekend.
The poor mayo players have no time to ponder on their league success. Straight into the championship mindset.
I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight. Too nervous to enjoy the match until the final whistle went.
Happy days.
@Pullhard totly agree I remember being at the kerry Quarter final last year after the match these guys were like to me and my mates hate everything about ye and mayo and we weren’t even playing them haha now not all Galway ones are like that I’ve some great mates from Galway and they are lovely people! And in saying that there are bad fans from every county !
But after all this is a mayo blog ..
See kerry ones are saying the ref was for mayo today giving us easy frees bit ridiculous? Galway are known for getting easy frees. Sure mayo can never win either way if we loose get abused and if we win seems the same haha
So I am going to go and have a glass of something and enjoy it as I said till the big one next weekend!
Well done Mayo, management, S&C..delighted. Maybe Padraic should have gone with Saturday after all! ..they just had to turn up today to claim the silverware listening to some interviews during the week. Two Galway buses arrived into Croke Park, all ready for the win & then head off to Portugal. Im much happier heading back to Mayo tonight.
Sam Callinan told us afterwards he never played in Croke Park before.. and a fine outing he had on his debut there!
Lots to improve on but its a great feeling, we’re not used of it, nearly dont know what to feel.
Thanks Delia Heneghan on the bridge n Maynooth, one proud Mayo woman
Maigh Eo Abú
Great to get the win especially with Carney, Flynn, McDonagh, Ruane, Carr and Coen having off days. Come to think of it Coen has not played well at all in the League so hopefully he will improve in the championship. We seemed also to revert back to last years style a bit with very few kick passes and no high ball in to Aido and he came out the field too much.
Slow to makes changes also.
Anyway a win is a win and what a performance by Reape. Nice handy week in training I hope and roll on the Rossies with all our momentum.
P Joyce was one of the best footballers I ever saw and he may go on to be an excellent manager (and in my opinion Galway have a better chance of landing AI than Mayo) BUT does he always have to whinge when Galway lose. It was the fault of P O Hora in Conn Final a few years ago, he had some issue v Kerry in last year’s A I Final and today we got soft frees ,and Reape should have been sent off. Half expected him to have a go at Hawkeye for not awarding a point for Comer’s wide. Should our goalie have allowed Heaney to have the ball and score a goal? In fairness Galway had 5 good goal scoring chances (definitely a concern for us) but not our fault they missed them. The referee actually played the rules today when Aido was fouled but for PJ thats not acceptable. I am delighted we won today. I am worried we conceded so many goal chances and only scored 4 points from play, but I am thrilled that our young and mostly inexperienced team led from pillar to post and deserved their win. Of course it will not matter much going forward. Roscommon is a huge test next week and if we win, Galway is an even bigger test in Windy Park , . but there are 3 cups worth winning and we have got the first of them, so fair play to K McStay and management and fair play to our team. Men we can be proud of. Maigh Eo abu.
Only 1 point from play from our forwards! And that was in the first half!!
We badly need Cillian back fit and Tommy C starting.
WooHoo, Well, that was an enjoyable in the big house :-D.
As I said we seem to beat them when it really matters.
As for Padraic, I think he stated his aim for his first year ‘19 was to win the league and AI – as Manager he has won one Connacht Title, lost 3 Connacht finals, lost Div 2 final, lost AIF & lost Div 1 final. His post match interviews after a loss have been going along the same lines as todays one for awhile now, how do. . . .
Bring on the Rossies and whoever comes after :-).
Winning a National League title is a huge achievement so congratulations to all the management and players. Up Mayo
Delighted mayo fan today, was fooled into thinking Galway would get one over on us after their momentum from the Armagh and Kerry games, could not believe that Tierney was scoreless today after his league form, our management and players managed the final well, and the best team in the league who actually went out from the start to win it this year are champions , lay off the criticism for one night, we have a national title despite the ‘glaring’ faults, muigheo Abu
Is it not more strategic to bring Tommy on with 20 to 25 mins left and let him on his bike with opposition puffing big time. He would create absolute chaos and open up all sorts of goal scoring chances or easyish frees. Start with Cillian/Carr, Aido and Ryan inside?
Joyce was one of the greatest players of the game but I think he may be a tad quick to find reasons other than 15 vs 15 on the pitch on the day. I think a style of finding things to blame including the ref isn’t a great sign and the media could pick up on it. That said, he’s not the 1st manager to go down that road and won’t be the last and Galway will likely to be tougher to beat with a fully fit Comer and possibly McDaid on the field.
Travelling Wilbury – it was 2 points from play by the forwards, along with 2 marks from Ryan.
We scored 3 more than Galway which is all that matters!
Does Joyce ever stop moaning!!
Well Done Mayo, a famous day out for us all.
I live and breathe Mayo, but my father is from Tuam. The Sawdoctors are from Tuam. They wrote the greatest song ever about Galway and Mayo. I support the hurlers always. No, we have a great rivalry but we”ll always have each others backs, I hope.
I was not expecting us to win today. Of.course I wasn’t expecting those saves,Tierney to be anonymous along with Comer and Daly. That’s down to great strategy.We played well and yet we played within ourselves.We turned over the ball way too much but Galway were not allowed to capitalize.We were fitter too.This will do a lot for our young team.I expect we will have “other tricks” if we meet them again.Galway will probably be a lot better in three weeks but I think we can be much better too. It’s all fascinating. Every box we have been asking to be ticked for years are being ticked methodically.Today it was The Goalie who was a cross between Clarke ,Cluxton and Beggan at their best. Also closing out tight games from in front. We are a well balanced team playing beautiful composed football.
One game at a time. Maigh Eo go deo!
Enjoyed it immensely. Been a Jack Coyne fan and was thrilled with that point from play “dagger” at the end (a phrase used by an American college basketball announcer). Bring on the Rossies. Not wishing my life away but can’t wait to be on a plane in July to see the QFs.
After having watched the whole recorded match back again.. Fantastic to win, ..Win a match, that if you based it on Goal chance’s, none taken, 5 by Galway, 1 by Mayo. We have to acknowledge the magnificent performance of Colm Reape in Goal , however having watched the replays back, I think we should acknowledged that the Ref could have easily given a Black or even worse. Séan Og de Paor on TG4 reckoned a yellow was the correct call it was in that grey area that’s hard to call correctly..In the Cusack Stand in real time watching I taught it should be a free out to Mayo and was surprised that Reape got a yellow.. Reape had to come for it , if he didn’t we Mayo fans would have been annoyed, but he connected with Heaney a milisecond after the ball was gone, and it was gone wide regardless of the challenge … Padraig Joyce is entitled to give his verdict on aspects of the game, and I wouldn’t be giving out about him doing that, he is only doing his very best for his team Galway as he sees it….By a large it’s mostly Mayo fans posting on this Blog and we are entitled to disagree with Padraig Joyce, God knows many Mayo fans including myself have often disagreed with previous Mayo managers expressed opinions..Hard luck to Galway and Congratulations to Mayo, I think I am being objective is saying that overall Mayo were deserving winners of the National League, and they really played some squash buckling football on the way to winning the Allianz League Cup .. And well done to both teams who played the game in a sporting manner and on the respect they showed each other. ..The Rossies were talking notes you can be sure, hopefully Galway’s Johnny Heany will make a very fast recovery and he will be able to take the field in the Connacht championship, be it V Mayo or Roscommon ..
Well done to all involved yesterday. Not perhaps playing to their full potential but still getting the win. I was surprised not to see more direct ball into Aidan O’Shea on the edge of the square but perhaps the game demanded otherwise. Onwards!
Gaping holes down the middle of Mayo’s defense. Galway left their shooting boots at home. That’s the only reason we won today. We won playing poorly. Lots to work on, still no where near the finished article. Mayo goalkeeper did exactly what he was supposed to do, you score on me I’m taking you out with me end of story. You protect your goal. A sending off, debatable. A 50/50 chance at best. Goal keeper went to clear his lines missed and took the man out with him. Yellow card right decision. I’d be happy enough if I was McStay, tonnes to work on, It’s going to be a tough few weeks in Connaught. A big statement is now needed against the Rossies. Put them back in their box. There is very little between Mayo, Kerry and Galway. Tyrone will be there or thereabouts. Amazing Dublin scored six points today would love to know how they stack up now against the top three teams in division 1. I still think they will be in the mix later this year. Derry best team in the league this year, a few injuries not looking so sharp now, no depth in the panel. I’ve a sneaky feeling a Mayo Galway AIF. So I would remind lads back off Joyce, I’d be complaining about the same thing If I was him, why would anyone compliment their enemy or Neighbour when theirs an all Ireland up for grabs. Lads it’s just the league. They’ll be a lot bigger scalps to take later this year. It would be a hard pill to swallow later this year so I’d leave it alone. Some Mayo players there today need to step it up majorly, a handful where just too quiet today almost pedestrian in how they went about their business game and not for the first time of observing in Croke Park. Great league campaign now it’s over move on.
Firstly, congratulations on the win. It is always nice to win a national title in Croke Park and sweeter still to do it beating our great rivals Galway. It wasn’t a great game, but a tough game, which will do us no harm at all and will be of particular benefit to our newer young players. We played some good stuff, especially early on, but there are many areas to work on and improve. Obviously conceding 5 goal chances is a big worry and that must be sorted or it will cost us. I thought that we gave away possession too easily, too often, thro’ careless passing and our old habit of running into traffic and we also kicked some poor wides. On the plus side, we had some good individual performances, obviously Colm, along with Paddy, Ryan, D O’C, who, again, covered every blade of grass, Aido, who is having his best season in a while and Tommy, who looks really sharp. The Croke Park experience will benefit the new young lads, David(hope he is okay), Jack, Bob and our hugely promising defenders, Sam and Jack Coyne, who I thought was immense. Let’s hope we keep making steady progress. A word of credit to the referee, who I felt handled the game well, was pretty consistent, despite Joyce’s usual moaning and, almost uniquely, recognized that fouls on Aido are actually frees. Some concern about our low scores from play, but could be partly explained by tactical fouling, which seems to form part of Galway’s defensive strategy-maybe we should do more of it and it might reduce the amount of goal chances we give up. Could’nt understand the lengthy discussion on Reape’s challenge on Heaney and especially the nonsense about “preventing a scoring opportunity” – Heaney got to the ball before Reape and it was probably gone wide, before they collided and certainly he or nobody else was getting to the ball. One last thing, am I the only one that feels that Maher’s point from an acute angle may have been wide-I have watched the replay a number of times and it looks like the ball has gone the wrong side of the near post. Bring on the Rosie’s.
There is no doubt about it.
Yesterday was a huge win.
There were big big ?’s about us getting it done in tight games.
Galway did seem to be able to grind out the win in tight games.
It’s a mighty result for player confidence and a great indication of how well the management have this young team prepared.
The players and management did the best supporters in the country proud yesterday.
It’s time to leave the honours exam paper out on the desk now.
How many points from play did the Galway forwards score? They only got 7 from play in total. And the last time I checked, a mark counts as a score (which ROD did twice). A mark isn’t a free, I’d class if as a point from play.
We have lots to improve on.
I had felt if Galway had more possession they would win. But they didn’t. And I feel we could put a much greater squeeze on kickouts should we meet again. We actually had less shots than Galway, which I can’t recall happening in recent years.
Maybe PJ should work on their shooting. And perhaps their tackling too
@GlasagusDearg: Yes, I also thought Maher’s shot was wide yesterday, watching on tv. The live transmission from TG4 (who were obviously biased towards Galway, both in the composition of their panel and in their commentary/line of questioning yesterday) only showed one replay of it though, from a fairly acute angle, so it’s difficult to be definitive about it.
Mahers point was a point, I was right behind it. Don’t know how he managed it, great score.
I hope McBrien will be OK for next weekend and beyond, he’s vital.
It’s good that Eoghan McLaughlin got game time, but he was very wasteful with the ball – multiple handpasses and at least one kick pass given away. I actually think it was his hand passing technique, it wasn’t quick enough and wasn’t into team mates chest, it was a high hanging hand pass, ideal for opposition player to intercept.
Hopefully something that can be worked on, and quickly. Otherwise, that liability may outweigh the asset his pace and strength give us.
McLaughlin has a great enginge but he has long had a problem with basic the skills of the game.
I agree about Eoin McLoughlin. Fantastic pace but wasting possession in a tight game isn’t good. If he was accurate with his passing and had a side step ( a la Kevin McLoughlin) he would be an amazing player.
That said, he hasn’t played much since Sigerson and maybe he will come good. But it’s going to be hard to nail down a starting spot in that backline with Hession, Brickenden, O Hora and Plunket around.
Leantimes summarises the game well. A black card to a goalie is an extremely harsh punishment and the yellow was correct. Reape was brilliant and deserved MOTM. He , Durcan and Coyne might give shooting lessons to some of our forwards but overall it was a fine team performance . I expect that we will be playing Galway again in a few weeks time. Don’t underestimate the Rossies though. Up Mayo
Mahers point was definitely over the bar and a great point also. Thought Comers one was wide and was disappointed to see umpire wave flag. It was a game of really tight margins which could have gone either way, S Walsh top class but he did miss a few crucial shots near the end just as he did in Conn Final some years ago. League is over now. We deservedly won it. New competition starts next week. Yesterday’s result won’t make any difference to that. Some of our greatest players were rewarded with a deserved league medal towards the end of their careers in 2019. Our new batch have had the honour of winning one early in their careers. Onwards and upwards. Just one final point. Would reckon the two great rivals don’t particularly like each other but they did play the game in a very sporting manner yesterday so well done on that. Not too fond of jeering the free takers either. I was glad when Walsh kicked a few wide but didn’t feel the need to jeer or cheer to express my gladness
Allianz league Sunday or the Sunday game (whatever iteration you’re having) is a badly busted flush. Any abrasive or controversial voice has been replace by asinine rubbish. That includes the new Mayo additions by the way – not being totally blinkered here.
The analysis is non-existent now, with pundits instead focusing on bits that are trending on social media.
The yellow card for Reape was no more than that. It didn’t need such analysis. It seemed to be a vendetta against reape that was discussed beforehand. Galway free-taking needed more analysis than loose play, defensive structures, etc?
It’s a complete joke of a programme now. Awful pundits with no personality and zero in-depth analysis. Watch Conan Doherty on twitter from the indo. Super analysis of tactics most weeks.
Good win yesterday in a game of limited quality. Here’s to next week!
I’d have to disagree with you on one thing WJ, It never felt to me like Galway were going to overtake us. For once I thought we were the team getting their scores easier than the opposition in a tight game and even when they would get within a score I always felt Mayo had more in them.
The game in 3 weeks, once we get passed the Rossies, will be a real blood & guts kind of battle.
The same, I never thought Galway were actually going to catch up to us. There was some frustration in their play and that can only be a good thing. The goal chances are a concern but the lads will learn from a game like that.
On the plus side, watched it here in sunny Portugal and the Galwegians around us were all sound out. Most felt that Mayo would win considering the performances to date. The older gave our young kids some gentle post-game ribbing about ‘taking off them bloody jerseys’ and the kids loved it. But I would always expect that from the vast majority of Galwegians. Next week against Roscommon may be a different story (from personal experience).
I shied away from mentioning Joyce’s whinging, as sometimes there’s just no need to. He’s letting himself down with all of it, although – as mentioned above – I do think we got at least 2 soft frees.
I think the ref was 100% correct with the Reape collision. Keepers are entitled to come out. It happens.
Reape needs to be our No. 1.
Thought that despite giving up some goal chances we just about deserved it. Only for Reape we would have lost it. No way was it a sending off, that tackle on Heaney, he was not in possesion of the ball, it was a race towards a loose ball that Heaney won. It wasn’t far away either, had it gone there would be no whinging. I think this Galway team has great potential. Unfortunately, they have retained this fouling business that Kevin Walsh instilled in them 7 or 8 years ago. I thought that Joyce would get rid of it having been a class footballer himself.
Great win but we cannot afford to leave Tommy Conroy on the bench. Glad to see Aidan getting a free for us, but he does tend to overplay it at times. What’s the news on Enda Hession’s injury – unfortunately Coen lacks the speed for this level, Hession could slot into the half back line when ready.
Stephen Coen was very solid for us yesterday, John Martin, he was on Matthew Tierney for much of the game and totally nullified him. Can’t understand your “speed for this level” comment in that respect.
@Willie Joe I totally agree.
Coen did a great job on Tierney yesterday. You barely noticed Tierney all game. Coen is the sort of player we need to be spoiling play for the opposition.
The score of the game yesterday for me was Jordan Flynns. Diarmuid charged down a Walsh shot at the other end. We broke at speed. Diarmuid kick pass into Ryan. Ryan kick pass back out to Jordan who did the rest.
A two point swing in 60 seconds which makes a difference in a tight game.
Same…I thought Stephen Coen was ”solid” yesterday. He holds and organises which allows the likes of Paddy and Jack or whoever else to raid forward. Will be vital to us this year I feel.
Well I’m the first to bow to superior knowledge of the game – just want what’s best for Mayo & good luck to young Coen – a great servant down the years. Maigh Eo Abu.
I wonder what level Coen doesn’t have the speed for, considering we just won the division 1 league? He was also one of our top 2 performers in the ’21 AI final.
He always seems to be an easy target for some.
lots of interesting comments and informed opinion, good clean game considering the stakes and the rivalary, well done to both teams. One thing I havent seen mentioned was Carr’s goal bound attempt in the second half, Loftus was all alone across the goal for a simple tap in. If we meet later in the year we will see more press on the kickouts, Aido inside for the long ball and other variations that we held back on. I’m sure Galway will have similar “new” plans.
Loftus was standing in the small square for that chance so it would surely have been disallowed if he got the pass.
Yes, Coen was coming into his own around the 21 AI final, Wide Ball, and had begun to foray upfield to pick off a few points. It seems that part of his game hasn’t progressed but I acknowledge that a reliably tight defender is a most valuable asset in the modern game. Up Mayo.
A win is a win , but there is major problems with this team yet. Not enough scores from play from forwards, conceding too many goal chances, a Dublin or Kerry would have scored most of these chances yesterday. Winning yesterday doesnt mean we will win Connaught and there is a good chance Roscommon will beat us next Sunday.
@Tommy+Joe, yeah I agree the analysis was poor on the Allianz League Sunday was very poor… Poor Tubridy didn’t know what he was going to say.. Peter Cavanan at one stage suggested that Liam Devaney was actually reffing Mayo v Galway. I don’t know what Padraig Joyce would make out of a Mayo man reffing the match (sure not even Dublin would get away with a Dublin man reffing a Dublin.match)the Ballina man actually reffed the first game between Derry and Dublin.
Leave PJ alone. We should control our controllables. What the opposition manager says has nil effect on what we can do. PJ’s comments should be more of a worry to Galway fans than us. More of a worry in that it shows weakness.
Maybe Coen’s marking job on Tierney was why Tierney was so quiet yesterday and if so, well done to him because Tierney was flying coming into the game. However, I still don’t get it with Coen – when you ask what is it he brings to the party and the response is always intangibles (leadership, organization, etc.) then it’s not a good sign in my opinion. And he isn’t particularly quick – it’s not like you could put him on Con or Shane Walsh or D Clifford. Luckily for him, Eoghan Mc hasn’t played enough to challenge for that position but things could get interesting later this summer.
GBXI – you couldn’t put jack Coyne marking Tierney or Peter Cooke either as he’d be destroyed in the air.
Coen is a great physical presence in the middle third. Winning or breaking kickouts, winning breaking ball. He’s also very calm in possession, rarely gives it away and always looks to kick pass forward when it’s on.
He has a decent scoring return too, especially in big games.
I think that’s what it is GBX1. At games, where you are close enough to hear the goings on,he is very vocal on who needs to be where etc.at all times. I’d say a very good reader of the game. This year with 3/4 newbies in the back line I think his role is really important. Much like Boyler back in the day he is forever in your ear and doesn’t allow players to switch off. Don’t really remember him being out injured either so he must look after himself well.
And like others I prefer him to hold his ground and let Paddy take on the shots further upfield
Coen isn’t blessed with the sort of pace that Tommy Conroy or Paddy Durcan is, for sure. But he has other virtues that others have mentioned, namely decent fielding ability, versatility, can read the game, leadership skills, decent scoring ability for a back etc. I can’t really pick out a game (off the top of my head) where he ever got a total hosing off his marker. And I certainly wouldn’t be dismissing any Mayo man with four All-Ireland medals in his back pocket, all as captain.
He was also one of the only players who played well in the final loss to Tyrone a couple of years back.
What a great day for us yesterday at headquarters! Not play very well for 3/4’s of the game, only score 4 from play, Joyce whinging after the match, and the Sunday game trying to set a narrative for us, fearful of us for Championship!!!
We are a completely different setup this year, both squad and supporters. Get up there, do the job and start thinking of the next challenge. I’m only getting to process and edit all the footage from yesterday. I’m looking forward to the video from where we were!
PS: to that young lad that was sitting behind me in 309, maybe 4 or 5 years of age. Little fella never stopped singing from first whistle to last, I hope he slept well last night and was probably dreaming of kicking points in Croker in 20yrs time against Galway!
Great day is right Mayo Mick. Wouldn’t agree we a totally different set up mind, system of play is fairly similar as under Horan, especially when pressure came on:
Aidan drifting in and out.
Half/Full backs running from deep for scores.
Not much more kicks going in at speed than other years.
Players coming back fit, and younger lads Horan brought in like Coyne, Callinan, Carney etc. Getting stronger.
Serious chance this year if we can sure up the defence.
Respect to McStay and his backroom team. Other managers would probably have started Conroy. He seems to get the best out of everyone around him, the players, his backroom team and the fans.
It did seem that Damien “Tackles with a fist” Comer was cursed in someway such was his luckless performance. If the ball bounced in front of him it would have bounced over his head.
Tús maith as they say, onward and upward.
Don’t jinx it Beetlegeuce, he’s still not fully fit and got more shots on goal (that on another day could have been buried in back of our net) than our entire team!!
Let’s keep it that way! 🙂
Congratulations Mayo. Personally I’m delighted for Aidan O Shea, Paddy Durcan, the young Guns are maturing quickly. Kevin put a good Backroom Team together and he is doing well. Mayo Goalkeeper Colm Reape was wonderful again yesterday. The Best Team in Division one deservedly won the league. A big difference to 12 months ago. There is every reason why this team can win the All Ireland this year. Dublin, Galway, Tyrone, and Kerry will all believe that they can win it too. However Mayo are looking good. Best of luck for the Championship.
Good result, in many ways, as we played poorly but still showed the character to grind out the win. We made a lot of unforced errors, mainly bad handpasses, but how many times before would we come up against the likes of Galway and lose playing like that? too many to count I feel.
Good to get another National League but we all know what the real prize we are after. The serious business starts on Easter Sunday, would be good if we could do the business then and again in another fortnight and thereafter hopefully winning the Connacht final and maintaining strong momentum as we go into the new championship format.
A bit late, but I have some photos and video from the league final uploaded now.
https://michaelmaye.com/project/2023-division-1-league-final-mayo-v-galway/