Today’s win over Cork deserves a longer report than the one I’ve got here but time is against me at the minute I’m afraid so you’ll have to do with this meagre offering and whatever take you have yourself on what was at times quite a scintillating performance from the lads today. But it’s worth saying at the outset that it was our best performance of the year so far and one that should keep the doomsayers quiet for a while about the direction this team is headed in.
It’s best, I think, to focus on the goals as these – four of them in all – were ultimately what made today’s win such a comfortable one. That said, it was that great run of points – six without reply in the second quarter of the game – that hauled us back into the contest after Cork had scored the first five points of the day.
But it was the day’s first goal, expertly put away by Jason Doherty (who finished the day with an impressive 1-3 haul to his credit), that saw us seize control of this contest seconds before the break. Jason had scored the previous two points we’d got, both from play, and he made no mistake when the goal chance presented itself. That opportunity at goal was our fifth of the half but was the first we’d managed to convert and the Burrishoole man’s confident finish sent us in six to the good at the break.
The next two goals were both out of the top drawer and put us out of sight of the visitors in the second half. Alan Freeman smashed home the first, having won his own ball twenty or so yards out, turned and shrugged off the cover before planting the ball firmly into the top left-hand corner of the net. Jason Gibbons, charging through the middle like an express train, fairly lashed the ball home, low and hard, for our third goal.
We went to sleep after that but this was hardly a surprise, given that James Horan had figured (correctly as it turned out) that the points were in the bag by then and that it was time to run the bench. Losing Aidan O’Shea from the middle, though, meant that we lost the complete dominance we had there and this allowed Cork to put some respectability back on the scoreline.
Our fourth goal was, as a result, a score that came against the run of play. It was a clever goal, though, with Mikie Sweeney feeding Kevin McLoughlin who set up Cillian O’Connor for the goal that put the result completely beyond doubt.
We had plenty of strong performers today and so I don’t think that picking our Man of the Match from this one will be all that easy, given the spread of fine displays throughout the team. For my money, this shortlist would include Brendan Harrison, Ger Cafferkey (who was truly immense today), Lee Keegan, Colm Boyle, Aidan O’Shea, Jason Gibbons, Kevin McLoughlin (whose return to top form continues apace), Jason Doherty, Keith Higgins and Alan Freeman.
So now it’s on to Croke Park in a fortnight’s time and a rematch with our nemesis from last September. After two rounds of this League campaign, the notion that we’d be heading into this clash with the Dubs ahead of them in the table would have been considered fanciful in the extreme but that’s the way it’s panned out. Not for the first time, the way the League is playing out is anything but predictable and after the way we’ve recovered so well from the uncertain start we had this year we can now look ahead to our return to Croke Park with a fair degree of confidence. And, lest we forget, we owe the Dubs one that this stage too.
Mayo: Robbie Hennelly; Brendan Harrison, Ger Cafferkey, Shane McHale; Lee Keegan (0-1), Donal Vaughan, Colm Boyle; Aidan O’Shea (0-1), Jason Gibbons (1-1); Kevin McLoughlin (0-4, one free), Jason Doherty (1-3), Keith Higgins; Mikie Sweeney, Alan Freeman (1-0), Cillian O’Connor (1-2, two frees). Subs: Seamus O’Shea for Aidan O’Shea, Brian Gallagher for Higgins, David Drake for McHale, Darren Coen for Freeman, Tom Parsons for Gibbons, Enda Varley for Sweeney.
What we found out today is we know how to score and miss goals
Great to get the win, the best thing to come out of this game is the likes of Jason Gibbons and Jason Doherty playing so well, it really adds to the competition for places. It will be all to play for now against the Dubs in Croke Park. With the panel getting stronger as the weeks go on, the future looks bright. As we shouldn’t have had so much doom and gloom when some results didn’t go our way, we shouldn’t get too carried away with this win. We still have a lot of things to work on, I’m sure that the conceding of the late scores will not have pleased James Horan, roll on the next game!
Yes
And we can turn a 5 point deficit into a 12+ lead and end up letting cork back to within 4 at the end.
A strange game to say the least but I suppose fellas stop trying as hard when your opponent is almost dead and buried, a dangerous way of thinking.
Well done anyway but the collapse at the end is not a great thing to allow
Ya i think for sure we took the foot off the gas.When we picked up the goals our forwards were all over the place and Cork couldn’t contain us then.we may have missed goal chances but the 4 that we did get were very well taking.I said before the game to win we would have to out goal Cork and that we did.Doc on form again.my motm was Boyle 🙂
Goodwin and 2 more points in the bag.
That we let such a lead slip will imo serve us better for the future than a runaway score as it proves that there is no room for complacency at this level.
Had to settle on listening to it on MWR and it seemed that Cork meant business with the way they started, firing off 5 points in as many minutes but the way we seemed to come back at them says a lot about this side.
Though it was disappointing that we let it slip near the end, though the win was in the bag by then it should be a wakeup call.
Glad to hear that Freezer, Doc and Kevin Mc shone and by all accounts Jason G and AOS lorded midfield…………….seems the ring rust is wearing off and we are getting back to business again.
As others I,m now really looking forward to the Dubs at headquarters on saturday week.
MaighEo Abu
Come on Castlebar………….
Colm Boyle is something else the speed of him maybe we might get a draw against the dubs. are Dublin beatable.
happy with the win….we scored more goals than them…shouldnt have conceded those late ones…tough to know how good we are though.
Enjoyed John Maughans commentary on mid west but how he sees Ger Cafferky having great pace is unknown….Ger has many great attributes, but pace isn’t one of them.
MOTM for this one is a tough call. Will have to think about it.
Yeah Cork are not called the rebel county for nothing. They never give up. Remember the way their hurler’s kept coming back against Clare in last year’s All-Ireland hurling final even though Clare seemed to be by far the better team. It’ll be interesting to see if we will have many more meetings with them in 2014. With Dublin losing today, they’ll be really gunning to get a win against us in our next game. It’ll be interesting to see if they will be closer to their first team for that game. At least our relegation fears look to be almost over anyway. You’d think that Kildare and Westmeath are now odds on to go down.
Great win and 2 more points in the bag. Very impressd with gibbons ,Doherty . Cork have great footballers but don’t play as a unit. NOT trying to rise anyone but surely we will have enough forwards come may . don’t forget we really struggled in the first 15 mins in defence. Have feeney, andy, conroy, varley,dillon,egan and Gallagher to come in.
Funny oul game .
Thoroughly deserved the win, showed great great teamwork at times, some clever passes to open up the Cork back line, we actually should have scored more goals.
A win over Dublin would be important as we lost three times to them last year, no reason why we cannot win, but in any case, two tough games to finish up the league which can only be good,
Any see the Dub game ? They were kept goalless for a change must have put in a poor performance.
Very enjoyable game. Wouldn’t worry about the late goals conceded. Last sting of the dying wasp! Cork not too bothered as have place in last 4 secured. Scoreline flatters them. Boyler my motm amongst quite a few very good performances. Looking forward to the Dublin gave now. Best of luck to Mitchels.
Excellent result on to the dubs now
The Dubs were not the same team that plays in Croke Park. They kicked a lot of wides and didn’t look nearly as dangerous. They were out of their comfort zone.
Great win & not that it matters but our place as top scorers in Div 1 cemented with a mere 0-1 coming from the back line today.Corks goals were in “garbage time” as our 4 were against Kerry (in ’04?) so ignore them.Harrison rallied well after his early scares with Hurley who continued to be sharp V Caff.
Forward line selection right now with perhaps either Gallagher in to 12 & allow Keith back?
We should follow the example of Tyrone against Westmesth. They had a point to prove and never took their foot of the pedal. I heard a pundit saying today that when Mayo are playing well they are absolutely brilliant but when they hit a bad spot they are terrible.
Great to beat the cork lads in a very confident display. I feel we are building up to a big display, maybe against the Dubs……….
Anyway on to Croker tomorrow. Looking forward to the day and hopefully a win like last years game where the country lads outfootballed the city lads. See you there tomorrow bro.
It would be a great weekend, i had the winner in gold cup, ireland winning, Mayo alive again and castlebar to finish it off. If Carlsberg can do Weekends……………….
WE ARE NOT DOOMED…………………..
Ger was rounded by his man a couple of times but he always got back to cover or get a tackling hand in to knock the ball away from the forward. Must have a bit of pace for that even though he might not be a choice for the 100 m sprint.
I though Sweeney played really today. He was killing his man all day and his use of the ball was first class. He set up a pile of scores. He’s ahead of Conroy and Varley in my opinion after today. Well done Mayo. Come on castlebar.
Just watched the highlights of the game on RTE Player ….goals looked really class with Gibbons one the pick of them, followed by Freezers, …goals win games lads 😉
all’s well in camp mayo…a win by the mitchels and there will be no stopping us.
So Derry didn’t do anything spectacular it was just Dublin didn’t turn up?
Id say Jason gibbons goal may get goal of week.mind you freezers goal was tidy .looking forward to seeing them when i get back.
It’s great to have the break next week, with the Club final tomorrow, it will give James Horan a chance to consider what players should be in his plans for the year ahead. It’ll also give the player’s involved in the U21 defeat to Roscommon, some more time to get that defeat out of their system. Best of luck to Castlebar Mitchels tomorrow, if they play to their best, then they are in with a great chance. They have been underdogs all year, which has suited them. It’ll be very interesting to see which of their players will stand up to be counted, when the game is in the melting pot. The players who will grasp the nettle when they are in difficulty. Those are then the players that we need to have included in the Mayo panel for the year ahead. Seize the day lads! ……. It was interesting to note that Roscommon had another really big win today (they could even afford to take off some of their U21 players at half-time to rest them). Their next game against Cavan, should give a better idea of where they are at. Galway still look to be in big trouble, a draw with Louth today, means that they are still battling to avoid been relegated to Division 3.
Rte again have the table wrong. They really are a joke
So much to enjoy about today’s game it is hard to know where to begin.
Once again we had Ger Cafferty following a corner forward around the field at the start.
Is it a tactic to have him manmark the opposition’s perceived most dangerous man? Today it would seem that was Colm O’Neill, understandable given his ratings in their last game. However it was no !4, Brian Hurley, who did most of the early damage. When Caff was switched on to him that damage was curtailed. I said before and will say it again, Caff should be left in the full back position.
Regards Man of the Match, if Alan Freeman had converted half of his chances he would have been an automatic choice. He showed once again what a good target man he is and he is usually better at converting chances. As it was I would have it a close run between Jason Doherty and Colm Boyle with Jason Gibbons, Aiden O’Shea and Kevin McLoughlin in close attendance. It was a day when there were no weak links in evidence. Keith Higgins, I thought, did his best work helping out in defence and I would like to see him restored to No 4 at this stage.
Surprisingly none of the subs introduced did anything in particular to enhance their claims to a starting place.
It would be interesting to get a report from the fly on the bus back to Cork seeing as how they came to Castlebar as unbeaten table toppers with their their tails up.
Now for tomorrow and a win for the Mitchels which would set us up nicely for the the clash with the Dubs
Great way to put all that midweek negativity to bed. Mayo showed today that they are hungry and confident and are well up for a good tilt at Sam again
Great to see Gibbons and Doherty throw down the gauntlet, Hard to dislodge the two of them now. Mcloughlin is also looking more like the 2012 model and Sweeney and Harrison will push hard for places and will be good additions to the panel.
Freeman also showing why the number 14 should be nailed to his back and it’s arguable if we’d played him in the first two matches that we’d be top of the table now.
Anyway no point in getting too carried away with a win anymore than we should be all doom and gloom when we lose.
Great to see that we’re back and bring on the Dubs and those lazy hazy days of summer.
Happy out with that win today, but definitely not getting carried away with it either. Cork had their points in the bag before they turned up, sent out an experimental side and didn’t show near the amount of intensity that they did against Dublin. There were two periods there where we could have lost that game, and twice they broke through for goals and didn’t manage to take them – if they had, the scoreline might have been different. But I don’t mean to be negative – just cautious and that said, today’s game constituted a great performance from our boys and a serious team effort. There were some truly fantastic passages of play, and we are just getting better and better. It would be hard to pick a weak link. I thought Freeman was superb winning ball there and in particular under the high ball – something we have been seriously missing for so long. With five or six quality players to come back to the panel at this point, if we keep going the way we are going, there is a lot to look forward to this summer. Will find it very hard to pick my MOTM this week and that’s a damn good complaint to have.
Best of luck to Castlebar Mitchels tomorrow – how sweet it would be to have a piece of silverware heading to Mayo tomorrow night.
Good man Remember51.
There are alot of doom and gloom merchants around Mayo. Some people love that doom and gloom stuff. They thrive on it. You can see it in their eyes sometimes, the way the pupils expand to bursting, when it comes to pontificating on the never ending woes of Mayo. You must have had to bare a few after the match, they’d be the ones honing in on the last 15 minutes of todays game. Anyway good win for Mayo. We’re finally back on track and it’s early days.
On to HQ and it’s well past time that we gave the Dubs a good bating. We owe them one but more importantly we owe it to ourselves.
Well done Great result but what a strange game. Between the early stages and later stages cork outscored us by 2 10 to 1 0. For the rest of the game we outscored them by 4 12 to 0 4.Like last week when we re good we re very good. As a county we really should be proud of this team and manager. Some fantastic performances over the last 4 years, some desperate disappointments as well but they keep coming back for more . They keep going. What more could we ask for. Except Sam of course.
I agree ceide boy I would have him ahead of the two lads at the moment. He can win a ball and deliver it beautifully. The only reservation is his size and strength. He can get pushed around. He will have to avoid getting into too much heavy contact and play to his undoubted strengths – speed and agility and intelligence.
Derry are actually going very well at the moment. Looking at the highlights, they kicked some great scores. They are a hard team to beat at home. Dublin looked very open at the back at times. Alan Brogan was their most impressive forward. Their front six were as follows: (B Cullen, A Brogan, D Byrne, P Hudson, E O’Gara, P Andrews). That’s far from a first choice forward-line. You’d think that when we play them, they will be playing a lot stronger team.
Hey Mister Mayor,
Where exactly are you getting match highlights on the RTE Player?
Can’s seem to find it.
I was slightly disappointed that my posted prediction of a 12 or 14 points win didn’t come through…………just to be able to say “I told ye so”. I did it for the Craic but thinking back a big victory today was utterly predictable from watching us play Westmeath. We had them dead and buried after only 10 minutes of blistering football. The fact that we took a nap after that……………we’ll these things happen.
Today…….Great football from a great bunch of players………..oh and don’t anyone book a foreign holiday for mid September. I predict that the Costa del Mayo will be the place to be.
Settle now. Derry were very good. They were the better team. I was only commenting on the Dubs. Derry will be a difficult one for us. Now, how’s that? Are you feeling better? 😉
Joe, if the pupils are expanding to bursting they should go to Spec savers!!!
Hahaha good man Joe.:) ill be feeling better when i get back to Galway.Train goes to Athlone and then had to wait an hour in Athlone.A drink would go down well.I think we will take the Dubs 🙂
I loved James Horan’s comment, “we created 10 goal chances and only took 4 of them”.
Your dead right there, fair play to all the players and management, backroom staff etc. Even after all of the heartaches etc. they just keep coming back for more and never give up. Well done to all involved. Lets hope that they can really push on from here and keep improving as they have from game to game so far. Expect Dublin to be playing their best available team against us!
It was good to see that Freeman is finally beginning to be provided with proper supply using the long high ball. He will torment any full back line if supplied in this manner. Delighted with the win today – was a little disappointed in how we let a 10pt lead slip in the last 15mins. We seemed to lose a grip around the middle following the substitution of both mid fielders which I thought was a risky enough strategy given the amount of time remaining.on the clock. Some excellent performances all over the field today which was great to see. Really need to give the Dubs a right go in two weeks time. Gutted for Cathal Carolan on the news of his cruciate injury – wishing him well in his recovery over the coming months.
A few days ago some people were talking about the end of the World as we know it, after the defeat of our U21s against Roscommon, they thought we were finished. Now some people are starting to talk about September, after our great win today. You’d wonder will people ever learn from the past. It’s all about the next game, forget about everything else. The performance on the day is the key. At the moment we have some super players, which we are so delighted to have, roll on the next game and that is the only game that we should be thinking about at the moment.
does anyone know if you can get league sunday on the RTE Player? Or where else?
Catcol, its part of the “six one” news broadcast. skip all the news and go 12 mins in…highlights of the Mayo Cork match, all the goals plus a few words from Marty Morrissey with James Horan. let me know if you can’t find the link and I’ll post it.
I’d give him MOTM cept he should have stopped all those goals 😉
Thanks Mister Mayor – I’ll look for that. Do they put League Sunday on the player at all?
Well, the Mayor plan another trip home in late September for sure.
Agree with you totally diehard, Sweeney had a hand in so many of our scores despite not getting a score himself.
But I also have a worry about his physical attributes.
I know we seem to be screaming out for a proper scoring forward, but a man who can set up so many scores for others is not to be taken lightly.
MOTM is tough, Boyle or Gibbons for me. I’ll have to sleep on it!
I don’t think they post “league sunday” on the player (broadcast rights I suppose)..but if anyone knows where we could find it, I’m all ears.
Hope
We’ve been talking about September for the last three years and devil the harm in that. It’s called ambition. Kerry never stop talking about it.
Its “all” about September…how we get there, doesn’t matter.
Good job well done today.
Just been looking at the table on the GAA website (http://www.gaa.ie/fixtures-and-results/league-tables/), and they have us still in fifth place behind the Dubs, with both on 6 points and having a points difference of +7. We have more points scored than they do, so no idea why they’re ahead (alphabetical order maybe). The table could just be wrong I suppose.
Also, where are ye getting the video of today’s match?
Roll on Croke Park tomorrow and the same venue Saturday week.
James horan is building a squad like Joe Smith a least 2 players fighting for every spot. Also everyone on this site has not Reflected on how the black card has changed the game on its head. Every team will change its shape and tactics once championship starts. We like everyone else will need 2 players for every position
To reply to my own query (and for anyone else who’s looking for it), League Sunday is only available on the RTE website, so you won’t get it on the player apps for mobile phones, etc. Today’s episode is here: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10263484
http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/10263484/
I think the last 15 minutes could be costly. If results go as you would expect Cork will finish on 10, Tyrone and Derry on 9 and Dublin,Mayo and Kerry on 8. Scoring difference could decide the last quarter final place . I hope we don’t regret the fade out at the end !
and a nod to WJ on a fine audio report..like how you avoided a prediction for tomorrow!
Derry should have had a certain penalty. The forward was clearly pulled down, to the ground. No black card or penalty. A disgrace !!! What’s the new rule for?? Nobody could believe it, the clearest situation for the black card ever !!!
My main point is, that when we lose, we shouldn’t think that we are the worst team in the country and when we win, that we are best team in the country. Consistency of performance is what we are looking for. Ultimately we all want the team to get to the promised land and win some major silverware. That is always the main goal!
TBH as soon as i seen the Cork team that was selected i expected a Mayo win. They had 8 on the board and weren’t overly worried if they lost or not however Mayo had to win and did it in Style. 4 good goals scored could have been eight the Cork defence couldn’t cope with the movement and speed. No doubt Horan wouldn’t be happy with the 2-14 (20) conceded but a semi final place is on offer now and i think Mayo will take it.
Roscommon,Cavan promoted now that game will be dead rubber. Galway play Armagh at home next a must win for them.
Joe a mhac, Specsavers eventually had to turn the doom and gloom merchants away from the door. Even Specsavers coulldn’t save them. Specsavers just could not provide a very particular type of glass that was full and empty at the exact same time. On the plus side lambing season is near , keep an ewe out for it. That’s me little Tidnup, spelt arseways. If I spelt it proper, then people just might listen.
Come On Castlebar! No Baher to you.
Just caught the highlights. Doc is a natural born goal scorer he has that killer instinct played very well today. I thought Hennelly could have saved the first one but all in all 2 soft goals. But we have to stop leaking goals Sweeney may not have the strength and conditioning as some of the other lads but he makes up with it with skill and intelligence . He is very alert and can spot players free he is all there thats for sure.
In the other game the Dubs were well exposed in the back line think everyone knows at this stage that their back line is weak.If we can get good ball to our forwards we may leave croker happy . Mcmahon got a straight red . He will miss the mayo game he will?
Yeah when they play in the Division 3 final against Cavan, when there is something at stake, the Division 3 title, that will be the game to keep an eye on. It’ll be interesting to see how Roscommon will get on then.
Yip its,on the player on the,laptop anyway.Sometimes it takes some time before it is put up
Surviving in division one was our first priority, after todays results we now look like we’ve achieved that. After loosing our two opening matches, things were looking kinda gloomy and we were understandably getting impatient with how things were going. Thankfully three wins later things are looking so much brighter, but now that we’ve got this far we want more.
Qualifying for the semi-finals is now our next target, and this is an altogether different kettle of fish, with Dublin under lights in Croke Park the first step in that quest. The Mayo’s swagger is returning and with a few more regulars to come back into the panel, this game should be a cracker and will tell a lot as to the good health or other of both teams. Victory for either would put them in a strong position to make the semi’s but it would also give a huge booster to that team heading into the Summer.
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F**k the pundits Joe
When we play fast ball we are something else and our forwards get the type of ball they need and deserve, 10 goals so far prove that.
That said, we do need to be meaner at the back as the 10 goals against (and too many soft ones) tell a different story.
We have heard for a long time now the need for a marquee forward but I feel it has blinded our judgement, our lost games sofar has not been the problem with forwards scoring but our problems in the back, Higgins has to play in defence and the meaner tighter unit there restored.
We are beginning to move now and the Dubs or anyone are not so daunting.
We are on the cusp of being much better than the last 2 years.
MaighEo Abú
Think you summed it up there perfectly Hope. Very best of luck to Catlebar tomorrow. They shouldn’t have to carry the weight of a county on their shoulders but as usual all of us in Mayo are desperate for an All Ireland title so go for it lads.
Results rarely go as one expects. Although its highly unlikely we could still go down. IF Kerry and Kildare win both their games and we lose both ours we finish level with Kildare on 6 and they woud finish above us based on head to head. Don’t think it will happen but anything can happen in sport. Not been pessimistic here just pointing out what COULD happen but think Mayo will get something out of last 2 games
opt2misteek – I called him a pundit for want of a better name. He was an ex Dub player from some years ago so he would know what he is talking about. He was actually praising Mayo really, not running them down. I would actually agree with him. That is exactly the way Mayo have been, blowing hot and cold. It is not being critical, it is a fact.
Im glad someone else has noted that playing fast ball up to our forwards the only way.We have Freeman,Doc,OConnor,Sweeney,McLaughlin with Feeney and Dillon and moran to come back.If we can give them good ball fast i don’t give fuck what anyone says we will beat the best of them.Today was target practice:)
Who are Kildare playing? I think it’s Derry next and I can’t see them beating them. They have to win both of their games and Mayo have to lose both of theirs. Unless that happens we are safe.
Easy on the Happy Out stuff, that’s pure Cork colluquial terminology. Although saying Happy Out, out loud is catchy in da brain.
Ann Marie the gist of your comment that I’m getting is, that Cork just mailed this game in and that the only reason that Mayo won is because Cork essentially allowed them to because they have a bag full of points and Mayo are not Dublin. Cork didn’t need to dig inside for the same intensity that was in your opinion more evident in the Dublin game.
You could be right and I’d like to thank all the Cork and West Cork lads for going easy on poor aul Mayo and for allowing us a bit of Leeway.
On the plus side my wife is going for “The first time in our almost 25 year marriage” to a Mayo game to witness my Mayo bate the livin shite out of Dublin regardless of what bags they carry.
Jaysus Joe, you’re some brave man to be taking on women like that; and bringing the wife to a match. Men have done that and have never been the same again. It was a traumatic experience!! 🙂
A strange, strange game . With 10 minutes gone I was getting traumatic 1993 flashbacks as we were cleaned out at midfield and Hurley was starting to look like an All-Star. Then, it seemed, our midfield woke up and with the primary possession came a flurry of scores. Doherty’s goal on the stroke of half-time was a killer for Cork – suddenly a three point gap had doubled and, with Mayo having the wind for the second half, the momentum shifted decisively.
Credit to Mayo for sticking some great goals in the second half. Would like to see more points though (fussy as that sounds). Freeman’s in particular was glorious – exactly what you want your full-forward to do – win a high ball, shake off his man and bury it. He’s made himself undroppable now.
James Horan was guilty of cockiness today – he made a rash of substitutions way too early and let Cork get a sniff. Not wise and not, I hope, to be repeated.
Mikey Sweeney continues his good form. Yes, he’s too light and so may not make a big impact on this year’s championship, but boy does he put in a shift. Always lively, always making the run, winning ball, spotting the loose man. Mickey Conroy has a real job on to try and dislodge him from the corner.
Great to see Kevin McLoughlin’s form picking up week on week. He was outstanding today, taking responsibility at every turn. Cillian O’Connor and Donal Vaughan got another 70 minutes under their belts which will do their fitness no harm, and the customary Vaughan Yellow Card made its appearance once again.
Another point for Lee Keegan. How many games in a row now? He’s a freak of nature. Very solid display from Ger Cafferkey too. And good to see Tom Parsons coming off the bench and looking comfortable – we need mobile options in midfield for the Cluxtons of this world. Will be interesting to see if either he or Seamus O’Shea are started in Croke Park the next night.
The less said about the two late goals the better. I can see them, along with the three Westmeath got the last day, hurting our scoring difference to the extent that it might cost us a semi-final place. But we’re set up for a right cut at Dublin now. Mayo should fly into that game with no fear and a great deal of aggression. There are scores to be settled.
That’s an interesting interpretation Joe and not *quite* what I said! But I’m still basking in the glow of us beating Cork (who will always be the team I enjoy to see us beating the very most) so I won’t get into a “debate” with you tonight 😉
It’s fantastic to see the confidence growing week on week. I feel they’re far from the finished article, and that’s even more exciting. Streets ahead of this time last year and a whole new host of options. I’d sooner have six forwards (and a few backs and a midfield) who are able to score than a marquee forward and it looks like we might, just might, have cracked that nut. Freeman gets better and better every week. This is starting to look like one hell of a summer already.
I’m with you on the satisfaction factor of batin’ cork Anne-Marie. Their a very confident and superior bunch and would not have come up here to loose like that.
For me, i get bragging rights with the in-laws, just for the time being. We may see them again in April and again in late august/September.
Magunnya, many thanks for that. I couldn’t find it!
Thanks Chris, if may be available on the player in Ireland, but it’s restricted and therefore not available on the player in Northamerica.
Monaghan won the div 3 title last year and went on to win Ulster. Maybe Cavan will repeat that.
First I’ve heard of Cathal’s misfortune. He will be a loss. Looking forward to seeing him back in 2015.
The issue about the U21 performance is not about this Sept or next but the Sept about 3 years ahead. The current team have put a huge amount of effort in and cannot be expected to last forever. Will we have the players to replace them?
I hope Horan starts with AOS and Gibbons at midfield against the Dubs. On their performance today they deserve to start. And it should be a challenge to AOS in particular to up his anticipation and mobility rather than standing waiting for the big kick out. The only change I would like to see is Keith Higgins back at corner back and Brian or Adam Gallagher starting at left half forward.
Any word on David Clarke or Kenneth O’Malley;s recovery from injury?.
Scoring difference will only come into play if there are three or more teams level on points – a somewhat unlikely scenario. Otherwise it will be based on the head to head encounter between the two teams involved. If they have drawn score difference will be decisive.
A couple of points,
1. Sweeney, in my opinion, is ahead of Varley and Conroy because his use of the ball is far more efficient than either of the two lads. He very rarely misplaces a pass and always has his head up when in possession. If he can’t get around his man he immediately looks for the incoming runners, his pass into Freemen early in the first half was a peach. When the pitches dry out and harden his low centre of gravity and ability to turn his opponent will come to the fore as will his scoring prowess.
2, I wouldn’t worry about the late goal as it was borne out of complete frustration as a result of Hickeys baffling display. How he called that late free against Mayo is beyond me and Keegan was right to blow a fuse. That resulted in Picky Hickey moving the ball forward.
3, Our division 1 status is as good as secure, now is the time to really try a few new faces from the start. I’d like to see more of D. Coen, Drake and the 2 Gallaghers.
4, Those looking for B. Moran as the target man at no.14 were missing the elephant in the room! Our target man is/was always there in Freemen.
5, A word of mention to the desperately unfortunate Cathal Carolan. A victim of that dreaded ACL injury. I hope he keeps the spirit up and remains positive. We all wish him well in his long road to recovery.
Would I be right in saying that if mayo beat dublin then semi final spot secured as it will go on head to head and not points if both tied. With three teams tied points difference comes into it though. Could be nice reward having game in croker in April. Overall good performance.
Enroute to Croker.Good luck to Mitchels.I think they will do the business.They know how to close out a game which will be vital to keep Vincents quiet.Heres hoping two cups will be coming west after today.Hon Mitchels !!!!
I funny feeling castle bar might win okay here is a question supposed mayo draw the next two game do the stay up and qualify.
Pebblesmeller – agree with practically everything here. Couldn’t get down today and last week in Mullingar couldn’t really see Sweeney through the drizzle as he was operating on the far side of the pitch.
But from the highlights (and I know they don’t tell everything), he had a say in four goals/near goals. His vision, speed of thought and quick hands add another dimension to the attack – the kicked pass in to Freezer was a peach. Can he add points and can he stand up to the likes of the McGees are still questions, but I think we could have something here.
Brian Gallagher looked very good last week and adds something at CHF.
So, we can say that so far the league has thrown up real possibilities in Harrison, Drake, Sweeney, and the Gallaghers. It is giving Gibbons another bite and he is adding goalscoring from midfield to the mix. And we still need to get a look at Regan, Tom King and possibly the Durcans.
And, we have six points.
Brilliant win , Cork are a crowd that couldnt be bet often enough or by enough and we showed our division 1 credentials .
Delighted to see mikey sweeney being integrated further into the panel.
DavyJ is wondering will Tom Parson or Seamus O’Shea be brought in for the Dublin match. He didn’t say who they would be replacing? In fairness to A O’S and JG this is their 7th game in a row in 7 weeks. Give credit where credit is due. To day both Tom Parsons, Seamus O’Shea and Brian Gallagher did nothing that would suggest they were as good as Aiden and Jason. I did thing Jason Gibbons seemed to be slightly limping coming off the pitch. Aiden and Jason are blending into a good partnership. Reminds me of T.J Kilgannon and W.J.Padden. Strength and Style. I thought all the lads played well today. None of the subs made any impact that would suggest any changes for Dublin game. Going forward todays team are a good blend and nice to see Jason Gibbons, Jason Doherty,Alan Freeman getting their just rewards. Those 3 lads deserve credit for the way they played yesterday, after all the disappointments the have had over the last years. We wont worry about” Cluxtons kickouts” let him start worrying about our” kick ins”
Stay up yes, Qualify, maybe, maybe not….
I wish they get rid of those cursing black card s Richie feeneys day is over cause of I it and it was not a bad challebe
Four goal scores in croker
Jaypers
Hard luck castlebar. A bastard to lose the final, specially to a Dublin team of any type.
It was going to be a hard won game anyway but richie feeney being sent off was a major blow.
Richie, if your reading this, keep your head clear and fight on, you may win a bigger prize than today’s if you keep at it.
Fuck-fuck, fuck-fuck, and fuck 🙁
Agreed
Tough on Mitchells, after Richies sending off, always be a harder hill to climb, St Vincent’s are a class side, Connolly was something else.
Very disappointed that silverware has gone a begging at Croker again.
We gave away some soft goals……………………now where did I hear that before.
Cunniffe was top class and Kirby took his chances well, Naughton saved us further blushes.
Castlebar played their part in a great game of football.The scoreline did’nt do Castlebar justice The difference was Connolly,A player with great balance,kicks with both feet and on his day one of the best. Richie Feeney’s black card certainly didn’t help. The referee maybe could have given a yellow since it was so early in the game. The interpertation of the rules are different with every referee. In the Dublin/Westmeath game yesterday a Dublin player hauled down a Derry player in the square, no penalty and no black card ?????.On the positives Patrick Durkin was very impressive also Neil Lydon, Tom Cunniffe,Alan Feeney and Barry Moran
Correction to above should be of course Dublin/ Derry game. Two others players to mention the goalkeeper Naughton pulled off some very good saves. Danny Kirby took his two goals well
Have to completely disagree with you, Feeney deliberately body collided with the player with a shoulder to the chest, textbook black card, referee had no option but to black card him, and he only has himself to blame, he had no need to do it.
The other potential black card you reference above, I was straight in front of it, and while there was no doubt he was pulled back, I don’t think he was pulled down. It wouldn’t have suprised me if it was given, but it wasn’t a stonewall black card in my view. I thought Kinsella refereed very fairly today. Credit where credit is due.
The comment I was replying to there by Magunya seems to have disappeared 🙁
In fairness the best team won. Their running of the ball was 1st class. They had men where Castlebar had boys. Eoin Reilly now knows what it is like to mark the best No11 in Gaelic Football. Castlebar missed some easy scores in the 2nd half. Hasty shooting. To me I thought Alan Feeney was the best of Castlebar players.” Big Barry” was out fielded and wasn,t at the pace required for Croke Park. Hard luck on Richie, but, I don,t think it would any difference had he been on for full game. Vincent,s were by far a stronger team and goals win matches. Still no one died.
Hard luck castlebar did not give up Connolly was brillent better the brogan how Connolly did not get an all star is joke.
You must have scared him away 🙂 Yes I totally agree on the Feeney black card, no question about it he had to go. How this will effect his contribution to the County team remains to be seen, but for an experienced player it was not very clever, but I suppose in the heat of battle things happen……
I deleted it Digits, as well as other equally stupid one from another genius.
Exactly!
Those of us who were at the u21 game last wed night can tell u that it was a very worrying display.
The fortunes of our senior team have nothing to do with what happened last wed.
However, complacent does and if things aren’t remedied promptly at underage then don’t expect our dominance at senior to simply continue.
Reality people!
Mayonaze – very true.
That’s the problem though Mayo McHale, in the whitest of heat i.e. Croker in a final, you cannot allow those things to happen because those incidents are the inches that make up the difference between winning and losing. In my mind, it puts a major question mark over his contribution to the county team now. An experienced player, a key player for Mitchels, a player with experience of playing in Croke Park, a player that his team mates were possibly looking to for leadership, and he goes and does that??? I mean, as a manager, how could you be certain that his judgement and temperment will hold in the most pressured of situations. I have great time for Ritchie and still think it was a disgrace that he didn’t feature in last years All Ireland, but, that was a stupid stupid challenge. He didn’t even take his target with him to the line.
It may not have made any difference to the end result but we will never know for sure now.
Cluxton was the decisive factor in winning the All-Ireland for Dublin True Grit. He killed us in midfield with the quick kickouts by keeping the ball away from Aidan and running him from one side of midfield to the other. Aidan has fantastic attributes that we’re all aware of but mobility is not one of them and he was flaked by half-time in the final.
Unless we address this issue by either picking a very mobile midfielder alongside Aidan, or picking two speed-merchants togther and playing Aidan somewhere else like CHF, we’re not going to counteract this problem, and Dublin will hurt us there again.
Giving credit where it is due is well and good but the facts are that Seamus O’Shea is just coming back from injury, Tom Parsons likewise (lasted 8 minutes against Kildare) and Barry Moran, until yesterday, was club-tied with Castlebar. When all of these men are fit, they will be ahead of Jason in the queue for the midfield spots, as will Aidan.
Well said Roger. You just couldn’t beat them often enough. When the final whistle went I wanted both teams to come back out on the pitch so we could beat them again.
The game changed yesterday when our management team realised that a big part of the game is defence. Cafferky went onto the full forward and Boyle marked Kerrigan who had caused a lot of problems. Going out and not having a game plan to stop the oppositions best players is crazy. Ask the Mitchells supporters. To be fair to Horan and co this is something that will become more and more worked on as the year goes on. Whilst I am not his biggest fan normally I thought AOS has had two great games and he is well assisted by Gibbons. Mayo also mop up heaps of breaks especially Vaughan, Boyle, and McLoughlin. What was really good was the kickouts with Gibbons, AOS and McLoughlin doing some clever running.
Just to note WJ, from my memory of the Cork game on Sunday, Kevin McLoughlin scored 3 from play and 1 free, rather than the other way round.
Thanks for that, GBXI, I’ll amend the record accordingly. I was at the game so I should have remembered his three points from play myself but I did that bit of it in a hurry on Sunday evening and didn’t check it properly since.