The third and final Mayo News football podcast of the season featuring the county’s U20s focuses on yesterday’s All-Ireland final defeat to Kildare. On a dramatic afternoon at Croke Park the lads were left with plenty to talk about.
Host Rob Murphy is joined by Ger Flanagan and Edwin McGreal of the Mayo News to look back on the game. The lads also assess what lies ahead for this promising group of players who yesterday came up just short of All-Ireland glory.
We also hear from Sean Rice of the Mayo News and John Casey on a game where Kildare proved just that bit too strong, especially in the full-forward line. A disappointed Mike Solan also provides his post-match reaction to the result.
This latest episode of the Mayo News football podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes and SoundCloud. You can also listen to it on the Mayo News website, as well as here on the blog via the SoundCloud player below or the one on the right-hand side.
The Mayo News football podcast is brought to you by the Sports Injuries and Sports Medicine Centre in Castlebar. Theme music for the podcast is ‘Carrying the Fire’ by The Walls.
I don’t think it would have been robbery if we’d won yesterday. The reality is that we got to grips with them in the 2nd half where they only had 5 scores. We were the better team in the 2nd half and truth be told we had plenty of chances to at least draw the match if not win it. It’s not as if Kildare spurned a plethora of goal chances during the 2nd half or missed wide after wide (whilst they had some wides not as many as us).
Hyland was ultimately the difference- he’s destroyed all opposition in this tournament scoring 3 – 44 if you don’t mind.
Still, greater composure in front of goal in the 2nd half and we’d have won it.
It’s terrible watching the Super 8s….just not the same when we’re not involved.
Lot of insights there Spotlight. Hyland very good, but tenacious tackling and dogging him would have reduced his effectiveness. Hill 16 was the scoring goal. Still frustrated about it.
Agree completely about the Super 8s.
Kildare defended,attacked and were on top in midfield throughout. It was truly remarkably that Mayo got within two points at the end and having since watched the game back a 2nd time it would have been a robbery if Mayo won
Was on the town tonight and the reaction to Mayo V Kildare was that there was not a better game all summer. There was a few comments on Jordan Flynn but nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing like what has apparenntly been seen on twitter or KevinS on the adjoining panel. But then I was speaking to mostly older people who would have been watching football for decades. And who would know something about football.
Just going back to the Jordan Flynn tribunal. Ultimately I feel sorry for the lad and for what happened in the final. He would never have wanted this to happen and he has to learn from it.
I often wonder how well disciplined players are, and have imagined myself having to put up with the shite players do during matches. I’d be very laid back but I don’t think I’d last a half without swinging a belt.
I think Jordan should meet privately and have a sit down and a personal conversation with who he had the issue with.
Get to meet them face to face.
It’s a private matter.
Sit down with them
Explain to them why he did what he did and why it happened, then apologise for what he did.
Jordan doesn’t need to be admonished in public.
He has to deal with this himself and am sure he feels bad enough about things.
He deserves the space to deal with this, apologise to whoever he needs to apologise to and he deserves to be able to put this behind him and move in.
We all make mistakes. Everyone deserves their chance. At points in peoples lives it’s the support that people need, not public humiliation.
The plant will thrive when watered. Not when it’s left out in the sun to bake.
The JF incident was no more that the heated exuberance of youth. Everybody will quickly get over it. The player who had his throat grabbed will have it adorned with an AI medal and I am sure that is all that will matter to him. As far as JF is concerned he will learn that you do the crime you do the time. I could push it and add that a useful part of this lesson would be next time make sure not to get caught, but this is probably a family site.
I notice that the four teams in the SFs are the four top teams from this year’s league. Maybe it is true that a league table never lies. Certainly a strong franking of where teams actually stand.
Note to Stephen Rochford.
Tyrone were 4 down early in the second half v Donegal last Sunday and heading out of the owl championship.
Mickey Harte ran his owl bench and HAD 5 OF HIS ALLOWED 6 SUBS ON THE PITCH BY 52 MINUTES.
The owl subs scored 2-05 between them after coming on.
Now i wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t brought them owl subs on til the 68th, 69th, 70th, 71st and 72nd minute.
Well stated Jim Flag i agree with you totally in what you have said , talking about Stephen Rochford does anyone know is he staying on as manager?
I was about to post something along the same lines myself when that owl post from Jim Flag beat me to it.
Has to be in the running for the owl ‘post of the year award’ … ya just can’t beat the owl subs.
Jim Flag. The “owl” banter was funny there for about 5 mins there a few weeks back. Give it an owl rest there will ya.
Well said Dave Johnston, (and its aul not owl). Its funny, last year, Rochford nearly needed to go into witness protection after subbing Colm Boyle in the 50th minute a few times. Leave our warriors and best players on the pitch was the cry……he can never win. I’ll agree that changes should of been made earlier in newbridge, but lets face it the subs who have been brought on last few years have done nothing to change a game…with the exception of Loftus v Derry. Remember, we were coasting 7 points up against Cork and Rochie rang the changes…and then it goes to extra time…almost dumped out because the subs are’nt good enough. Give Rochford a break, its obvious theirs clear agendas by posters on here who want him gone for their own reasons. As for some poster boycotting Mayo games….Dont let the turnstile hit ya on the way out.
Top post MayoDunphy.
Keep the owl chin up Jim Flag. I agree with you about subs against Kildare but after being at the Under 20 final maybe Rochford feels the lads on the bench just aren’t good enough. I’ve changed my opinion and would like him to stay on. There’s no quick fix but i would like to see him give some of the younger lads game time in the FBD and league.
100% agree with Mayo Dunphy
Who are these great game changers that we have that Rochford is not unleashing?
If we are comparing with Tyrone and Dublin then it’s forwards specifically who have changed games
Loftus? Regan? Gallagher? COS?
Which of these guys is going to come on an score 1-02 or 1-03 in 20 minutes?
Which of those guys have scored 1-02 or 1-03 from play in a full game in the league for example?
Can anyone say that they have not been given a fair chance? They are lads giving 100% but not game changers like a Kev McM or a Cormac Costello.
Does anyone seriously think that if Rochford had Cormac Costello or Kevin McM on the bench he would have any issue in bringing him on with 20 to go?
I really wish that the problem was Rochford’ – but the harsher reality is that none of these lads (above) may ever stake a claim as regular starters for Mayo never mind by change a game against top class defenses
I hope Stephen stays on as manager and be more ruthless in making hard calls about making changes in the Mayo starting line up.
The past is gone now we have to look to the future
Roll ON 2019
IMO the failure to deal with a fairly good Kildare full forward line was a problem. Throughout the day it was also evident that the Mayo players seemed to be playing as individuals. All day long Tommy Conroy made himself available for ball on the wing but the players in possession decided to cut in rather than pass to Conroy who had the pace to beat the Kildare backs by running on the outside. I may be wrong but it seemed to me that certain players passed to certain players and the wrong options were taken on numerous occasions. Mayo also insisted on playing solely through the full forward which gave the Kildare backs ample opportunity to set up their defence. Mayo had the same opportunity to defend against the Kildare 13 but decided not to bother and watch him score simple point after simple point.
Speaking of Stephen Rochford I see Bernard Flynn has an article suggesting that Rochford was lucky not to be sacked before now (“getting away with murder”) for not bringing young fellas through. I’m on the fence whether he should stay on – my biggest issue was how under his tenure his tactical approach allowed Galway to rise as they did. There’s no doubt Galway were always going to improve but a few more defeats to us would have set them back greatly in the last 3 years. I will excuse the 2018 loss but there was no excuse for not putting them away in 2016 and 17. On the other hand you have to laud him for masterminding our run to two AI finals even if we only fell short.
Good post MayoDunphy. Short memories indeed. Those that want him out have their own agendas. Given that they need to come up with a manager that can take Mayo to 2 successive All Ireland finals they have been very short of their list of names of candidates.
Mike , I couldn’t agree more, Rochford has been getting unfair criticism lately for not bringing on “young players” to make an impact. If they were there and ready then they would be playing. Stephen is the Senior Team manager, he is there to get results for that team, not necessarily to develop players (That should be done through the full mayo setup or possibly a director of football should be appointed). If the likes of Loftus, Nally, Boland, Regan, OShea etc were doing it in training where they get ample opportunities then they would be starting. Obviously Hanley and Durcan showed well in training and then got the opportunity to play.
Hi All,
I haven’t posted in a while and I always do and will wish Mayo the best as hopefully you all know however I need to say something and I hope not to offend anyone.
I will just say this….when Diarmuid Connolly was tackled by 3 Carlow players out over the line he got a very lengthy ban for what he did which nobody condones. I just hoped there would be consistency after that incident if something similar happened again. Unfortunately it hasn’t and in my opinion the best footballer in Ireland is playing in America.
Kind Regards
Martin the Dub
Martin I agree with you ‘re the best footballer in Ireland. The instigator gets off while the retaliator is punished. A better standard of referee would be a start. It’s down to the GAA to sort out.
Stephen Rochford was not nessarly wrong to substitute Colm Boyle around the 50th minute last year versus Cork… I think any of ye that check it out?.. Ye, will find that almost immediately after Colm Boyle was subbed versus Cork, that Lee Keegan needlessly got himself ‘Black Carded’ … There is nothing wrong with substitution on the 50th minute of any player, especially if you are 7 points up.. Regardless, it’s a 21 man game nowadays, and 4 or 5 or playes should regularly get 20+ minutes of football to get the best out of the team /panel… Thus increases competition for place’s within the squad , gives you valuable experience for younger players, and definitely DECREASES the risk of injury in the long-term …. Look ‘indiscipline’… Has cost us, and ‘almost’ cost us a number of times this last two years!…. I don’t know if Stephen Rochford will be our manager or not in 2019? …. If he is, I will support him!.. But if he is? , he will have to manage differently, he will have a different back room team, different voices to listen to… I don’t know if anyone else apart from Barry Moran will retire from intecounty duty, if not several more will be a year older, plenty of football miles on the clock.. In next years league, we will need several, different player’s getting serious game time…. We will have no alternative!…Not everyone is going to be a success, or an immediate success… But this last two years, Stephen Rochford selected a number of veteran and not so veteran players… OK some had All Stars, but were not playing like player’s with All Star’s…. It was like a few player’s could not be substitued regardless of how poor they were playing, … I speak of Cillian, Colm Boyle and Ger Caff in 2018… Several players, like Crowe, Nally were given an observation role, apart from the day Caolen Crowe when .done such a magnificent job on Paddy McBreathy and helped keep Mayo in Div 1 . Ger McDonagh and Kevin Keane were not on the Panel.. By the time of the Newbridge or Nowhere Match , Eoin O’Donaghue had somehow managed to get himself a place on the subs bench, actually he came on versus Tipperary for Chris Barrett and immediately improved the Mayo team!.. Our best forward Jason Doherty versus Tipperary and again our best forward versus Kildare was somehow substituted on both day’s.. Cillian reminded on the pitch despite not scoring from play either day!……….. All those players who I write critically about their recent current form, today have played many magnificent match’s for Mayo, and I have no doubt will do so again… But whoever manages Mayo, needs to take a lesson from the Jim Gavin hand book and have absolutely no attachment to player’s with reputation all star’s… It’s how you are playing now that gets you in the team…. Not the past!..
Martin
Connolly is his own man and made his own decision to see a bit of the world. I live abroad and travel back to Ireland frequently, I see how small ireland is and even starker how small Dublin is, it’s a tiny city on the worldwide scale of cities, it has to be suffocating for the players as they live in Dublin and there’s nothing left at this stage to win, how many allirelands do you need and what difference is 4 instead of 5?, Diarmuid has nothing left to gain in playing for Dublin, he has won all that he could ever need at this stage and has done the right thing for himself. The world is there to be explored and better done as a young man than an old one.
And sher Martin, even without Connolly, your dub b team shredded roscommon last Sunday even though they had nothing to gain. You have little to worry about with Sam due again shortly
I would like to agree with `leantimes` On the subject of substitutions. We all know that on any given day a player
can have an “off day”. That`s what makes us human. It`s no insult to pull off a player (any player) and say to them
that they were off colour for that particular game. It might also give them a gee up to prove themselves the next
day. There is no worse thing than a player who is absolutely sure of his place regardless. Bad for morale too if
other fellas get the feeling that there is a bit of bias in favour of a few. Make the change and make it early. It takes
the sub a while to get to the pitch of a game. Especially so if they have been stiff on the bench. I get a bit cross
sometimes and wonder if the boys on the line are watching the same game as me. Hope this short spiel is not
seen as pure negative vibes. Regards to all.
Why are the lads on the bench not up to standard. Are they just not good enough or have they not being developed to their full potential. When players like Conor o Shea Regan Nally Boland, made it to the panel, it looked like they had the potential to be future stars. But they’ve been given such limited opportunities. The trust element is just not there. Rochfords focus has to change now to
1. building a panel.
2. effective substitution
The father would say to us years ago, a change is as good as a rest. Mayo Seniors will benefit from having time out after a helter skelter 7 years, will be fresh for early next year.
I watched last years final yesterday and would like to correct a few things I said about management after the defeat to Kildare, some of the substutions did work, Diarmuid O Connor was good after he came in, but sadly Coen and Loftus made no impact, they gave away the ball and ran into cul de sacs.
I didnt read Bernard Flynns post on the sports section in Google News but I would prefer if Rochford stays as manager for next season, he is the best bet for now.
I was hoping that Galway would put it up to Dublin in the final but I think they will get a hiding on Saturday evening next.
Martin I also agree with you. Connolly is a huge loss to the Dubs but who could blame him taking a great opportunity on America. As Dave says he has won it all though I thought he had 5 all Irelands? Jesus what our boys would do for just one.
Martin the Dub… Would Diarmuid Connolly be the best footballer in Ireland if he were still here?.. Maybe, but your, Skill wise, Physically, Athletically, Two Footed, he sees passes that other’s don’t and can deliver them.. Ticks all the boxes bar one, ‘Composure’ at times… Best Footballer in Ireland this year.. Shortlist… Rory Beggan, Connor McManus, Shane Walsh, Brian Fenton, Dean Rock, Ciarán Kilrenny, Brian Howard, Johnny Cooper, James McCarty, David Clifford, Tiernan McCann, Paddy McBreathy, Enda Smith, Jason Doherty, Kevin McLoughlin and Paddy Durcan.. OK it’s a long list!… Last year it was Andy by a mile!
And of course also for the long list, Quinlivan of Tipperary and Sweeney of Kildare!
If there was any argument about Rochford not introducing young players six months ago I reckon the introduction of Cian Hanley and James Durcan this summer demolished it. But some people find it hard to get an old idea out of their head. If there were others who deserved introduction why would he not introduce them? Answers please!
I’m a staunch Mayo man of 77 years..I witnessed the time we won Sam.. Rochford’s record stands as follows. Mayo gone, not in the last 8.. No Connacht finals.. Barely surviving the league. No new blood ready to go.. No new defensive system, no new attacking system.. Crazy substitutions…A wonderful record indeed.
So many here happy with mediocrity.. In any other Sport, he’d be sacked !! People are saying, “who else is there??? Anyone would match that record.!!
Has it occurred to some of you that we have had one of our best teams in decades and they have had nothing to show for it. If we had Jim Gavin or Jim McGuinness we would have had at least 2 All Irelands.. With so much of the shite talked here is it any wonder !! good luck..
Joe Mc,
We don’t have Jim McGuinness or Jim Gavin. Nor will we have them except in the minds of the deluded. Sometimes you need luck and Jim McGuinness had it when his reign coincided with the arrival of Michael Murphy. Would Jim McGuinness have won an All Ireland without Michael Murphy? No. Did Jim McGuinness think that he had a chance of another All Ireland after 2014? With the rise of Dublin, No. Was that the reason for going to Glasgow Celtic? Probably. Jim Gavin has the biggest panel of quality players ever assembled in one county panel. He has them all working and living close together in their home county. It would be monstrous mismanagement if he failed to win multiple All Irelands.
With the Mayo panel so scattered through the country it is impossible to win a league title and an All Ireland title because you cannot maintain fitness of such a scattered panel for that lenght of time. Same re Connacht titles since Galway recovered a bit of form. You have to choose.
@Joe Mc, I have’nt seen you on the blog since June 2017, the day Galway defeated us in Connacht.
As I am based here in Dublin, I have been watching the Dubs closely since 2010, I coped on to Cluxtons kickout strategy long before it became famous.
The problem for Rochford and the other managers that are trying to beat the Dubs is very simple.
Under Jim Gavin, the Dubs are altering their style of play continuously, they have set plays, and have brought science into football. Did ye know that Gavin has had the services of some top basketball coaches from America, this was for breaking down the blanket defences. Their kickout strategy is very simple, a long kick goes to a space/ grid on the pitch to a player on the move usually to the sidelines, their short kick will go to a defender and then back to Cluxton who will deliver a pass to a different player while on the move, they are always in pods of two and three, ie , if a forward is caught with nowhere to go, there is always another player to pop a quick pass to. Even in defence no one player gets isolated, they always have a spare guy helping out and moping up the ball, Cian O Sullivan was the best at this on Sunday last.
Contrast this to Mayo, Andy moran is the best forward for delivering a quick hand pass, plenty of scores have came from this, but the young guys, ie, Loftus and Coen have yet to master this.
Self confidence in abundance is the only ingredient that is missing from the Mayo DNA, the footballers are plenty good enough, but that inner belief comes from ones youth.
I would be glad to see any team take down the Dubs but I fear Galway are in for a hiding on Saturday and also Tyrone or Monaghan in the final. The Dubs will let rip in this years final now that their bogey team Mayo are out.
Their are a few ways that may disrupt the Dubs, imagine how they would fare if Cluxton, Rock and Cian O Sullivan were to get injured early in a semi of All Ireland final.
I will probably go to the match on Saturday next, but I will see the same things as always, kickouts, players in lines / pods for passing, the long footpass along the ground, etc, they are actually fairly predictable.
Rochford staying
What did Hanly do to justify his promotion to the panel, he was auing very average football for club…and James Durcan was playing so well he should have started every FBD game. What kind of a bench did we finish our season with in Newbridge? What’s Rochfords record on substitutions? He has to accept full responsibility for those calls.
Let’s hope his background team are appointed without delay. Our futre is in performances in the club championships.. we need representatives from the management atad many of these games as possible.
Is that just confirmed jp2?
Mayo 88.. Can’t disagree with anything you say there! … Fair Play to you if you copped on to Cluxton restart’s before they became famous… His kickouts were well famous before I started to study them in depth, around 2012, I had his signalling to the outfield player’s figured out, at least I’m my own mind I had… Trouble is, the signalling is now both ways, outfield players are now signalling Clucko, and the signals are constantly changing… Clucko does a pretty good job, but Clucko is not the Clucko of old and his range has diminished… He’s still the greatest ever Gaelic-football goalkeeper but, just like Gooch or Shefflin before they finished up , not quite as good as he once was !… Dublin are not as good as they were either, so far in 2018…. But, But, But I have my worries for Galway, or the winners of Tyrone /Monaghan… And for Galway on Saturday, they need to find their very best 2018 form, or else? , because I think Dublin are waiting to explode,… So controlled all year, makes me nervous, the gloves will be coming off soon, and No Mayo to make a match out of it, I fear for Galway and sincerely wish them all the best!
If true JP2 that is disastrous news. Another year of Galway thriving, no talent coming through and a shite league. I suspect it will encourage retirements
Good man Ger. Who that is available and would take the job would you have instead?.
Personally James Horan. FDB I think Stephen put a good backroom and together with they did well but getting to two finals masks some terrible results and performances. No home wins this year. 3 defeats to Galway
I was hoping Steven would go be with his family and let someone else give it a go
Ger..James Horan has a peachy number with Sky and is involved with football in Westport which is on the up..He would want his head read to come back into Mayo fold..
We are going to be in the same place this time next year the way things are going .We were told here during the league not to worry that the ‘Galway game’ would see us come good, then we were told the back door would suit us then we were told we’d make the Super 8s and now we are told ‘a break will do us good’
I respect the effort SR has put in but…the squad not just the team needs a manager who gets the best out of their abilities, command respect and plays players based on form…just an opinion…
Did James Horan win us any all Irelands?.
Arguably he lost us the most winnable one of all. He certainly deserves credit for bringing the Mayo Senior team back from a wilderness, but he had his chances too. Leaving Higgins back to mark a Dublin player who couldn’t stand was fairly criminal and as yet there still seems to be an aura of mystery about the substitution of Alan Freeman for Mickey Conroy.
Can’t see as he would be any improvement on Rochford.
Also for anyone who reckons the under 21’s from 2016 should be the bulk of the team, Ed McGreal makes a great point on this podcast – most of the 2006 Under 21’s didn’t break into the team until 2011 or after. Keith Higgins, Barry Moran are only ones I recall as featuring regularly in the seniors from 2006/2007 until 2011. There were probably a few others that featured every now and again but none that laid a claim to starting place on a regular basis in the same mould as Keith had then or Diarmuid does now.
Rochford has probably brought more of the 2016 under 21’s onto the panel and given them game time or other development opportunities than prior management at this juncture. He’ll never get credit for that from certain quarters.
I want to see Rochford stay and give it another go with a well chosen backroom team. This from somebody who believes that Mayo managers should be judged on silverware won. A bare cupboard equals failure in my book. My wanting him to stay is based on no more than a hunch that he will learn from his failures. If not then quickly down the road.
However I really fail to see why those who want him to go should have to provide the name of a replacement. That is the County Board’s responsibility. Their arguments are valid and perfectly understandable. More valid than a hunch.
I had somebody doing work for me recently. I went back to his employers to tell them I did not think he was up to it. They sent somebody else. I would be seriously miffed as I am sure most people would if they closed down the conversation by asking me to name a replacement. Not my job.
Malachy O’Rourke is the best manager around and by all accounts this is his last season with Monaghan, come what may.
Mayo should start sounding him out now as its time for a change
Rochford should step down with everyones best wishes, he came as close as anyone to delivering the big prize for Mayo with last seasons AI Final performance easily Mayos best AI performance in past decade. Its time for a change now though, Fitzmaurice recognised this in Kerry, hopefully Rochford realises likewise. The 2018 calender year overall has been a shambles, with mis-use of FBD league and NFL right through to a poor championship showing
Ger Bohan – “getting to two finals, mask some terrible results”. Did you really write that?
I think if you reflected on that statement, really reflected on it, you would get it hard to believe you wrote it.
Ah Berry now thats a cop out. If people are calling for Rochford to go then it’s not unreasonably to ask them who they think should replace him.
Refusing to offer up a suggested replacement or getting annoyed for being asked is pure hurling from the ditch. Plus no one here is paying Rochford so your analogy doesn’t hold water.
HuddHastings, Malachy O’Rourke? Seriously?
I’m not having a go at the man, fair play to him for what he has done, but think on this. How delighted are Monaghan and monaghan people at getting to a SEMI final. We take finals now as a God given right and all he has done is get them to a semi. I predict tyrone will beat them well.
A theory I have on this super 8s format, it suits some teams and not others. I think it suits Monaghan as they don’t have the pressure of the big one off day in Croke park. They cant handle that and it is one of the reasons why Tyrone will win. If the last day was a straight up quarter final against Galway in Croker, Monaghan would have lost.
Similarly, I don’t think the super 8s suits the current Mayo team. When its not a big time latter stages of the championship, winner takes all duel, we cant seem to get up for it. If we were in it, it wouldn’t have surprised me that we would have ended up in a Kerry situation ourselves.
Ergo I believe you will see teams like Monaghan who have failed consistently at quarter final stage do well at Super 8s and our current team may not. Anyway, hopefully they will be there next year to prove me wrong.
On the manager question, even though their isn’t a question to answer, the big thing is who will SR get in to his management team? If he gets some really good people in, it could make a huge difference.
I’m concerned at his inability to bring new players on, you either can do that or you cant. Worst case is he stays on and the county board insists he bloods young fellas, if he just starts throwing them in without understanding the best way to do that and having a feel for it (I equate it to spotting talented race horses and training them properly) then he could ruin some of them. There is a case for Mike Solan to be brought into the management team and it wouldn’t surprise me if that happens at the insistence of the CB. The question will then be a) if SR will accept that and b) if he does, can they work together without one undermining the other and us ending up falling between two stools?
Do not think it is a cop out. It is nobody’s responsibility, but the County Board’s. More fact than cop out .
Not aware of anybody being annoyed. Never suggested he was paid. He freely took the role on and I certainly believe people are entitled to suggest that the County board find somebody else without having to provide them with the name of the somebody else.
Hope that is off the fence enough as I written more on this than I set out to.
I did mean it Catcol.
Last year was exciting but we really rode our luck. This year we got lucky in Thurles and lost to kildare who lost all 7 league matches and 4 championship games. Think about that!!! That is the level that our year was at.
I have nothing personal in this fight. We just need a change to freshen things up. Look at the lessons from Eamonn Fitzmaurice staying that year too long with kerry
East Cork that is a really good point , Mayo have proven to be at their best in the do or die games.
FDB I think that the most winnable final was actually the one where Rochford started Hennelly. That was pure madness and I think all would agree that with Clarke in goal that was our game.
But all that being said I am glad that Rochford is staying on. He is every bit as good as whats out there and it’s obvious that the players like him. He deserves another year and a final shot at glory. Front door please lads as Connacht champions and then lets see what happens.
Not sure I’d agree with that Roger. Not going into Keepergate again – there was logic to the call and I’ll happily explain that if asked to but it’s been done to death here, there and everywhere at this point.
As for the 2013 final, there were so many issues in that game that defy logic – Cluxton’s kickouts completely took AOS out of the game and that was seemingly not identified nor was any effort made to counter it.
Leaving Higgins to mark O’Gara that couldn’t walk let alone run is another one, alongside Dublin having Rory O’Carroll concussed and unable to be subbed with 13 minutes to go.
Subbing Freeman for Conroy was puzzling but i understand that Horan was torn between which of those 2 that should start on the day and decided that as Freeman wasn’t tracking back on his man that he had to come off. Up to that point, Freeman was causing rack in the forwards so it certainly blunted our attack that day.
We were ahead at half time that day and failed to press home our advantage despite it really being there for the taking, and effectively only having to be playing 13 men who were fit to play for the last 20 minutes of the game.
In my view that really was the one we left behind us.
Andy D and Mayo 88.. I understand well about the Dubs,, etc.. what i am saying is…one example…. Mayo were leaking goals, goals that crucified us, no changes were made.. in Horan’s time as well.. Now, the Dubs were beaten by Donegal from 2 goals that saw them opened up at the back..Jim Gavin took immediate action and blocked the holes the next year.. That’s what I’m talking about..We didn’t do anything about it. The Dubs have had the opportunity to practice the defensive system, over and over again, meaning they are comfortable with it.
Now Mayo….. Rochford has been bringing in a sweeper and changing him over and over again. The day of the sweeper is over, a defensive system, to attack from, is what’s necessary. I think the lads don’t know what to do next and that will ruin their confidence. Jim McGuinness set up that watertight Donegal defence first. Then he showed them how to score. Even though Mayo are scattered, a system taught can be practised over and over again, over the years so they get used to it..That’s it lads.. Joe Mc for manager… 😉
Maybe supporters should start looking at the mistakes and missed kicks by the players instead of always blaming the manager?
I don’t think we got lucky last year. We went on a run of victories and beat Kerry in Croke Park after a replay. Rochford was extremely brave in making the “Donaghy decision” with AOS after what had happened in the 2016 final with Hennelley. He stuck to his guns and won the game. We went to a final and had a conversion rate for scores that would have won any of the previous 25 finals and we got terrible decisions against us and a rush of blood from Donie cost us the game.
Rochford has done extremely well and in my view got no luck. Sure he made decisions that went wrong but not every call Jim Gavin made was right either.
Also regarding adding new players I don’t think the average fella knows how long it takes to develop to senior level. Bernard Brogan was 4 years as a non starter and only nailed a spot in 2010 according to him. Dublin havent brought that many through in the last 5 years sure a few more than us but look at their pick and resources in terms of population.
I guess with Hanly he seen a guy with talent in great condition and put faith in him to develop.
Also can anyone name two decent successors who are available??? or even one.
I think Rochford should stay and develop based on learning from last 2 years.
Injuries done us this year TO and SOS were massive losses we were never going to recover after that.
There’s that too Yew Tree – Managers don’t kick the ball over the bar either, but they have a responsibility to setup tactically so a player can get into position to kick a ball over, or to counter the oppositions tactics to prevent them from kicking the ball over.
They don’t send players out to have a clanger, despite being hung for that very reason occasionally.
Looking at the posts re some of Rochfords calls.
The switch from D Clarke to Hennelly did not work out. I often thought long and hard as to why the switch was made.
I did see logic in making the switch.
Towards the.end of the drawn game Dublin really pushed up hard on David’s kick outs. David went short with a few kickouts in those final minutes. I remember my heart skipping a beat a few times because Dublin came within a hairs breadth of picking off those kick outs. Had they picked off one there would have been no replay.
It’s all good and well in hindsight saying that switching the keeper was the incorrect decision but it’s easy say that because things didn’t work out for Hennelly but I certainly see where Steven was coming from when he made that switch.
A LOT OF RANTING GOING ON HERE ABOUT THE PAST ,WHAT IS THIS RAVING ABOUT HIGGINS BEING MOVED FORWARD, HIGGINS IS NOT A FORWARD END OF STORY, IF THE MAN WAS CONCUSSED HE SHOULD NOT BE ON THE FIELD, MAYOS LOSS IN 2013 WAS DOWN TO THE PLAYERS, Dublin scored 1 point in the first 23min, of that final if you take away the gift of a goal by the goalkeeper and no 3. Mayo missed 5 easy points in that period, add the goal to a few of those missed scores and mayo would be at least 5 ahead at the break. ..Regards the 2016 drawn final dublin scored 9 points in that game, 5 in one half, and 4 in the other, and were 5 ahead at half time, digest that and see what happens ,2 own goals, the second one was criminal, result is dublin could not score in that game , any man or men who changed that team should look in the mirror ,and ask the question do i know what i am doing, why would you change a team that held dublin at their peak to 4 points in nearly 40min of football, in the replay ogara came as a sub and was fouled by a man recovering from a hamstring result a point for rock, the wrong corner backs were played in newbridge old injured players in 25 degrees does not work .slan
Ger Bohan – what lessons? Fitzmaurice has 1 AI and 1 national league.
My greatest disappointment in Rochford is that he saw it takes a panel to win an all Ireland you need a panel of players and use bench effectively. He failed to develop a planel. I’m not satisfied that the players are not there, other posters are, fair enough. Fringe players need confidence building experience. They need to know they are valued. Bringing a player on at 69 minutes is giving all the wrong g messages
Harrisson and EOD,are progressing nicely, two defenders, give Rochford credit, but others have gone backwards, particularly forwards, and become very predictable, Boland I would single out as a great prospect.
If we are stuck with Rochford, then we need to cry out for a forwards coach..
I understand it has been done to death by now about the change in goalkeepers but I certainly don’t see anything wrong with the decision,F Clarke was in goal the first time we failed to win the second day he came on we failed to win,so no argument whatsoever with the decision,I am convinced of we brought Rob on against Galway last year we would have won because he would be licking sixty yards or more with the gale force wind behind him,also we have been killing our fowards dropping back to our twenty metre line to pick up short kickouts,nothing against David Clarke but his kickouts are too short
I really think that Stevens easiest option would have been to up sticks and follow his selectors out the door. I’m hoping he will fulfill his full term.
In fairness in the really big games he has been close to perfect. That’s when it counts. This year in my book can be scrapped. Everyone knows this team needed the break. Let’s see how we get on now in the coming season.
I think we can expect to see a new look team this comimg year. If it’s handled properly we could end up with the strongest subs bench in the country. That’s something that mayo maybe never had in the past.
I agree with Ontheditch but we also need to not allow naturally talented forward slip through the net (for WHATEVER reason) – Liam Irwin being one, and I dont care that he didnt even push at senior club level. Anyone with an eye for talent could see he stood out at minor and u21 with his goal taking ability, free taking (off the ground) and just natural instinctiveness which you cannot coach. He obviously struggles with dedication at the level required for senior intercounty but that’s the challenege for a management/county board etc. Another is Brian Reape – clearly has talent but for whatever reason isn’t in the senior set up but should be. These both are examples, in a way of management or system failures.
I would stick with Rochford still. He is young and you’d imagine has far more scope top learn and develop further. I dont think it’s fair to put a ‘one year/prove yourself’ pressure on him. He should be allowed to develop a panel, which was always going to be extremely difficult to do coming into the set up when he did. It was always going to be very difficult for him to blood new players with such a strong panel already in place and throw into the equation the glaring lack of underage success between 2011 and 2016 when he took over (with the exception of the one group of minors ’13/u21’s 2016). Our record overall at minor and u21 since the turn of the decade has been awful, particularly when compared to the 2000-2010 period. I’d give Rochford more time and I think the county board need to seriously evaluate the structures at underage. Ours shouldnt be reactionary and based on how we do against Galway or the rossies. Mayo should be aiming to be no.1 in the country and let’s face it, we don’t win nearly enough all Irelands underage. Rochford does need to identify 5 or 6 new players and give them a chance next spring, regardless of how results are going – BLOOD THEM. These lads need to be told in September/Oct to be ready for February and also told that they wont be judged on one, two or even three games but rather on the entire league. That’s what I’d do, but I aint the gaffer!
I also believe there are All Irelands out for grabs over the next 2/3 years. Kerry are rebuilding and while they have serious talent coming through, it takes time and it might be 3 years before they actually really begin to dominate. The dubs are excellent and one of their biggest strengths is the fact that the have a county board/system which is machine like and super well funded. They have obvious advantages over every other county in population and logistics – but they are showing signs already of coming back into the pack and wont be as strong in 2019/20 (in my opinion). Tyrone, Galway and Monaghan are the only other real contenders, maybe Donegal on a good day but if Mayo can get it’s act right over the winter and blend in 3/4 more players then we should have the perfect blend of youth and experience in order to really go for it again. I’m sure of it.
You could see during this years league we looked jaded after the 2017/18 campaigns. I’m hoping this break since end June will give everyone a much needed mental as well as physical break. Freshness is key. You cannot have enthusiasm and hunger without it and you cannot win an All Ireland without those ingredients.
Im also a beilever that the Dubs are coming back to the pack. Ive been saying it since the start of the year. Players like Connolly, Cluxton, McMahon, Flynn, McMenamon are once in a lifetime players. Their all the wrong side of 30 and will be hard replaced. So theirs an AI to be won next year imo if we get our act together over the winter. 3/4 pacy well built new additions, could see us over the line. Providing Barry is the only one to call it a day, imagine this team for the chamionship next year:
Clarke/Hennelly
O’Donoghue. Harrison. Higgins
Keegan Coen. Durcan
Diarmuid. Parsons
Kmac. Aido. J Durcan
R O’Donoghue. Cillian. Reape/Diskin
Subs bench: J Doherty straight in on 50th minute replacing O’Donoghue, who has is man gased. Andy to come in for Reape/Diskin. Barrett and Boyler in the last 15 mins to put in the hits and see games out full of running. Seamie coming in for Tom, bringing even more physicality. Vaughan kept in reserve for any black cards. Its a frightening subs bench when you think about it.
Thats a good team mayodunphy. but as we know in todays game, the likelihood of players coming in directly fro the u20 panel and making a big impact in the seniors is unlikely. They would be nowhere near the strength and conditining required at senior level. what about some of the players that have been on the development panel for the last 2 years. they are more likely the players to make a name for themselves this year, Akram, Carr, Ruane etc. Also Loftus, Hanley, Boland and James Durcan are still capable of making an impact. Is Parsons due back from injury that soon. Id imagine he has a very long road of recovery ahead.
Dave Johnston, Its obviously wishful thinking with Tom, but the mans determination is beyond beleif, he’s also married to a physio,so it would’nt surprise me to see him make it back. If he doesnt Ruane should be given every oppurtunity. The only U20 i’ve named there is Ryan O’Donoghue who has the one attribute that can make up for a lack of bulk…and that is pace. He’s quick and jinky on the ball, can see him making an impact. Brian Reape for me is well primmed to make a massive impact come summer, all he needs is a consistent run of league games. Akram is a man I highly rate, but for me he doesnt start instead of Keegan or P. Durcan in the wing back slots. Coen is a centre back and thats that, lets just let him learn the role through the league. As I already said, if its only Barry that steps away, and the veterans accept impact sub roles, we could have a seirious tilt at sam next year. Players like Aido, Keegan, McGloughlin, P. Durcan, Cillian, Diarmuid, Harrison are still in their prime. The rest will ha e them chomping at the bit come the cold nights of November.
diskin and o donoghue are the realistic options to make the step up to senior next year , diskin has alot of pace and strength and was pulling the strings for mayo, ryan Is a classy player lacks In height but it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight …
No point talking about what the manager should have done at the late stages of the 2013 final, all long past.
Trying to compare Mayo to the Dubs is a bit mad, the Dubs are much more athletic than all other teams, they are much fitter and faster, particularly in the middle third. Did ye know that James McCarthy’s dad would bring him for his weekly long Sunday run when he was 11 or 12.
A manager can’t enjoy the match like us as supporters, they are continuously reading the situation and dont get caught up in celebrating scores or in the emotions while the game is on.
I would like to see the new coaches / selectors give a big imput to Rochford starting next season,
How about this for a lineup
John Maughan as physical fitness trainer only ( another Crossmolina man ).
Billy Fitz from Claremorris as tactician / the only one to advise Rochford during a game.
Alan Dillon and Kenneth Mortimer as skills coach for young development players.
Not a bad line up, any others that are on the scene in or outside Mayo ?.
We well have a new goalie next year if M Slingerman comes back,also the younger players have that S\C so I am very optimistic
Only one keeper CLARK
Tom is some man for one man alright mayodunphy. I wouldnt mind to have a small percentage of his motivation and optimism. It would be great to see him doing his stuff for Mayo again next year. Thats the dream really for Mayo..to have our experienced players coming on in the last 15 or 20 mins in an all ireland final and seeing out the game. Being on the pitch when the final whistle blows and finally get the celtic cross they so richly deserve. Whether we can do without 5 or 6 men for the first 50 mins of the game is the big question. But we must have faith in the crop coming through the ranks. 2019 will be an interesting year indeed.
WE need a new goalie
I worry for Mayo’s chances of breaking the duck if the focus remains on getting the most out of the available players (e.g. current squad plus the best young replacements for those older heroes who have passed their best) or on having a manager that makes better tactical decisions.
These are all genuine concerns but every county tries to do the same. Whoever the Mayo manager/management group is in future, they must innovate. Its not good enough to measure against the incumbent or to be “better than we were last time”.
To make the breakthrough, one of two things needs to happen:
a) you bring something new to the game that other teams can’t respond to over the duration of a campaign
b) you get lucky
Most of the team’s who’ve broken through after long periods in the last 20 or 30 years brought something new
– Ulster teams of the 90s
– Armagh/Tyrone in 00’s
– Dublin
– Donegal
I think Eamonn Fitmaurice’s reign in Kerry is a good example of how a smart manager, a panel of quality players and an organised county machine doesn’t guarantee success. In 2014 Kerry were lucky to be able to get past Mayo and were lucky to beat Donegal. That win puts a gloss on a period during which I can’t think of any innovation that Fitzmaurice brought to the game – he always seemed to be reacting or trying to keep up with the progress of other teams. I think the same goes for recent Mayo management regimes. There has been endeavor and physicality and commitment and passion and quality and organisation … but not innovation.
Mayo 88,… It’s not just the manager who can’t enjoy the match… I was at every match League and Championship this year, bar Ballybofey and I can’t say that I enjoyed any of them much…. Thurles after the James Durcan, Goal, Clones after Paddy Durcan winning point, about 30 seconds of enjoyment there.. The Duck shoot in Limerick was alright as Duck Shoots go… The few pint’s of Cider, (in the same place ‘Cofees’ as we had coffee a few months prior and took home the point’s..) before the Newbridge or Nowhere, which was a good exciting end to end, match!.. That was the good side… But then there was the two, horrendous FBD match’s in McHale Park in horrendous weather.. Galway ended up with the even dozen players on the pitch and still won… Against Kerry, appalling…and lost, Do we have a free taker even?… Again against Galway, get two men sent off in Salthill and play terrible..and lost, Against Tyrone even worse…. And Keegan dislocated shoulder.. One man sent off, and lost. Against Galway in the Championship , one player sent off, the same player was sent off a few months prior in Salthill.. Tom Parsons serious knee injury… Play terrible, in fact both Galway and Mayo play putrid football and lost again .. Now you can’t put a gloss on 2018… Still we didn’t get demoted to Div 2…But I wasn’t in Ballybofey to enjoy that match…. Maybe it’s me!
As far as the management issue goes I’m not a fan but wouldn’t criticise it either. So for 1 reasons I would keep SR
Next year is the first year since 2009/10 that an existing manager has the team after an early exit from championship.
This is an advantage over 6 of our league opponents
If we change the management then probably all our opponents will be finished 2018 and have management in place before us.
If the county board put the foot down then SR should have his back room team in place by now and the county c.ship brought forward to try rap up an early season and take advantage of a early exit, instead we will linger on and so will our league.
We used 3 subs in the Kildare match, plus Hanley who was a last minute black card replacement. Rochford decided not to bring in Crowe,Nally,Drake,Kirby,Oshea and Regan. Is there any point having any of those lads on the panel next year, he didn’t think they were good enough this year when many of the team had ran themselves into the ground. If they were not good enough this year I don’t think they will be good enough next year.
FDBinashui Ed McGreal point is not a good one. 3 of the 4 players that he said didn’t make the full break through till 2011 we’re still under 21 in 2008. In 2009 an under 22 Ger Caffery played all 4 championship matches. In 2008 an under 22 Colm Boyle played 2 out of 3 championship matches. I can’t rember ages but I think these were all young playing under John O Mahoney in Championship and leagu Kenneth O’Malley, Tom Cunniffe, Aidan Kilcoyne, and Aidan Campbell and Michael Conroy, Barry Moran and Keith Higgins. I don’t see how everyone can’t see we have a problem. I think every team in the super 8 gave more time to younger players in the league and championship than we did
WJ . Thanks for all your work all year . I wonder if some of the Stephen Rochford basher’s that have no realistic alternative manager in mind are like the one’s that many manager’s have come out and spoke about this week writing hate mail etc ..I hope not !! And I know , he will be offered the same protection as any player would get on this site . I have enough read about Mayo now so back to basics and the Club, the beating heart of the Gaa , .Thanks again WJ
There was a significant amount of game time handed out to early 20’s players from 2009-2010.
Would Kevin McLoughlin have had the confidence to score that goal versus Cork if it was his debut season at u22?
Athleticism need to count more in selection. We are too short and too slow.
James Kelly for example is one of the most athletic players in the county. It’s just his football needs to come up a small %.
Can we not make him a full back capable of keeping pace with the likes of Daniel Flynn?
Fair play to Monaghan. A county of about 61000 and playing great football.
They restructured how they run their league.
I believe they have 10 teams in the senior league.
They play each team twice, home and away.
They play 9 games with their county players and 9 without.
A win with the county players is worth 5 points.
A win without their county players is worth 2 points.
Then they have all their championship club games on top of that. Plenty of football.
It seems very structured and they are really reaping the rewards, not sure if it’s down to this format or not.
Hope Stephen Rochford is afforded the same rules as the player’s in the comment section . A lot bashing him with no realistic alternative . Appreciate the people are entitled to their view but after all the news this week of various managers getting hate mail etc .Think its time to ease off and go back and concentrate on your club’s which I’m sure is a lot of poster’s priority now that our county male footballer’s season is over .
Excuse my ignorance but does anyone know when the club championship starts up again and what’s the delay starting them?
– SR will stay on simply because there is little if any push from Mayo GAA clubs and supporters for him to go
– Mayo senior manager is not an attractive option for any of the top managers because the job is too risky
– As for SR reviving Galway, that is incorrect as Galway like all other big counties go thru peaks and troughs.
– Kerry can keep most of their student panelists studying as local as possible. Mayo CB need to be offering more scholarships to Sligo, Galway and Limerick colleges so that all other things being equal, the students on our senior panel spend more time on the pitch and less time on the road. Chris Kelly had a good post on this issue in a previous tread. This is something that can be done NOW and is practicable and which will benefit Mayo for the future.
-If we keep doing the same thing, we will keep getting the same results and keep coming up just short.
-SR probably has regrettably a box of hate mail as well, nothing to do with social media as the good old poison pen snail mail is around a long time.
Talking to a friend in another county during the week and he said he was a member of his countys supporters club. Annual membership €40 a year, they organise fundraising events and have a draw for an annual prizes, cheaper rate for junior members. We pay to become members of our club why not pay to become members of our county?
Michael that may be true, but how well did we do under O’Mahony?.
I don’t think anyone should confuse, Critiqueing the Management of Stephen Rochford since 2016, and Stephen Rochford bashing…. Plus’s and Minus’ regardless …. Eamon Fitzmorris has told us what he, and some of his players have had to put up with in Kerry…. That’s ‘Management Bashing’ and totally unacceptable….. Just stick to the facts in the debate about merits of this, that or the other… Mayo is not Uthopia, and Stephen Rochford, or any other potential manager will not be Superman!
Backdoorsam – club championship is on the 25/26th August. In reality it can’t be played any sooner due to players still in America for the summer. There is club league on for the next 2 weekends I think.
Good post there Olive – as usual.
Just to answer your question, My Ball – I certainly hope that Stephen Rochford is afforded the same protection under the house rules here as the players are. Nobody is above criticism and there’s no problem with people posting critical comments, providing, of course, that such criticisms are expressed in reasonable terms. As everyone should be well aware by now, personal abuse is not tolerated here. That doesn’t stop people attempting to post stuff like this and I’ve had to deal with plenty of vile comments – aimed at managers, players and County Board officials, as well as at me personally – down the years. Only a small minority of this stuff, thankfully, slips through and so never appears on the site and the odd time it does it gets removed fast. It’s a great help in this regard that often it’s other posters who flag unacceptable comments as this means that these can be dealt with faster than might otherwise be the case. Keep up the good work there!
Thanks Wide ball
Olive could you let me know which thread that chris kelly post was ?
loreto road, great point on innovation but sometimes you can copy an innovation and then improve and its enough to win as long as no innovation occurs in the meantime.
I do take the point that fitzmaurice did not innovate , kerry were ruthless that year and it was enough. that championship changed the kerry narrative massively. they would be looking at a relative famine now were it not for that win.
Our neighbours play in their all Ireland semi final tomorrow.
I think it’s fair to say Galway have improved / tightened up / changed their style of play over the past 12 months.
As we know ourselves, what has gone before in the season amounts to nothing. Teams are judged on, if they won the All Ireland final or not.
We have been the nearly men almost every year since 2011, but ultimately were judged on our semi final / final losses. That’s the harsh reality we learned as Mayo supporters, players and managment.
Tomorrow is judgement day for this Galway team.
What are their chances of reaching the all Ireland final ?
Well to begin with I don’t believe they are facing as explosive a Dublin team as has been there for much of our odyssey. No Connolly, an aging injured brogan an aging Mcmannamon a Cluxton in the twilight of his career and more importantly a team that has had its appetite filled in recent years with all Ireland successes. So certainly, Galway are not facing the same animal that has been there in recent years.
Galway themselves, I don’t think should be judged on last week’s poor performance.
They were qualified and so there was no all or nothing stakes. No. They should be judged on tomorrow’s performance.
Beaten by Dublin by a not too big a margin in the league final, a team they drew with earlier in the league in salthill. Maybe a game they should have won in Salthill.
The silly 8’s are out of the way now.
This is the time of the championship where the lions come out to play.
We already know what will come out of the Dublin cave.
The question is, what’s going to come out of the Galway cave. Beast or mouse ?
I think Galway can still rattle Dublin, however it will take an improvement on even their best performance of the year. They have the fitness, they have the youth, they have plenty of talent despite last week’s display.
The question is, do they have the game to beat Dublin.
It will take a monster of a game from them for 75 minutes.
The shawl or cloak will not win the game tomorrow for Galway. It might keep Dublins scoreline down but it will not win Galway the game.
Better football for longer than their opponents is the only thing that will win the game for Galway tomorrow.
Better football is what this Galway team must play tomorrow or unfortunately they will end up regetting they even got through the silly 8’s.
I’m looking forward now to seeing how the 2 semi finals unravel.
I’ll be able to relax while watching them because Mayo will be back in next years semis and I won’t be able to relax.
Roger, Chris Kelly comment was on the previous thread to this, towards the end of it.
Roger – link here to the comment in question
https://mayogaablog.com/?p=23478#comment-244966
Thanks WJ .. Great work . Fancy Dublin to win by 8 as they can play against defensive systems and just have more quality player’s than Galway . Tyrone by 4 , again , small bit more quality than Monaghan and stronger bench as we all know makes a huge difference
OLIVE—NEAR TOP OF THREAD –UNCHANGED TEAM FOR FINAL
What ever about the Galway /Dublin match… I’m supporting Mayo versus Galway in the Women’s match in the Hyde… Mná Máigh Eo Abú Amarach!
I’m nt toto hopeful for Galway in tomorrow’s game, got some tickets and am heading in to Croker to see Galway getting dismantled by the Dubs, they seem to be on a dip and I dont believe that they let Monaghan win last weekend, in order to be fresh or surprise the Dubs.
Monaghans keeper, could have a big influence with well placed long kickouts, they have a few pacy out field players to win those kickouts and set up an attack, take a look back at Donegal’s keeper in their win over the Dubs in 2014, he supplied almighty kicks to the midfield and half forwards, they then kicked the ball in while the attackers were running towards the Dublin goals, this was very clever and caught the Dubs out of position, the Dubs are a bit more defensive now, I hope Galway put up a good show but I fear that a bad beating is on the cards and with the help of God Monaghan will finally beat Tyrone in the Croke Park.
Monaghan have one advantage as they are the only team to beaten Dublin this year.
I have been looking at few former games, Donegal were very clever for their opening goal in the 2012 final, the corner forwards drew their markers out the pitch before Lacey hit a one-on-one into Murphy. Even I know as a former player and now a coach that you must protect your goal / mind the house particularly in the opening 10 minutes of a game and the final 10 minutes. Mayo failed in this in 2012 and again in last years final, were just not switched on.
Well – – I don`t have a crystal ball but if last w/end is anything to go by this game will be over early in the second half.
I stayed for a good bit of the game dubs v ross and it was hard viewing. Was`nt there a story in the bible about the
`slaughter of the innocents`? And this was a Dublin team with fair few second string players. Drop of holy water
I`m afraid required by the Galway lads tomorrow evening. That indeed might not even be enough. As a westie I
still have to wish them well. (did`nt we have this debate before?)
Following evergreenandred’s post, as a Dub, I’m curious: would people here feel good or bad if Galway took Dublin’s scalp tomorrow? Would it be 100% joyous? Or a little bit sickening?
Sickening – but we need to get used to sickening because, whether or not it happens tomorrow, some other county will evertually tethrone this great Dublin team…… but it won’t be Mayo as our group’s chance(s) have come and gone.
@LoretoRoad, as always everybody would like to see the underdog win, same in all sports, as a football man my preferences are as follows, Monaghan to win the All Ireland and give hope to the minnows, Galway next and Tyrone or the Dubs last on the list, they both have won it in the recent past. Kerry were boring winners in the 1980’s and the 2000’s.
We all like to see a new winner, good for the Gaa, eyc.
I am 48 next week been to over half the All Irelands since 1989, but yet to see Mayo win, my Son is 12 , he has been to the finals of 2015, 16 and 17 to see his Dublin team win them all, try and figure that out.
Mind you he got into last years final with no ticket!.
Hopefully Limerick also win the Hurling final.
Good luck to both Galway, minor’s and senior’s in Croke Park tommorow… Just as long as the Mayo Ladies triumph in the Hyde tommorow!
I’ll be cheering on Galway tomorrow. I think there has to be recognition that they are a fine team and that they are a neck ahead of us at present. That can change back too fairly quickly . But we should all recognize and appreciate talent and effort and systems . It is impressive how much they have improved this year. Now I’m not saying they’re easy to like especially all the cards that they bestow on other teams but we just have to hand it to them. They’re good and could be brilliant if “ liberated “ at the right moment. Personally I think there’s a massive kick left in them but I’ve said all year that any team trying to peak all year long are going to find it a long season. That’s my concern for them . Fatigue. But if that’s not a factor I’m tipping them to push the Dubs all the way and if they’re close at the end of the game Galway can take it. Confidence permitting .
Lads hard luck in u-20 final – but I gather Kildare were full value for their win. I think our performance against Monaghan last week will have no bearing on mindset tomorrow. In a way, I feel our players will draw on the heroic individual performances of several Mayo players in last years final. As Revelinho pointed out, there are now subtle signs that the Dublin era is past peak point; reverting to Paul Flynn; Bernard Brogan; Costello – who has never done it from the outset; situation with D. Connolly. That’s not to say the task of taking them down will be any easier. However, the psychological advantage must be with Galway, insofar as they know if they keep the tempo high, and with the quality they have to bring on from the bench – Dublin, deep down, will not have the reserves of desire or stamina to ultimately deny them victory. I also think that Galway have nothing to lose tomorrow, and so will throw off the shackles, and finally fully commit to fast transition from defence to attack. It’s going to be a hell of a battle- hold on to your seats…
Man of Aran If you lose tomorrow, Pat Tally the brains behind Galway this year will be moving on .
I think we need a change champhionship is boring with Dublin wining it every year. No excitement I be glad if Galway beat the dubs
True Cáit. Though Galway have a slim chance only because it’s a semi and there’s nothing expected of them today. They threw last week’s game so they avoid Dublin at final stage and removed kerry from the equation. A strategic move that’s lost on nearly all people but makes perfect sense ,and in fact I’ll upgrade their chance to real. Galway to win by 3.
Dublin to have at least 1 man sent off.
Galway vs Tyrone final.
Good luck to Galway
45 I don’t agree that this teams chance has come and gone. They are simply to talented to drift away. I expect us to be competitive ahain next year and win it in the next few years
Good theory there Dave. and while we’re at it. The moon landing was faked and Elvis is still alive and well.
I habe 3 tickets for sale, face value, 1 adult and 2 under 16, lower Cusack stand, section 308, good spot near the half way line, I will be in the premiun level right above 308.
Anybody that needs the tickets can email me, see Willie Joe for clearance firstly.
My daughter is just after seeing the Galway team heading down the Swords road, at Griffith Avenue junction.
I expect Dublin to win today, Galway have a couple of weak links in the full back line in Sean Andy and Declan Kyne, and as we know too well no better side than Dublin to expose a weak FB line.
Dave Johnston, no conspiracy theory. Plain strategy whether you like it or not.
Kerry carry more punch than tyrone or monaghan would in a final and there’s less pressure on galway in a semi against Dublin and even less in a semi after a heavy loss the week before.
You can make your own mind up about elvis and the moon stuff, it’s got nothing to do with removing kerry from the path to Sam so I’m not even thinking about it. In professional sports around the world it’s widely known that teams lose games to avoid certain opponents. Why wouldn’t galway avail of the chance to remove kerry?, they’d be mad not to.
Never thought id say it, Up The Dubs!!!! Hope they whip Galway today. Its now or never for Galway, they’ll never face the Dubs again with so little pressure on them. Still won’t be enough. Hoping for a hammering but a 1 point win will do nicely #coybib 😉
If th Galway fb line play the match of their lives Galway can win. But that’s a big ‘if’. I agree re the reduced pressure on them for this one so there is an opportunity there for them for certain.
But looking at that dublin team and the form Kilkenny is in, I expect dublin to win.
It’s a long 80mins now and even if things go wrong at times for the dubs they will keep composure and finish strong.
Fascinating match all in all.
Ah Now,.. I usually shout for my neighbours, and I usually shout for the underdogs… Today will be no different! …. I think Galway needs all the support they can get..
Doesn’t look like they have too much support currently in Croke Park… Fair Play to those who made it to Croker to cheer on the Maroon and White.. But if Mayo were playing Dublin today, the place would be jammers and as usual the Green and Red would be in the majority of Fan’s… I don’t think this game will even sell out…or even close… A Dublin /Mayo semifinal would have sold out within minutes of the details of the fixture being made public….. The GAA and the Dublin business certainly miss Mayo,.. We Mayo are certainly the Harlem Global Trotters, the Hollywood, of the GAA world… When you need a bit of ‘Star Dust’ send for Mayo ….I was there way back, in 1983 All Ireland final, when one of dirtiest game’s in the history of the GAA was played, way up on the Canal End terrace sitting on the big ‘Tayto’ sign at the back of the terrace… Me and a buddy took the train from Castlebar to Dublin, paid in £1…under 12.. (last All Ireland final that wasn’t all ticket) and a big Maroon and White flag…. Didn’t do Galway any good that day…. Watch it on the Telly today, and to my eye’s Galway fan’s in Croker are as scarce as the Corncrake in Corafin!… Come on the West anyway!
Galway found out in the 2nd half, and I’m delighted. Comer, Burke, Walsh anonymous after the break. Mayo still the only team who have put it up to the Dubs in the championship in the last 4 years. Galway billy-boy tactics don’t work against the strength of Dublin.
Cheerio !!!!!
Happy with that boring match.
Anyone who thinks anyone other than the dubs will be winning the all Ireland for the fore seeable future is deluding themselves. Unless the gaa changes it’s way of thinking we’ll be lucky to see a team be competitive against them. They’ll win the all Ireland this year without breaking a sweat.
Galways championship has ended as it has for the last 3 years. beat mayo and go out with a whimper. i think people finally realise just how tough it is to play the dubs. There was one team in the country that could match them man for man and that was Mayo. the rest of the pack are wellbehind
Wow what a demolition job of a very good Galway team. Mayo have been the only team that has competed against the dubs and that won’t change this year.
Well that was just another day at the office for the Dubs..Cant decide if Im finding this year’s championship a snoozefest because we’re not involved or because it’s just so damn predictable..Looking forward to.tomorrow’s game tho..As a half blood Monaghan supporter I would love them to make the final..
Young Fella says:
August 11, 2018 at 6:31 pm
Galway found out in the 2nd half, and I’m delighted. Comer, Burke, Walsh anonymous after the break. Mayo still the only team who have put it up to the Dubs in the championship in the last 4 years. Galway billy-boy tactics don’t work against the strength of Dublin.
Cheerio !!!!!
Enjoy your Lemon lad.
Jesus that was desperate in the second half. Didn’t feel like a All Ireland semi. Was there 10,000 Galway fans there?
Far too many passengers on the Galway side. The Sweeney’s, Armstrong Duggan, Seán Andy, kyne gary o Donnell etc wouldn’t get within an asses roar of the Dublin squad never mind the team.
On a wider note, 54,000 for semi final involving Dublin is desperate and will have the suits in croker panicking. Even the dubs fans are getting bored of winning constantly. The 6 day turnaround was an absolute farce for a game of this magnitude. There’s no way both semi finals should be on the same weekend either. Just waters down their prestige even further.
The super 8s are an absolute joke – super shite. The championship has turned into a farce and the GAA would want to wake up and smell the roses before it’s too late. Mayos remarkable storyline in the last seven years and persistent involvement in huge games and exciting battles with Dublin have masked a competition in real decline nationally. Once we were knocked out this year early – it was soon apparent the emperor has no clothes.
Competed or put it up to the Dubs is another name for losing. Last time Mayo played Dublin in a SF I think there was seven points in it. It would seems claims that we better as losing is where we are at with some.
What a team in fairness. Looked like they were out for a training session in the second half
Commendable first half performance by Galway but simply overran in the second half
When will the Dubs dominance end? Think we’re looking at 6/7 in a row at least anyway, perhaps until a new Kerry team can arrive… insane dominance
Ciaran i reckon If Mayo can unearth 2 scoring forwards a midfielder and a fullback we’ll win Sam in the next 2 years
Cheer up Berry, ye still have the hurlers in fairness.
After the Kerry win, I was full sure Tyrone would knock them out in the semis but Monaghan dispatched that theory. Still its very refreshing to see them hammered out the gate, to a Dublin team in 4th gear at best. Never saw Rock play so poor and still they won by 9 and were up by 12 in the 72nd minute. Looked like a training match for the Dubs, delighted for the p****s who put up the signs on the border. Galway had a great momentum this year and it all went to shit again for them. A very happy South Mayo man here tonight…roll on the FBD.
It’s embarassing reading all the Mayo fans “at least we can give Dublin a game” etc etc. we haven’t beaten them since 2012 and I saw nothing to suggest it would have been different this year. We need to lose the “arent we great – we can give Dublin a game” attitude. That sounds like we are happy with losing – what a terrible mindset.
Apologies Berry,misread your post, thought you were a Galway man, off course the Mayo hurlers are long out of their championship.
Mayo or Galway are not going to be winning Sam in next two years lads thats just deluded stuff if its not meant as a joke. Mayo at their peak lost to Dublin each time it counted and Galway while not yet at their peak are way off Dublin. Rochford doesnt have a bench at all and Walsh while he has more than Rochford on the bench its nothing like whats available to Gavin. Kerry are also miles off the pace and it will take years to stabilise them and by that stage if Dublin keep their foot on the pedal will be out of sight. Tyrone maybe have a system but overall the standard of their players is also well off Dublin. Dublin winning 6/7 even 9 in a row is probably a stretch but certainly not impossible.
That game today should seriously worry the GAA bosses For starters a Dublin team chasing four in a row can only bring a crowd of 54,000 to a Semi Final It was hard to make out from the TV how large a crowd Galway brought but as others have said if that was us it would have been a sell out. Much more worryingly for the suits is how easy it has become for Dublin. Playing at only 70% intensity at best they have strolled to yet another final and it won’t be any different in three weeks time no matter who wins tomorrow(which I hope will be Monaghan for the sake of novelty).
Its little consolation to Mayo people but the reality is that we are the only ones to have stretched the Dubs since 2014 and forced them to dig deep to win. Some on here and elsewhere have been saying that they are in decline but when the opposition is just not up to the challenge you don’t need to be a team on the rise.
For the sake of the competition it is essential that more than one team step up to the mark next year whether it is Kerry, Galway or ourselves or someone else otherwise it will continue to be the borefest this year has become. Tomorrow we can expect a traditional Ulster slugfest which will be a sideshow before the inevitable happens in the Final.
Galway will be back next year stronger again. We can look back at our recent games against Dublin and say we competed well but we ultimately lost at the end of the day. We’ve a lot of work to do over the winter to beat Galway next year, never mind Dublin.
Sadly I cannot agree at all Backdoor Sam
With the Super 8s I can only see the gap widening between them and the rest. Gives them an ideal opportunity to start full-throttle training later in the year and to find their best team and blow off any rust after the Leinster procession
Sadly I think we have missed our real chance – particularly in 13 and the first game 16
I don’t think we’ll even make the semis next year tbh
Galway won’t be winning any All Ireland in the next year or two. This year was their chance, all they had to do was beat Monaghan at HOME and a potentially easier semi final awaited, yet they choked. Thats 2 games in a row they’ve shipped a hammering. Galway have been found out. They had a bit of Donegal 2012 momentum about them this year, but the old failings came back to haunt them. When you drastically change your style from one season to the next, you really only have that first season to get over the line, Galway have wasted that chance. More average players than outstanding, Walsh the only top top forward. Comer hit and miss, nowhere to be seen in the second half.
Strangely I think getting knocked out early was the best thing to happen this group. The minute Tom P was stretchered off, any chance of potentially beating the Dubs was gone. Then Seamie really knocked the timing chain out of the engine. Had we struggled on and got bet in yet another final our players would be wrecked again. We were never gunna beat Dublin missing them 2. So when Dublin win the final, its as you were and focus on 2019. If Galway had sneaked Sam this year then I think that would finish off some of our players, twud a been too much to stomach.
But now we’ve had a great rest and could be seiriously dangerous next year again. All about blooding a few young bucks, with the elders there to guide them along.
After today’s game, anyone who doubted what Mayo bring to the table got their answers. In my earlier post, I felt optimistic because I felt that Galway would draw on the “heroic performances of several Mayo players in last year’s final”. Alas, this did not happen, and we got a serious trimming! Fair play to Dublin, they are a class team. But my point is, there is no need for Connaught to be so parochial – look at the history of AI titles won. OK, Kerry and Dublin are well able to look after themselves as regards success – but I would always support a Connaught side regardless, because, let’s face it, we all need it..
.mayodunphy
Galway have a few more chances coming given our underage success and the age profile of our current team. I firmly believe we will win Connaught in 2019 and qualify for the Super8. Not all Mayo fans believe in the “rest” as a good thing for Mayo football. Where these young scoring forwards will come from is much discussed on here but perhaps the reality is the players coming through are not as good as the lads that almost won the AL so Rochford continues to use the older lads as he has no other choice.
Galway didn’t change their style this year. I’d say they were more defensive against us in 2016. There are a couple of passengers in the team but they’ve young players coming through.
I don’t see Monaghan or Tyrone getting as close to Dublin in the final.
As some auld Galway footballer wrote after a league game, a couple of seasons ago.. “I was delighted to see Cavan beating Mayo”
I have to say today that I was delighted to see Monaghan beating Galway. Monaghan for Sam!
You can dress them up as champions – but you can’t let them out. Three in a row – as Connacht Champion Failures.
I deafinitely wont be heading to the final this year, no joy or buzz in Croker anymore due to Dublins dominance.
This is what I witnessed from the Cusack stand today.
Galway have a very low fan base, very few supporters there today.
Poor crowd for a semi final.
The Dubs teasing Galway in the 1st half.
The Dubs could run through the Galway team with such ease.
Galway threw in the towel after missing the penalty.
No bottle to shoot for a point from alot of their players.
Their so called defensive system is myth.
I find it very hard to figure out how Galway beat Mayo in Connacht.
The Dubs have it easy now with Mayo gone.
I long for the good old days when games were competitive and went down to the last minute.
Galway poorest tackling team I have seen in Croker for a long time.
At this stage will get more of a kick seeing the Pope in Dublin rather than going to Croker.
Reamonn, we’ve had a biteen of under age success ourselves over the last few years. Lots a bold predictions there, becareful because you sound like your catching a dose of Rossieitis with that under age success talk ;). Ah look a great year for ye in fairness, ended in failure but that is Sport. Im not being smart here, but that Kerry team was not a patch on the kerry of even a few years ago. Still the monkey had to be thrown and fair play ye did it. Won’t say commiserations coz im delighted yer out. But for a team who had’nt won a game in Croker in 17 years, it was’nt a bad 2018.
Keep moving forward….Monaghan didn’t beat Galway today, it was Dublin.
Some very embarrassing comments on here this evening from people looking for plaudits because Mayo got closest to Dublin in recent years.
The gap between Dublin and Mayo will widen in the next few years, and it’s time people wake up and realise that.
We had our chances, and history will show that we were good , but not good enough.
Mayo might not have been in the so called super 8s but what this year will prove is that pound for pound they are still the only team capable of beating this Dublin team as hard as that is for so many people to hear .
The sweetest time to beat Dublin would be to prevent them from a 5 in a row .
Rise and follow your County .
Keep the faith !
Reamonn,
Yourself and your lemons….. sticks and stones blah, blah, blah. Look, the long and the short of it is that Galway were a long way short of Dublin today, and I for one was glad to see the tactics that they have displayed all year, (which in fairness has brought them to an All-Ireland semi-final) were shown up by the best team in the country today. The manner in which Comer, Kerin, Conroy and Co have gotten away with their thuggish behaviour all year, and benefitted from key sendings-off as a direct result of those tactics has to be called out. Today, against McMahon, Cooper, Small etc, who are masters at that game, it didn’t work. Where was Comer for the second half? He hardly touched the ball. How many frees did Walsh put wide when the pressure was on? Where was Burke once Fitzsimons was put on to mark him? Fact is they disappeared when the going got tough.
After the last 7 years this year’s championship has been such a let down. And it’s not just because Mayo were knocked out early. Overall it has been woeful from an entertainment perspective. It started with the Mayo v Galway game in May and with the exception of the odd game such as Mayo v Kildare Monaghan v Kerry it has been brutal. The Super 8s have been far from super and cramming 2 semi finals into 24 hours is a joke. To only see 54000 at an AI semi involving Dublin is shocking. There was a bigger crowd at Mayo v Kerry last year and Kerry don’t even travel. No doubt Mayo are missed and that’s not being just sentimental. They have been involved in a series of exciting matches over the last number of years and bring great passion and colour and fantastic entertainment. I wanted Galway to win today but they were very disappointing and really did not look as if they believed they could win Happy enough to lose respectably. We were like that in Mayo for a long time but not since JH took over as manager. Gaelic Football is in decline,4 poor provincial finals and now a poor semi final. Hopefully Monaghan can do something to liven it up.
Anyone at any county league games this evening- how did current and possible future county players perform.
Young Fella
You are right that they didnt play well in 2nd half but they have no experience of this level so they will have to learn some hard lessons from todays match but three games against Dublin this year is better than anything else to gain experience. Thuggish behavior are you talking about Diarmuid O Connor there or what? Galway are going to be hard for Mayo to beat in Connaught and if ye cant beat us no matter how average ye think we are then getting to the business end of the championship through the qualifiers with an aging team is going to be difficult and more rest years might be required.
Just a thought.Is it worth the next mayo management pursuing Colm Basquel to play with us next season as he is currently seeing very little game time with Dublin. Given his mayo connections I believe he would be worth talking to.
I thought galway would run the dubs closer. Take away the goal at end and it was some trimming and not worthy of an All Irl Semi.
Galway have lots of talented players but no real leaders and particularly in the middle third. Conroy was a big loss. You’ll win nothing without leaders, men in the heat of battle who you can rely on.
The Super 8’s is going to heap coal into the boiler of the runaway train that Dublin has become. It’s tailor made for their huge panel and their age profile is getting younger and younger, Murchan looks like he could be playing in the exhibition game at half time. Dublin didn’t have to leave 3rd gear today, they played with no intensity. Compare the casual stroll back to his marker after scoring a free from Rock as opposed to the violent shoves in the back against Higgins when he scored. Dublin brought out the best in us and vice versa. The reality is that the scoreline flattered Galway and while I take no joy from their defeat, the signs in Castlebar and the sly reminders about 98 don’t leave me full of sympathy either. I think it could be a while before we’re putting the Dubs to the pin of their collar but the break should leave us in a good position to win Connacht again. Ultimately, I’m glad we went out with our boots on in Kildare than take a pasting in Croker.
Agree with that Liam. Galway was very disappointing today and Walsh’s goal made it look a little better. No forwards bar Walsh. Others lack intensity when the pitch is raised. We were just as well to bow out in Newbridge. We only have the bare minimum in numbers to face the Dub’s in full flight. With Tom Seamus, Lee and Donie out we would have struggled in the super 8’s. It was a typical approach to a semi final by the Dubs. We have seen this approach over the years. They do not like to show their hand until the day of the final. They were trying to win this in 2nd gear. If we had a half dozen of their subs we could really make a game of it.
Over 66,000 attended semi final last year between mayo and Kerry. Only 54000 attended today’s semi final between Dublin and Galway.
I just think the GAA is facing a serious crisis. If anyone new to the sport was told Dublin receive 16 million in central funding and the next county receives half a million, despite the success they have already had, they’d have you locked up. If Dublin keep winning handy all Ireland’s the sport will die. Even their own fans are losing interest now. The crammed up championship has done nothing to help either.
Im hoping the core mayo panel are relaxing and away from football the past few months, enjoying themselves. Im hoping fringe players are practising, in the gym and getting themselves right. You wont break into this Mayo squad on skills alone. You need to be physically and mentally tuned in. I hope Rochford is speakind directly with these guys, and telling them what he expects. You can have all the good u20 players in the world. The step up to senior intercounty, and to a team that expects to win an all ireland takes huge dedication and sacrifice. If Mayos young guns arent prepared for that then theyll never make it nor do they deserve to. Horan said he wanted Mayo be consistently competitive. We now need to aim higher. We now need to be winners. Losing finals has almost become accepted. It shouldnt be. Losing so many finals is embarrassing. We need a win at all costs mentality.
I have to say I thought Dublin were well off their usual self. They were just going through the motions a lot of the time and were often unusully complacent lacking that killer instinct that could have killed off the game before half time even. Agree with Backdoorsam definately think if we can get everyone back and bring in a few additional players in key areas for next year there’s an All-Ireland to be got.
I was in Croker today and I felt empty. Football is dying. I watched a wonderful u-20 final last week and it was superb. Flowing football. Great football.
Galway were terrible today no matter how u cut it up. Terrible. Dublin were really uninspiring.
Ciaran Whelan made an idiot if himself this week saying dubs not defensive…people don’t like Sean kavaghnan in this site but he nailed it. Dublin are ultra defensive- Galway wins ball…15 men inside 65 within 15 seconds….all day Galway kept 2 forwards up….Whelan stop talking shite….of course Dublin are better I’m every thing else but this is mouriho for GAA shit….horrible horrible stuff…in another era ciarana kilkenny would be a good player but would not win a medal without greats….this new game he is by a sad fucking mile the best and most important player in the country…he would not lace Conor McManus l, Shay Walsh, Ciaran McDonald’s, several others boots in terms of talent….but no question he is so so good now….and that makes me sad….makes me wonder what I’m watchinh?
So Galway found out the hard way, what it’s like to face the Dubs in the latter stages of the Championship and it wasn’t pretty watching, in that second half. As Connaught champions and having defeated Mayo on three consecutive occasions, this Galway team cannot claim to be inexperienced at this level of football. Having put behind them a great run in the League, a Connaught title, and putting Kerry to the sword in the super 8s, this was their time to shine, this was their time to lay down a marker that we’re different. The time was now, today was the day to rip into and rattle the Blue Wave, make them sweat for their victory at the very least, but no, Galway threw in the towel and headed west with their tails between their legs, facing another winter wondering what might have been?
Probably going to disagree with a few of the recent poster’s….. Galway had their best year in almost two decades, Mayo had their worst in the best part of a decade… While we weren’t riveted to our seat’s like when Mayo have played the Dub’s,… Mayo just tear up the script, when at their best! … Can we get back to near that?.. I don’t know, I hope so! ….. Look at Galway, they made hay, long high ball into the full forward line, had some considerable joy in the first half.. Second half, every long high ball in the Full forward line by Galway, Dublin win the ball, counter attack, Dublin get a score… If the Saturday Game live is anything to go by, not saying Galway done it because of the drivel of O’Rourke and Spillane, but they should have varied the attack because Dublin were obviously going to be prepared for what worked in the first half. … So take absolutely no heed of Spillane or O’Rourke..or listen to the nonsense weasle word’s of someone who’s there, with the purpose to be there for the next match, getting paid by the TV licence payer’s. . Dublin are too good to be caught out by a repeat of the same.. Gavin is too good not to have planned for Galway doing the same thing that yielded Galway some success in the first half… And Jim Gavin is absolutely ruthless…
Dean Rock, the radar from frees was slightly off its usual percentage, and despite playing reasonably well gets the curley finger.
.. This is Dublin… Galway are certainly not without hope to make progress next year…. Neither are we, Mayo… We need to change more than Galway… Wait until you see how it goes… Galway beat Kerry in the league and Championship, wait until you see how Kerry targets their revenge on Galway… Tyrone will not take them as easily, like possibly they did for the first league league match of the season like happened in Tuam last January … As for Monaghan, Monaghan are on the Up and Up regardless, a first Semifinal in decades… The league or last Spring, outside of Dublin, who really target everyone for a Victory, their aim was to take the spoils of a big name, and by hook or crook, the team they targeted was Mayo…. Probably in the correct belief that Dublin’s consistency, making them ‘A Bridge too Far’…
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Hello to you all.. just popped in.. ill say this, What a great win for our minors, our Conveyor belt is moving nicely, ive just had a quick look at some of the comments on today’s senior game but won’t comment on some of them at this hour.. ok. If any of my Mayo friends has 2 spare tickets for next Sundays hurling i will be ever in your debt… BTW ive tried Ballina and no go.. but please please anyone else.. get in touch.. I’ll pay well…..Ok within reason!!
Schadenfreude the dominant theme here tonight.
However, while I subscribe to the ‘Mayo the only ones to put it up to the Dubs’ line, and while I back Rochford to the hilt, we could struggle to reach an AI final – in the next 5 years. They are desperately hard to get to, never mind win. At present we have no midfield, and can only rob from other positions. We don’t know when, or if, Tom and Seamie will be back. The rest is badly needed, but when you step off the roundabout you lose that ‘pitch’ we were able to maintain for a long time.
Let’s just hope some talent emerges.
Kiltimagh mitchels today was a low scoring but high quality game kiltimagh put it up too mitchels and should and would have won it in the end only for a last gasp Neil Douglas point and kiltimagh were missing 6 or 7 players what’s that saying SMALL CLUBS AREN’T BEEN USED PROPERLY there clearly is talent in kiltimagh and they never even get a look in as a proud mitchels man I was disappointed with the level of quality in our play with former and present county players..
@Done Deal… Yes over 66,000 last semifinal between Kerry and Mayo… And the Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmorris was appealing for more Kerry fans to come to the Replay because only a handful turned up for the drawn match… Even less than what Galway had versus Dublin… It’s a fact that Mayo had considerably more fan’s at the All Ireland Semifinal last year, than the total of the Dublin, Galway Semifinal this year…. I seen pictures of Dublin fan’s asleep in Croke Park yesterday… Mind you an awful lot of the football this year would hardly keep you awake…. The hurling has been brilliant… The Super Eights have been poor…. Dublin (just in the interests of fairness, not because they continue to be the best team in Ireland, for far too many years now, need to play games at other teams home Ground’s,.. Just like everyone else is expected to play in Croke Park… Maybe a bit of an airing in the Countryside might keep the Dub’s awake, as the march onto a 4/5/6 or even 7 in a row… Maybe could mix a bit of relaxation watching championship football and a bit sight seeing by the Wild Atlantic Way, or the. Hidden Heartland or even the Epic East outside of the Pale!… Time to stop dreaming ‘Leantimes’, I say to myself… The Big Wigs will never go for that!
The big Blue pancake maker rolled on yesterday. Yesterday it was Galway pancakes. Next week, Monaghan or Tyrone.
I didn’t think Galway were as poor as many are saying. Comer kicked an outrageous point from out the wing.
Dublin I thought were really good. I mean really good. They had 5 or 6 contenders for man of the match but for me Jack Mcaffrey was close to brilliant.
It’s tough though to watch an all ireland semi final, a team winning it by 9 points, could have been 15 and I would safely say, the match took less out of them than any of their training sessions this year.
Mcaffrey even said in his interview afterwards that it was a bit of fun. Imagine, an all Ireland semi final and one side, the big Blue pancake maker thought it was a bit of fun.
The football championship should now be renamed something else like the cat and the mice or the cabbage and the sprouts.
The people in charge are in no small part responsible for the dogs bollicks which the football championship has become.
The monster is alive, the monster is been fed and the monster is doing quite well thank you very much.
A run away metropolis afforded everything going to its advantage. Well done to the powers that be for taking the fairness and equality away from the game of gaelic football. Well done indeed.
Pump that blue monster. Keep it rolling, there’s other little shit hole counties to be squashed.
Keep up the great work. Football is still been played in other parts of Ireland outside the pale. Find it blue monster. Find it and suffocate it.
When the dogs bollicks football championship has been fully frigged the Einsteins at the helm can turn their attention to screwing up the hurling championship.
I don’t blame the Dublin players, managment or supporters. I blame the authoritarians who keep greasing the golden wheels on the big Blue machine.
Take a bow you air brained pencil pushing shite merchants. You have reared the monster and let him loose. He won’t be herded back In to his cave at this stage. Too late for that now.
I’m reading some of these comments and thinking to myself, did Mayo win something yesterday, best losing margin of the past few years, most band wagon supporters of the past decade. That was Galway’s first final in years, Mayo pre 2011 had a core support and have grown it hugely with a degree of success, the galway hurlers are experiencing the same thing, huge season ticket numbers and scramble for tickets. I’m happy with the year Galway had, they have improved, will improve and have seen what the benchmark is now. Some commenters here were posting months ago that Galway had peaked in Feb, were doing a Roscommon etc etc and were wrong.
P.S. A mayo man beside me at the match told me that the Galway no 7 Sweeney from Salthill in the minor game who was superb was a grandson of Mayo legend John Morley, can anyone confirm that
Dear Lord. Where do galway go from here ? That shredding will send them back years, why even bother anymore when you see the gap that cannot be crossed. The pick of Monaghan and Tyrone won’t keep it with 10 points if yesterday’s charade is any indicator of the lay of the land. It’s sad to watch a great national pastime being taken away from us but hopefully dublin win this final by 10 points and the league and championship again next year and the next 5 years too and that the attendances keep falling so the gaa are forced to split this monster up in the name of sport.
If I was a county player I would be thinking of my life in terms of travel and living the good life rather than sacrificing my 20 s to end up as cannon fodder for the blue cannon that the gaa have built. Yesterday’s disaster was a lot worse than I ever imagined it would be, commiserations to Galway this morning and thank god for hurling and rugby.
Garrymore must be a championship contender this year. Hammered Claremorris yesterday. Have been very consistent all year.
@Big Mike. You are quite correct Mayo didnt win anything yesterday. Not sure where you ar getting your bandwagon support theory from. Mayo always have brought huge support. How many from Galway were at the match yesterday? I’d say the GAA are pretty pissed Mayo aren’t there…yesterday would have been sold out.
Also when do you think Galway peaked, was it yesterday? Maybe some Mayo fans got a bit sick of hearing about Galway being obviously the second best team in the country…on the back of what? A good league campaign, a connacht title and winning their first game in Croker in how many years? Takes a bit more than that!
I think the comments on here were simply pointing out that at least Mayo pushed Dublin to the pin of their collars for their victories. They didn’t turn up like Galway yesterday and get hammered out the gate. Of course you can use the excuse about lack of experience. I have been reading about this Galway team as a ‘coming team’ for a long time now…exactly when are they going to arrive?
Big Mike, dont know why your coming on to a Mayo blog looking for sympathy? Or wondering why some of us are delighted. I and lots of others, are over the moon that Galway were hammered for the 2nd week in a row. It will always be that way. You seem a decent skin and post well on here, but wondering “Had Mayo won something yesterday” seems a tad naieve. I never saw any sympathy from the Galwegians when we actually got to Finals not semi finals, and lost them. The Galway football team couldn’t get hammered often enough in my opinion.
Dave, would you please stop talking about splitting Dublin, it will never happen and they actually love when it’s thrown out as it deflects from the real issue of financial doping. The original idea of a strong GAA in Dublin was against the backdrop of soccer’s success in the 90’s and Rugbys in the 00’s. This quote in the Independent from Ewan McKenna will give you an idea of the disparity in funding,
“We know that meetings with Bertie helped taxpayers’ money be specially transferred to Dublin in the form of games development grants and that totaled €5m between 2005 and 2009. For perspective that would take Mayo 38 years to earn given their last allocation. It quickly gets worse as between 2010 and 2014, taking the GAA’s games development funding per registered player per county, Mayo were at €22.30, Tyrone at €21, Kerry at €19. As for Dublin, €274.70.
On that Croke Park development money, the national average outside of Dublin in 2016 was €153,570, but Dublin got €1,463,400”
Do you see why Dublin love to see the debate about splitting the county come up, it deflects attention from the real travesty. Can you imagine if we had a full time coach in every senior club in the county who went into the local schools twice a week? The problem is that their are too many of the GAA hirarchy, past and present, who have created this monster and they’re afraid to put up their hands up and say “Stop, we got it wrong”. Seán Kelly was at it again recently, doubling down and saying we need a strong Dublin. We got the first glimpse of it yesterday with the poor attendence, people will stop going to games if they know that their team is going to get pasted and I think the clear possibility of 5/6/7/8 in a row is starting to make people pay attention. The reason hurling is so enjoyable at the moment is that there are 6 or 7 teams who can beat each other on any given Sunday.
We could be a couple of years building a team that can put it up to Dublin again and people need to realise that. We need to introduce 4/5 players in the league and persevere with them. As was mentioned by a poster above, we also need to look at our club structures to see are we getting the best out of what we have. He highlights Kiltimagh as an example with no county representation, another is the likes of Cathal Horan who played last Sunday and is a superb footballer, but the reality is that he will fade away if he is left to play junior with his club.
No point aiming to peak in August as we did in years gone by, we need to go bald headed for the Connacht title and put a few teams on their arses, Galway in particular. We can see how things pan out after that.
Agree with previous posters the championship was boring this year, Mayo always bring excitement, will be an easy final for Dublin this year, gaa have created a monster, not easy on the eye.
Hope SR stays on as manager, I don’t agree with all his decision but I believe he is the best person for the job, a few positives to be taken from 2018 season , players who have been on the road a long time will be fresher going into 2019 and under 20s reached a final this year also, I don’t believe the standard in Mayo football will dip as the standard has already been set.
I tipped Monaghan to beat Galway last week and I tip them to beat Tyrone today, but Dublin to win yet again, they will be beaten someday just don’t know when, Kilkenny dominated the hurling for years all things come to an end and so will Dublin.
Mayo will rise again they always do.
Was at the Garrymore game. They were ok but Claremorris lacked leadership. Nally best on view, kicked four from play on James McCormack who went off injured. Crowe drove at Claremorris all evening from Centre Back.
The three Claremorris U20 players seemed to be still suffering a hangover from last weekend but they did delay their departure on team holiday to play, fair play to them
Claremorris short Stretton, Brennan, Gill and brought on Hutton who kicked two.
Garrymore short Killeen, Slattery and Deeley.
Interesting to note that McCallig sent off and neither of the recent Mayo underage goalkeepers were togged out to come on, Mulligan or Saunders.
Should be a cracker with Garrymore & Charlestown two of the form teams in the county
@Walterwhite there were 20 odd thousand at the Mayo Cork QF in 2011, a good core vocal support, there was 50k at the semi that year with Kerry, the following years success added to this, that’s a fact and I shouldn’t have used the term bandwagon. I guarantee the season ticket numbers grew over that period similar to what’s happening currently with the Galway Hurlers, again linked to success. I work with 2 sound Mayo lads, who have been at every quarter, semi and final in the last few years, didn’t go to Galway, Limerick and tipp games but were outraged when they couldn’t get to newbridge and in the last couple of weeks I discovered they have no idea who Donie Buckley is. You ask how many attended yesterday from Galway, not a whole lot but Thurles the week before was a sell out as will next Sunday in Croker. You ask when did Galway peak, I would say at the initial stages of the super 8s when they qualified with a game to spare.
@mayodunphy I’m not looking for sympathy, I was happy with the year Galway had like I said, and to your other comment about loving seeing Galway hammered, I don’t really know what to say but whatever keeps you happy.
Anyway I appreciate I’m only a guest here so I’m off for now
Liam
I mentioned it once recently, and no I won’t shut up, if I want to mention it I will. What alternative do you have to splitting them up? Was yesterday’s disaster not enough for you? Once we see swathes of empty seats in a final, maybe then a few will question it. And please don’t confuse Kilkenny or Kerry with Dublin, they won on skill alone.
Dublin won’t be split. They will win 7 out of every 10 in the future. I don’t think it’s so much down to money as pure force of population. 1.3 million people approx border to border with the youngest demographic in the country. population in mayo is 127,000 with one of the oldest demographics. We are probably working with 10,000 kids of playing age.
For example St.Bridigs in Castleknock has 90 teams they will have 250 kids on the pitch for nursery and that just one club in the parish of Castleknock. Castleknock GAA founded in 1996 is the second club and have even more.
That’s the same border to border. That’s what Mayo are up against. I don’t think that’s understood
Big Mike – no point getting upset over it. Galway fans all over social media were the first to drove the boot into us after last years final and again this year when Kildare knocked us out.
As for bandwagon fans…Mayo have a bandwagon but a huge faithful following. Dreadful attendance of only 54,000 in Croke Park yesterday. If it were Mayo v dublin it would have been a sell out.
Good luck v Limerick next weekend I hope ye do it.
Tuamstar For your information we have won a lot of those quarter finals and semi finals that your crowd are struggling with for the last generation .
As a Gaelic football man and a Mayo man I find it sad and a bit sickening to see so many so called football Mayo fans taking delight at Galway’s beating yesterday. Its no wonder that Connacht have such a poor record in All Ireland wins, 2 titles in 42 years.
Maybe its that I am not living in Mayo that I am immune to such bad feelings towards our neighbours, Galway and Ros. They say travelling broadens the mind.
Just because we / Mayo cant win the focking thing this is no reason not to want others to have their own aspirations.
I was sitting in the Cusack stand yesterday shouting for Galway and when they got the early goal I did my usual hop up from the seat in celebration, because some of the Dublin supporters around me were so cocky and actually mocking Galway, ie, Comer was too fat and needed an oxygen tank, etc.
How I would love to see any of the following getting knocked put on the pitch, Philly, John Small, Rock and James McCarthy, all Ballymun clubmen.
I know local rivalry comes into play, when I was growing up and playing club football in South Mayo, I hated Hollymount, they would take the piss in giving us a hammering at underage, one day took off their best player and were laughing on the sideline, unlike the other neighbouring clubs.
I say to the Mayo Board, get your act together, let him go or keep him.
The development of a panel needs to start now not early next year.
Jack McCaffrey tore his ACL in last years final, it baffles me how fit and fast he is only after 11 months of rehab.
Jack mcCaffrey said after game it was a bit of fun. Shows what they think of teams they meeting in super8 and semi.
Doubt he would have said that if our Mayo lads were there. Love us or hate us the championship this year is very very dull this year.
Having said all that I think Monaghan will beat Tyrone today, and will go onn to give Dublin a great game.
Should have read 2 titles in 52 long years.
Good question.. when did Galway peek? I’d say against Kerry in July with only a slight improvement to the level that they played at against us. Granted Conroy was a big loss and we know all to well what it’s like to loose midfielders. Can Galway be happy with their progress this year? it must be concerning to see the level that has yet to be reached. A lot on here bemoans the time it takes for us to get up to championship pace but if you disregard Leinster and Munster for the cake walk they are and compare the only other competitive provence that is Ulster to us. Fermanagh bet Monaghan, Donegal bet Tyrone and where are they now? Tyrone are only properly developing form now. As many of us said here at the start of the season Galway have developed a fine defensive system, tongue and cheek termed the Galway shaul, but have not developed the transition game to attack as demonstrated by having two players up and kicking hopeless long range shots into the D. Mayo perseveres with our transition game in the league.. and sometimes we get hamered for it but how else can you learn and improve new players and let them know the standard required at the later end of the competition . To do otherwise is to limp out lamely in an All-Ireland semi with no idea of how to get to the next level… i.e are Galway going to repeat the same defensive set up in the league next year and be heralded as potential All-Ireland candidates in April? It’s not all about getting there fokes.. you need to be able to make something of it when you do get there. The above is not all about Galway by the way.. this is as much a lesson for us as it is for them.. I still think Rochford is going about things the right way.. peak in August and September if you get there.
Well done to the Dubs. The advantages they have are well documented but some of these fellas have 5 All Ireland medals and they play with the hunger and drive of a guy chasing his first. No amt of money can buy that. They are an excellent team full of very level headed team players with a very astute manager. Whats not to admire. We pushed them very hard in 2016 and 2017 but came up just short unfortunately. Its hard to see Tyrone/Monaghan getting to within a point of them but its sport so anything can happen on a given day.
@Big Mike. comparing a semi versus Kerry and one versus Dublin is not comparing like with like. In that semi in 2011 the vast majority were from Mayo as Kerry are notorious for not travelling until the final whereas yesterday tge huge majority were from Dublin with very few from Galway. Dress it up whatever way you like and I do appreciate Galway is a duel code county but your footballers have nowhere near the level of support Mayo have.
And you found two lads from Mayo who don’t know who Donie Buckly is? Is this meant to be some sort of slight? Id imagine there are lots of so called Galway fans who didnt travel yesterday who couldnt name a member of their backroom team
As far as peaking goes, I thought the second best team in the country would be better prepared as to peak before even a semi final was played?
Settle down Dave, I didn’t tell you to shut up, I asked you to stop buying into the “splitting Dublin” narrative. It is never going to happen and it deflects attention from the one thing the GAA can do right now to level the playing field, end the financial doping of Dublin. The momentum is starting to build against Croke Park as their neutral venue, the push needs to come on next about the money. For what it’s worth, when we beat Dublin, I want us to beat the whole county, not North Dublin.
Yesterday’s Semifinal could have been held in the Hyde, a real Neutral venue , more than adequate for those who wanted to attend… 25K+…even if the bean counters could only find place for 19K+…The previous week replay of the hurling should have been played in Croke Park and demand for the tickets could have been satisfied… Instead of playing Dublin /Roscommon in the ultimate dead rubber and another home /neutral venue for the Dubs. ..That should also have been played in the Hyde, as a neutral /home venue for Roscommon…. The GAA has as much commitment to obvious fair play as the ‘B, Specials’ had for equal rights for Nationalist’s in the North of this country in the 1960’s!
Did I just hear Michael.Lyster announce that Joe Brollys article today was titled “Come back Mayo all is forgiven”..Give me strength..
Was Michael Schlingerman in goal for Kiltimagh yesterday? How were his kickouts if we had an attendee.
Michael Lyster couldnt resist geting an aul Mayo dig in on the Sunday game when Lee was taking about missed chances. “Youd know all about that Lee”. As bad as the Dubs are. Id rather see them win the final. Tyrone are a hateful shower.
Finally a very good match… Could have gone either way, could have been a draw… For the most part a sporting contest… But will Tyrone ever stop, shouting into opponent’s face’s.. ‘Sledging’ as its called is actually a ‘Black Card’ offence… Is it ever punished? , apart from bringing in a free when the aggressor is still mouthing… Hard luck to Monaghan today, gave it everything and came very close.. But the luck wasn’t there for them today… Malachy O’Rourke is correct to say that their should be more than 3 minute’s injury time to be played… Our Mayo Ladies are now out of the Championship, having being comprehensively defeated by Galway in the Hyde, and from a Mayo point of view we have no teams left to represent us… Fair Play to those ladies who did play for Mayo today, I think that those ladies who decided to desert the county team can now reflect on their actions… Peter Leahy was correct to stick to his convictions, and Mayo may have a team that plays for each other in the future…. Those who walked away because of ‘Player Welfare?’ issues, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to welcome any of them back to the fold in 2019… Some very inexperienced girls played for Mayo in 2018 and will be more experienced and better player’s next year… The tail cannot be allowed to wag the dog in either Men’s football or Women’s or else we are on a road to nowhere!… It’s hard now to know who to shout for in the All Ireland final… An even lower attendance today than yesterday…. Should sell out for the All Ireland final tough…. It was €80 last year for a ticket, almost definitely it will be more this year… I hope there aren’t too many Dublin fans asleep in the seat’s of Croke Park in September… It’s as reasonable as price to pay for a few hours sleep now as you will get in the Capital, with the Rack Rent people have to pay, nowadays!
I think Lyster dropped any pretence of impartiallity this weekend. At half time in yesterdays game I think he left something in his trousers such was the excitement at pronouncing Comer’s goal the “goal of the season”. Spillane gave him a look of utter disdain and said “I wouldn’t go that far”, he should have followed with the hairy side of the hand across the puss.
Good game of football today, although on two occassions frees were awarded against Monaghan that were clearly incorrect and both of which resulted in points for Tyrone, tough to take when you lose by a point.
Dublin by 6/7 in the final.
Hard luck to Monaghan, was really rooting for them today. Just cant warm to Tyrone and never could. They hate us and rightly so, but theirs something about Mickey Harte that irks me. Dublin by 11+ in the final. Really see it being a hammering, hopefully anyway.
Im looking for tickets to see the Pope, appear to be all gone online, let me know if amybody has a few.
Watching RTE coverage over the weekend there appears to be a huge reluctance for commentators and pundits to criticise refereeing decisions and of course there were a few funny decisions. It appears to be comply or it goes to SKY.
Mayo88. A bit hypocritical there.
You don’t understand why teams in Connacht might not see eye to eye, while you jump up because you want the “cocky” Dubs beaten.
If I had not read the word “delighted” used against us, I would not deflect it back.
I hope dublin hammer Tyrone my 10 or more I hate Tyrone people really think Tyrone will put it up to Dublin must be on drugs
No sign of that McNulty today who took out Lee in Castlebar – desperate injury that day. Dublin will hammer them – they were only toying with Galway yesterday. Didnt want to show their hand before Final. Not a bit of sympathy for Galway – such antics all year. How I miss our days heading off to Croker. Hope the players are having a good rest. See ye in 2019.
Can anybody explain why there are five games listed on Mayogaa.ie for the Junior A QF’s on Saturday?
One game is listed twice but allowing that there are still five.
Sorry, Six games listed with one listed twice.
Mayo die hard… That’s a bit strong and unnecessary!! There’s nice people in Tyrone as well, and plenty of them.. I remember myself ‘A sweet little Girl from Omagh’.. She was my favourite!
I hope Tyrone beat Dublin Tyrone fans are sound
What’s the deal with the advantage rule. I saw the ref awarding advantage to a dublin player yesterday who had been fouled outside the box. The Dublin player carried on in to the box and got fouled again. I said to myself ‘there goes a penalty”, but no. The ref brought the play back to where the dublin lad was originally fouled.
Why did he bring the play back ?
.Mayodunphy, that’s a shocking stat: 2 Connaught AI titles in 52 years, even if Galway can say it’s only 17 years since we won our last one. We all know about our losses, but the Rossies did come close in the late 70s and pushed Kerry close in 1980.
Spite is a great motivator and if Galway had won yesterday it might have been a far better incentive for us than the smug ‘we ran them closest’ line, which, though true, doesn’t actually get us anywhere.
only Frank burns and cathal mcshane from yesrterdays tyrone team featured against mayo in the all ireland minor final in 2013.
Article in the irish independent today that Mayo are lining up Jim Mcguinness as a replacement, should Rochford step aside. More than likely just a wild rumour.
Revellino, McQuillan did the same in last years final when Keegan was fouled inside the box while playing advantage, was brought back as free on the edge of the square. At least their consistent with it anyway.
Catcol, ya the Rossies left one behind them, not sure the year, but the rumour goes their best player at the time, took his time travelling to Dublin, had to “stop” alot on the journey up…different times I suppose.
Roger that tells a story. Already we have voices calling for more representation from our 2013 /2016 underage team. In the recent Mayo News spread on the u20, they showed team photos of previous successful u21s down the years. Only 2 or 3 from each team were recognisable as having made senior grade. The 2016 team was a big exception.
2 or 3 really top class players from a good underage team is about average in every county. One of the few exceptions would be the 2001 Tyrone u21s, probably 9 or 10 out of that team.
2006 team
Bohola…. depends on your definition of top class. I would put Keith Higgins and Colm Boyle in that Category, maybe Shamie O Shea and Chris Barrett .
McGuinness would be a good man but it’s unlikely he left pro sports to come to amateur sports. Though Mayo are not your average amateur team, they might be a challenge he would like. The existing team needs fresh lags blended in during next years league in a big way.
That article is a shit stirring exercise if ever I saw one. That is from the paper that labelled Rochford a donkey after the drawn Kerry game last year, theirs a clear agenda there. Rochford has 2 years remaining on his contract and thats the way it is. Rochford going nowhere. I and others knew literally months ago that backroom were gone (bar Barry solan) and Rochford was staying. It just was never posted here in respect of house rules. Basically, Rochford is going nowhere…like it or lump it.
The article in the independent has no quotes and it’s only source is the Irish sun. I think we can take this one with a massive bucket of salt.
Pathetic journalism
Dave, more than likely that Galway flute Breheny writing it under “online editor” trying to deflect from his own county’s miserable failing at trying to beat the dubs.
I always used to support my fellow connacht teams, however that changed last year. I was out meeting oversea’s relations in dublin the night before the all ireland last year, I ended up sharing a taxi with a randomer as we were going to same area due to lack of taxis and who was a galway man from corofin. He hated Mayo and hoped we would get hammered in the final, needless to say i returned the pleasantrys about the state of galway football. Also this year where galway fans placed signs outside breaffy before we played them this year. And the funny thing about the taxi journey was he wanted me to pay the fare from city centre to local area of dublin, so he could get a cheap fare, I paid 1/2 and told him if he had an issue, step outside, needless to say like his galway team he bottled it.
MayoDunphy the delay here is for Stephen to make up his mind. We are all waiting. The job is his once he wants it.
The Jimmy stories are well known and tbe County Board have to be ready if they are told by manager that he is moving on (which has been rumoured too)
I don’t think Mc Guinness would make any difference if there was a vacancy and he took the job. Ok he might get a bounce in the league with a few good results but there’s no quick fix we need to rebuild a little and find a full back, midfielder and a few scoring forwards which never grew on trees In Mayo or at least not enough of them together at the same time
The Sun is not a source I would trust…disgraceful rag it is.
McGuinness has been linked with us in the past. Do the county board want Rochford to step down? This story may have been sent out there on purpose.
Dont think its correct to say that a new manager wouldnt make a difference. As we saw this year in the super 8s. An injury free Mayo team with a few new players blooded in, are still as good as any team out there bar the dubs. We’re not that far off. Mcguinness took over a Donegal team in a bad place and won an all ireland with them in a short space of time. He instilled a winning mentality in the players that wasnt there beforehand. If Rochford stepped aside. Id like him to be given a chance. I dont think that will happen though. Mayo is probably the most pressurised job in football. But whatever manager is the first to get us over the line will be a god in this county for the rest of their lives.
Excellent post Backdoorsam….too many people on here still talking about a challenge for Sam in the next year or two.
The only team winning Sam in the next couple of years is Dublin.
Personally I don’t want McGuiness as manager. In the 2014 final he was shown up as a bit of a one trick pony and has been out of Gaelic football management since then. No doubt he would cost a fortune as well.
Ger Bohan, But why should he have to clarify his position? He signed on for 3 years in 2017. The only time Stephen should make a statement is if he is stepping down?. To me its obvious if he was going to vacate his position, he’d have done so when the backroom team went.
Just looking at some of the reports from club games at the weekend. Ballina had a narrow win over Holly/Carra and Ciaran Treacy scored 6 points, 5 from play. Matty Ruane scored 2 points from midfield in Breaffy’s big win over Crossmolina. James Durcan scored 2 points in Castlebar’s low scoring draw with Kiltimagh.
The sun lads, the SUN, FFS
I say what I see I live in donegal work in Tyrone there scumbags not everyone I see some of the things they say about mayo and I don’t like it so if u don’t like it! !!!! !!!
MayoDunphy, nice one. Correct too. I would say the delay is in Rochford finalizing his backroom team. He is the right man for the job.
Would people be happy with the Donegal style of football that McGuinness prompted? Especially now that the better teams can break it down in Croke Park. The 2014 final was thrown away by Donegal – leaving McBrearty on the bench and not attacking Kerry when they were there for the taking. Are Galway football fans happy with the style of football Galway are now playing? I doubt it. Even Tyrone are changing their style a bit. The game has moved on.
Stephen Rochford is the only man for the job. We played dublin 3 times in championship with him as manager and were beaten by 2 points over 3 games.
I don’t think Jim would take the job but he would not be the man for us it’s only me saying this Jim or Steven is not for us we won nothing under Steven and will not win anything under him he is a nice man trying his best for Mayo thanks for everything Steven
you cant recapture the past. that goes for him McGuinness…………. same as it did for john omahony
Would Kerry go for Mcguiness??
Lads, it’s the Sun, a rag of a paper that I wouldn’t use to light the fire with. Total bullshit story designed for click bait only. McGuinness is pursuing a career in Soccer, has gotten his UEFA coaching badges etc, he is not going back to Gaelic, that would undo the last 5 years of his life, plus the fact that it’s the fucking Sun that’s saying it, cop on everyone.
Oisín McConville on Morning Ireland: “It’s only now you realise how much Mayo brought to the table. They were the team that could challenge Dublin physically. They matched up man-to-man. I don’t see any other team that can do that. Mayo’s early exit from the championship has removed much of the interest from the business end of the championship”
A certain manager beat dublin in 2006, and was pushed ,another manager beat them 6 years later ,lost by a point the following year, the players have to take the blame for this one, more than one of them, The dubs were a whole lot better in 2012 , than they were in 2006, the present management has not beaten the dubs , but had them beaten in 2016 if they held their nerve.food for thought. slan
Grainne, that’s fair enough and true, however we must forget that very very quickly and get our house in order to make sure we return to the top table and be fully competitive at the business end asap and as Catcol said earlier, stop basking in the smugness that we were the only ones to test the super Dubs in the last few years. The fact is, we didn’t beat them, no more than Galway didn’t Saturday and I feel we are at a great risk of indeed becoming glorious losers if we don’t park the recent past, view this years failure to Galway and Kildare as not acceptable as Kerry see their season as a failure and move on purposely.
Wakeupnow, what the Hell are you on about? “The players need to take the blame for this one” what is that suppose to mean? At least elaborate your point.
I think it’s a valid point in that fans can’t be blaming the manager all the time..:while responsibility lies with him, players can not be free from criticism.
Fact is since the heave against the previous managers, we have no silverware. We have gone toe to toe with Dublin but when the chips are down in those finals moments we keep coming up short, bad decisions, wides, shot selection…is it fatigue or are we just not good enough? The qualifier runs have really taken a toll on this team.
interesting post from Roger Milla – https://mayogaablog.com/?p=23489#comment-248462
I wonder will Mickey Harte start taking flack from all the armchair experts and journos for not adding more players from that 2013 Tyrone Minor team to the Senior squad?.
Really feel that Monaghan were screwed by referee and Tyrones sledging and running prior to frees shows them for what they are.Now the point is even Eamonn Fitz recognises that Mayo did not get fair play in 2014 but what good is that now.
G.A.A need to embrace technology and stop favouring those they want to win.
Hard to feel for Monaghan with Pat McAneaney shouting for them.He seems to think his decisions in 1996 are something to be treated with amusement now ….wonder if he feels Nolans performance was amusing.
On manager I think no vacancy exists…end of.
Mayo were good enough at their peak to win an AI but shot selection is key against the Dubs. You cant afford to miss many chances and if you do then more than likely you will lose. Look at Galway missing penalty and 45s and simple chances then we were gone. Unfortunately Mayo have had their chances and I dont think that the current team can get back to that high level and nobody has got that close to Dublin since. It will probably be looked back on as Mayos best chance in a generation to win the All-Ireland. Its hard to see beyond a Dublin dominance with possibly the odd blip but the future belongs to the Dubs given the population etc etc. Perhaps a radical change of tactics by the chasers could shake it up but Kerry Tyrone Monaghan Galway Mayo Roscommon Kildare are all chasing Dublin and if anything the Dubs are pulling away from them all again. Tyrone could easily be humiliated in the final if they dont produce their absolute best for 75+.
Surely the Mayo football public deserve a true account of what has happened with the Ladies this year. As a supporter and volunteer I need to know what the story is or should I just stop supporting or stop volunteering. Stating ‘player welfare’ when it appears it has nothing to do with player welfare is just sticking a finger up to the public and to the 100s of other players playing in Mayo. Tell us the truth
Sinabhuil is correct. If it was Player welfare – this is a serious issue. Have the county board/management made changes if needed to address the issue. If they haven’t – was it the real issue in the first place. Any parent who has a daughter involved with the county team at any level need to be assured that player welfare is taken seriously. I think the statement by the players that left was very vague and puts a question mark over the management and the county board. Perhaps this is unfair – we dont know.
I’ll best put it this way, how come it was a player issue for some, but not all? Maybe Cora will have a tell-all chapter in her book?
I have to credit Peter for sticking by his promise to clubs at the start of the season. He said every girl from every club would get a fair chance, as long as she was of the required standard. Being involved in Ladies football in the county I have known for sometime that there were outstanding players from smaller clubs that were not getting a chance to showcase their talents. If your face didn’t fit, then good luck.
I have to credit the county board also, and I am no lover of them! They are putting procedures in place to filter through better players and coaches in all age groups. For too long one club called all the shots when it came to senior football in Mayo.
There are 32 clubs registered in Ladies football in Mayo, not just 1 or 2.
People were calling for players from the 2016 u21s not the 2013 minors.
Tyrone u21 2015 seven players heavily involved.
Mayo u21 2016 really just three players heavily involved Diarmuid, Stephen Coen and Eoin ODonoghue.
Conor Loftus is barely featuring so far.
Watched the ladies match on TG4 at 7pm yesterday.. We were nearer to Galway than the scoreline suggests…. I think while the Summer of 2018 was traumatic for all involved, and some who decided not to be involved… It will in the end be good for ladies football in Mayo… Some very good players, especially defender’s who would probably be first choice player’s in 2018, had they chose to play…. I’m sure they wanted to play for Mayo, of course some might like to be picking the team as well.. A selector walked away as well…. But from now on the Management picks the team.. This will benefit the women’s team in the future… The Mayo Women’s Team does not exist to further exault any single player or a cohort of players… However, moving on, there is need for reconciliation.. And I’ll tell you why.. Say a club like Carnacon, whose player’s didn’t play this year… Well I’m sure there are young players in that club, who were maybe just a year too young to be considered in 2018, but by 2019 they could be good and ready.. For the good of Mayo, we need to move on without recriminations for the sake of the innocent… Both sides of this dispute have wisely decided to keep their own council on the events.. And the two different views of the events… The real reason is very well known…. Hopefully the expensive lessons of the Summer of 2018 and I look forward to seeing a united Mayo Women’s team, doing what they are well capable of doing, playing Gaelic-football… & Fair Play to those who did this year in what were less than ideal circumstances!…. And give credit to the Ladies County board, for backing their manager, and credit to Peter Leahy for (unlike several politicians) for keeping his promise and giving girls from every club in this great county a chance to play for Mayo!
JP the 2013 minors and the 2016 under 21’s were by and large the same team. Taking the under 21’s from 2015 as a sample is still not relevant – until next year at least.
from that played on the day of the under 21 final of 2016, only the following were not listed as starting or sub for the Minor all Ireland of 2013.
Eoin O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
Shairoze Akram (Ballaghderreen)
James Kelly (Belmullet)
Fergal Boland (Aghamore)
Why blame player welfare if the issue was selection decisions. I don’t mind a fight at all but I hate dishonesty. The parties involved, at this stage need to fess up or else how can any one try to develop players to make a team where the players call the shots and where it appears that one club want to dictate. Very childish behaviour. And if they call the shots why not own up to it.
There was always this attitude in Mayo, “give it a while and see what will happen”.
This appears to be the position of the Mayo Board, it has been a long time since the defeat to Kildare. Mayo board should demand an answer from Rochford asap ( maybe they have one already ).
ie, see how Dublin get on now that they wont be playing Mayo, it will probably look good for us if Tyrone get a hiding in the final and they probably will.
Its funny reading some of the comments on this blog, some people are nearly satisfied that we brought the Dubs to within 1 point. Moral victories are fockin useless.
As I said last week on this blog having attended the Dubs last 2 matches, the speed and fitness and tackling outside the rulebook is something I haven’t seen in Gaelic football in my life, they have brought this to a new unseen level.
Whoever the Mayo manager will be for the rest of 2018 and into 2019, a fitness guru needs to lead the training, a great manager brings something new for any opposition they face.
Would it be a good idea to have John Maughan on board, only for fitness levels.
Paul Clarke is a coach with the Dubs, he is still very fit even into his 50’s, he does Triathlons, cycles for miles.
I wonder are some coaches looking at the Dubs and actually thinking, what’s the point, those guys are just too good, cant be beaten.
For the sake of the game I hope Tyrone can invent something for the final, shades of 2008 about Tyrone this year, they stumbled past Mayo in 2008, they came the back door route, played a great Kerry team in the final, Kerry had won 4 All Irelands up to 2008 in the 2,000’s and beat Kerry.
A serving of Physicality and dirt will be needed and of course a ref that lets the game flow.
KL and Yew Tree: Even with all the shortcomings you describe, we would still have beaten the Dubs in at least two years had we been given a legitimate free in front of goal to win the All Ireland. When Bastick picked the ball off the ground and we weren’t awarded a free to win the match, why were no questions asked. If this had happened to Dublin you can be sure there would be uproar. Tyrone won’t take that kind of treatment either against the Dubs. Galway were beaten fairly and squarely on Saturday. We seem to be so anxious to be seen as good sports that we say nothing, forgetting the saying “Fair play is good sport”
Fitness is’nt our issue, if Barry Solan is good enough for mult million euro players at Arsenal, he’s good emough for the Mayo senior team. Tis fair easy for the Dubs to be at their fitness levels all year round, they all live in Dublin and dont face a 3 hour commute after training. Anyone who knows anything about strength and conditioning knows that rest is the key. Our players dont get the sufficent rest, nor does anyone else bar the Dubs, thats where their biggest advantage lies.
Rochford has confirmed he staying all it on front page of mayo news sport section tomorrow
Rest is massive in terms of strength and conditioning. Equally NB is flexibility and mobility which the 3 hr commute also greatly affects. Tom Parsons talked about it last year. Traveling back from Mayo training sessions he’d have to stop a few times, get out of his car and stretch his calves. That’s dedication and it’s easy to forget what the lads have put in for their county, the half of which we’ll never even know. The small details like that ram it home.
That ends the speculation so and everyone can start gearing up for next year starting with the club championship
conformation that Rochford stays. It will be interesting to see who he drafts into his backroad team.
So Rochford is staying for another year. I would imagine he had some serious discussions with most of the panel before arriving at his decision and got confirmation that they’re all aboard for next year. It will be interesting to see now who his coaching staff will be, as there are some big shoes to fill. We can only wish him well in his quest for glory but he must feel there’s enough talent there to mount a serious challenge for Sam, otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered.
I was at the mayo ladies game yest and I have to say was very proud of each and everyone of them. They played with such spirit to the very end even when they knew they had game lost.
They are a young team and have so much potential for the coming years.
Well done girls and to Peter Leahy.
The number of retirements will be the true test of faith in Stephen.
I’m disappointed that he is staying on. Think change would be good and he is a lame duck without his backroom.
Ah well. We move on and get behind them again
Brilliant news of true that Stephen is staying on,it means that he and team feel that they are ready to smash the Dubs
Delighted to hear that Stephen is staying on. I spent a while searching my copy of the Indo for the piece about Jim McGuinness being approached but could not find it. It must have been included in the western edition for the entertainment of Mayo supporters [and maybe Galway and Rossie supporters].
Be great news got harsh criticism in my opinion.some valid criticism re substitutions but didn’t get enough credit for some great tactical moves re Keegan on smyth keegan on Kilkenny starting Dillon v Tyrone O Shea on Donaghy etc
We the only team that have and can put it to the Dubs
So Rochford is staying on well all we can do is get behind him wish he would go but not to be so we will have to trust him again he wants to do the best for Mayo so wish him the best hope he gets a good back room around him
Personally.. Anyone who thinks that the last time Mayo played Tyrone in the Championship, that there were any master strokes by Mayo needs to look at the match again… It’s on YouTube… Mickey Harte made a total ball’s of his team that day.. Remember Joe McMahon going around marking nobody… Remember Niall Morgan the Tyrone goalkeeper, taking and missing every free for Tyrone, remember that the only goal change of the game fell to Tyrone and another excellent save from David Clarke…. We weren’t good, and neither were our tactics… Mickey Harte made a total Bollix of his team on the sidelines, should not be confused with a good performance by Mayo…. It’s the one game that we should have lost but won..There were others where we should have won but lost, or as was the case in the All Ireland final of 2016 drawn… We should also have won the match versus Kildare this year, on one of the hottest days in one of the hottest Summers… How can anyone justify making substitions so late in the game!.. If Mickey Harte made it possible for Mayo to win the quater final of 2016… Our management late late late decisions on the last Saturday of June certainly helped Cian O Neil and the Kildare team on that occasion!
Guessing McGuinness might have been tempted alright had Stephen decided to move on and that idea would have excited me but tabloid story means pinch of salt. Regardless of Manager, a top back up group need to be in place in next 3 months.
I’m happy that Stephen has done most things right. Like all managers a magnifying glass will be put on any perceived mistakes and that’s par for the course but on the plus side he’s able to take risks, think outside the box and make Mayo a very adaptable team. Also there’s merit in having a manager based in or near the County.
What would strengthen the managers hand is finding 3 or 4 fringe players who really make it hard to be dropped.
On the S&C, I really feel the likes of Akram, Carr, Boland, James Durcan, Regan, Ruane, Reape and the up and coming development panel need to be hard at it behind the scenes come Oct Nov so that they can add that extra strength and toughness the championship requires. Up to 40 players should be brought to high S&C standard. Boland for example could be very useful if he could have the confidence to burst through tackles as well as his tricky side step
.. his distribution is excellent and his shooting is good too but if he played Dublin last Sat, McCaffrey would have likely robbed him on high balls just like he did the Galway wing forwards.
Mayo finishing very late almost every season may have made off season S&C a difficult thing to organise given that even management have day jobs and players getting to Sept need a rest. Pace is very important too and James Durcan is best placed to nail a place albeit a long run for Castlebar could take away some of his County standard training. Akram is the other lad with very serious pace and if he can get good S&C and game time coaching he could be a great asset.
Its difficult enough for a Mayo manager considering we have the highest number of players working outside the county..aside from Roscommon..A manager who is based in the county makes a big difference..Considering Rochford had signed on til 2020 I dont know why he had to clarify his position but he has so now we can all move on..Backroom team he pulls together will be interesting..
As for Ladies I don’t need to know what happened but can imagine some of the ladies will be looking at setting the standard high in preparation stakes like the male players revolt a few years back. They are still the poor relations. In Roy Keane’s case his issue was initially with the FAI / structure rather than management. But whatever the issue, the Mayo women need as good a support structure as possible to maximise chances of success. Obviously the sun moon and stars can’t be promised. But I for one think the fitness levels are disproportionately off the mens compared e.g to athletics and another are where the gap is much larger (without needing to be) in both football and camogie is goalkeeping skills. A good sports science fitness team there would guarantee us success as most other counties are also well behind there too.
Also I suspect but may be wrong, that the women get a raw deal on facilities and other supports that some of the non senior male county teams get.
Rochford staying on. All we can do is trust that he knows what hes doing. Theres huge pressure on intercounty managers. The time they put into the game as well as holding down a job is tough going. And with Stephen being a man with a young family, it cant be easy either. So for all these reasons, i feel that if he didnt believe that there is an all ireland in this team, he would have walked away and let somebody else take over. Hopefully there arent many retirements and a few new players are drafted in to the panel and who knows. We’re not that far away. 2019 will be an interesting year.
If he stays on I think it is a disaster and will end in tears and we will lose another year like this year. Posters are saying about Rochford planning to take down the dubs…I’m sorry but with more retirements a possibility I wouldn’t trust a man who can’t even beat galway. The man is a poor tactician if you ask me and we need a fresh approach. Our style of play has become stagnant and predictable.
Taking Colm Boyle last year as an example. Imagine taking Colm Boyle off in crucial matches (apparently on GPS data). Eventually when he left him on full game I think it was in a semi final he got man of match. The man clearly makes selections on running data ie. Coen and drake but at the end of the day we need lads who can also chip in a few points per game.
I’d welcome Jim mcguinness if any truth in that rumour. A smart tactician who has won Sam
People need to chill out with the All Ireland talk, I don’t believe that is why Stephen has remained. I’d say the main reason is that he doesn’t want to leave his post without winning a Connacht title, or any silverware for that matter. That’s not meant as a dig by the way, I’ve said previously I wanted Stephen to remain.
There will be different aims next year. We will be able to start training in November so can focus fully on the league and hopefully start winning games again, which was all too infrequent this year.
Good, I’m delighted Stephen has come out and nailed his colours to the mast.. altough in my mind, he shouldn’t have had too. Bullshit rumours and every other type of crap I suppose meant that he had to give confirmation of what he already had signed up for. I convinced he is our best option right now. Yes he’s got things wrong but he’s got a hell of a lot right too and more importantly I believe he won’t make those mistakes again. So let’s put this management thing to bed now for once and for all and row in behind Stephen as a unified force.
FDBinashui on the Tyrone starting team last Sunday was 20 year old Michael McKernan at corner back and 21 year old Lee Brennan at corner forward. Lee Brennan was top scorer in division one this year scoring 2-30, scored 1-1 from play against Mayo.
Delighted Stephen is staying. I cannot understand the negativity of some about him – he has done so much right. And he is astute. He, more than, anyone knows what has to change from here on. His aim and tactics for 2017 may not be the same as those for 2019. Good luck Stephen and players.
Yes i think Rochford has decided to stay on because he’ll want to win some silverware with Mayo before he steps aside. Firstly a div one title, if average Kerry team like last year could win it then so can Mayo. Next summers focus first and foremost will be reaching the last 8 via the front door and that would mean a first Connacht title for 4 years. This summer not reaching the super 8s with two chances was a massive failure and Kildare who took Mayo’s spot proved to very average as they lost all 3 group games. Long story short this years poor record of played 15 Won 5 Drew 2 Lost 8 can not be repeated in 2019
Jordan Flynn has accepted an 18 week suspension.
Delighted Stephen is staying on .Bravest manager we ever had and also to sicken some of the experts on here who have been taking pot shots at him since the Kildare match with none of them coming up with a better option . Hope you get behind him and the lads and not waiting to pounce on a decision or result that doesn’t go our way next year
Delighted Stephen is staying on. A good backroom team is essential now. He deserves another year and people need to get behind the team now. There’s only one good side out there and a whole bunch of average outfits besides so I’d expect a refreshed Mayo to make a serious assault on the all Ireland series next year.
A long time reader of this blog…I’m delighted rochford is staying on…while some mistakes made as we all do in every walk of life..I believe he has had the courage to be bold with his tactics…and so nearly reached the holy grail…quite possibly a new group of voices around him and the team and the bringing on of players is the best possible thing to do at this point..no point changing just for the sake of it.. Mcguinness was obviously linked to the top job in Mayo…but just a idea..would rochford consider approaching Jim Mcguinness to join the setup as coach/selector to replace buckley….rochford is known for pulling rabbits outta hats..I really think it would be a fantastic move..That’s if Jim Mcguinness is free and wants to do it if course..
My Ball, well said, top post.
Delighted that Rochford has confirmed he is staying on. Delighted also that Flynn has accepted an 18 week ban. Considering that Connolly got 12 weeks for laying his hand on the linesman, Jordan can consider himself lucky. He should be back for a possible appearance in an FBD game.
Well said My Ball
Delighted Stephen staying with us.
So long as the bad result only happens in the league, My Ball.
Best wishes to Stephen as he continues in the role. Hopefully he will get a good backroom team around him and start to gradually rebuild. It could be an exciting season ahead, hopefully he will target a Connaught title and super 8’s and take it from there.
Makes perfect sense for Stephen to stay on, however he HAS to win Connacht this year. Had to win it last year as well but its do or die now. Hopefully for once we get a reasonable draw after NYC.
Usual gutter shite from the indo reporting on it, writing it with a slant that its as if JimMcGuinness turned it down as hes concentrating on soccer so basically we had to go with Stephen Rochford. Very poor form from Colum Keyes.
Honestly I really don’t know why I read that rag.
Delighted Stephen is remaining, I really didn’t have any doubt otherwise. He will put together a top class backroom team like he did the first time around, he probably only needed confirmation from the co board that his choices will be ratified before confirming he will continue.
Mayo can challenge again next year, as previous posters said, their really is only Dublin, the rest are average enough. I don’t agree that Dublins dominance will continue like everyone thinks. Much like Kilkenny, Dublin will continue to produce quality highly skilled footballers, what they are not producing is warriors, their team is built on a core group of warriors like Philly, Johnny, Cluxton, Flynn, McAuley. They are players of an era which are not being reproduce, the signs are there, Philly can’t make the lung bursting runs anymore. They are not dominating at underage which they should be given the resources they have. In time Dublin will turn into Arsenal, lovely footballers but with no spine.
Fair play to Steven Rochford for sticking with the job. It would have been easy to walk. There will be some continuity now and he knows best what is needed for next year. The best of luck to him. People forget he is only 39 and has plenty of scope for.development himself. I think it’s great news for the county. Substitutions did seem to be a little slow in happening so if he gets that side of things sorted out I think most of the other parts of his managment have been brave and pretty much flawless. We have a very good manager who has come within a point on 2 out of his 3 years in charge of becoming a legend. He fully deserves our support and hopefully he will become that legend.
@Leantimes, I have to laugh at your comment re Mickey Harte, ”he a balls of the match v mayo in 2008”.
Did he not win the 2008 All Ireland final in a great victory over the great Kerry team.
Hopefully Rochford has learned well this past few years, maybe his management team will come up with something to stop the Dubs next year or in 2020.
Mayo88. Don’t think leantimes was referring to 2008. Think he was referring to our quarter final of 2016 where we got by them on a scoreline of 13 points to 12.
East Cork Exile – here’s what Colm Keys actually wrote:
“Reports yesterday suggested that if there was a vacancy the former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness could be approached to fill the role. But McGuinness is intent on furthering his soccer coaching career and is still based in Glasgow”.
Hard to see anything objectionable or poor form there. If anything Keys is subtly rubbishing the report in the Indo yesterday. He could hardly say directly that some idiot in the paper copied a pile of rubbish from the Sun.
It’s a bit of a jump forward I know, but it’s extremely important to win the Connacht championship next year. The winners will join the ulster champions in a super 8 group as I understand it, with Dublin and Kerry very likely to be in the other group as provincial champions, given the lack of competitors. So going through the front door next year is essential. Fucking around with qualifiers and ending up in a super 8 group with Dublin and Kerry and another decent qualifier side would be bad news and is to be avoided. We really owe Galway one next season!
Larry.. we have owed Galway for the last three seasons and have not been good enough… we can talk about heroic qualifier runs all we want, but despite all the talk on this blog and other Mayo leaning places, the players and management team and players unfortunately were not good enough.. and that’s the simple facts of it.
If I am honest, I am not overly delighted Stephen is staying, my main issue is will he stay for the full rebuild? Or will he go if we have another car crash year like this one.. and we are starting from scratch this time next year.
Personally, I think a new voice is what we need.
Wayne. I don’t think the manager can be blamed for this season. Nor the players. The team has been through the ultimate heartache now several times. We were lucky to avoid.the.super 8’s. The team has been operating beyond the realm of belief over the past few seasons but kept getting back up off the canvas after been floored in finals. Anyone that thinks this year was a failure is deluding themselves. This was a years whose outcome was determined by multiple near misses and unfortunate injuries.
Substitutions might have got us over. the line against kildare but the super 8’s would have been death by a thousand cuts. Not only would it have damaged the.team further this year but it would have meant that next year would have been a deferred 2018 with an even more tired and despodant team. We can go again fresh for the.coming campaign.
Revellino….. I agree on the super 8’s… we potentially would have struggled, and yes, the injuries to Seamie and Tom were definitely a factor…..
But 2018 has , no question, been a failure… we barely avoided relegation…. then lost to Galway and lost to Kildare… I don’t think I am deluding myself there…. they are the facts
Galway got humiliated last weekend and Kildare lost to Carlow and then lost all three super 8’s games…. again that is fact… not delusional
You can say out performances were a result of previous years, but that is a bit revisionist after the event.. nobody was thinking 2018 would turn out like it did when we started last January, so to turn around and blame what went on before hand is nuts… sure why did we bother taking part this year at all if that’s the case … we should have just rested till 2019.
Mayo 88… Have another look at the post, Re ‘The last time Mayo played Tyrone in the championship’.. it was 2016…, and I referred to it as the quarterfinal of 2016…. If anyone wants to have an objective look at the stats from that particular match.. Take a look at the’ ‘Don’t Foul’ website assessment of the game… Some things are constantly referred to as Master Strokes.. Like Lee Keegan marking Enda Smith in last year’s quarter final (absolutely no doubt about it, Enda Smith is by far Roscommon best player).. and a good move, no doubt.. But that’s hardly a Master Stroke… Lee Keegan was magnificent in the first half and scored 1.03 from play, bringing Mayo single handedly back into a match that we had gone behind 2.02 to Nil early on.. But in the second half, Enda Smith moved to Full Forward bringing Lee Keegan so far back that he couldn’t attack.. No change was made and that’s bad sideline management… Lee Keegan is the best player ever to have played for Mayo in my opinion… But he’s not the best full back, as Michael Quinlivan had proved the year before and to keep in at full back was very poor use of a player of his talent… That draw, with Roscommon, the very same as the draw at full time with Cork in the previous qualifier game in Limerick was due in part very very poor sideline decisions… Incidentally Mayo beat Roscommon by 24 points, without Lee Keegan in the Replay… If you look at some of the results and hammering handed out to both Cork and Roscommon… We should NOT be happy with the draws we had to settle for… Remember that we could just as easily lose those match’s by a point and we shouldn’t be dependent on luck…. If Stephen Rochford is to be our Manager for 2019, we have to accept it, back the team and the management… These are one’s who will make the decisions… But it will be the same ‘Manager’ and a new management team… It has to start in the League… Player’s who are off form and playing poorly should not be played, even if they are the holders of All Star awards and player’s on form should be played… At least 3 or 4 subs should get 20+ minutes of playing time in every match.. And player’s who are playing well should not be taken off.. As happened to Jason Doherty versus Kildare which was our best scoring forward on form, MotM versus Tipperary, and again scoring from play in Newbridge.. I’d say if you were to be objective Cillians performance from play not scoring and getting on very little ball, on both days versus Tipperary and Kildare … How long would he last on the pitch with Jim Gavin?… That’s where the bar is at my friends, ask Dean Rock!
18 weeks suspension for Jordan Flynn. What will he be suspended from?
Let it go @leantimes … . Rochford staying on . You have pointed out a lot of mistakes you believe Rochford has made which is grand . . Re McGuiness , he would want money to match what he was getting in Scotland and China and no way Mayo couldn’t afford that so he was never an option .Agree with previous poster who said Stephen is a young man with a young family ( and another on the way). Don’t think he’d carry on if he didn’t truly believe he could win an All Ireland.
I think Gaa fans have caught the premier league bug in that a change of manager is needed every time something goes wrong.
I even see some Galway fans calling for Kevin Walsh to walk he blank.
Leantimes Rock was taken off when the game was won. No danger of Gavin removing him if game was in the melting pot. I wish Rochford well. Difficult task ahead. Damned unless the Sam is won and that’s unlikely. Substitution policy has been questioned but sometimes it’s hard to make the right call. Remember last year he was lambasted for making substitutions v Cork when we were well on top and they almost caught us. He was lambasted for not bringing on subs in other games. He is accused of not giving subs more game time. When Boyle was taken off last year there were complaints, when he wasn’t taken off this year there were complaints. If Cillian was taken off in a tight game and we missed a late free there would be blue murder Whatever about his substitution policy most of his big tactical calls have borne fruit. No doubt people will point to dropping Clarke for Hennelly in 2016, but other moves have been successful. Keegan on Kavanagh in QF 2016, and Dillon starting on the same day, Keegan at midfield v Smith from Ross last year, Big Barry v Tipp in 2016 semi, even Paddy Durcan in second half on Quinlivan this year and of course AOS v Donaghy in both semi finals last year. Most of those were big and unorthodox calls that worked. He had Mayo primed and peeking v Dubs in both 2016 and 2017 and even Mayo’s biggest critics have little choice but to acknowledge the superb performances produced by Mayo against Dublin. The way they manned up and took them on in those 3 games was excellent. No sign of any other county doing it unless Tyrone surprise us all and stop sledging and mouthing and genuinely take it to the Dubs.
Great to read of potential talent standing out in Mayo club games. Ciaran Treacy from Ballina Stephenites kicked 7 points 6 from play from a variety of angles in Sean Rices report in the Mayo News, really can’t wait to see him get his chance in the 2019 National League campaign.
Some forwards worth looking out for in the upcoming Senior Club championship in the coming weeks
Ballina Stephenites: Ciaran Treacy,
Aghamore: Ross Egan , Fergal Boland
Castlebar Mitchels: James Durcan
Ballaghadareen: Cian Hanley
Claremorris: Conor Diskin
Westport: Colm Moran
Hollymount: Darren Coen, Nathan Moran
Crossmolina: Conor Loftus
Breaffy: Liam Irwin
Ballintubber: Stephen O’Malley
Davitts: Cathal Hennelly
Kiltane: Tommy Conroy
Knockmore: Peter Naughton, Darren McHale
Garrymore: Darren Quinn, Cathal Slattery
Charlestown: Jack Reilly
Moy Davitts: Brian Reape
leantimes … agree with you about Jason Doherty. He was our best scoring forward, could take on his man and score which very few others where able to do all year. I think from a continuity point of view Its good for Mayo that Stephen will remain in charge. It needs a few changes around the edges no doubt but based on the competition that’s out there in the performances this year I don’t think we should be too worried. Galway couldn’t lay a glove on mccaffrey or Kilkenny and that allowed Dublin to play on their terms we wouldn’t allowe that to happen.
So going on that basis that I think Rochford is best placed to further improve the squad and make the subs equally as good as those starting I’ll back him fully.
But I would really like him to answer him the question why take Jason Doherty off. Does anyone else have an explanation because I think it’s the most baffling decision of his tenure to date.
Its unlikely Mayo will win Sam,but only in our minds and only because its so long since Mayo won Sam. Had they won any of the last 4 finals they were involved in we could be talking differently about them winning in the near future. Rochford gets stick but he had the team bouncing off the ground for 2016 and 2017 finals and they could easily have won either finals, he deserves a lot more credit than he is given, I say we just back him fully, and to him I say, use the young guys heavily in the fbd and national league. And please stop with the subbing of players after the 60 th minute unless theres a real reason.
Delighted Rochy staying on.Lets really get behind him and the rest of the team.
Leantimes I believe its poor understanding on your part, with some rubbish talk thrown in for good measure. I attended both of our last 2 games. Cillian played both games out around the middle of the field most of these games for your information. I thought he played well and got on a lot of ball. People who try to have a go at him can very rarely come up with anything concrete to back up their calls to have him replaced. He is our leader a very fine sports person who has overtaken most of his peers in the game to date. I believe he grew up playing with warriors and his influence on our younger people will reap benefits in the future. That there is so much begrudgery around this team player does not surprise me in the slightest, but I feel strongly it should be called out when ever we encounter it.
If there was a pole to see should the manager go or stay based on facts, there would be only one outcome , do people really believe they can win a all ireland with this team. They did not win it when they were in their prime, what has changed in their favour since then. They are years older, they are not as fast as they once were ,the team was not strengthened year on year , a young player that can run is way better than a old player that is wore out. This carry on with mayo managers is going on for 50 +years ,We now have a manager with no selectors ,what happens if he cant get the right men, ask the question is this the right man to rebuild a team .He inherited a top team it just needed a bit of strength here and there, it was no big job, mayo had a priest, as manager, a td , a bank manager. One poster some weeks ago had it spot on but he has the wrong man in charge , There will be tears in early summer next years make no mistake about this, and another year of waiting. slan
Wow! Over three hundred contributions on this! Willie Joe has created a monster he may never be able to switch off.
There would be rioting in the streets. Keep em coming. I`d have no life without it.
I would not count our chickens as regards Rochford, there is no guarantee the county board will agree to it, and as for the talk about his “contract” there is no such thing as a contract in gaa, the county board have the power to get rid of a manager every year if they wanted
@PJ J McManus.. Please look at the Kildare game again, Cillian did not get on a lot of ball, in fact he hardly touched it., from play … He was very good as usual from frees,!! ,, But Jason Doc was by far our most effective. scoring forward from play and was questionably substituted.. You haven’t mentioned that unconvienent fact .. And as for ‘begrudgingly’.. I have met Cillian and Stephen Rochford, I have the hight of admiration and respect for both of them… Cillian has played many fantastic games for Mayo and will again in the future, I have no doubt .. The better he does, the better I l’ ll like it… But when he’s not doing it, or any other player not doing it, the same thing… No body is entitled to play for Mayo, if a better player on current form is being kept out of the team.. Including Cillian… And as far Stephen Rochford.. I disagree with several decisions he has made.. But he is now our Manager and even gets to make the decisions… I wish him well.. The better he does the better I’ll like it as well.. And the better Mayo do, the better I’ll like it… regardless of who is actually playing.. .But Stephen Rochford hasn’t actually won anything with by far, the best team in Connacht … True, In the past I think the management team got almost everything spot on, for our recent All Ireland battles versus Dublin….Quite Magnificent in fact, and under appreciated my many in the National Media… But, It’s the getting there that has me worried!
I think Mayo need to play to a system. We arent tight enough nor coordinated enough at tge back, despite us having some if the best defenders in the country. Rochford got it spot on im the drawn final in 2016 only for OGs to nail us (what curse, eh!?). But each year in league and early championship we revert to a standard back 6 leaving acres of space down the centre.
For Mayo to be successful we must play to our strengths. A defensive, counter attacking team. Play with mcloughlin or higgins OR both hoovering up possession in our own half and use the pace of our wing backs to atrack quickly…Keegan Durcan etc.
Its simple and im fairly sure itd work!
We have Rochford back again, and may I state we will get same results. This team was in its prime when Rochford took over, with players 26/27/28 years of age. Do we expect that 2019 when those players are 30/31/32 are going to win Sam? If they do it may be THE POPE making a miracle in Knock. If Rochford had brains, and maybe he might use them this season, it would be time to call a spade a spade and pick players who will train all through the season, and stop this stuff of players making themselves available at beginning of championship, and are assured they have a position regardless of what. I wont name players but 2018 showed who was not playing during the league. The subs on the match programme against Galway had not played any game in the League. I agree 100% with Leantimes, Jim Gavin would not put up with the S…T we did this year. If the names that are bandied about as Rochfords back room team. Its goodnight Irene.
We seem to be developing an obsession with winning Connacht again but I suggest that winning Connact at all costs means we will have zero chance of winning Sam. And Sam is what we want to win. If we go all out to win Connacht we will probably have to hit a peak of fitness – not as high as an All Ireland final – but too high to hit peak finess again in August. A lot depends on the draw we get. This year was as unfavourable as one could get – mid May. Galway won Connacht having won that mid May joust but did they pay a price last weekend? I suggest that they did. Considering the effort they made against Monaghan one can hardly argue that the Monaghan game drained them. If it did they must have one big plughole.
AndyD, I dont think all of us view Connacht the way some posters/supporters do. We’ve 45 or 46 Connacht titles and only 3 AI’s, thats a telling stat. Connacht represents the handiest route to the supers thats all it is. Roscommon are an example of having a nestor cup as their pinnacle. They went to shit in both 2010 and 2017 after winning Connacht. Hammered in both Quarter finals. Connacht means nothing unless you follow it up, use it as a stepping stone to the Quarters, with the aim of peaking further in the competition like Rochford has done. If we were to lose a Connacht final next year, but ment we’d have a 2 week break to beat a div 3 or 2 team to reach the supers, then that would be just ideal. Obviously it would be brilliant to win it and get into the group well rested, but Its not the be all and end all. For me, the magic of provincial titles died in 2001, the qualifiers have slowly devalued provincial competitions.
No Galway didn’t pay the price, it was their first semi final for 17 years and last Sunday they were up against one of the best sides ever and if they had taken their chances first half the margin of defeat would have been a lot less.
A new group has to start some where, remember Mayo lost to Kerry by 9 points in 2011 before going on the consistently competitive run between 2012 to 2017 and that included Connacht titles on route and i didn’t see Mayo peaked out from winning those Connacht titles either. Without a doubt in my mind the best route to AI final if this group of Mayo players reach it again is through the front door. That way you know who you are playing in advance and have a 3 or 4 week break before the last 8.
If Stephen wins Connaught but some of our Connaught neighbours overtake us on the road to Sam, would posters be happy with that? That’s the logic some people are using. I cannot figure the comments here lamenting that Stephen has won nothing. So what. We didn’t win what we were looking to win – the All-Ireland. I’m not too upset with Connaught.
2018 was a wash-out – we have been feeling the effects of full tilt for 6 solid years. I do not blame Stephen Rochford for that.
However, I do think in terms of tactics it would be criminal not to do our best to win Connaught this year. It is the best road into the Super 8s and I don’t want to see us going into qualifiers again.
I am not seeking to change people’s minds who feel it is disastrous that Stephen takes the Mayo helm this year but I cannot agree with those opinions, in any shape or form. I would say that if he stepped away from Mayo, we could count our chances of advancing to the latter stages next year as greatly reduced. I also feel that Stephen himself has known for some time that that the way they approached 2016 and 2017 will not be what is required for 2019.
The unduly delayed response from Stephen in announcing his intentions was as strange as it was unhelpful, and
interestingly the mention of Mc Guinness seemed to finally prompt a response.
Strangely again, as far as we know, the promised review meeting with the County Board has not taken place. Thus there is no indication that questions previously outlined by the Chairman will be answered, or anything will be done differently in the future or indeed if the Board are happy to continue with the current manager at all. One would would have thought that proper procedure would be for the Board to announce publicly the position regarding the manager going forward ( following review and agreement ) rather than than the way it has happened, without any affirmation from the Board.This when taken in conjunction with recent public comments by the Chairman, on the matter, is cause for further concern that everyone involved is not on the one page. A strong view abroad is that while there is no major issue with the current manager, it is well accepted that continuing to use the same failed formula and expecting the outcome to change is foolhardy to say the least and as such it is felt that the only solution for Mayo football success at this stage is with an outside manager, with no connections or baggage, who is able and willing to shake the whole thing up and deal effectively with internal cliques and vested interests, and whose first and only ambition is success. As JP2 mentions above it could be foolish to assume that its all done and dusted yet as the Board Executive and club delegates have yet to have their say.
Have to say I’m happy that Stephen has committed…mayo don’t need an outside manager…the freshening up of the back room team is well needed…fbd and national league is vitally important, need to give proper runs with development panel and under 21s 2016…keep the experience and let’s everyone move forward together and build towards January 2019
Outside the Pale. Why were you waiting for Steven to announce his intentions. He has 2 years left to fulfill. Is he required to come out every year and announce in the media he is staying on ?
Jim Gavin isn’t required to come out and publicly state whether he is staying on or not each year. Neither is Coady or anyone else for that matter unless their term is up or or they have stated that they are considering their position.
People are slating Rochford saying he hasn’t won Sam and stating that he took over this team in their prime. If they were In their prime when he took them over why then had they not won Sam before Steven took them over.
People have said that James Horan is the man for the job. If the team were so close to winning the All Ireland when Horan had them and needed just a few tweaks to win Sam then why the fuck did Horan not continue on and tweak the team and win Sam ?
As regards the Jennelly for Clarke switch which didn’t ultimately work, there is reason to suggest had Clarke started the replay we would have been beaten anyway.
In the drawn game the Dubs had started to push up on Clarkes kickouts towards the end of that match. Clarke continued with short kickouts and Dublin came closer and closer to winning those kickouts.
Gavin would have identified the mayhem caused in the drawn game by pressuring Clarkes kickouts and I believe Clarke would have been subbed off early doors in the replay.
Most people only look back to what happened in the replay but if people want a good reason or an explanation for why the goalie change was made then look again at those short kickouts that were putting us under all kinds of pressure in the drawn game.
Revellino – Stephen was asked after the Kildare game if he was staying on and his response was that he was undecided. That is why he or the county board need to clarify it.
Rochford staying on but he’s having trouble filling the spots left by the others Buckley et Al. One has to wonder is there a more to its a dream job for any would be selector a real chance to finish the job. Or there in lies the problem, potential but no real pratical talent coming through.
On the while Galway semi and supporting not supporting them. I remember being in a well known watering hole in Dublin after the drawn game in 2016. Who did I see with the two shades of blue round his neck, only Damian Comer! Look it’s peoples’ preference if they support our neighbors but frankly we owe them nothing.
As regards Rochy and next year who really knows. It will be his fourth year and hopefully four years more wise. His biggest problem or was was his inexperience at managing a county team. That inexperience lead to problems with substitutions and team selection i.e replay 2016 goalie!
Beating Dublin out here, well Jack McCaffrey made a bouncing recovery from his injury last year. This Dublin team have been on the go the last 7/8 years like ourselves but very few injuries the occasional one here and there. With access to their training facility at DCU that high performance gimic, maybe our players should take what the dubs are on or at least a leaf out of their book!
If anyone has any difficulty understanding why Steven Rochford didn’t win the 2016 or 2017 AI finals I have listed below the players off the bench available to Rochford and the players available off the bench available to Gavin.
Now ask yourself. If we had the Dublin bench would we have won both finals.
Answer: Yes.
And don’t forget the 2 wisenhimers who had the feadogs on these occasions.
2016 M Deegan
2017 J Mcquillan
2016 All Ireland drawn game subs.
Dublin
Subs: P Andrews (0-02) for McCarthy (BC 24), P Mannion for McManamon (46), M Fitzsimons for Macauley, E O’Gara for Brogan (61), D Daly for Byrne (66), D Bastick for Flynn
Mayo
Subs: A Dillon (0-01) for S O’Shea (55), C Barrett for Boyle (58), B Moran for Dillon (66), S Coen for D O’Connor (66), E Regan for A Moran (71), C Loftus for Regan (78)
2016 All Ireland replay subs.
Dublin
Subs: D Byrne for Cooper (20 black card), B Brogan for Andrews (47), MD Macauley for Mannion (52), C Costello for McManamon (56), E Lowndes for Small (60), D Daly for O’Sullivan (72).
Mayo
Subs: S Coen for Keegan (35 black card), C O’Shea for Vaughan (ht), D Clarke for Hennelly (41 black card), B Moran for A Moran (55), A Dillon for Doherty (60),
2017 All Ireland subs.
Dublin
Subs: Paul Flynn for McCaffrey 8 mins; Diarmuid Connolly for Andrews HT; Kevin McManamon for O’Gara HT; Bernard Brogan for Paul Flynn 64 mins; Niall Scully for O’Callaghan 68 mins; Cormac Costello for Mannion 73 mins.
Mayo
Subs: Diarmuid O’Connor for Seamus O’Shea 50 mins; Stephen Coen for Boyle 55 mins; Conor Loftus for Andy Moran 62 mins; David Drake for Doherty 69 mins Danny Kirby for McLoughlin 74 mins; Ger Cafferkey for Higgins 74 mins.
Revellino, Since you ask the question, the reason I and many others were waiting for Stephen to announce his intentions was because he said himself following Mayo,s exit from the championship that he would review his position in a meeting with county board officials, and this was subsequently timed by the Co Board Chairman to take place in the week following the U 20 final, which we now know did not ocour On the matter of having two years to” fulfill “, an extension was granted to the full management team all of whom are now gone bar Stephen so a new team, when put together will have to be ratified by a meeting of the club delegates to Mayo County Board., Any manager or management team in the GAA has only as long, as he, or it is retained, as it is voluntary, and unpaid, with neither side legally bound.
Wide ball. Why was he asked ?
If I kept getting asked was I staying on I think I would also be saying I was undecided.
To be asked if your staying on with 2 years to run on your term is no more than a complete insult to the man and has no objective than to stir up the pot methinks.
If a reporter was to ask an in contract Coady or Gavin if they were staying on, the reporter would be liabe to get their head taken clean off them.
I remember Marty Morrisey asking Coady if a penalty awarded to kilkenny had swung an All Ireland final in Kilkenneys favour. Coady went through marty for a short cut.
These 2 or 3 year terms in the GAA are not legally binding contracts at the end of the day. They are just a gentlemen’s agreement which are reviewed every year. Eamon Fitzmaurice got a new 3 year term the same time as Stephen and it didn’t count for much. We under performed in 2018 so it was reasonable to ask the manager if he was remaining. Kevin Walsh also got asked the question on Saturday.
@Wayne Scales.
You should read Jason Dohertys interview on the independent.
You might call what I said revisionist after the fact and you said that what I had said was nuts.
Doherty has basically said in the interview exactly what I had said in my post which you rubbished.
He said early exit on 2018 offers a great opportunity for Mayo to re-energise and come in to 2019 without the injuries and without lads recovering from ops.
When I said the above yesterday you called it nuts and revisionist.
Do you now want to call out what Doherty said as nuts and revisionst.
It seems Wayne what I had posted was much closer to the mark than what you had labelled as nuts and rubbish.
Thanks Jason Doherty.
Read Dohertys interview there. He said he completely stepped away from football since the kildare game and did things he couldnt do for the last 7 or 8 years. I think the early defeat could be a blessing in disguise and give players time to refresh. The last few years, it has been finishing up in late August or September after a bitter defeat and straight back to club football, then county in November. Cant have been easy.
I think Wanye might be at work or changing a nappy……there are alot of things to occupy a fella other than Mayo football…..
I feel somebody is smudging their keyboard and it ain’t Wayne.
Good luck to Stephen in finding replacements for Donie, Tony and Peter, hopefully a FORWARDS coach will be on board.
Young players HAVE to be brought onto the Panel, they would need to be selected this Autumn and put on a strength and conditioning programme and be ready for the FBD and League in the Spring. The age profile of Our Team has to be reduced, the average of the Dublin Team v Galway was 26.2, a number of years ago the average age of the Dubs was 26.7. Mayo going to New York next year is an opportunity for the County Board to raise a lot of funds in the Big Apple. Kerry have raised a lot of funds in the States in the past.
Well said Revellino,I also believe even Dublin would struggle with the injuries Mayo had all year,as for having this panel well as i have said previously if they are good enough they will play
There is a poster on here every 5 minutes trying to justify what the management done in 2016 -ie changing the goalkeeper .In the drawn game dublin scored 9 points so what was wrong with the kickouts . By changing the goalie was he hoping dublin would score less than 9 points , i dont think you would change a team that held supposed best team ever to 9 points in near 80 minutes of football( this is a repeat) they lost the nerve or nerves , The facts prove this . Bringing on old subs that are recovering from injury defies belief ,why not a fast young player that can run and keep pace with the man he is marking, a dublin player v galway got left for dead dont know who he was ,this is a first for dublin one thinks.slan
Notable club league performances from Mayo News reporrs.
Ballina – Hollymount.
Ballina finished strong with Mikey Murray and Ciaran Treacy being to the fore.
Treacy got 6pts from play.
Mikey Murray scored a crucial goal, that’s a habit he has for a big man.
Kilmaine – Ballinrobe.
U18 Adam Barrett scored 1-3, 1-2 from play and a free from a very long distance. His goal involved him soloing through the defence and finishing low. He is a very notable player at u18, he is well built, stands 6’3″ or so and was key to Carras winning the South u18A title.
Castlebar – Kiltimagh.
What was notable here was with a near full strength team it was u21 Rhyne Collins who went full back for Castlebar. Ger McDonagh was missing.
Silly Self professing post Revellino……you have just highlighted that the current management and indeed those before them have failed miserably to develop a squad needed for the modern game by sticking with the same core group over the period thinking that one little push would get them over the line, as a result we have not developed a squad, depending pretty much on 17 players. Reason Dublin had those benches is that Gavin has kept refreshing the team.
No nappies in our house Pat but the youngest lad getting leaving cert results so that’s occupying our thoughts today… definitely more on our mind than Mayo Football.
Revillino… I am bit confused as in one line you say ” don’t even tempt to reply” and then you say “revise your assessment and reply to what I posted yesterday” … but I tell ya what… I will reply… for the craic…
you said ” Anyone that thinks this year was a failure is deluding themselves” and I merely pointed out that, by any standard 2018 was a failure. I believe we played 7 league games and 4 championship games… by my maths that’s 11 games.. we won 4, drew 1 and lost 6… that by my book is a failure. That is facts.. not delusional.
My reference to ” revisionist ” is this…. was anybody saying .. ” oh this year will not be good because of what has happened in the last few years.. we have no expectations, we might only win 36% of our games… but that’s fine cause in 2019 we will be refreshed” . That is a narrative that has developed since Newbridge and frankly I don’t by it.
Sorry about the lateness of the reply, but ya know I have humdrum things to do like sleep and stuff.
I am glad you are happy.. oh so happy…
There is some fool on twitter running a poll to see should rochford stay or go. Rochford is staying. Mayo supporters need to get behind him. Polls like this can be quoted again to say Mayo people did not want him. Anybody from any county can vote on this.
A few posters here predicting failure for 2019, by what do you measure as failure? If it’s winning the All Ireland then you will be correct, we will not win next year. If we appointed Jim Gavin, James Horan and Jim McGuinness, it wouldn’t change the fact that we have a number of players who are at the end of the road and we are in a rebuilding phase. To suggest that failure to win the All Ireland next year will be Stephen Rochfords fault displays a lack of football knowledge or is agenda driven. This bullshit soccer “Wenger out” mentality has crept into Gealic Games.
@ Wayne Scales.
I sincerely hope your son got on well with his results and the very best of luck to him.
I will agree with you. 2018 was not in any matter or means successful.
I’m hoping and I’m fairly sure that 2019 we will be back in a big way.
With the players we have and looking at the calibre of other county teams I think a minimum of an all Ireland semi final has to be targeted and hopefully more than that, but there are alot of hurdles to cross before we get to that stage.
Well said Liam – winning Sam next year is not realistic. We couldn’t win it when this team was at its peak. It is gone well past it’s peak now. Like in Kerry – rebuilding will take time. Supporters have to realise this. Getting to all Ireland finals every year is a thing of the past. We should still be very competitive – O’donoghue, Harrison, Leeroy and Paddy D are as good as any defenders in the county.
I suppose it could be asked what will Stephen Rochford do different in 2019 to previous years that will improve Mayo. I think that Mayo need new players in the forward line and possibly at the back as well as injuries and time has caught up with some of the players but Rochford by his actions suggests that those new players are not there or he believes they are not of same standard as the older players otherwise he is guilty of not giving the younger players a chance while sticking to his favourites. In 2018 Mayo regressed and it remains to be seen if 2019 will see a stabilisation or further regression.
Then look over the border at Kevin Walsh and many Galway fans are asking if he is sticking too long with older players but he can point to bringing in new players each year and can point to getting to a semi final so he is under less pressure than Rochford but believe you me he is under pressure.
When you can point to successes it can also mask other failures and the temptation is to stick with the old manager and hope he does something different next time but where is the evidence that he will do anything different and this applies to both managers.
Brave move would be to thank both Rochford and Walsh and move on but the risks of that approach would strike fear into a county board member.
The scorelines in our results would indicate defenders are needed, several of them. Also we don’t have a lot of depth in defence if you say U30.
I might be deluded but I do think it’s possible in 2019. I don’t really see to many coming to end of the road when you consider Andy was footballer of the Year last year and he is well over 30.
You just don’t know who can stand up and improve 20%.
Injuries cost us this year. TP is a huge loss. Hopefully he can get back out there I just think out level of player is too high for us to go out early next year and yes I do think we could win it
That was a great post Liam and Revellino. Well said gentlemen.
@Liam .. It’s the Mayo Gaelic-footballers, a sizeable cohort of them this current squad, (minus one retired player, NOT Barry Moran)… who took a ‘Manager(s)’ out Stand… And not the first, Mayo team to do so either.. Long before :Wenger: ever landed at ‘Arsenal’… Mayo fan’s have always had various idea’s about who should manage them,? Who should be a selector? A coach? And who should play? And who should be substituted?.. ‘Manager'(s) Out’ is not a Mayo fan led phenomenon!… And I disagree with anyone who says that Mayo can’t win the 2019 All Ireland final….
Has Stephen Rochford’s intentions to stay in the Managerial postition been ratified by the Mayo County Board?
@Toto,
Rochford was given a two year extension to his contract last year. There is no ratification needed, the job is his and will be next year as well unless he decides to walk away before then.
KL Can you name me one Gaelic inter county manager other than Jim Gavin who has developed a panel big enough and good enough to win the AI in the last few years? Joe Brollix would probably win the AI with the quality of the squad dublin has. Now next question Can you name me a manager who has developed and prepared a team with all sorts of disadvantages compared to the brilliant dubs, who actually ran this great team to a couple of one point defeats over 3 games in the last few years/. Was it Mickey? Eamon Fitz, Kevin Walsh? No it was none other than Rochford. Not all credit is due to him. The players put in phenomenal performances in those games, but he had them primed and ready to go. Am I happy that we were gallant runners up.? No way.But when you come from a county which has not won the AI in 67 years and you are playing possibly one of the greatest teams of all times, then you have to say that our manager must have done some things extremely well. This nonsense about not developing a squad is being thrown at so many managers. Meyler the Cork hurling manager got it after the AI Hurling semi. Even O Donaghue the Galway Hurling manager had to listen to it after Galway only drew with Clare in hurling semi. A squad is only as good as the players that make it up. We all know we have been short of those few extra players needed to get us over the line. Rochford introduced a few new lads over the last few years. Some did well, some not so great, but maybe they will improve as they get older and wiser. At the same time some of our older excellent players will succumb to Father Time. Thats the way it happens in most counties with the exception of the Dubs who could probably put out a second team which would make the Super 8s. Fitzmaurice had access to some brilliant young players but could still not make AI semi and Mickey has been doing his damnedest for ages yet this is the first time in 10 years they have made the final. O Rourke in Monaghan worked wonders with what he has but would you accuse him of not developing a squad as well because most of his team have been soldiering away for the last 6 or 7 years also.
We were beating by Longford, and 1 year later we were in a semi final , why? Because J Horan came in took the bullshit out and got them playing a system that everyone bought into exception been Conor Mortimer , I’m going to check but a lot of the players were there the when we lost to long ford . We may need to build but the best person in my opinion is JH, I like SR and I hope he proves me wrong but I think we are heading for another shit year.
“, maybe our players should take what the dubs are on or at least a leaf out of their book! “. Kickhams Man. Maybe you’d like to clarify what the Dub’s are on?? As a so called Kickhams man with 6 players on the Dublin team/panel maybe you have the inside track. I’m calling you out. Because I am a Kickhams man and I Know none of the Dublin panel are taking anything. Don’t like what you’re implying and will be asking and telling around the club about what you are writing /implying
Heres Jason Doherty on Rochy as quoted on Hogan Stand today:
“Stephen has done some great work with us over the last number of years,” he remarked to gaa.ie at the launch of the 2018 Croke Park Charity Challenge yesterday.
“We have definitely developed our game and new selectors coming on board will bring in new ideas.
“As a player you look forward to that, the anticipation of who will be in. And, as a player, it makes you look at yourself. One thing that Stephen has brought in is that nobody is safe, whether you are there 15 years or six months.
“He constantly challenges you to question your own game. You can’t rest on stuff you have do in the past, you have to be showing up on the Tuesday and the Friday before the game. He picks teams to meet the opposition as well.”
Some interesting insights there. Incidentally, if I may name drop, I had the pleasure of sharing a train journey with Jason a year ago. He is a very thoughtful guy and his respect for Rochy was evident all through our conversation.
Wane – if you look at the subs brought on last years final, 3 or 4 of those are not trusted to even start league games, yet they are put on in the last quarter of the game to push on and win an All Ireland! This really frustrates me, with all the effort put in, our end of game management is terrible. Would you not be better starting these lads when things are normally cagey / contained in the first half and bring more experienced players on to close out the game?
Of we don’t start our best team and are six or points down i am sure all posters would not be saying well done to the manager for keeping our best players in reserve,the day we are good enough we will win until then we will come up short
A pinch of salt is needed here re j.doc comments, the owl body language on the telly shows a different picture ,after the galway game in 2016 when the goalkeeper was changed ,the team went on a winning streak, and beaten only when this goalkeeper was changed , those are facts , there is a lot -myth -fiction- and hoping things will change flying around ,but alas you will get the same results ,but on a downward slope . People are saying we are still the 2nd best team , this is delusion on a grand scale, there are 2 teams in Munster ,3 in Ulster ,2 in Connacht , 2 in Leinster, that can beat mayo at the present time, where are the players going to spring from to get Mayo to a semi final. slan
# ? Rank Team Rating ? Rating
1 = Dublin 111.37 0.25
2 ? Tyrone 109.25 3.31
3 ? Monaghan 104.17 -3.31
4 = Kerry 100.68 0.00
5 = Galway 99.71 -0.25
6 = Donegal 95.34 0.00
7 = Mayo 90.64 0.00
8 = Kildare 90.14 0.00
I’ve taken this from a thread on another message board. It’s done based purely on scientific and mathematical equations and since 2014 has placed teams in the near exact order they finished in at the end of the year. The table above is for this year and hard to argue with. Despite what certain people are saying, we are still a top 8 team and we need to remain there for a few years until we can launch another assualt on the Dubs.
Beware of posters who only seem to appear when there is chum in the water, making wild statements and dire predictions for the county, they rarely have our interests at heart.
Where do Roscommon come in the ratings ,they are pretty accurate, Galway should be ahead of Kerry,next donegal Roscommon Kildare Tipp Mayo at no 9-10 i am sorry to say. accurate to a point.slan
@Liam, on a purely scientific reasoning?.. .. On results, hard to argue with it,! but not on merit of actual performance.. I rate Dublin miles ahead of Tyrone… But the first Sunday in September will tell the tale.
Monaghan actually beat Tyrone twice.. And definitely would have done so a third time, had the line ball that was wrongly given to Tyrone, been correctly given to Monaghan.. (Tyrone scored a goal from this).. The Ref definitely favored Tyrone throughout this match!… Monaghan the only team to beat Dublin this year!.. I rate Monaghan far ahead of Tyrone and this year, I would give Monaghan a much better chance of beating Dublin in the Final, rather than Tyrone!… For one thing that Monaghan has is like Mayo, ‘Bravery’ and in the face of terrible odds…Late on they found themselves battling from a 4 point deficit, and reeled off 3 excellent points.. With amazingly just 3 minutes added on, The Goal keeper of the year easily so far ‘Rory Beggan’ came forward and took a speculative shot to possibly equalise… The Ref had his hand up indicating a free in, presumably from where there was tussle and the Monaghan player being fouled off the ball. It was about the 21yard line… Rory Beggan and the whole Monaghan had a right to expect a free would be given from there.. When the Ref is holding his hand up, It is indicating ‘advantage’.. If Rory Beggan shot had gone over, Monaghan should get the benefit of the advantage… I and the point should then be allowed. If not the free from the 21 was the correct call.. And Monaghan would surely have equalised…. Player’s almost always take the speculative shot when the Ref is indicating advantage for a foul.! If the Ref had been impartial throughout the Game, I have no doubt that Monaghan would have won…!.. And won well!
Wakeupnow. Youre a gas man. Youre argument lost credibility when you said that there are 2 teams in connaght that are capable of beating us. Galway, maybe. But Roscommon, get a grip. The super 8s have shown up their level this year. Took an 18 point beating by Tyrone and a 26 point beating by Dublin. And in our last championship meeting. Got beaten by 22 points by Mayo. And you say that they got into the super 8s, but by beating who exactly….Leitrim and Armagh. Mayo are streets ahead. And quite honestly, from what ive seen in the super 8s this year. A fully fit Mayo are a match for 7 of the 8 teams that contested it. As for our other connaght neighbours. What have they achieved after beating Mayo in the last 3 years? Sweet feck all is the simple answer to that. Id be quite confident of reclaiming Connaght in 2019.
Haven’t commented in I dunno how long… To win just once, great comment.. saw an interview with Keith Higgins today, def no talk of retiring from him… thank god, I think he’s vital for us.
outta da blue
i read his post, he said nothing bad. How the dubs are flying from one end of the year to the next, year in year out does raise a question in Mayo minds,that question is how can we do it? What do Mayo need to do to obtain that type fitness and can tom parsons recover as fast as mccaffrey, whos recovery to such a level of fitness is remarkable.
Anyway, Dublin will walk this final, and likely walk the league and championship in 2019 too, you should be more concerned with how you’re going to ease the boredom of watching your team winning everything in sight for the foreseeable future bar the odd loss.
Wakeupnow. Roscommon fans should be keeping their heads down at the moment after their frankly pathetic showing in the super8s. At least every game Mayo are involved in is competitive, win, lose or draw. Ye are a mid level team who are unlikely to break in to the top territory of football anytime in the near future. Any team that gets regularly gets beaten by 20 or so points at senior championship level should not be discussed as a top team.
Will ye get it into your heads there is no such thing as a “contract “
Mind over matter…of course it’s posssible to win the All Ireland next year…if you don’t believe it then why bother?
Rochford must believe he can win the all Ireland, why else would he stay on?
Barney rock is after saying on Newstalk that Tyrone are the only team who will come down and give Dublin respect but that’s it and will go all out to try and beat them…the respect stops there….Barney must have been asleep for he last 2 all Ireland finals.
Having read a number of your post wakeupnow I’m beginning to form the opinion that you are intentionally been a wind up merchant.. to what gain.. aside from your own amusement.. I’m unclear. There is truth in some of what you say but it is clearly heavily loaded on the negativity side to get a reaction. To everyone else I say… Who knows whether we will win Connaught or Sam in 2019. Can we win both? of course we can. Who knows what our pecking order should be based on results, injuries, shite draw that we got in 2018 and really do we care? It interesting to hypothesise and have a reasoned debate away from wind up merchants but that’s all. The County Championship is what I’m looking forward to now.. hope the weather improves.. looking forward to meeting family and friends.. and hopefully we witness the awaking of a few new stars. If you can get out and support your clubs.. this is where a new journey begins
I remember when Meath were going well back in the 1990’s, their supporters would joke than Sean Boylan was giving them some sort of a herb / WEED drink, it seemed to help them enormously.
It is a fact that ALL the Dublin panelists receive the same dinners to their workplace everyday ( probably from Philly’s food Company ).
They get huge home help in rehab with equipment and a Physio if needed.
Years of conditioning / core work and constant upgrading in training methods and keeping the standard to a high level has made the Dubs into the force they are today.
Where are Mayo at in terms of coaching & development ?.
There must be a secret ingredient that makes the Dubs so fast and fit, I understand their methods of play, but am baffled as to the quick recovery of Jack McCaffrey from his ACL injury last September.
It is a fact that some of the Senior players need to be replaced, we all know that some guys can keep it going for longer than others.
I say to Rochford get a full batch of young guys into the training camp to learn the ropes for the next level.
All great teams have come and gone, Kerry, Kilkenny Hurlers, Man U, it will happen that the Dubs will have a downtime in the next year or two.
Leantimes
I wondered too about the ref having his hand up at the end of the Monaghan – Tyrone game but it wasnt commented on by RTE as far as I know but I did miss a few minutes post match. Why did he put his hand up and take it down so quickly but its too late now and just another example of shite refereeing and lets hope Owens doesnt shite all over the final on Sunday.
I thought too the ref had given a free in to Monaghan at the end. But it seems he was gestering for both players to get up can carry on. He had given a free in to Monaghan earlier for a similar 50:50 type tussle and this probably worked against Monaghan for this call.
To win jut once How is it nonsense about not developing a squad. Out of 7 games in the league just Akram and Stretton get a few minutes I think everyone else had played senior footballl before. Monaghan had a 21 year old playing midfield on Sunday. He made his debut in the league against Mayo scoring 2 points
Dave.nothing bad? His line is “maybe we should take some of what the Dub’s are on” Now I read that as implying the Dublin players are taking something others aren’t?? It’s a low type of you know yourself.from a fella who calls himself Kickhams man. And knowing the battle our club has every day wit how we are portrait. I thought it was out of line. As for the boredom having supported the Dub’s 70s until now. I’ll take the boredom over the feeling of been crushed in 09 and wondering where we go after the hiding Kerry gave us.. It does feel a bit weird this year without yourselfs to hover up all the tickets but imagine that will be different next year. See you’s then
I think you’ll be changing your tune on the boredom thing in few more years. I also think you are jumping to conclusions about what he said regarding “ what Dublin are on”. Is there not a gaa drug testing thing that would catch any doping ?
Regardless, there’s no drug to steer a ball over the bar, that’s down to training techniques and confidence and something that Mayo and others need to work on along with their fundraising efforts to try catching up in case dublin have an off year.
@Outta the Blue… Us Mayo supporter’s might go the All Ireland final anyhow, just to annoy ye !..Some of us might even support ye and stay awake for the whole match… Or Maybe Tyrone, we’ll see how it’s going… I’m not sure if this match can actually go on without us being there.. I hear that there is a a few thousand Mayo fan’s, who can’t afford the ‘Rack Rent’ in Dublin as it is, and have ticket’s to see the Pope in Croke Park, they are intending staying there until after the All Ireland final.. The weather is mild enough now and each one would probably save a €1000 they would have otherwise spent on Rack Rent paid to some or other ‘Vulture Fund’… The GAA would never put them out, or the Pope wouldn’t be happy!
Toe to hand, I would agree with you about that particular poster. A troll if ever I saw one.
To Win Just Once – excellent post. This expresses a lot of what I have been thinking. Thank you!
I actually believe it is possible to win Connaught next year, and…. actually also Mr. Samuel Maguire. Who here can read the future to say we can’t? : ))
Michael it’s not nonsense trying to develop a squad. It makes perfect sense. The nonsense is the fact that some people will have a go at managers who don’t win the AI (30 plus in Gaelic football) and throw at them the jibe that they have not developed a squad. As I said previously a squad is as good as the players in it. We have had 15 to 17 good players since 2011 with some good additions and some falling by the wayside. We have not had 21 or 22 really top players at any one time. Dublin have that luxury. They showed it against us in 2016 and 2017 and showed it again last Saturday. Fair play to them. The fact that we ran them so close is testament to our players, Rochford and our previous managements.
I’m feeling very agreeable tonight. I agree with it being very possible to win Connacht and AI in 2019. I agree on our troll. Also agree with Dave on comment that Outta de Blue has taken offence to. It’s just a saying. I’ll have what you are on type of thing. FFS.
If I had come on this site in January and stated that I expected Mayo to just about survive in Div 1 on the final day and be out of the championship by July 1st I would have been metaphorically beaten within an inch of my life. The ‘negativity’ stick would have been applied unsparingly, maybe even the troll timber. If I picked myself up a few weeks later and stated that I expected Mayo to possibly get to a SF in 2019 and not win an AI then the final quartering and dismemberment would have been administered.
Now the party line seems to be that 2018 is no more than we could have reasonably anticipated and that reaching the business end in 2019 after our year of rest is what any knowledgeable supporter should hope for. I do remember people coming on here in February and March understandably questioning Mayo performances in the league and being chided with the Mayo only start playing in August line. Hmm…. I assume that line is history.
My real expectations back in January for 2018 were that we would have a creditable league performance with a fair dollop of team strengthening and reach the last four in the championship. I did not think we would win the AI. That was an honest opinion made without an agenda or indeed an ignorance of all things Gaelic football. I have not yet even thought about 2019.
Berry, I think you make two points. Firstly, you describe your own ‘reasonable’ expectations for 2018:
“My real expectations back in January for 2018 were that we would have a creditable league performance with a fair dollop of team strengthening and reach the last four in the championship. I did not think we would win the AI”.
There is nothing too strange or negative there.
Secondly, you say that IF you had stated at the start of last year (presumably you mean in January, or is it February??) that you “expected Mayo to just about survive in Div 1 on the final day and be out of the championship by July 1st” you would have been strongly criticised.
It is possible that you would have received criticism or been questioned. Personally I think it would have been an astonishing prediction to make at that stage (Jan/Feb) as you wouldn’t have a lot of evidence to go on at that stage. Are you also using hindsight as you are suggesting others are? (“Now the party line seems to be that…”)
I wonder what is the major point you are trying to make in your post. It appears that you are questioning or chiding certain posters last March who criticised those who posted viewpoints speaking negatively of the team.
I spoke out against what I saw as the ‘over the top’ the pessimism in March where a very large number of posters were getting very worried about the team itself, wondering if this was the end, if there was any salvation, what had gone wrong, how in goodness name can it be that we are doing so badly. I don’t see that type of approach as a valuable one to a team in the middle of a League aiming for a 13th May important game. And I still don’t think Mayo are finished, in deep trouble, needing major salvation etc. It was the blanket, absolute nature of the shocked remarks that bothered me. If you are legitimising those kinds of reactions to adversity, while other indications show that there are reasons for it, then this is the kind of thinking that gets good managers or players sacked out of simple knee-jerks reactions. As I said, I still don’t think the tone of some of the reactions was reasonable even if history showed our 2018 season to have finished prematurely.
Mayo are not in deep trouble, terrible etc etc etc. How could this metaphorical you have known in Springtime that Tom Parsons or indeed Seamie O’Shea were going to get injured or that Lee Keegan would get a second injury?
And it still remains that in 2018 we hardly saw Donal Vaughan, Brendan Harrison and other mainstays on the field. Hardly finished. Even if 2018 ended poorly for the team.
When is the Ted Webb competition on this summer, is it still u16 or has it changed to u15 with the change in minor?
Great Post Swallow….
Well said Swallow Swoops.
One has noted that down in the diary re (troll), a very poor judge of character indeed, We shall see next june if i am right. If this management continues as of now ,we will be on our way back to 2010 .slan
Wonder what’s the time frame on naming backroom team .. I’m sure he’s working flat out at it but would probably need to be having them on board in Oct to plan ahead .. Maybe I’m wrong .
What is the date of the New York game next year?
Jr…..No official date but it is usually the first weekend in may.
Thanks Jay i hope to make the trip
Thank you Swallow swoops. Well written.
Swallow, my IF statement was purely hypothetical. No foresight was claimed nor did I claim to have any. I actually had money on Mayo to win Connaught. Hypothetical as in the reaction to me or indeed anybody on here having forecasted Mayo’s eventual 2018 story at the start of the year. If somebody had done that I would have taken it as their opinion, got on with my day and still would have backed them to win provincial honours. Similarly when people questioned Mayo’s performances in the league I accepted it as their opinion and left it at that.
If I have the power to legitimise opinions to the extent that managers or players get sacked then I do fear for the planet.
These are my last remarks on this. Enough of the hypothetical and back to the real.
Fair enough, Berry. I do respect your call for realism. And yes, it’s good to move on. All the best.
Some of ye have lost the plot in relation to Dublin ffs…Mayo players are very well looked after too.
The perceived advantages Dublin may have over Mayo are nothing when compared to Mayo and say Leitrim.
Time to stop using excuses.
Some of Leitrim’s top club player’s dont want to play for the county . Why ?? Huge commitment and the reality is they have no hope of beating us, Galway or Roscommon so they just stick with their clubs . So its hard to see them improving. I’d have as much respect for the lads that do commit and train as any Dublin footballer ! .
Re Dublin , Mayo are well looked after too . I brought my Midlands based u10s up to a tournament last year . We have 30 u10s (boys and girls)which is good for a village . 1 Dublin club brought their C team ..Was chatting them and said they had 180 boys at u10 . Population does help the dubs and success breeding more interest . Just saying ……
Tyrone are in the final this year with most of the team that won the under21 title in 2015 , they are not very big men but very fit and great upper body strength . Mayo won the under 21 title in 2016 and very few of them have made the break through to Senior yet , people on here say they are not ready yet and need more strength and conditioning , that’s bullsh1t , any good trainer or strength and conditioning coach can get build up the body in one year. Get them young fellows into the gym now and have them built up by Xmas and in January just get their speed and ball handling up to senior pace . Not rocket science.
Culmore Most of the Tyrone team that won U21 in 2015. Don’t think so.4 guys who s.tarted U21 final started on Sunday. Burns(taken off) Hampsey, Brennan(taken off) and McGeary. True they brought on a few guys from that team alright. So 4 starters from an U21 winning side of 3 years ago is what I would expect. Interestinly most of them were in different positions from where they played in U21 winning team. Some things however did not change such as the constant sledging and verbal abuse they dished out to the opposition. In that Tyrone don’t change.
It will be interesting to see will Rochford attend many Senior ,Intermediate, and Junior Club championship games over the coming weeks.
He really should have his Selectors or Scouts picked before Saturday week to watch all championship games in Mayo.Isn’t that the main function of a County Selector in that they help in identifying talent at club level.
The Junior A championship knockout games start this weekend and you have teams like Balla and Kilmaine playing at this level who have some good underage talent coming through so it is important these teams are watched for any player who might be overlooked for a County jersey.The fact that we have no divisional Junior almagamations like in Kerry and Cork makes it harder for Junior club players to get noticed in Mayo.
Also I havn’t heard of trials for Mayo or a Mayo News club all stars charity game in years, isn’t it a perfect time this year when we are out early to hold a game like this for charity.A Mayo club all star 15 team versus best 15 of a Mayo Under 24 team something like that, I am sure it would bring a crowd if it was slotted in around Christmas before the Fbd when alot of people are back home.
TH… Maybe if didn’t play the FBD at all….. And a few matches of a Maybe a North, South, East and West selection without any established Mayo players to give us an idea…. Just throw’in it out there!.. Might get 3 or 4 with potential!
Interesting article here about the financial doping of the Dublin GAA, by the National, Voluntary, Amature Organisation that is the GAA…. Indicative no doubt of current Government Policy and much of National Media bias as well. The Current Chief executive of of the GAA who stands over this financial policy was so brazen that when asked as to how much he earned from the Amature Volantary Organisation the GAA, by Brian Carter on the RTE Radio programme ‘The Championship’ he refused to answer!… If Dublin don’t do a 10 in a row, it won’t be the fault of the Chief Executive or other Top Brass which also earn a confidential amount of money per year! https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/ewan-mackenna-cracks-are-appearing-in-the-dublin-gaa-model-and-its-time-to-ask-if-their-house-really-is-in-order-37223231.html
TH – don’t ageee with you on divisional amalgamations, we have a county junior team that serves the same purpose. This summer we played Roscommon and Galway.
What do people think about Keith Higgin’s comments in a video with off the ball on Facebook that some of the lads feel pressure from the stands with up to 5000 Mayo fans attending FBD and the league or words to that effect. I have long thought this to be the case especially at our home games in Castlebar the lads appear to be nervous and don’t play well. We seem to play better away from home.
@BackdoorSam ….Kieth didn’t play in this year’s FBD or League… Mayo are definitely far better off with big support rater than little support… We don’t want to be like Galway, with as much support as there are Corncrakes in Corafin when they played Dublin last weekend… (Don’t know where exactly they stuck their poster’s this time, the few Corncrakes who follow them).. The last 5 times we played the Dub’s,in All Ireland finals including replay and the Semifinal and Replay of 2015,.. Mayo out shouted and outnumbered the Dub’s…. Has to be worth a point or two to Mayo…. Eamon Fitzmorris was practically begging the Kerry supporter’s to turn up for the Replay last year, because he felt that the Mayo enthusiast support was worth so much to Mayo…. Incidentally as regards to Kieth Higgins, I thought that he looked as good and as fresh as ever in this year’s championship… Was our best player versus Galway last May… And won the MotM award on this Blog for that particular match.. The break might do some player’s the world of good…. But Kieth has an advantage over most in that he was still playing hurling with Mayo!
McKenna has an obsession with Dublin that could easily be classified as borderline fetish. I can absolutely guarantee that if any other County Team – including Mayo were on top, he’d be shitting on them instead.
The guy lives on the other side of the world, and yet seems to think he has a finger firmly on the pulse of the GAA. His articles, including this latest one, are half-assed research dressed up as fact. His purpose in life is to be noticed, and he’ll do anything to get himself in the limelight. It would be my opinion that such people are a blight, and no better than some of the muppets who run so called “Banter” pages, or that bunch of numpties on Hill16Army.
Best ignored.
It’s a painful day for a Dublin fan to admit that probably the best GAA articles come from Kerrymen. I need to lie down after writing that.
Any lad that can’t handle the pressure of 5000 supporters wouldn’t be able to cope with all Ireland final. Better finding out in February than September.
@Jaden, Ewan MacKenna I would say makes a highly statistical and factual effort to put across his points.
He likes to go against the grain.
Culmore. Where exactly do you get your stats on the Tyrone team from? They are rarely correct.
It’s materless anyway if Jack O Connor and Donie Buckley team up together again it’s Goodnight Mayo Dublin and everyone else
backdoor sam,
wouldnt that be something refreshing?
Jack O Connor made a balls of the U20 and what has Buckley won recently?
Cant see the Dubs shaking in their boots at the prospect of JOC taking over Kerry. Or any of Mayo Galway Tyrone Monaghan Donegal either for that matter.
That’s true Reamonn I hope Jack O’Connor has lost his touch
Leantimes
You seem obsessed with other counties fans and how many they have and how much noise they make etc in comparison to Mayo who you claim have the best fans with the biggest flags etc etc. Mayo fans are no better or worse than any other counties fans and nothing a Mayo fan does off the field influences a game and no the fans behavior doesnt “Has to be worth a point or two to Mayo” thats mad stuff. I wouldnt have said anything but you refer to Galway fans low attendance at the match with Dubs and launch into some weird ornithological stuff but in a successful dual county people just dont have the cash for all the matches and not all Galway hurling fans are mad football fans.
In commentary last Sunday about Tyrone Marty Morrissey said 11 of the 2015 All Ireland winning team are now part of the squad
Does anybody in here think Tyrone have a hope of beating Dublin? Im trying to think fairly about both teams and also know I got Galway completely wrong last weekend, I thought they would run dublin close but Lord God almighty they were overran entirely in the second half, thats kinda why Im thinking Tyrone will be badly smashed on final day, am I wrong in thinking this way and that tyrone have a chance? They were poxed to scrape by monaghan but Mayo have been poxed to win some games too in the recent years and they appeared very strongly in the finals.
Dave: No I dont think Tyrone will beat Dublin. Dubs by at least 4 or 5 I think.
Dave Johnston, as a Mayo man living in Roscommon, I agree with you that they were out of their depth in the Group they were in, particularly when you consider that Dublin and Tyrone emerged from that group.
But if you are going to stick the boot into them, at least you get your facts straight before you do so.
You said they lost to Dublin by 26 points…They didn’t, they lost by 14 points.
4-24 to 2-16….you weren’t even close
Some Trivia from the Super 8’s for anyone interested.
* First ever game, Tyrone v Roscommon.
*First player to score in a Super 8 match was Fintan Cregg (Roscommon) 0-1
*Highest score in a match was 4-24, by Tyrone and Dublin, both against Roscommon.
*Biggest winning margin was 18 points by Tyrone against Roscommon.
*Highest score by a losing team was Kildare, 2-16 v Kerry…..and identically Roscommon , 2-16 v Dublin
* The lowest score by any team in a game was Galway, 0-8 v Monaghan
* Kerry were knocked out of the Championship after WINNING a game.
*Galway qualified for an All Ireland Semi Final after LOSING a game
* Kildare ( v Carlow, Monaghan, Galway, Kerry ) …..and Roscommon ( v Galway, Tyrone, Donegal, Dublin ) both lost 4 games each in the 2018 Championship.
Memorise the above facts folks, for all the upcoming pub quiz nights.
Tyrone could be the first team to lose two games and still win Sam.
Dave. I think Tyrone have a fighting chance of beating Dublin and the main reason is that Mickey Harte will (a)pick the team (b)is not afraid to drop or sub high profile players that aren’t performing (c)will freshen up the team with 20 minutes to go and make good substitutions. (D)won’t be told by any of his star players who should or should not play (e) has actually won the God damn thing a few times before. obviously Dublin have all the advantages but Tryrone might be worth a flutter
@Reamonn…. Of course, I’m 100% right.. Mayo support is by far the best in the Country.. In terms of Numbers, Colour, Good Humour, Good looking Women, and Noise…. Sure the atmosphere is just Electric when we are there!.. … And to the best of my knowledge, our fan’s don’t go around putting up poster’s on other counties road’s denigrating the other county either!… Fair Play Galway and the dual success they have…. But to be honest… Monaghan even outnumbered ye in Salthill very recently…. Clare fan’s outnumbered ye in Thurles….A few year’s ago only 300 turned up in Salthill for a qualifier with Derry….Now I know yer not great to watch, but 300 Hardy soul’s.. Feck me, but you could nearly die with loneliness at some of the Galway match’s…. Mayo is the ‘ONLY’ county to take half the Hill in an All Ireland final versus Dublin to date….Even Dublin are jealous…. Although I suspect Tyrone supporter’s will not be backwards in coming forwards and try to do the same thing in a few weeks time!…. The reason I use the ‘Corncrake’ as the metaphor for Galway football supporters is because they are very scarce on the Ground… And you also have to really strain your ears to hear them!…. Now Croke Park next Sunday and will be a different Kettle of Fish altogether… Noise, Colour, Athmosphere…. The Climax of a magnificent hurling Championship… May the best team win!…. I’m undecided as to who will win… I think Galway will need a sizeable lead going in the last quarter… Galway first 15 probably a shade better than Limerick, but Limerick has the best Panel… Tough one to call!
Backdoor Sam,much as you big up M Harte ,I must point out to you that actually Stephen outhought him and beat Tyrone,but don’t let that get in the way of your swipe
BackdoorSam…..Mickey Harte can come up with all the tricks in his book but 15 to 15 has he players to match the Dubs? I dont think so. 16 to 20 has he the subs to match the Dubs? I dont think so. Ive never met Rochford but Ive no doubt he has Mayo’s best interest at heart. To trot out the tired old line of certain players picking the team at this stage is downright insulting to Rochford and all of the outgoing management team. That record has been played to death in my opinion.
I hope the same Mickey Harte has a better gameplan to beat the Dubs than he had last year. Imagine if Mayo “performed” in the final last year the same way Tyrone performed in semi final last year – what would be said about Mayo management them.
Backdoorsam . Bordering on a childish post . Dublin have better footballers than Tyrone so will prob win by 5/6 points.
Ciaran Whelan calling in the Indo for rule changes to improve the spectacle of inter county GAA football. Code for: Dublin will steamroll Tyrone in the final. Contrast that to his narrative in the 2 weeks between drawn match and replay of 2016. The Dubs know they have 4 in a row in the bag. Simple as.
South Mayo Exile – when you win a few all Ireland’s you generally get a free pass…having said that I’ve seen plenty negative written about Harte and even the majority of Tyrone fans wanted him out not so long ago.
Not having a swipe at anyone Corick Bridge. Just saying Mickey Harte has been there and done that won Ulster titles and Sam. I’m entitled to my opinion anything can happen In a final Tyrone have a chance.
Really can’t see Tyrone winning Sam. They were competitive in Omagh but never looked like winning there either. They will probably stay in the game for 45/50 but then the Dubs will gradually pull away. I’d be surprised if the Dubs winning margin would be less than 8 points.
Leantimes
Im never sure if you are joking or not but you will of course agree supporters dont add points to a teams total by their presence at matches.
Regarding the best sport in the world Im not sure we need a big lead as each game is different. Limerick will be full of nerves whereas Galway know All-Ireland final day from both a losing and winning perspective. Hanbury injured would be a problem and GMc hopefully is 100%. Limerick obsessing about Big Johnny where I would feel its Canning that will do the damage and maybe Whelan as well. Im sure all in the west will support us in our attempts to bring a trophy west again.
For the craic I was thinking about the pick of Galway/Mayo vs Dublin would be an interesting match. If both squads were fully fit Im now going to attempt my starting 15 and 7 subs.
1. Rory Lavelle
2. Keith Higgins
3. Sean Andy O Ceallaigh
4. Donal Vaughan
5. Gareth Bradshaw
6. Lee Keegan
7. Colm Boyle
8. Tom Parsons
9. Aidan O Shea
10. Paul Conroy
11. Shane Walsh
12. Cillian O Connor
13. Ian Burke
14. Damien Comer
15. Andy Moran
Subs
Diarmuid O Connor
Tom Flynn
Liam Silke
Kevin McLoughlin
Eoghan Kerin
Brendan Harrison
Michael Daly
Tryone have a very god chance in the final, Dunlin defence is beginning to look weak and all of their subs are forwards , Tyrone are very fit and great upper body strength and conditioning , so they wont run out of steam like Mayo in the last few minutes and will also make changes when needed unlike Mayo
They won’t have to worry about running out of steam in the last few minutes because the game will be over as a contest. Quite simply that Tyrone team are not as good as the Mayo team of recent years.
My Mayo / Galway best 15 What a team!! The sad thing is Mayo dominate it but only for the full forward line probably the main reason we have not got our hands on Sam
1.David Clarke
2.Brendan Harrison
3.Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh
4.Keith Higgins
5.Lee Keegan
6.Paddy Durcan
7.Liam Silke
8.Tom Parsons
9.Ciaran Duggan/ Diarmuid O’Connor
10.Kevin McLoughlin
11.Aidan O’Shea
12.Cillian O’Connor
13.Shane Walsh
14.Damien Comer
15.Ian Burke
Rory Lavelle
Colm Boyle
Paul Conroy
Andy Moran
Eoghan Kerin
Michael Daly
Jason Doherty
Seamie O’Shea
Dublin beat Tyrone by 2-17 to 0-11 the last time the teams met at Croke Park in the championship. The gap may have narrowed a bit since last year – the Super 8 match between them at Healy Park hints that it might – but, unlike Mickey Harte’s pitch dimensions, it’s far from clear that it’s narrowed sufficiently for Tyrone to put it up to Dublin in the way we did against them in 2016 and again last year. Paddy Power have priced Dublin at 1/7 to win the final, with the handicap set at six points. I’d be very surprised if Dublin win by less than this and they could win by a good bit more. But win they will, regardless of what the margin is.
Backdoor Sam,give Stephen as long as M Harte and he will have Sam as well,just making snide comments is not the way forward
Dublin’s margin of victories in All Ireland finals since 1977
1983 – 2 points
1995 – 1 point
2011 – 1 point
2013 – 1 point
2015 – 3 points
2016 – 1 point
2017 – 1 point
Going by that it shouldn’t come as any surprise if Dublin only win this All Ireland final by 1 to 3 points.
Corick bridge Mickey Harte has managed Tyrone to 1 minor and 2 under 21 All Ireland’s. In his first year as senior manager he guided Tyrone to there first senior All Ireland. In his third year Tyrone win there 2 of 3 All Ireland’s under Harte. I think he’s now attempting another first and that is the first manger to win a senior All Ireland with a totally different team
TH, almost exactly what I would say.. But I would go with Jason Doc instead of Cillian… It’s a close call, I rate both Jason and Shane Walsh better from play, but to be fair it’s a long time since there was as good a free taker in Ireland ad Cillian… An there have been some really GREAT free takers recently… Clucko, McManus, Beggan, Brian Sheehan.
.. But if you could kidnap a Galway player and get away with it? 3 Shane Walsh is the one I would go for… If Galway could have any sense and abandon the ‘Galway Shawl’.. Kevin McLoughlin is the player’s who could set them alight!.. Hand’s off, yer not getting him!
@Mayomagic… Very sublime point you make… Yes Dublin have been superb, team of the Decade, No Doubt!… But, But, But,.. They have relied on every 50/50 call going their way in final’s… No wonder ‘Whelo’ was exonrating the Ref from the wrong doings in the Monaghan /Tyrone semifinal… Keep the Ref’s in the Dubs good book’s so close to the All Ireland final…. Jim Gavin can have his invicitive to do the damage earlier in the season, just like he did last year, in regards to one of the best Referee’s in Ireland.. Roscommon man, Paddy Neilan… Jaden, in his take of the factual account of Ewan McKenna take on the Financial Doping of Dublin , needs to stick with the ‘Actual Facts’… And deal with the facts before,’ Shooting the Messenger’ of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, as Ewan McKenna does in this case!
I welcome the McKenna forensics and the unfolding of what really happens in the Gaa world.
Lets transpose what actually happens in gaelic football across to soccer and wonder what the reaction would be.
UEFA announce that all future champions league finals, semi finals and an unproportionate amount of champions league qualifiers are now going to be played in the Bernabeau.
UEFA announce a player development fund with the dominant Real Madrid players to be funded to at least 10 times the amount of any other team in the competition.
UEFA will appoint Real Madrid friendly referees for all crucial matches invloving Real Madrid.
UEFA will Base it’s home in the neutral Bernabeau stadium where all its lawmakers and executives can rub shoulders on a daily basis with the real Madrid hierarchy and enjoy daily banter on their way to work with the glorious defending champions supporters.
A museum to the sport of Soccer will be based in the Bernabeau stadium.
UEFA will invite other European teams to come and play at the Bernabeau whenever it suits, however if EUFA have another money spinner already organised for the same date the other team / teams will be politely asked to fuck off and play somewhere else.
Any team lucky enough to be allowed to.come play at the Bernabeau will take the field when instructed and will be herded like goats to a particular end of the pitch. This is of course is in keeping with the wishes of the Real Madrid fans.
Any broadcaster who even comes close to displaying equilibrium or parity in any game involving Real Madrid will in future be banned from broadcasting any future European matches.
Sports reporting on European matches must be fair and unbiased I. E. there must be 6 times more coverage given to the Real Madrid teams achievements than to any of its competitors. Make that 10 times just to keep in line with the amount of funding Dublin receive in contrast to other counties.
Yes, UEFA has had its problems in the recent past but at least have done great work in rooting out those problems.
If any of the above scenarios were seen to be implemented by UEFA then soccer would die a quick death.
Our poor national game is been suffocated and this suffocation is sadly been legitimised by the asses who are supposed to be pulling the cart.
Sometimes people don’t want to believe or just don’t want to see those points that McKenna is making.
Somebody said McKenna reports from the other side of the world. Maybe that’s a good thing when he lays the facts bare on the table like he does.
Football should always be played on a level playing field. Anything other than that and the game is been damaged.
Revellino
Your points are excellent however Dublin get more money because the population is huge and they are taking care of more people in the most expensive area of the country. My kids in Dublin had probably €200 spent on them each this year and they are not even registered players in any club just went to camps in Summer and Easter etc they really play other sports.
The real imbalance is population (they outweigh us 13 to 1) and age demographic they have 1.3 million people with a huge % at playing age and we have 127,000 and a huge % of them are pensioners.
In the past they picked from a tony demographic of about 6 clubs within a 8 mile radius of each other now they pick from border to border as the game has expanded for e.g. Cuala in Dalkey are all ireland hurling champions in an area that had no real GAA presence in the past. Similarly look at Kilmacud and St.Judes they were small enough clubs but just benefited from a population explosion.
Best example is Castleknock GAA (Ciaran Kilkennys club) didnt exist in 1996 when we were playing Meath in the final now they are one of the biggest clubs in Dublin.
I don’t know the answer really. Maybe have kids nominate the county they want to play for. Almost like a “right of return”…for exame my son follows Mayo and has already told me he won’t be going to school if “they” win again as last year they came with the Cup and he wore his Mayo jersey into a sea of blue (extremely proud moment for us both) he wasnt the only one about 10 others did the same.
I do know we are over achievers given our resources
Pat, the issue is not population. Funding is based per registered player. For every euro a registered player in Mayo gets, a Dublin player gets 13. So it has nothing to do with population
@Pat, I know some people from Brigids and Castleknock. The real reason the Castleknock was formed was out of snobbery, St Brigids was always referred to as Brigids, Blanchardstown, but the new people ( mainly from outside Dublin ) that moved into areas like Carpenterstown, Laurel Lodge and old Castleknock didnt want to be associated with Blanchardstown.
The once great club, St Brigids, has suffered hugely as a result of this, their underage teams and Senior teams. There have been other break aways in the past, Na Fianna and Kickhams ( now Ballymun Kickhams ).
The current success of Dublin Seniors is directly linked to their U21 successes of 2010, 12, 14, and 17, many of the current Senior team were involved.
This is where the future lies for Mayo, alot of developmental coaching to be done.
There are thousands of kids here who get money spent on them and they are never registered. Big clubs can have 250 4 year olds in nursery all being coached and none of them registered.
Agreed but those U21 successes are a result of a constant conveyor belt of talent that their coaches can work with. We just don’t have that level of raw material. I am certainly am not saying that money is not part of the issue but it’s not the biggest part in my view.
It’s really the same reason that Leitrim ant compete with us. They might win the odd tome but a county with 25000 just don’t have the pick to compete with Mayo.
Still I believe we might get across the line with this team very soon
@Leantimes, I’d be happy to analyse Mr McKennas latest article to show it up for what it really is. I’m just not sure the comments section of an article about the Mayo U20’s football team is the place to do it.
Some of the facts (that he lifted from a college student’s project paper), are indisputable. However, the conclusions drawn from them, (and then presented as facts themselves), are often tenuous to say the least.
As for playing the player, maybe you are right on that one. It’s not on.That said, the context of why someone says something is important. I offer then a fact about Ewan to show his mindset. Just after a recent AIF (literally seconds after the whistle), he tweeted (and then deleted) “Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks”, such is his distain for the Dubs.
Gaa membership in Dublin is becoming an expensive hobby, it varies from club to club.
My 3 daughters aged, 9, 11 and 15, their basic membership is €445.00. It starts at €150 each, but capped at €445, not much of a reduction. I was told that each club must pay 50% of the GPO’s salary.
The Nursery membership starts at €60. Its strictly implemented, ie no pay no play.
I know that clubs such as Garrymore full family membership is €100.
The scale of GAA is Dublin is staggering well to me anyway. My friend coaches teams U16 at a well known Dublin club and when im talking to him the sheer number of different teams there are in that one club across all ages is unreal. Big panels but getting them to turn up seems to preoccupy him. No county can compete with the sheer numbers and money pumped into Dublin. Its only in recent times Dublin have got their house in order and are now winning the football regularly and the hurling well given its a far more skillful game it will take longer but Cuala is a signal of what could happen.
Splitting Dublin into Fingal. South Dublin. North Dublin. West Dublin wont happen anyday soon but on the trajectory we are on its going to happen some day.
Big numbers yes but they can only play 15 at a time.
true rober,
but the quality and condition of that 15 is the thing, if it was anyway fair, we wouldnt be able to forescast the winner of 4 of the next 6 titles in league and championship, nor the next forever of the leinster titles. Thats the sad truth.
It would be interesting to compare how many togged in total in the Dublin U21 Club championships at A and B. Plus did they even run C last year?
We are dwarfed in numbers at ages like u12. But I would say we close the gap big time in terms of players who end up togging 6-9 years down the line at U21 club level.
Last years Mayo U21 club chamlionship had 16 A teams, 16 B teams and eight C teams.
That’s 40 u21 teams.
I attended the Double header of the Junior A quarter finals in McHale Park today.Killala beat Kilmovee Shamrocks by a point in a poor enough standard game, Cathal Horan from the Mayo Under 20s was the standout player in this game.
The Kilmaine v Achill was of a much better standard despite the worse conditions.Thought Eddie Doran for Achill was very impressive. Kilmaines best player been corner forward Brian Lavelle he has sweet left foot.Achill were awarded a dodgy enough penalty by the referee which Doran converted. Achill won the game in the end by 6 points which was a shock as Kilmaine were big favourites to win out the Junior this year.It will be hard see past Balla winning it now.
I checked, Dublin ran an A, B and C club chamionship.
8 teams at A grade.
17 teams at B Grade.
19 teams at C grade.
So just 4 more togged teams, 44 in total once it got to u21 grade.
TH, I too was at the Kilmovee v Killala game today and thoroughly agree with your assessment of the game and the standout player, Cathal Horan. Also on the team was Oisin Horan who was on the Mayo minor panel, usually coming on as a sub. But he was not noticable today which prompts me to say that talented young players with Junior clubs [and Intermediate clubs?] get sucked down to the club standard if there are not special measures such as developement squads are not in place to aid their delevopement. Cathal Horan is in my opinion of a standard to make the county senior team in a couple of years but unless he is involved at a higher standard than Junior he is unlikely to make it.
I did not wait for the second match as I could not see the reason for a 45 miniute delay between the two and wanted to get a headstart on storm Ernesto instead of driving through it for maybe two hours. I did make it home before it caught up with me.
AndyD That is a very good point alright. I thought Horan was very good against a good Kildare team and certainly left it all on the field. Other defenders around him did not match his industry on the day. I agree with you on the unlikely hood of him making it in the senior setup without special attention. I would have put the house on Kilmaine ?
Delighted for Limerick today, another famine ends 🙂 our turn next…
Looks like a big week ahead in Mayo GAA.
Well done to Limerick today. Great win in exciting finish. Fair play to Galway too. They died with their boots on. Thrilled for Limerick. Great supporters through good times and bad. But you couldn’t feel but a bit of envy they register one point after the 45th minute but goals win games and they got them at crucial times in 2nd half. We have lost 3 finals by a point since 2013, they win their first final in 11 years by a point.
Ger Bophan A big Week ahead, what u talking about ?
Limerick deserved to win as Galway didnt bring enough intensity until it was too late and calamitous goals cost us dear. No more than Mayo its heart wrenching to lose by a point but we left it far too late. Im heartbroken and so sorry for the lads. Congratulations to Limerick a 45 year famine ended resonates with Galway hurling fans and Mayo football fans have seen two famines ended now so who knows who will end the next one.
[Deleted].
Mayo 88… There is absolutely NO such thing as a curse…
Mayo88 – Horrible way to speak about 2 former players.
Anyone have reports on Mayo club games or standout players from the weekend.Heard Ciaran Treacy was man of the match again for a 2nd week in a row kicking 1-8 against Crossmolina this morning ,he looks set to be seal a place on the first 15 for the National League opening game next season, he will add serious pace to a full forward line that lacked any real pace this summer.
From what I am hearing its looking like a Castlebar v Breaffy County Senior final if there kept apart, Kiltimagh for the Intermediate and Balla for the Junior.
Reamonn..agreed Galway left it too late but it tells alot about the spirit of a team that can come back from 8 pts down after 70 mins..Tis gut wrenching to lose by a pt as we can well vouch for..Limerick were just the hungrier team on the day..
Ger Bohan..A good “big week” I hope!!
Mayo88, surely you are not so superstitious and with a pre 1950’s mindset to allow anybody believe that one human can put a curse on somebody else for whatever reason?
Hard luck to the Galway hurlers but it was great to see Limerick getting their All Ireland.
Galway made alot of mistakes today. Lost count of how many balls they gave to Limerick and were intercepted several times.
Limerick were probably better for 60 minutes of the game so would have been an injustice if Galway had drawn today. At least their minors had a great win.
I cannot see the football final been a great game. It might be hard hitting though. The hard man tactics won’t work for Tyrone either. The Dubs are every bit as tough as them. I predict at least 1 red card in that game.
I don’t mean to offend anyone but this my firm belief, I am a person that will actually look for a second magpie if I only see one at first.
I am superstitious, this would have come from my mother when growing up in South Mayo.
No other team in any sport has lost as many finals as Mayo, 9 in total. Galway hurlers lost 6 All Irelands from 1988 to 2017.
I was delighted to see Galway win last year but also delighted that Limerick won today, but this win for Limerick is even more special considering that Rugby is the main game in the City.
I am serious about the bet, if this former Mayo player is on the blog he will know that its true.
Still I wait in hope, in hope that Rochford will put together a clever backroom team, in hope that some young guys, mainly from the two U21 wins will make the breakthrough, in hope that in our next final that the Referee might swing it Mayo’s way, in hope that I will be there to witness it as I have been to witness all those final defeats.
PS, that was a very young Limerick team today, a really smash and grab job, they also won some U21 titles.
ACADEMIES.
You listen to anyone connected or involved with limerick hurling and this is the word you hear time and again. The reason limerick won todays final and will likely compete at the top level for a few years is because in 2010 they got their act in order. I mean a properly structured, co-ordinated and workable system that identifies, nurtures and develops the best talent in the county. Not just this but it continually strives to seek to refresh itself by bringing in talented and form players, for example if a guy doesnt hit for until 17 or 19 they will be brought into the academy and given a minumum of 12 weeks.
They are maximising their potential and today got ultimate glory.
I know many of us have been saying it for years but Mayo need to up their game in order. Do we have any kind of a system in place at all or is it another token effort??
Great to hear one if the limerick players speaking on the pitch after…’I wont say its an unbelievable feeling because I fully believed we would win’. We need to see more of this confidence amd honest approach in the GAA.
You get the sense that Limerick will be in more finals over the coming years.
Mayo could have success if only we tapped into our resources better and got a proper system in place. People here talking about young talented junior club players – statistically far less liky to make it to senior intercounty in Mayo than in kerry where theyve had two junior club men lift Sam. We need to bring back divisional teams ie: South Mayo and do it properly. I know it was tried before but again, it was not done right.
A Director of Football is the first starting point.
Nasty comment Mayo 88. I know it’s frustrating when we see a young Limerick team just turn up in their first AIF and deliver the goods – no 5th final appearance over a six year period required there for those lads to become champions. Either way a distasteful reference to the remaining members of our ’51 team.
Well done to Limerick it was great to see Galway win it last year it was good to see Limerick win it today. You’d wonder about the curse but I wish the remaining team members a long healthy and happy life. I think the real curse was that we didn’t have a real out and out forward that could turn on a six pence and leave a back for dead and punish them on the scoreboard. It’s no shame there’s only very few counties the last few years good enough to win it. We need to get this curse thing out of our heads and devolop young confident footballers
The Pope is coming to get rid of the curse and run the devil out of the County.
He will be reciting the special Pope’s prayer to rid the County of the devil. “Get out yea bastard yea get out”.
Fair play to Galway and Limerick today. Cracking match. Limerick showed how to win the All-Ireland… play with nerve, verve, heart and no fear. Thought Galway had them at the end but fair play to them. Hard luck Galway. Mighty champions and congrats to the new all-Ireland champions. We live in hope.
Mayo88, the Mayo team off 50/51 were Men, were humble, were not over confident and were egoless. If only the same could be said about your posts.
Hard luck Galway and well done to Limerick..it’s all about the youth.
2018,talking about curses. Holy hell
Mayo88 – that was a crass, stupid and downright disrespectful reference to the remaining living members of the 1950/1 team, men who are over ninety years of age. I’ll give you a straight choice: either apologise unreservedly for what you’ve posted about them or don’t even bother trying to post here in the future.
A good win for limerick today but weren’t they lucky to run into such a poor Galway side in the day? 6 or 7 wides from Conor Cooney alone! We always seem to be playing supermen in the all Ireland finals when we get there. The ending showed how difficult it is to win your first All Ireland – an 8 point lead in the 70th minute was wiped out! When looking to break a long famine like Mayo are, we would be better off coming with a smash and grab in injury time having trailed all game, than to be guarding a one or two point lead going into injury time.
Apparently a girl from Sligo, Caroline Currid, was part of limericks backroom team as a sport psychologist and made a huge impact – she’s won all Ireland’s with Dublin Tyrone and Tipperary too. Rochford – get her in for 2019!
Mayo88 Seriously you need professional help, man.
I remember wishing Limerick Hurlers well on this site after the football qualifier game earlier in the season.
In the States at the minute and was listening on the radio today. GAA go is apparently a great thing for people abroad, so they can have access to the game for money, while it’s streamed on YouTube, but only in Ireland %)
Have to congratulate Limerick now. Fair play.
What went on with the 8 – 10 minute injury time??
Mayo88 Anyone who speaks bout 50 51 gentlemen in such a way doesnt deserve to call yourself a Mayo person. You certainly wouldn’t even come close to lace their boots.
Take Mayo from your name too on this blog!
In tears watching Limerick supporters today after 45yrs. Oh to dream of tears after a 68wait.
Our team need to stop dreaming about winning Sam and actually visualising it properly in their head. Part of our problem late on in all Ireland finals is a total inability to think clearly and push on to win the big prize when it’s there before us. Successful teams always believe fully they are going to win. Shane Dowling today “I visualised scoring a goal for limerick in an All Ireland final over and over”
It’s shouldnt be built up as some kind of Everest that’s bordering on impossible. We need to come back next season refreshed and ready to win the 6 or 7 games required to land the big one. It’s far from impossible with the talent available in Mayo and the right attitude amongst the squad.
It’s the winners who write history. Limerick very easily could have lost that game and they would have been labeled bottlers and Galway hailed as unbeatable. Instead limerick are deserved champions and the knives are already out for the Galway management. There was only ever the bounce of a ball of it in our finals, people over think things. A small bit of luck could have pushed things in our favor. Congrats to limerick, they are a great gaa county and I’m delighted for the friends I have there. Hopefully they’ll be celebrating with us in the not too distant future.
Revellino… you forgot one thing…
” Any time Real Madrid are actually drawn to play an away game in the champions league, it won’t actually be at the home ground of their opponents, just in case all the Real Madrid fans can’t get in”
As amateur organisations go the Gaa as a whole is probably the tops. The effort put in at club levels and county teams is top class. It’s just that the head honchos (the non amateur part of the gaa) don’t really always get it right.
I would love to see a few of the hard working ordinary Joes get in at the top level.
I would also love to see a national stadium built in the middle of the country in fairness to all counties. It’s an organisation for communities and there are plenty of places in the middle of the country that could do with the boost of having a national stadium and the economic boost that all the big games would bring to them. It would be fairer on supporters as regards travelling distances as well.
Croke park is a mighty stadium but it’s in the wrong place.
Revellino – Dublin is the most accessible point for the majority of the country. Getting to somewhere like Athlone is a nightmare for someone in Cork, Kerry, Cavan, Tyrone and most other counties with the exception of Dublin. It would be a complete waste of money building a stadium there.