We’re less than a week out now from Mayo’s much-anticipated Connacht championship opener against Galway. It’s a hugely important championship start for both counties and a match that’s been firmly pencilled into everyone’s diaries for several months.
In this episode of the Mayo News football podcast, we preview the match in detail. Host Rob Murphy, Mike Finnerty and I are joined for this episode by special guests Martin Carney and Cora Staunton for a roundtable discussion on the areas in which Sunday’s match could be won or lost. Questions and answers were flying round rapidly when we all met up at An Sportlann in Castlebar the other evening for the roundtable, which forms the main part of this preview episode.
Also in this edition, Rob gets the views from the opposition camp when he speaks with Barry Cullinane, while Billy Joe Padden provides some tactical thoughts on the game.
The Mayo News football podcast is kindly sponsored once again this summer by the Oxford Arms, Camden Town.
This latest episode of the podcast is now online and available to listen to on iTunes and SoundCloud. Alternatively, you can listen to it on the Mayo News website or here on the blog, using the player below or the one on the panel on the right.
Have the two preview pods saved for the flight home on Saturday evening – looking forward to them.
Struggling to concentrate on anything else at the moment. The build-up has begun in earnest and the colours will be hoisted in Geneva tomorrow!
Good listen , found Cora very informative, first time listening to her take on the mens side .
I see Sean Cavanagh is still sore……didn’t realise Mayo were already out of the championship!
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/0506/960725-i-feel-our-game-is-becoming-too-predictable/
Good preview as usual and all Mayo fans should be proud of this excellent website.
I couldnt call it and am excited to be heading West later in the week. I wish both Galway and Mayo could get into the Super8 but the loser will have a more difficult path. I see its 4/6 Mayo and 6/4 Galway so the bookies are for the Green and Red but it looks so much closer to me. Finally best wishes to all you fanatics from Mayo but I have to go for a narrow Galway win. Up the Maroon and White.
Jaysus, Martin Carney is some man to bang the table when making his points!
Great listening though, whetting the appetite!
Great podcast! Enjoyed that. For me its simple, if its the August+ version of Mayo, we’ll win hands down. If its the sloppy, derry/fermanagh/cork version we’re destined for the qualifiers.
Sean Cavanagh, Thomas O She and the Hogan Stand Website have all tipped Galway to win. I would take the reports
of Galway injuries with a pinch of salt. For Mayo to have any chance of winning, we will need leaders all over the field and we can not afford to lose any players to a red card.
so we should think about replacing the All star goalkeeper of the last 2 seasons who has never let us down in a big match?
Also we don’t need 60-70% of the ball to win this match. That would suggest Galway have some kind of incredible forward line. the only one of them who has proven himself (somewhat) is Comer. A number of their forwards are fair weather players if you ask me who look great when they get loads of space.Were not up against Joyce/Donellon/Fallon et al
“Sean Kavanagh doesn’t think Mayo will be in the super 8”
[Edit]
“Sean Kavanagh doesn’t think!”
Would agree with that Centerfield. There is no goalkeeping decision to be made IMO.
Clarke
Barrett, Crowe, O’Donoghue
Higgins, Boyle, Durcan
Coen, Parsons
McLoughlin, A O’Shea, D O’Connor
Loftus
Doherty, Andy
That would be my team. It should be well good enough to get a platform around midfield and a decent supply of ball to the front 3. Crowe to mark Comer as he did in the league with Boyle covering back where possible. A few good options off the bench in the 2nd half should see us home.
Don’t agree with M Carney that Barrett should mark Comer…….don’t think he has the pace for him!
No Cillian Wide Ball. Is that because of injury. His loss would be huge.
Yes mainly down to injury, he hasn’t got any game time for club or county since mid March. But if he can prove his fitness I would have him starting every day of the week.
Thanks for that link, Paul Demsey, Wow, that ramps up the pressure even more now for Sunday, as there’s no second chance to turn it around if we don’t perform on the first day, pressure, pressure, and more pressure.
Tomas O Se , Cavanagh and Hogan Stand all tipping Galway ! A trifecta of fuckwittery if you will . This is the closest you need to absolute proof in advance that Mayo will definitely win. It’s off to the bookies with me.
In many ways this blog is all that much of the National sports writing and commentary should be, but isn’t.
In an era when alot of sports analysis and punditry has become in many cases, fictional and self serving, we have thankfully a blog, that has transparency and a no bullshit baseline.
The no rumours rule have streamlined the blog content and afforded a fairness to our players managment and all the visitors to the site and should be highly commended for that.
The Sunday and to a lesser extent daily papers were once a big thrill to go and get, so that I could pull out the sports sections and read to my hearts content. Some of the self serving and fictional tripe that is now written in some papers and analaysed on the Tv has sadly taken the legitimacy out of sports content and I wouldn’t be bothered getting the papers anymore.
Our national broadcaster for whatever reason has gone down the Harry Potter route. The public funded, funded by ourselves I might add, sports shows, have often been laughable. Analysis, often totally one sided and inaccurate and what’s even worse, post game analysis often skewed to present to the public what didn’t happen during a match, or, the pick and choose rule. Pick what the analyst wants the public to see and read.
While we have plenty of good humored banter and crack here on the blog, we all know when it’s meant to be funny. There is a big difference between that and the fiction that is mainlined to the public by the very media outlets, who you would believe, have a responsibility to report, just the facts.
While I wouldn’t paint all the sports analysts and sportswriters with the same brush, I do think the extent and increase of this purpose built bullshit is a great shame and a shame that the masters of these bullshit philosophers allow this to continue.
It’s the important few simple rules WJ that has built a legitimacy about this blog. Legitimacy is the very thing that the well paid sportswriters and public TV channel analysits should be striving for. Sadly many have chosen to go the opposite route and have taken their credibility and legitimacy with them.
For keeping it real WJ which I would confidently say isn’t an easy job, take a bow. Your blog is a credit to yourself and to the football crazy fanatics of Mayo.
Hear hear Revellino. Well said.
Good man Revellino, agree with all of that, love the title u gave the pundits, (bullshit philosophers) ha,hahaha, take a bow urself as well, great read, very funny too, Wille Joe, its the first thing I read in morning instead of the newspapers, as its more fact based, and credible,and that’s all credit to you,Take a bow indeed,and thanks for all the information and analysis, don’t know where u find the time to do it all.
Thanks, Revellino, much appreciated. As I’ve always said, though, it’s a two-way street here – I’ve tried to make sure that engagement happens and opinions are expressed in a reasonable way and everyone (well, nearly everyone!) has responded in that spirit. As the saying goes, it takes two to tango.
RTE and the media have come up with a winning formula Revellino. Far from turning people away the opposite has happened. Would we be still talking about our beloved Sean if he said Dublin Mayo Kerry and maybe Tyrone. Everyone wants the end of the Mayo story, and they want the Galway story. The Mayo story will end some day no doubt and perhaps at the hands of Galway or the Rossies. That’s the way the cookie crumpled.
Sean Cavanagh comes across as a “bitta man” in the words of the bould Jack Charlton. How he can discuss the possible line-up for the Super 8’s without even mentioning Mayo (and speculating on the possible advantages that the likes of the Rossies may have) is beyond belief, really. It must be dark and cold in Lee Keegan’s pocket 🙂
I agree PJ it’s a.winning formulae for.Rte. Viewers = cash and cash is king. But so is pop idol and Americas got talent and the Kardashians. All winning formulaes and all money spinning garbage in my view.
I think what bites alot of people is that Mayo write their own story. We’ve always written our own story. This blog mirrors closely everything that our football teams aspire to be and everything we want our teams, players and managment as well as ourselves to be. Fair, courageous and above all honest.
The Mayo gaa blog is my football bible. I come here for my facts and that’s a fact. There are brilliant articles written introducing each thread. There are brilliant infomative podcasts. There is an archive that wouldn’t be out of place in the Gaa museum. There are posters here that know the club scenes inside out and the underage talent upside down. If I want to live in Disney land I’ll put on the Sunday game or ready mickey mouses column on the Sunday Rags.
We know when we play, how we play and who has played well. Who needs high paid lilly livered doom predictimg death merchants telling us what isn’t true on a now annual basis. At some time in the future, we will hit a rocky patch but now is not the time. We have a brilliant team right now. If some of them death merchants had half the courage honesty and pride that our players have in their jerseyes and that our fans have in our players, then we might get back to an age when sports analysis was based soley on the happenings on the pitch.
My point is that this blog is a diamond to the Mayo football fan. It’s a true treasure and it’s a huge part of the Mayo football story. The story I love, believe in and will always want be a part off.
Half the country don’t understand our absoloute devotion to our football team and our players. What people cannot understand becomes a thing to be weary of, given a wide berth. They, the Disney characters have succeeded in doing nothing more than cementing and strengthening the love we have for our team and our county.
Hon Mayo. We’ll be here forever.
Very well done and said, Revellino! Stout-hearted is the feeling I have reading that. Willie Joe. thank you for giving us this blog, this place for all of us to come, read and share our love of Mayo football and interest in this team. It’s something special to have provided. (Here’s to a great day on Sunday!)
Yes, very well said Revellino . I agree with everything you say here.
PJ whether they want the end of your story they certainly are not promoting the start of our story. Reality is we have created whatever football history we have on our bat. The media is Dublin driven plain and simple. On the podcast second time in days I have heard Martin Carney. Went to a championship preview in Oranmore on Sat eve. Good line up but fare poor. Could have been promoted much better of the 4 football guys Gooch and PJoyce very fair and balanced. Disappointed with Carney. Referenced your injuries a lot. Obviously Keegan is a massive loss if he as alleged does not line out. People are underestimating the loss Brannigan is for us if he does not line out. The only time I have seen Boyle nullified was two yrs ago when we surprisingly beat ye. Brannigan scored 3 points that day but more importantly from our perspective did a huge amount of work to limit the effectiveness of your key engine line. Colm O’Rourke was the 4th panelist. Truly awful and disinterested. The hurling guys after not much better. €20 and 3 hrs of my life I will never get back. Only consolation was it was for a good cause in terms of fundraising. The other point in all this is way too much made about our ‘system’ and physicality. Dublin Kerry etc masters of it. Game is like that now so all the debate in the world won’t change the fact.
No disrespect to Martin, hes done more for Mayo football then I could ever dream about but he is a poor pundit. He tends to repeat the obvious stuff that the majority of those who have been on RTE panels do. His point about the bench on the podcast was kinda irrelevant, you cant compare anyones bench to Dublin at the moment. No doubting his passion on the commentary but wouldnt be too bothered listening to him on the punditry to be honest.
Was half listening to some sort of championship preview on RTE radio recently. It MUST be RTE policy to get poor pundits, it cant be coincidence that they are all so bad, Dessie Dolan is just mister soundbite, never has an original thing to say and it looks like hes back for another year to post it in.
The Mayo News should take the podcast success one step further and get video logs going on mayogaa tv, a preview show and post match show would be worth paying for. I’d pay for it anyway.
You’re my hero today Revellino great posts!! 🙂 love the part we write our own story, no one understands us, and you know what I don’t want them to! what we have is unique , as supporters as management as players there has never ever been a team like this current Mayo one in any sport none!! Resilient, defiant , brave , loyal stubborn, whatever happens on Sunday they will have my undivided respect & support! Up Mayo wherever you go!
Well said Revellino we have a great team and we write our own story and to hell with the begrudgers.
Are Vaughan’s Shoes continuing to also sponsor the podcast, or was that just for the NFL?
It Means Nothing To Me – It’s the Oxford Arms who are sponsoring it for the summer. Camden Town calling once again?
The Team I expect to start is
Clarke
Crowe
Barrett
O Donoghue
Higgins
Coen
Durcan
S O Shea
Parsons
McLoughlin
A O Shea
D O Connor
Regan
Moran
Doherty
I would have Boyle in at Centre Back, and Loftus instead of Regan but wont be too disappointed to see the above team.
Would pick a big physical team early doors then switch it after 25-30 min
Clarke
Crowe
Barrett
O Donoghue
AOS
Boyle
Durcan
Mclachlin
S O Shea
Parsons
Loftus
D O Connor
A Moran
B Moran
Kirby
Redcol – I can’t see Regan starting after missing so much of the league. Cillian or Loftus will surely start for the right footed frees.
I don’t think Rochford will leave Boyle on the bench 2 years in a row. Could be wrong though!