We’re faced with the highly unusual situation this coming Sunday of a Connacht final taking place at McHale Park but where our lads aren’t one of the protagonists. We are, however, involved in the minor decider which throws in at 1.30 pm and where our opponents are Galway. Our team (and subs) for this match has just been named and here are the details:
Mayo (MFC v Galway): Paul Mannion (Mayo Gaels); Brendan Harrison (Aghamore), Niall Freeman (Aghamore), Ciaran Twomey (Ballina Stephenites); Ryan Quirke (Claremorris), Conor Walsh (Balla), Conor Horan (Swinford); Danny Kirby (Castlebar Mitchels), Sean McGarry (Ballina Stephenites); Fergal Durkan (Castlebar Mitchels), Mícheál Forde (Ballycastle), Sean Kelly (Moy Davitts); Cian Costello (Castlebar Mitchels), Darren Coen (Hollymount), Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber). Subs: Rory Byrne (Castlebar Mitchels), Mark Regan (Moy Davitts), Ryan Warden (Ballyhaunis), Conor O’Shea (Breaffy), Darren Durkan (Parke), Adrian Leonard (Lahardane), Jack McDonnell (Swinford), James Shaughnessy (Claremorris), Keith Ruttledge (Knockmore), Brian Timlin (Knockmore), John Sammon (Burrishoole), Nicky Pilbrow (Claremorris), Josh Roynane (Davitts), David Twomey (Ballina Stephenites), Eamonn McAndrew (Belmullet).
The starting fifteen for Sunday is the same as the one that lined out against Leitrim in the semi-final the weekend before last, with the sole change being a positional one that sees Fergal Durkan and Sean Kelly swap wings in the half-forwards.
WJ, just noted the amount of lads from Junior and Intermediate clubs. Where do they go to at senior level. I see Mayo Gaels, Balla, Davitts, Parke, Lahardane, Hollymount and Ballycastle. Perhaps if we had a few Ballycastle or Lahardane men on the seniors we might do a little better. Tom Langan was a Ballycastle man, team of the Millenium as well. Today he probably wouldnt get picked for Mayo.
A Belmullet man , a Lahardane man and a Ballycastle man is all that represents north west mayo , is the standard in Erris and then even on into Achill , Newport and Westport that much poorer than the east of the County ? Bad times in the west…
Best of luck to them , Is this minor game being carried live on any radio station ?
Interesting spread of clubs alright and that’s a good point re the dearth of players from the west of the county. I’ve no idea how the panel was picked or what the talent is like in any particular area – maybe that’s one for the review that’s supposed to be taking place.
I assume that the minor match will be carried live on Midwest but I’ve just checked their website and there’s no confirmation that they are so I’m not 100% sure on that. I’m not going to Castlebar myself on Sunday (I’m using the seniors’ demise as an opportunity to cut down on match-related mileage) so I’m in the same boat as yourself for this one.
WJ, I apologise for nit-picking here, Im nearly sure that Mark Regan and Sean Kelly are from Moy Davitts in foxford. I stand to be corrected on this however. Either way, best of luck to the team and management on Sunday.
I’m nearly sure I heard an announcement on Mid West last weekend that they would be covering the minor match.
good stuff gaamama , will try and pick it up on me laptop , no doubt there will be a few titterers at the game as well so should be a bit of coverage..
Midwest are coming live from Castlebar on Sunday
No need to apologise, pee wee – it was my mistake, which I’ve now corrected. Thanks for pointing out the error.
Pee Wee i dont mean to nit pick but moy davitts is mainly bohola i think. Just about junior and no disrespect but there is little football there,thugery really.This is not going to go down well but mayo junior football is basically a pub sport.
That may be so jj but, notwithstanding your “no disrespect” protestation, saying that a particular club is more about thuggery than football is well out of order.
Is Niall Freeman a brother of Alan from the Senior team?
JJ – Moy Davitts is a senior club (just hanging in there). It consists of Bohola, Straide (birthplace of Michael Davitt – founder member of the GAA)and Foxford.
I wonder (and no disrespect) if there is no football in Moy Davitts, how come they won the Féile na nGael competition (U14 National Competition) last week.
As far as I know Niall is Alan’s brother. Best of luck to Cillian and the team on Sunday.
Moy Davitts (My former club from years ago) are a senior club, all be it seriously struggling this year. It consists of Foxford, Bohola, Straide and in the 90’s Attymass joined up with them. Comment about thuggery completly un-called for imo. Thuggery doesn’t win Feile titles, nor does it produce players like Gary Ruane, Robert Moran (Last years New York captain) or the reasonable numbers of underage players who have represented Mayo at Ted Webb, U18, U21, Junior and Gary at senior Level. Thuggery doesn’t have 60/80 kids training on some nights down at their pitch. I hear they even have a decent ladies club back up and running these days aswell. Apologies about this, had to say it. Rant Over!!
Hold yer horses guys, when i said thuggery i was talking about junior football in may in general, have any of you been to a junior game in mayo lately? the games are absolutely filthy. Moy davitts are a great club with a proud history just you said pee wee “the moy davitts club in foxford”.I know for a fact from the players to supporters, that a far higher than 50-50 percentage are from bohola.Which is often forgotten.Super win in the feile aswell, massive for a club in turmoil at the moment basically and i think thats a fair comment.Appologise for the above comment anyway pee wee i was been an ass.
Fair enough, jj – I took you up wrong re Moy Davitts (about whom we all now know more as a result!). I can’t really comment on the standard of junior football within the county but given that senior isn’t all that hectic at the present time, I guess it follows that junior isn’t all that hot either.
Thats sound jj, apology accepted. I took you up wrong aswell, your right about the standard of junior football in Mayo at the minute, have seen a fair bit of it this year, only isleaneady and ardnaree worth mentioning as decent imo. Your right to with the percentage of bohola players/officals/supporters within the club, its approx 65/35% bohola. Also your right with them currently in turmoil, saw them against Castlebar two weeks ago in their championship group game, and they were very very poor indeed. Its 1B for them next year in the league and i wouldnt be suprised to see them playing intermediate football next year.
Anyway, onwards and upwards, best of luck to the minors on Sunday, it’l be hard to watch 2 other counties in the senior decider (especially when the missus is a Sligo woman), but we must however take our medicine this time round.
Will Angelina be in the Cruiser?
Agree with the poor standard of junior football and its inclination towards violence and thuggery. Was at one junior game this year in North mayo and it was a disgrace. Could not blame the two clubs , it was that the referee was totally off the radar. Not a clue , you could take the head off an opponent and not a word said. How some did not end up in hospital is beyond me. These clubs deserve good refs also , then the standard would improve. the younger skilful players are being taken out
Ruler, Peewee, JJ – your statements on junior football are correct.
They are just another very good argument for amalgamation of some sort for junior clubs to allow their better players come together and play at a higher, more competetive and safer level.