Photo: Mayo Mick
Cold, wet and match reports about a loss yesterday to pore through. We’ve been here before, right? Okay, then, let’s get this over with.
Nationals: Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, Irish Times, Irish Sun (includes video highlights).
Others: GAA, RTÉ, The 42, Hogan Stand (match report, quotes from Stephen Rochford), Breaking News.
Photos: Sportsfile, Inpho, Mayo Mick.
The most relevant nugget from all of the above comes from Keith Duggan’s match report in the Times, where he has this post-match quote from Stephen Rochford:
“We didn’t get the kind of ball we needed inside and we didn’t make it stick. It was a good game but I’m sorry to say this: we have to move beyond good games and performances and look to get two points and that will be the stretch on us when we go to Clones.”
That pretty much sums it up. The ball we were sending in, particularly late on in the game, was very poor in quality – unstructured, unplanned, hopeful ball that Donegal mopped up with ease. Contrast that with the careful and well-planned way they used the possession they had in coming at us.
Stephen’s is right, of course, that we have to move beyond good performances at this stage but he’s also correct to note that nothing will come easy to us in Clones. Monaghan could well have nicked the win against Dublin at Croke Park on Saturday night and for sure they’ll have no fear of tackling us in their own backyard.
As the Western People (paper and digital variants) notes this morning, this is our worst start to a League campaign in 22 years. That was the 1994/5 season where we lost our first three games played in the autumn on our way to relegation to Division Three the following spring.
Relegation could well, for the first time in ages, be our lot this year too but, despite our poor opening to the year, our survival still remains very much in our own hands. I think that’s a sufficiently upbeat point on which to conclude this particular post-match round-up. Back later with the MOTM poll result – if you haven’t yet cast your vote in the poll, don’t forget to do so.
Support the lads through thick and thin: play the Mayo GAA Players Welfare Fund Lotto – here.
Two observations re. management:
Aidan O Shea: He is ineffective when running after opposition players in possession, he is too slow. We saw examples of this again during yesterdays match against Donegal and also particularly against Dublin AIF 2013. He should just move up and down the middle and save his energy to be more effective when he has possession. Disappointed with new coaches (and there are enough of them) who have not coached him on this aspect.
Donal Vaughan. New management should know what he can do. Why wasn’t Stephen Coen brought on during yesterdays match to build his confidence and test him at this level? IMO and I expect I am one of many: Vaughan’s introduction changed the game in Donegal’s favour yesterday.
Lastly a broad statement – if management were going to do anything different they would have done it already so again disappointed.
I think Enda’s recent comment regarding his constituents could just as easily have been applied to some of the counties football supporters.
Bit harsh there Liam some of us actually go to the bother of driving to every match and SUPPORT our team and try and be as positive as possible after every game win lose or draw the reality is we don’t have enough top quality forwards to win the league never mind the Championship but what we do have is a great bunch of lads who give everything for the cause and on that basis I for one find it very hard to criticise them we are not all whingers
I would direct Kieran to the point A O’Shea won by chasing down and dispossessing the donegal keeper – he wasn’t too slow on that occasion.
I think our problem is that we are too honest and a little naive. It was an issue against Kerry in 2014, against Dublin last year and it was obvious against donegal at the weekend. There is a little tug back in scoring range and our lads try to play on, almost dazzled by the sight of the goalposts. Conor Loftus done it numerous times, but he wasn’t alone. We get fouled, stay stumbling forward, get a poor pass away that kills the flow of the move and the chance is lost, along with the chance for the free. Sometimes we even get turned over in possession afterwards, but that poor pass under duress is the catalyst.
We blamed the ref against Kerry, yet an awful lot of it came from guys trying to play through fouls and not succeeding. Kerry got wise to it and kept doing it, and we kept trying to play on. Yet they took the foul every time.
In contrast, look at how Ryan McHugh tumbled to the ground under any tackle yesterday, no bad pass away, no pressure put on a team mate, just run hard, feel the hand come in, go down and stay there. Now Im not saying for us to dive, but be cute enough to know when you are fouled and when buying a free is a better option than trying to play on, particularly when you are in scoring range.
For a group of guys so experienced, we don’t seem to learn very much year on year. surely it should be our lads pulling this stunt on those young donegal players, but it was the other way around.
We can give out about management all we like, but until guys get wiser, it doesn’t matter who is in charge, they will lose tight games every time.
The most outstanding feature of the game yesterday for me was the speed at which Donegal went about their duties.When they get possession their first thought is to make ground….no pause to look around …the plan is in place..make space through quick accurate transference of ball.The simple system is v profitable…you get fouled by a floundering defence or you get through for a score and you are so tuned into it that you also know when to recycle and start again.
But having thus dished out the laurels to the Donegals I have to say that our fellas deserve nothing but the highest praise for this performance which could have brought us our first points.Our curve is on the way up but no doubt the same is true of many other notables.
One could spend the day analysing but I’ll just make a few points.
1…Harrison,Loftus,Regan,Nally and
Hall are thriving on these games.
2….We will have the three Mitchell’s
players and COC in time!
3…..Pebbles gives an exact
description of the shocking
displays we witnessed from Mr.
Cassidy and his Coats and
Including some of the Donegal
players.
I think if the GAA adopted rugby’s post match penalties more readily it would wipe much of that nonsense out of the game.It marred an otherwise most enjoyable day out.
Great day out yesterday despite the result. I said before the game if we dont concede a goal we have good chance of winning. Unfortunately that happened. I thought Nally was mighty. When he went off our defence was not the same. He got kicked on the ground just before he went off which i was not impressed with. Fairplay to him he is sticking in there and giving it his best shot. Regan seems to lack a bit of pace but will be all the better for his last two games. Dublin and Donegal boast the best defences so experience gained from last two games will show the new guys what its like at top level.
Keith Higgins departure due to injury was big loss. He was buzzing around and making nice passes. His pace is wanted in the forward line and i think now we have alot of defenders we could afford to release him up front. He has good brain and i think he could be good asset. Yes we know he has all stars for being one of the finest defenders in the land but perhaps now he can become good forward.
Lets be positive. We have not been relegated so lets not worry to much about it. We know it will be tough next week and it will be a game of similar style but it can be done. Well done to the management. One mistake cost us yesterday and it was by a player whom i dont rate at all.
Roll on next week. Stay positive
I’ve some video of the shenanigans before the penalty and the penalty aswell uploaded to youtube, thanks to my niece Sarah for doing the video for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wAhGZOm0yU
That’s a ridiculous amount of messing around at the goal. The ref showed a fair bit of weakness there.
I wonder will discipline be an issue for Donegal this year. That sort of disruption of a game and getting in a ref’s face is nonsense.
I’m not that worried. Seamus OShea starts that game yesterday and I reckon we end up at least 4 up. He’s good defensively. Could see him breaking up attacks.
Castlebar crew, returnees from injury and maybe at least one more U21 beside Hall and Loftus.
No panel in Division one has anything remotely like our talent to come back in.
A bolter is needed from one of the three of Irwin, Reape or Duffy in my opinion.
Just to add a bit of spark off the bench.
Take Loftus out and its lacking a bit of new talent upfront. Diarmuid excepted, but he is not new.
Our biggest step will be how our u21s go and if anyone new can come in.
We already know Pat Durcan and Barry will contribute.
just had a look at the penalty incident and its fairly typical of todays football. all to often i see players pushing boundaries because they know they can. The penalties are not there to stop guys behaving like this. We will see plenty more as year goes on.
When a guy can punch another player. Get a red card then go and get that red card overturned sure what the fuck are referees to do? Even when they do the right thing it still does not work out so either way being a referee is a mugs game. There is no discipline anymore. Dont get me wrong im not cribbing about yesterdays result. You lose because you dont score enough to win.
I reckon there’s too much criticism of the ref yesterday. It was a very difficult match to referee. The Donegal behaviour around the penalty incident was hard to deal with. They just adopted an awkward defiant attitude and weren’t inclined to move or cooperate but as far as I could see they were cute enough to do nothing too obvious to deserve red or black cards.
He didn’t do too much against us as far as I could see.
Just wondering was Nally injured when he was taken off? He was playing a stormer, when he left the scene Donegal created havoc
Forget about the fuss around the penalty ,sure what about it . Donegal players were correct , Regan had stepped way over the end line with the ball . Nobody even got a slap , what exactly is the complaint ? He scored ,the jostling albeit an eyesore didn’t work . It’s not ideal but I just don’t see why it’s such a massive talking point . There’s niggle between the sides , we can dish it out too , trailing legs, sly landings etc etc , it’s called inter county football at the top level.
could be an interesting end to the league.
Cork in disarray and very bad scoring avg.
Rossies have ourselvers, Dublin, Donegal the last 3 matches so they’ll do well to finish with more than 6pts.
Down yet to get off the mark.
If we get 2 pts against Monaghan still a good shout at staying up
Shane Nally, a very good player. Skill full, intelligent and brave. Unfortunately lacks pace. Think it was mcloughlin yesterday that played a lovely over the top ball for him to run on to. I was on the sideline and you could see that he just doesn’t have the legs for half back county football. Real pity because I think he has allot to offer.
People were questioning why Evan Regan was taken off? He offered very little from play in terms of runs or winning ball. In fairness as talented as he is he just doesn’t contribute enough from play.
Of all the other newcomers. Hall looked comfortable able. Harrison, although not new looks nailed on for corner back. Loftus while he made mistakes has potential. Nerves on his senior debut I’m sure contributed to some mistakes. Very direct and not afraid to get stuck in. Sent in a lovely quick pass to O’se in the 2nd half which shows he is smart enough to make an impact. C’ose, tried hard but it’s just not working for him. Compare him to DOC. Both came on the seen around the same time. I aid before the game that himself and Regan needed to show something today after 2 games I don’t think they did. They will make the squad stronger but will they be there in June. I have my doubts.
I think scores will come easier when the likes of Durcan, Keegan and higgins are up to speed. At the moment, turning possession into scores is proving very difficult