Photo: MichaelMaye.com
It’s Monday and it’s time to roll out the coverage on yesterday’s match. I’m in a bit of a hurry this morning so no time for standing on ceremony about it. Here goes.
Locals: Mayo Advertiser, Connaught Telegraph.
Nationals: Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, Irish Mirror, Irish Sun, Irish News.
Others: GAA, RTÉ, The 42, Hogan Stand, Northern Sound.
Photos: Mayo Mick, Sportsfile, Inpho.
Video: Mayo Mick, Midwest Radio (this is Evan’s point that wasn’t – thanks to Rochford’s Brigade for alerting me about this clip).
That’s your lot. Back later on with another jam-packed episode of the Mayo News football podcast, which was all recorded at the game in Clones yesterday. Also if you haven’t yet voted in the first Man of the Match poll of the year there’s still plenty of time to do so. The result of that one will be posted here later on this evening.
Malachy OR going nowhere if he fails to see indiscipline cost his team. Sounds like we we inefficient in being the better team in putting adequate space on the scoreboard, then the free dispute would be a moot point.
Evan’s free might be a case of coloured lenses, our fans outnumbered Monaghan and on first look wide, 2nd look over the upright still technically wide I think. 50 50 call, umpire was at least decisive, if he took 5 seconds to signal would be a lot worse.
Hard to have any sympathy with Monaghan because of the level or dirt people say was going on. Listening from abroad Midwest mentioned some of it too. The straight red was presumably skullduggery.
Listening on the radio our full back line was on top and their full back got on top for a good bit of 2nd half especially the later it went on before the cards tipped the balance. Sounds like trying to use kick pass a lot and ball sticking less for us as 2nd half wore on. Also mentioned that Andy was double and sometimes even triple teamed. They seemed to get the blanket going later in 2nd half too with a few frees conceded.
Great writing in The Times today. For those outside our wonderful county who question the mental wellbeing of those of us who, rain hail sleet snow and late cancellations, follow our warriors the length and breath of Ireland, London and New York. THIS is what it is to be a Mayo supporter,
“They’re either gluttons for punishment or there is no one quite like the Mayo football supporter. Winter or summer it seems there is no discontent”
“when it came to final showdown, Mayo simply dipped once more into that endless well of resilience”
“the more the game turned into a battle of spirits, the more Mayo players showed up”
We go again. And again. And again. Until it is done.
Hon Mayo.
Whilst its only the first league match one slightly worrying point would be that the real positives yesterday came from defence namely GC and EOD – we really need to find some corner forwards. Our forwards scored 2 points from play yesterday and one of them was from AM. Not sure , if I was to be honest, about ER at this stage. You have to ask why he has not nailed down a corner forward position at this stage.
Also, is DOC living a charmed existence at this stage? We need to try out a few players in the forwards and cannot really afford persisting with players whose form is indifferent for such a long time in those positions. Also, despite a good start last year up front, Fergal Boland seems to have faded from the scene which is disappointing.
No question about it, but apart from staying in Div.1, we have to unearth some genuine prospects up front during this league campaign.
Kerry game will be on Eir Sport.
If you were to look at the scorelines of our exits from the championship when it comes to the big games you would say our problems have been more in defence. Last year we were the highest scoring losing finalists and yet the continuous call goes out that we need new forwards.
Spotlight, you hit the nail on the head. We got the win but the scores from regan and Douglas were from frees, Mayo need someone else up front that can hit them from play regularly. Monaghan let their emotions get the better of them and paid the price, 15 v 15 and they could easily have won that game.
Well done to Stephen and the Team, great win. We now have to start winning our home games, it will not be easy against Kerry. The panel on League Sunday pointed out how well coached the Dublin forwards are, is there room for improvement in that department for Mayo?
Anyone know what’s the story with Keith playing with the hurlers yesterday?
looks like the defence is good for summer with the likes of Harrison, Cafferkey , O Donaghue, Keegan , Boyle , Durkan , with Higgins, Barrett , Vaughan ,Coen , Nally to come in if needed . Midfield not as good with S O Shea, Parsons, Gibbons and maybe Coen or Nally for replacements also I would put A O Shea there as the forward line worked better last year when he was out the field or fullback. The forwards are the problem , who and where to put them
Yes indeeed. The forwards are the problem.
Not for the first time it was left to a half back to kick the crucial score right at the death when the game was there to be either won or left after us.
Could be wrong but i think our half forward line and full forward line kicked a total of 0-2 from play between the lot of them all day.
Should Durcan be moved up and why is Conor Loftus not getting a proper run?
But I come back to my point. When it has counted, in the summer football, generally our forwards have not let us down. Whether you measure this by scoring % from attempts from play or just simply by totals scored.
Last year in the final we had the second highest scoring % for attempts from play in a final. Unfortunately Dublins was better.
If we want to go beyond mere stats and just take the game on what we observed. It looked like Harrison, Barrett and Keegan managed to do potentially final winning lockdowns, but there was too much slippage in the rest of the defence. Dean Rock especially was scoring far too easily. Kevin McManamon and Diarmuid Connolly came off the bench and pretty much took the game away from us.
So if we could go back in a time machine and make some adjustments it would be a better lockdown on McManamon and Connolly that I would do as my one thing. Looking at the total our forwards scored, it was about as much as you could expect a forward line to score in the white heat of an All Ireland final.
A better lock down on McManamon and Connolly in my view requires new additions like Eoin ODonoghue to give us more options.
A few side notes before delving too deep in to yesterdays game.
For those questioning where Boland is… he has only just finished hurling with Toreen in the All Ireland club semi-finals, is probably 3kg heavier than last year and was the standout performer on Saturday morning in the challenge game between Corofin and the Mayo “B” squad. Reape was another that showed very very well in that game.
Do points from frees not count? When Cillian missed his kick in last years final and Rock scored his, I seem to remember both of those events having a huge bearing in that game. I remember people on here saying we needed another option from frees and that Cillian had no distance in his kicks? Regan got 4 from 5 attempts yesterday (including one from a tight angle and in to the breeze plus he had one ruled wide that certainly looked very, very close from where I stood). Douglas nailed two 45’s as well as his frees. Options, options.
The reason we scored so many from frees yesterday, particularly in the first half, is because Monaghans tackling ability is very poor (they mistakenly believe that a punch or wrap-a-round tackle is in the rule book) and their game intelligence and discipline is shocking.
There is much more to a successful division 1 team than technical and tactical ability. You must have game intelligence, discipline and “smarts” to win tight games at this time of the year. Particularly when you are away from home against a so-called “hard and physical” team. I would substitute the words hard and physical with thuggish and stupid. Mayo read Monaghan like a book, knew exactly what they were going to do and we played them like a tune. We sucker punched them in to losing their heads because that is what Monaghan ALWAYS do. Was anyone surprised that the first thing Drew Wylie did when he came on was to go straight over to O’Shea and start committing numerous yellow and black card offences? The same for his brother, he stupidly picked up a yellow card in the first half for not moving back from a free. A free from a very tight angle and in to the wind. He repeatedly ignored the ref, got his yellow, the free was moved in to straight in front of the posts for a tap-over. So, from a probable missed free he ended up getting a yellow card (to be later sent off-surprise, surprise) and handing Mayo a point. How STUPID is that?
Given the away trip, the absentees, the lack of training our lads have relative to Monaghan and the heavy boggy pitch, that win was as good a performance as I have seen from a Mayo side (at this time of the year) in over 3 years. A massive 2 points.
Well done to Stephen and the lads and especially the S&C boys, our lads were in great condition considering everything and the hotter the battle went, the more we wired in to them. Another note, their supporters must be the worst losers I have come across in many a years travelling. It made it all the better to win a scrap like that with a last minute winner from distance.
Hon Mayo.
Excellent post Pebbles. The reality is on a boggy pitch against a big physical team who don’t want to play football you won’t score much. Goal chances were not possible as:
– Monaghan operated a blanket
– Monaghan fouled regularly
Most of our frees if Monaghan didn’t foul we would have been in for a scoring chance from play.
Monaghan probably should have been on more yellows earlier and that would have weakened their defence earlier in the game. They cry foul over losing players but they only have themselvest to blame. Their current defensive strategy relies on the referee being slowish with the cards in the first half. It usually ends up at an end point of them having players black and red carded.
There is one ‘inaccuracy’ in the Independent report… Danny Kirby did not come on as a Sub… I think it was Adam Gallagher who came on …. Heard Mayo fan’s in the crowd, urging on Kirby, but he definitely wasn’t there… Adam Gallagher would need to grow a few more inches before I would make that mistake… Don’t know was it a misprint on the programme regarding the Number on the Jersey , or people listening on radios in the Stand… But loads of people in the Stand in Clones were calling it incorrectly yesterday!… Danny Kirby might well be playing against Kerry. tough!
It was a mis-print in the programme, Leantimes. Several of the subs’ numbers were listed incorrectly.
Two great posts pebblesmeller..On the subject of resilience you speak of I sat in Citywest on Friday morning at a conference and a slide show brought up a pic of Keegan sitting on the pitch after the whistle last September..under the word RESILIENT..Same conference had our Derry friend as guest speaker(I kid you not).If BELIEVE was our buzz word for 2017 we have found ours for this year..Some great posts here today btw
Thought the incorrect listings in the programme were a thing confined to the FBD – apparently not.
We were behind the goal and I’m as blind as a bat, and I thought for a while it was Kirby that came on (though I do remember worrying that he looked like he’d shrunk a bit).
Cora Staunton features on ‘Laochra Gael’ on TnaG4 at 7.30 pm tonight!….. Wasn’t it a great weekend for Mayo Gaa, with our ladies and hurlers winning as well! … Did someone say that Kieth Higgins play with the hurlers in Ballina yesterday,?…
I was sitting pitchside directly in front of the mayo subs bench and I have to say all commentators on this thread are being altogether too nice to what can only be described as a bunch of thugs, not once has anybody mentioned Aidan O’Shea being literally taken out of the action after he had released the ball, this happened three times in the 1st fifteen minutes of the first half and right under the “watchful” eye of the linesman, the referee can only see and do so much, these guys are supposed to be his assistants, we have unearthed a star for the future Eoin O’Donaghue was massive, big win for us, there will be no easy games, onwards and upwards !
Great post there Pebbles, but I must disagree with you on one thing: Monaghan people. I love them – I’m just back from the funeral of a Monaghan friend.
Met a few from Scotstown yesterday and you couldn’t get better. Yes, the teams are thuggish, but modern ones are a lot less than in years gone by. The Monaghan sidestep, a guy told me, is where you go through your man not round him.
JP… I taught the Monaghan pitch was excellent yesterday… Player’s could even bounce the ball on occasions… I pretty sure that the weather in Monaghan has been as bad as Mayo for the month of January… If you think that St Tiernach Park was ‘boggy’ .. I can only wonder what you will make out of McHale Park next Saturday evening? … I didn’t resemble a football pitch at all after the two FBD match’s played in ‘Monsoon’ conditions in quick succession, a few weeks ago .. I have no doubt but that remedial work on McHale Park will have taken place before Saturday, even so, with the time available and the weather. My hopes are not too high for the quality of the pitch next Saturday… Who knows, a poor pitch might just play very nicely into our hands… To be fair.. The McHale Park playing surface has been pristine for any match that took place in the last few Summers… They could do a better job at pinning down the goal nets, and make the white lines a bit more prominent.
I heard them saying on the Midwest radio coverage that Keith Higgins had played at fullforward at stages for the hurlers yesterday against Donegal. His heritage is Athenry so it’s in the blood that he’d be a good hurler I suppose. The commentary on Midwest was top class too, it would be nice if they kept with him.
Great win yesterday. We scored more than them. Bottom line. We came out on top in what sounded on the radio to be tough match. In first half I thought o donoghue was a forward as he was attacking like hell. Fair play to the lad he is coming along nicely. Well done to everyone and for me I won’t critisise any player on 29th January. It’s a bit like starting a tractor on a cold morning . Takes time to warm up lol steady progression is what we will look for and with so many places up for grabs I’m sure every one will give there all.
The analysis of the Dublin forward line on the Sunday game was interesting. They’re very dynamic group and and rarely take the ball into the tackle. Something other teams do a lot of. We have a different plan of attack and I guess that’s OK. The horan era was based on a strong running game attacking from everywhere. We’re trying now to implement kicking game. So our inside forwards need to be good ball winners and Andy is still our best at that. I’m afraid other guys need to step up and watch how he makes space to win possession. He is a master at it even though he has not the pace of old.
Kerry are coming to town on Saturday so we have another cracker to look forward to. Much the same team again I expect. I’m very much looking forward to it.
Anyone know what the official attendance was at Clones yesterday?.
Was very impressed with Durkan, Caff and O’Donoghue. And what a game from O’Donoghue. Akram has some burst of speed on him – I don’t think he got much if any ball, but what I’ve seen of him before he knows how to win it and he knows what to do with it when he wins it too.
Aido was grand, he took a while to get into the game but when he went forward he caused a load of danger. To be quite honest, I don’t know how he manages to keep his cool – he keeps getting attacked both on and off the pitch, and sometimes by some of our own. Gets zero protection from refs and the media really seem to have it in for him, maybe its just to pander to a certain skanger element?.. Who knows. There’s clearly some agenda there.
Good to see Dougie get a game and Regan did alright, but he looks like he needs new gloves as he seemed to have trouble keeping the ball from slipping out of his hands at times.
I think Regan gave a marginally better account of himself than Douglas if I’m to be honest, but Dougies man marker was a filthy ball ox and literally kept punching him in the stomach at every opportunity. I really don’t get why Monaghan felt the need to do that – they have a fair plethora of scorers who know how to put it over from distance too. To be fair they were missing McManus who’s an outstanding player, but that’s not to say that we weren’t missing a few of our own.
They certainly can’t have any complaints about finishing with 12 and they could have finished with less truth be told.
A few on about how good the commentator was his John Lynch and was working full time as a sports journalist with Shannonside and did the commentaries on Leitrim games, his now a free lance
I got confused with the numbers on an earlier thread Kirby was down for the 21 Jersy but it was Gallagher on the pitch. My point was that although he didn’t get on the ball much he made some incisive runs that seem to rattle the Monaghan defense. It’s early days but I feel that we allowed Monaghan too much room and did not excert enough pressure. We let them come on to us and allowed them to develop a rhythm. I remember Horan braying from the sideline, Pressure! Pressure! Pressure! We’ll need to up it a notch against Kerry but are well capable of coming away with another two points.
I would agree with alot that’s being spoken about Clarke. In fairness there was a temperamental wind swirling around Clones, that could halt a ball in mid air. My nerves jangle when it comes to Clakes kickouts. He seems very jerky and not very self assured. I don’t know what can be done at this stage of his career to improve on that aspect of his game. Onwards we go…
i was sitting directly behind Evan Regan for the free which was adjudged to be wide
and while the trajectory was going left of the posts it curled in comfortably over the bar . The umpire was stationary under the post whereas he should have stood back to track the ball. The monaghan supporters beside me agreed .
While Eoin o Donoghue stood out ,
I was very pleased with Evan Regans performance .He played as a team player and didnt attempt to take on a defender and try and beat him again !!
his free taking was also good .promising !
In general we need to be a bit more intense in the tackle and in pressing opposition. Monaghan were much better at this though they did go too far on occasion. Our full forward line was subjected to immediate pressure when the ball went in. Where we excel and where we will get better is on fast breaks attacking from all angles – a bit like Arsenal of old. When it works it looks great. When it doesn’t it looks horrible. Massive hard work done by Coen, Mcloughlin, Gibbons and AOS.