Photo: The Score (Photo by Sean Conroy)
From here until Sunday there’ll be wall-to-wall coverage about the All-Ireland final so here’s what’s on offer today, including some stuff that appeared over the weekend.
In the Irish Times, there’s an interview with Dublin manager Jim Gavin and the paper’s candid interview on Saturday with Aidan O’Shea is also well worth a read.
In the Irish Independent, there’s a piece from yesterday on Robbie Hennelly, an interview with James Horan and one with Jim Gavin (which you’ll see is a lot like the one with him in the Times). The Indo also has a curmudgeonly let-me-piss-on-both-of-your-parades piece by Uncle Eugene, which may only serve to raise the hackles of both sides’ supporters so you might want to steer clear of that one.
In the Irish Examiner, there’s also an interview with JH, which covers much of the same ground as the one in the Indo. And, yes, there’s also an interview with Jim Gavin, which if you’ve read the other two mentioned above, will land you squarely into déjà vu land.
Elsewhere, over on the Elvery’s Sports Blog, there’s plenty of Mayo-related content, including ten questions with Alan Dillon, Cillian O’Connor, Alan Freeman and Chris Barrett (they’re steadily making their way through the team as you can see), David Brady’s column and a competition which could win you tickets to the final and more.
The Score, meanwhile, provides a handy run-down on what could well be our starting fifteen next Sunday.
There are, I know, a number of ticket final raffles being held over the next few days but my head is starting to get a bit dizzy with the number of them. Suffice to say that there’s sure to be one near you and if you’re still on the hunt I’m sure you’ll be able to find out where and when this is happening.
One event that I know is on and which you might be interested in is the official Mayo GAA Up For the Match event which is being held in association with Cairde Mhaigheo, Mid West Radio and The TF Hotel and takes place in the TF on Thursday evening, throw-in 8.30pm – full details here.
Finally, I’m sure many of you will have seen this astonishing photograph of Galway’s Therese Maher taken by Inpho’s Dan Sheridan just after the final whistle had blown in yesterday’s All-Ireland senior camogie final.
Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
This year was Therese’s seventeenth season playing for her county and yesterday’s final was her sixth, with all five previous ones ending in defeat. Speaking later on yesterday evening, she said that “I don’t think there is any point in coming back up here if you don’t believe you are going to win, irrespective of the team you are playing” and she had this to say about what it meant to come back and finally claim All-Ireland success:
We believed we were going to do it. Our focus was on each game, it wasn’t the bigger picture, an All-Ireland final, it was game-on-game and today for us was just another game, albeit it was a final. We were just taking it as another step on the ladder to get that medal we were looking for, for so long.
As Kevin McStay said during last night’s football final preview on The Sunday Game, the hardest man to beat is the one who keeps coming back so here’s hoping we’ll be reading about similar sentiments to those expressed above from our lads this day week.
A picture paints 1000 words.
Well done to the Galway women on ending their famine and taking the double home. Hopefully we will be doing the same this weekend.
Chris the Sheep!……..F*ckin hell…….. Love it.
GAA season tickets arrived today…lower Cusack from 307 to 309 from what I heard.
307 row g
3 rows from the bar, the big tree stand………….
🙁
Incredible photo
Good luck on Sunday Willie Joe! Nice to be recognised. Best wishes.
Hon Mayo
A picture paints a 1,000 words is right. Most supporters pin their flag to high spots like Everest, Croagh Patrick etc. Mayo’s ones (been the optimistics that they are) go to the murky low points and pin theirs. You gotta laugh – but the psychology of the photo aint good.
That’s a bit of a trite observation, Rossoneri – there have been photos of Mayo flags, not to mention all those Mayo4Sam placards and the like, from all over the world in recent weeks so this one is just one more take on the theme. I think you’re over-egging it a bit to think there’s any deep (pardon the pun) psychology involved in this one!
Fair play to her ..
Folks, what did people think of the Sunday Game analysis last night?
I would be a critic at times of the poor, half hearted attempts at analysis on it but I thought it was quite good last night.
The kickout thing was very well done as was the discussion re Brennan, Dillon etc. I was impressed enough really, something I don’t say too often about McStay’s usual obvious analysis.
Thoughts?
Good god, but Eugene McGee would put years on you. What a miserable piece of writing.
Horan’s interview on the other hand is steady and confidence-inspiring. Mind you, Gavin is a cool customer too. This will be one hell of a game for the neutral and if I were a betting woman (and not from Mayo) I’d be firing a few quid on a draw. Needless to say I hope we can see it through on Sunday, cos I’m not sure I could wait another two weeks – the last month has been torture.
Anyone know when the team is due to be announced? Thursday?
Ticket arrived today – section 309 as well so will be seeing a few of you in there on the day. Five more sleeps (and a sleepless Saturday …)
Grt story about therese maher. Very inspiring. Thought immediately about the likes of alan dillon. Goes to show that if you stick at it, things will come to you. But they wont be handed to you.
McGee would put years on you all right Ann-Marie; the articles is full of glib assertions about both teams
However, we need a lot more of those type of articles in the lead up. Articles that cast doubt on Mayo rather than those well-wishers who hope Mayo do it this time, or those super-confident types who treat victory as a done deal, and if/when it doesn’t turn out as forecast, lacerate those who fail to measure up to their puffed up forecasts – Liam Hayes comes to mind here.
Anyone watch that program on tg4 last nite? I didn’t bodder when i heard the title.I hate when fuckers come up to me and say “Mayo god help us”
Mayomaningalway lonnergans in salthill holding an up for the match night Friday night free entry tickets raffled on the night !!!
309 row PP. From what I gather on boards and the Dub site, they have the central sections like 305. More standard GAA favouritism. Fired off a pointed email asking for clarification of the number of ST allocated to both teams for the 2 central sections. Just a matter of principle, I’m delighted to have a ticket otherwise.
McGee is GAA journalism at its worst, he’s pathetic.
Excitement and nerves really starting to creep in now, long week ahead.
Jaysus fear play to ya livenhope.really appreciate the heads up.
Wouldn’t watch that crap. The timing of it annoyed me. Its amazing how people just associate this team with the past when their own eyes should be telling them different.
Doesn’t matter who we are playing, its another game to win. I met a Monaghan man yesterday whom said we are unlucky to be meeting should a good team as Dublin this year. I said Monaghan would love to be in our position as would a lot of other counties. Doesn’t matter who we are playing, doesn’t matter where we are playing, doesn’t matter where we are playing. All that matters is the team and our performance.
Rossie I wouldn’t be too quick to make smart remarks about the photos. I take great pride in seeing the Mayo support and the love they have for Mayo football. No matter what happens on Sunday we will be around for a while.
Re, ‘ Mayo God help us’,
I believe this is taken up in the negative towards Mayo football and footballers, where in fact the opposite is the case.
Back in the late 30’s ( National league winners, six in a row 1934 to 1939, Mayo became known as league specialists ,) and in the early, 50’s ( 50 and 51) when Mayo won their back to back All Ireland’s and were like the present team, one of the top teams in the country , they were feared by most other teams and supporters alike. When other team’s or supporters, were asked, who they were playing, when up against Mayo , they would answer,’ we are playing Mayo, God help us’ ?.
Mayo , always down the years had good footballers, and good teams, if speaking about some minnows of football,’ God help us’ , could be used, but never, about Mayo.
Looking forward to Sam back in Mayo, this evening week.
Poor Eugene. Even his facts are wrong. Apparently we lost the 2005 final as well. We weren’t even it it. The poor clown must not be well. They really should put him out to grass. I bet ya if you asked him “who ate all the cakes in the Sunday Game studio” he would say “Kevin McStay”.
Got the season tickets, Row A – Section 309! So disappointed as its a terrible spot to see the match from that low, was there at the league match when we played Dublin under lights, just terrible. I just wonder who is in the middle rows? Surely the dubs can’t get all those as a matter of fairness in the GAA? Time will tell.
Great picture of Therese Maher, was so happy for her yesterday after a fine game by her and a long career.
I read McGee’s excuse for an article this am and it nearly put me in bad form for the day. You can’t really see him being as critical of Kerry now, can you? On the ticket front, it’s going to be a long week.
All – I’ve just deleted the first rumour-related comment of the week. For those who still don’t know the rules around here, all comments containing rumours, inside stories etc. about injuries, team selections and so forth will be deleted. Just to be clear – this isn’t the place for spreading tittle-tattle and so I’d appreciate if everyone would use a bit of common sense in relation to spreading stories of this kind.
Season ticket came through the post this morning section 307.
Maigh Eo Abu.
Sincere congrats to the Galway Camogie teams. Therese Maher should be an inspiration for the Mayo team, lost five finals and still had the mental strength to be player of the match yesterday. A team has to believe that they will win and should try and treat the Final as another championship game. Thousands of Mayo supporters will be in Croke Park on Sunday, it is vital that we are very vocal because Dublin will create a lot of noise. It is very important that we get behind the team on the day. A lot of Mayo supporters were very quiet during the first half of the Tyrone game, we can not allow that to happen on Sunday.
How disappointing it is rossoneri to read such a crap and small minded comment from you, I could imagine you having a chuckle to yourself, when you came up with that one. In the week that’s in it, a positive comment might be in order, but then again, sower grapes and all that come to mind……Well done Willie Joe for giving him a wee slap on the wrist !
Got 309 aswell row NN, delighted, surrounded by Mayo people, sure where else would ya want to be….
WJ – I had to look up the meaning of the word “trite”. I still don’t understand your use of the word in the above context. My posts are generally supportive and very often praise Mayo. I also post about my own after demoralising defeats. The post above was a bit of craic on a miserable Monday. By the way when Mayo get to finals their is a huge level of psychology involved, how else can you explain the poor record verses their massive ability to get to the final in the first place.
While I’m on a rant you bollocked me for having a go at Davy Fitz on a previous thread going on about how great a manager he is and how much he has achieved. He is half the man (pardon the pun) Jimmy McGuinesss is, yet you did not moderate the many vitriolic remarks on this blog about Jimmy in the same manner.
Now Mayo are in an All Ireland final, your busy and excited, so I will forgive you this time. God bless ya and enjoy your drink on Saturday night. If the Rossies made the Minor Final I would have dropped in for a pint.
Missed the Sunday Game last night – what was the general consensus of the esteemed experts?
I overlooked in previous post to congratulate Galway on doing the double yesterday, some home coming there tonight I would say. And what an inspirational photo that is of Theresa Maher kneeling on the pitch, a great example to all those involved in sport, as in life – never give up…..
WJ, what was the rumour you deleted? 🙂
Ah Sthop Pepplesmiller.
Agree with Horans Brigade.good analysis by kevineen for a change.
any news on cilian injury hope he will play and i think mayo will win
That’s fair enough, Rossoneri – it sounded like a bit of a swipe to me but I can see how you could have meant it differently. I think that ‘Mayo Go Help Us’ nonsense on TG4 last night has set my teeth on edge a bit! On the use of the word “trite”, it was that I thought the point you’d made about the flag was a fairly obvious and unoriginal swipe about us and finals and all that. On Davy, I just thought it was an unnecessary low blow but the reason Jimmy McGuinness gets more grief hereabouts is that he’s a direct opponent and they tend to feel the lash more than others.
My next door neighbour, Mick Corkery, was a member of that ’52 squad and he played championship for Mayo for a couple of years. He always maintained that the “curse” was, in his words, “a load of shite”. I purposely did not watch the program last night and probably will not watch Dessie and his multiple chins on Up for the Match because I have grown tired of that plamasun auld shite.
I want nothing now only Sunday, the match and a win because we have all been through the hype and the build-up and the excitement and the ultimate let down and disappointment. This squad and management are different and have shown us, the supporters, that the past is the past and is in the past. They have shown us that the past has no bearing on the results achieved by this squad and has no bearing on their preparation or thinking. These lads are playing their own game in their own style and playing it hard and fair. If they play to their best Dublin will not come within 5 points of us. I am sure they will play to their best.
Mayomaningalway should be a bit of craic not sure who going to Be there more of a meet up of all mayo heads i believe . Hope Ray Silke not there or I might end up in mill street!!! Ill be the wan in the Mayo jersey!!!!
@ livenhope there is something about Ray Silke all rite.Mighty ill make it my business to get out salthill Friday nite.9 wouldn’t be too late to land id say.
The Tg4 documentary in fairness was little to do with the curse malarkey and it also showed a glimpse of Myself on the an Sportlann balcony which would of boosted its rating no end , had they advertised showing me as the clip.
Would ya sum up the documentary Sean?
Aren’t we blessed to know SFA about football , and the innermost thoughts of Mayo people, unlike uncle Eugene. Whatever Mayo supporters they encountered in those three fabulous locations , they must have had a need for a toilet or ran out of petrol
Now lads and lassies; a bit of reality at the start of this great week. Yesterday outside a certain supermarket in the midlands, as it opened, there were four cars in the car park , three of them sported 2 Mayo flags each. People from Louisburgh, Belmullet and Ballaghaderreen were in those cars and we all discussed the Match in the supermarket aisles. One was a young lady, a teacher; another an older lady and myself. The general consensus was hope, a little confidence and the fear of “IT HAPPENING AGAIN”. There is a huge amount of criticism here about “negativity” and everyone is up in arms if anyone dares to criticise Mayo. Unfortunately, Mayo have earned that reputation over the years and not until Sam is won will that change; so it is pointless to go ape over the fear. Nobody wants to have that fear, we would all love to be supremely confident, so please let us bring Sam home!!!
Once again we have mass hysteria about Eugene McGee. He called it as it is and didn’t
favour either side and before we have any more nasty personal comments about him I can tell you he spent most of last week in hospital with double pneumonia , so he mightn’t be in the best of form. It ‘s about time some of you are mature enough to accept justifiable criticism of Mayo and leave your school days behind.
By the way, I watched TG4 last night. There was very little about the curse. They also mentioned curses in Clare and Galway and they were all rubbished. Actually it was quite informative in spite of the heads in the sand mentality that we are seeing. My popularity will certainly be on the rise. C’mon Mayo.
I read somewhere that a young Mayo buck gave Silke a lash across the legs with his bamboo flag pole in McHale Park after Mayo had defeated Galway several years ago.
He should have used an ash plant and hit him across the head instead in my opinion!!!!!
Ha ha Nephin I’m in stitches here !!!! Very good
Joe |Mac……………………The only thing to fear is ‘fear itself’ …………..We have the team we’ve yearned for, for decades, we have a match against the best from the rest of Championship 2013 and to earn that elusive All Ireland,we need to beat the best of the rest……………….My mind is easy because we will and though it may come as a shock to them and others we won’t be found wanting in the last quarter because we should have enough to spare………………Mayo by 8+.
MaighEo Abu
JJ
Great optimism, I hope your even 12 % right.
JJ- there are thousands, not like you, who deep down fear the result because of past history and no ‘positive’ talk will ease that fear. When mayo win Sam the fear will go, of it’s own accord.
Here’e to it being gone by Sunday evening Joe ………..it will be like a champagne cork going off when the wait of 62 years is released by the Mighty Men in Green and Red