I was away for the day yesterday so there’s plenty of catching up to do today on the work front but there’s also some more stuff arising from Sunday’s win over Kerry (that sounded so good I think I’ll write it again – Sunday’s win over Kerry; there, I feel twice as well now) that you’ll want to see.
Yesterday’s Times had a decent enough article by Ian O’Riordan focusing mainly on “new” Mayo player Colm Boyle. That one went down nicely yesterday morning as my flight over to Heathrow was heading towards cruising altitude. It’s worth looking up just for this photo by Ryan Byrne of Inpho of the fearsomely determined Davitts man as he wrestled free of the Kerry cover before scoring that astonishing extra-time goal.
This morning’s Indo has a piece with Alan Dillon where the Ballintubber man says that the lads are now beginning to understand what kind of work-rate they need to put in to live with the top teams when it really matters. The Examiner also has an article that covers much of the same ground.
The need to keep slugging away all day is a lesson that still needs to be hammered home, of course, because we went off the boil for a fair bit of the 90 minutes the last day, as we also did at times during the previous three matches. A higher work-rate will definitely be needed on Sunday week if we’re to claim our first league title since 2001.
The Indo also has a piece on Kerry and whether or not they’re losing their touch at Croke Park. You can safely file that one under “all a bit previous” I reckon.
Onto the Mayo News where, needless to say, there’s plenty of more fertile material. Mike Finnerty does the match report, a ‘3 things we learned’ bit of analysis and he also provides the first bit of team news ahead of the final. As regards the latter, he says that Aidan O’Shea will also certainly not play (although he will be assessed while in Portugal) but that Seamus O’Shea – who, don’t forget, put in a towering performance against Cork in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final – and Alan Freeman (worth a shot at full-forward?) should both be in contention to play.
Sean Rice – who issued a wonderful call to arms ahead of the Kerry game last week – provides his thoughts on the contest and Edwin McGreal does the honours with plenty of wit and keen observation on the post-match quote side. But what’s this about an article in the same paper penned by my old china, John Cuffe? I can’t see any link to that one as yet.
Definitely some logic in picking Freeman if he’s fully fit. The extra advantage of this would be that you could mix things up a bit by interchanging him with Andy during the game who could move to full forward with Freeman at 11 if the full forward line needed to be freshened up. I don’t think Barry is the answer at 14, he has always looked uncomfortable there – midfield only for him if he is to get a starting place. Andy wasn’t originally named at full forward in the qf last year but went on to do a serious job on Michael Shields on the day.
WJ the Mayo News saw the piece on the late and lamented Eddie Cuffe on your site and that’s the piece they feature.
Got you now, thanks – that’s great, it deserved a wider audience.
Good point by Declan above re Andy and Freeman. Barry, I believe, is still a good option at FF, especially against weaker defenses, but the ball in needs to be better than 50/50.
Boyle v Kerrigan (if they line-up against each other) could be a deciding factor in the game, two very influential players at the moment.
Rumour has it there was an article in the Sunday World (of all places) by David Brady last Sunday on the Mayo/Kerry match…I gather he was very critical of the County Board in it…
Anyone see it or have a link to it???
Speaking of “our” Mr Cuffe, John I presume that is you that writes in “Into the West”?
I wouldn’t say he was overly critical of them OllieRehn, he just made the point that was made on this site about the contribution Club Mayo made to the Portugal trip. He was right too.
He made some good points in general, as he tends to do. A much better read than Spillane’s weekly whinge.
For better or worse Cynthia , guilty as charged!
have been enjoying them John, never put the two together! Congrats
Just thumbing through the programme for the league finals of 2001. Cork lost to Westmeath that day in the division two decider and am fascinated by the brevity or longevity of the inter county footballer.
Eleven years ago when we won it minus James Horan, Ciaran McDonald, Pat Fallon and Kevin O Neill that day.Where did Ronan Loftus go to? , it seems like yesterday Marty mcNicholas was the hottest thing out of Breaffy, James Gill was to be a pillar, Stephen Carolan had a good eye and a low centre of gravity and booomph…their time passed…just like that.
From the programme only David Clarke sub goalie that day survives. He would have been about 18/19 then. Trevor played but is out at the moment. Cork still have Quirke, Canty and Nicholas Murphy from that squad. A Sean Og O hAlpín was a sub.
Don’t know why I am sharing a mad mind… set off by the thunder maybe! Or a reminder that time ticks on. That’s today’s sermon/rant/rave.
Having had the blessing of recent roadtesting in Croke Park (with more to come) we are now reaching a point where we only have issues with a few positions.
From my perspective we have to have the twin assasins at corner forward as it also takes care of freetaking duties – Conor & Cillian.
This leaves us with midfield & the centre of the attack. I note that James had Richie Feeney operating from CHF towards the end on Sunday & this could be a move well worth roadtesting further – direct running & helping out midfield etc.
We also need further roadtesting on Freeman,Conroy, Harte & perhaps Kirby in these positions as well – as a degree of rotation will be required in these positions & across the half forward line as well – it is now a 20 man game.
Unfortunately a few players did not advance their case on Sunday. One of those may be one for the future rather than for this particular year but further roadtesting awaits.
At midfield Aido is there for the summer with his brother, Danny Geraghty, Jason Gibbons & Harte & perhaps McGarrity providing options .
Any word yet on where and when the Cairde Mhaigheo people can get their tickets for the final?
Saw in the paper that James Gill has emigrated now.
Was that Dick Clerkin tweet about Croke Park paying for a foreign holiday aimed at us or Kildare?
I was wondering that myself Digits, but I think it was aimed at Kildare. The papers today were carrying a story about the €300k or so ‘loan’ Croke Park gave to Kildare, although Kildare obviously enough say it wasn’t a loan. The Kildare players are away on a 10 day training camp.
I predict the midfield for the summer will be Aidan o Shea and Jason gibbons. They play well together and the mixture of power, strength, athleticism and stamina bodes well. I can’t see there being 5 or 6 players vying for midfield berths and I reckon there could be a big name it two let go before the championship.
With regard to Danny Kirby I’ve been told that he is going to the USA for the summer on the J1 visa with a few of his fellow castlebar Mitchels friends. I know young guys wanna travel and see a bit of the world but I think it would be better for his inter county future if he decided to stay. He could be a very useless target man if other plans weren’t working out in the summer…..
Who is Dick Clerkin anyway? One used to play for Monaghan but is that some sort of claim to greatness nowadays?
was watching match it was brill only thing am digusted galvin not getting sent off hope mayo will beat cork
In fairness to Kirby if that is true and he wants to go, this is probably the year for him to do it. If he is good enough he will get back in next year. If he was to nail down a place in the team then going away for a summer would become almost impossible so it’s much better for him to go now while he is still on the fringes of things.
He is a big hope for the future at midfield, 11 or 14 and while it would be a pity not to have the extra option it is maybe a year too soon for him to really break through anyway.
There is a lesson there for kirby, Declan. . . Don’t over impress when given the chance????????
To be fair you could not begrudge a young fella like Kirby travelling to the States for a Summer.
If young Kirby is good enough then he’s old enough. Anyone recall 1996 when Ciaran Mc was away as well. Sometimes you reach a tipping point where that little bit extra can make the difference. Given our difficulties with finding the ideal 14, I hope JH is making every effort to ensure Danny stays on this side of the pond for the summer.
@An Ciotog
Would McDonald have a made a difference in ’96? If the answer is yes, then I have to say that he was wrong to go. Kirby is on the fringes so its a different situation.
Agreed. Need to keep Kirby in Mayo. He is allowed to go on his J1 after SAM is back n Mayo.
Kirby, in my opinion, isn’t good enough to start for Mayo yet, maybe in time but not yet. The options we have there at the moment are better.
Sean – Would you care to substantiate that assessment of Danny? I’m not keen on comments that simply state “X isn’t good enough” without making any effort to say why you think this is the case. His ability to score 4-1 in a single game (albeit an FBD one against GMIT) could be put forward as an argument to the contrary.
I dreamt last week that we won the AI and that Danny Kirby won it for us being sprung from the bench late on.
This is a worrying development.
@Willie Joe, apologies, didn’t mean for it to come across as a lazy comment. But to substantiate, having watched him a lot at club level I feel that Barry and Freeman would make better FF’s for the coming season, as would Andy if he doesn’t play CF. Having said that, I thought Horan would have given Kirby a run-out in the league.
Also, I thought a few people might have been a bit harsh in implying he stay home for the summer instead of going abroad (if it’s true he plans on going). Given his lack of game-time in the league, it’s unlikely he’ll get much more in the championship.
Kirby didn’t play in the early stages of the league because of his involvement with the Under 21s (neither did Cillian O’Connor and one or two others). Kirby then got injured and couldn’t play in the other games so we never got another look at him after the FBD. He may have got a run in some challenge matches ahead of the championship but no point if he’s going away.
It’s good to know that despite our recent improvements under Horan that we havent brought in all our young talent just yet and that squad places may be even more competitive next year.
Sean – that’s grand, thanks for coming back on the point. All I want is that comments made about players are fair at all times, which is why I felt the point needed to be substantiated, as you’ve now done.
If Kirby decides to go, you have got to wish the lad the best. He like many of the other ‘fringe’ players has got some serious competion & not everyone going to make JH’s final cut, if he dosent at least he knows he’s not loosing out for this years panel. Plenty young enough to come back for next year. I’m sure he could do a good job for Mayo, anyone that can score 4-1 I think in a half of a football match gotto have serious talent, Bottom line some very good footballers will envietably lose out, I never remember a panel as strong as this current squal. So good luck to the lad whatever he decides, you only get one chance at this life, & he’s young enough nake another bid next year for Mayo seniors.
has anyone noticed the tactics kerry have being using in the last few matches when they are winning by a few points with a few minutes to go they suddenly start getting injured roling around like wounded soliders in battle time wasting seems to be their way of shutting games out when they are being matched both physically and skill wise like mayo did in croker think its more than lemsips they need or maybe after so any allirelands the older players havent got the hunger or the stomach anymore whinging at the ref from start to finish is a form of intimidation that seeks to be their motos operandius at the moment mayo proved hit them hard and you will shake them good luck to the bhoys in red and green but dont get carried away galway in pearse stadium could be a bobby trap rool on the championship