Photo: Mayo Mick
The battle doesn’t start for real until Maurice Deegan throws the ball in at 3.30pm on Sunday in Croke Park but earlier today a group of intrepid Swinford lads – led by the redoubtable Mayo Mick, whose match-day photographs frequently grace this site – decided it was time to get hostilities going. There were no half-measures in what they did either.
Mick left a cryptic comment on the site yesterday evening to the effect that he was heading off on what he described as a kind of “secret mission”. I questioned at the time if this might mean he would be heading for enemy territory, thinking that maybe he might perhaps be planning a smash and grab operation in Kincasslagh to relieve Daniel O’Donnell of one of his tea cosies.
But Mick had a loftier target in sight and this afternoon he and his compadres planked a fine, big Mayo flag on the summit of Mount Errigal. As they did so, they also managed to swap two hurling final replay tickets for two football ones with an accommodating fellow-climber. Now that’s what you call a result.
And just in case this surgical strike by the Swinford SEALs gets up the noses of any Donegal lads, it’s worth bearing in mind that it was only a case of setting the record straight as last week Donegal TD Joe McHugh had the temerity to plant a Donegal flag on the top of the Reek. Today’s response obviously sends a very clear signal to the lads from the hills we’re more than ready to go toe-to-toe with them at HQ on Sunday.
Does anyone know if its still there – or how durable it is. Anyway – well done lads – I think is brilliant!
Fair play to yee..mighty bucks!
Feeling it came over me to stay forever more…… Green and Red of mayo. Well done lads. Enda is in Rome flying it to. Best wishes Sunady. A ,special hello to all the exiles wattching and listening away from home. I as one exile hope 2get. To. CrokerO. Mayme Abhu.
Good man Mick , Errigal claimed and all we have left to claim is the big fella on Sunday. This is the no excuse final. Perfectly pitched and evenly weighed. Two teams coming from the exact same base.
Traumatic season of 2010 saw two youngish managers plot different ways to redemption. Donegal drew the anger of the “experts” with a nihilistic approach last year. Mayo fine tuned the engine somewhat with more diesel than high grade petrol. Both have pragmatic managers, feet firm on ground.
The press having made asses of themselves last year over Donegals approach now want to make up and crown them with every accolade out there. We are the fly in the ointment and a considerable one at that. We have done our Lenten fast , some called it “No hype please”. Now the gloves come off.
Mayo contest , and I am open to correction here folks, their 14 th senior All Ireland final. Donegal contest their second ever. A win for them places them one behind us in victories. Unconscionable in my opinion if we were to find ourselves in that station after all our efforts over the years.
I honestly cannot see how Mayo can be beaten. To me the great conundrum called tradition has to kick in our favour for once. We were quick to lump that on to Kerry after a few killings endured by ourselves. Donegal do not possess our tradition. Strangely enough we could have kept them down longer had we been focused properly. The semi final of 1992 was against us and their only League title ever win was against us in 2007. So in essence we owe them a good thumping.
They say that a good big ‘un always beats a good small ‘un. I kinda agree with that , Messi excepted. I believe that having started on the same grid in 2011 as Donegal and backed by our history we have no choice but to win. Defeat is not an option and this time we will not have the comfort blanket of “ah well its Kerry” to suck on.
This is my last post before the final. I wish the team well, the supporters only the best and a fervent wish that we this time do what the hell has to be done.
hopefully your next post will be a homage to the great mayo team of 2012 john
Well done Mick … I would have thrown my lot in with Swinford SEAL Team6 had it not been for work. Well done again bodes well for Sunday ….. Now turn towards Dublin and ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK …UP MAYO !
What a day yesterday! Thanks to the gang that made it possible. Thanks to Joe ( who did all the driving), and to Dougie and Patrick, for taking photos and video and for volunteering to undertake the mission. Thanks also to Tom Lavins shop for supplying and sponsoring the flag.
Next mission, GAME 5.
UP MAYO!!
Brilliant! Especially since nobody from Donegal would ever think about doing something like that first!! That will show them. Well done.
Sorry I just noticed, the Donegal man got there first. Wonder will it be the same on Sunday?
Cecil, Donegal started it………BUT MAYO FINISHED IT!!!.Ditto on Sunday will do nicely
Alas, Miss Teek – It’s far from finished it is!
And while the Mayo men were up in Donegal’s “goal” they left no-one back in defence where Donegal players were back at the Mayo “goal” taking points of their own!
Very true Cecil, there was a few points scored back at home, will be a different story on sunday though!! 😉
Fair play Mick, I have to give some credit for that move. I genuinely hope ye all got a lot of enjoyment out of your trek to the hills as I really don’t see your next jaunt bringing you much joy. Funnily enough, I was up Errigal this morning myself and half way down the far side I found your flag. Looked a bit worse for wear and rather depressing, a bit like yourselves on Sunday evening about 8 o’ clock I predict.. I hope for a well contested game anyway but can only see one winner if the Donegal men bring their A game.
@john cuffe – Nice post, well thought out. Unfortunately for ye, it all comes down to the 30 men on the pitch on the day and tradition/history actually counts for very little. Again, good game and good luck.