We started this League campaign in the worst possible way with that thumping we endured down in Cork on the final weekend in January but this afternoon at MacHale Park we have the chance to end it on a positive note. We haven’t yet won at home in the 2016 NFL so today against already-relegated Down presents us with the perfect opportunity to do so. And after the U21s’ stirring triumph over Roscommon last night, another win today would certainly cap the weekend off nicely.
Matters aren’t completely in our own hands today as regards retaining our place in Division One for next year. Depending on how results go elsewhere this afternoon we could win our own game and still get relegated or alternatively we could lose and still stay up.
The bottom line, though, is that we need to do as well as we can against Down and let matters elsewhere look after themselves. Chances are that a win today should be enough to keep us up and a win – as big a one as we can get – is what we need to make sure we get. I’ve every confidence in our ability to do this.
I won’t be there today to see it but will be following the action from behind the laptop and on the radio. As I’m not going to be there, there’ll be no post-match audio report from me on the game but I’ll have the Man of the Match poll up on the site shortly after the final whistle sounds at MacHale Park. There’ll also be a report (of sorts) up on the site a bit later on as well.
Safe travelling to everyone heading to the match and the best of luck to the lads as they aim to finish this League campaign on a high. Up Mayo!
We will have a spring in our step heading to MacHale today after last night. Word of warning though….don’t take Down for granted. I am sure they aren’t coming down here to just play out the final fixture. A controlled and professional approach form Mayo needed which I am hopeful we will get.
Same mindset required today as we has in The Hyde. Diarmuid and Ger are 2 big losses today and we will also miss Rob with the long range frees. However lets hope Cillian is on form to make up for this and we put in a professional performance to get the job done. Any sign of complacency and it could be a long afternoon.
Down have had a good start in some of their games so we need to be ready for this, good luck all
Maigheo Abu
Think we should be ok but I`m still a little on the nervous side. The one thing we don`t
want is a Cork win and a draw in Clones. Stranger things have happened!!
With Regan, Freeman and O’Connor as our full forward line, we have ample free takers today. Looking forward to a good performance and hopefully no goals conceded.
Down are a bit of a banana skin. They have improved somewhat in defence in the last few games keeping the opposition score down at least but are woefully inept in attack. So with the right approach and no discipline issues Mayo should prevail comfortably. Enjoy the game.
We will be too strong for down today. Confidence should be good given recent results. Will the team start as selected? Personally i would not start cillian and freeman together as black cards or injury could leave us limited. But all in all we should be looking to finish league on a high and let other results take care of themselves. Another nice cameo roll from Evan will go down nicely.
Im as happy as a king after the u 21 result last night. Them guys have bottle.
Lots of nerves on here this morning. No disrespect to Down but they are not at our level and we should be going in expecting to win, especially at home, just like the six previous teams Down played expected to win. If Mayo loose then they really do deserve to be relegated.
Sweet win yesterday evening. However Down are not just travelling to fulfill a fixture. This will be a nothing to loose game for them and could be a battle.
Roscommon county board making our crowd look like the Apple board of directors.
Left a wet Donegal this morning for machale park need a good win to day and the boys will get it Monahan have no chance beet n Donegal today mayo by 10 or 11 points no place like the west may live in Donegal but my hart is in mayo God’s county
Few of the ladson the periphery of the championship team need to lay down a marker today. Talking to a dub mate of mine yesterday, hes heading to the ros game today,you,d think he was going on a bear gryslis show the way hes prepared, hiking gear and waterproof,s. Poor ould whore having to leave croker on a wet day,some people have no consideration for others.
Did I hear that game is happening in the Hyde after all?
Game is now in Carrick….apparently Diblin fans on the 8am train to Roscommon. Not good enough really. Agree with Liam the Roscommon board make our guys look like experts.
You’d expect Down to be very defensive early in the game so we need to be disciplined and not panic during this period. We’ll need to be patient and be wary of their counter attacks. I’d love to see us kicking some long range points as you need that to beat a blanket defence early doors. Then as the game opens up you’d expect us to get the required scores that we need. From our point of view been at home to the bottom team in the group should be to our advantage so we have to go out and make that advantage count on the scoreboard. Best of luck to all involved!
Can we all forget about Roscommon and mind our own business.
Done Deal – we would but unfortunately they’re just too funny a comedy side show to ignore…
Feels like fawlty towers of county boards in roscommon today..really bad form for supporters especially those making long journeys..plenty of coverage last weekend regarding the state of the pitch..beggars belief that decision left till this morning..
It is an absolute joke, totally disrespectful to supporters. Im sure there are Dublin supporters on trains now heading to Roscommon, or travelled by train last night, I would be raging. Pitch inspections should not be left until the morning of a match.
Love it. Roscommon co board getting it in the neck at the expense of ours. Unbelievable , anyone recall the recent managerial fuck ups, telling the media last September that it was in the medias mind all talk about player dissatisfaction .
Anyone recall that the boards Liaison officer to the team was also on the executive ? Anyone recall the trip to London 2011, via Galway, Waterford, Southend and a bus to London? Is the debacle over the debt on the county ground, yes the multi million euro one consigned to the “Keep the recovery” going bullshit pile?
Jesus has Roscommon spooked us so much that we need to reference every thing against them? Their ground has flooded, they tried to keep it going, big fucking deal. Personally it’s their own business and I can understand shit happening. Well done U21s and good luck to the seniors.
Will all Dublin passengers arriving in Roscommon this morning please change for Carrick on Shannon via Tulsk and Elphin. Game will not commence until all patrons are seated.
Just leaving for match now ,, have to admit I’m a bit nervous ,, safe journey to all .
John that pitch was a disgrace last week and responsibility for change of venue is roscommon county boards not ours..we are all too aware of our own shortcomings. .
Like a couple of posters here I’m beginning to get really fed up of the constant sniping and sneering at our neighbours to the east. Only in McGregor’s sport is it seen as noble to kick a man when he’s down.
Great to beat the Rossies whenever we can but let’s show our maturity and decency. Beat them and move on. Let’s mind our own business and not revel in our neighbour’s misery and misfortune, regardless of the fact that they themselves may be the authors of same.
Jesus John,
Why all the negativity? It’s not like ya….. Can’t we just enjoy a bit of schadenfreude at someone else’s county board screwing up instead of ours for once.
Yes John, because our County Board never come in for any criticism whatsoever…
Today is a day for lads who are not nailed on to claim a place in particular up front.
Our u21 full forward line are snapping at guys heels.
Should be beating Down at home by 5+.
Hope cillian gets captain this year not a o Shea.
Poor Roscommon were stuck between a rock and a hard place, they knew the pitch was not up to scratch but wanted the dubs to come and drink/eat and be merry last night in the town. I hope that at least Roscommon give it a good lash today and don’t stand admiring the dubs. Dublin by a point or two.
As for Mayo, this is one they have to win and even with the missing bucks I think Mayo by 5 scores of either type. Still thinking about the u21 game yesterday, there’s a good attitude developing in Mayo football, don’t give up til the final whistle.
Not quite the formality so far…a 2nd half like last week is required. ..
Regan is playing a blinder and is at the heart of everything good. Whyhave we switched to AOS at ff which is obviously not working, he was having a great game in the middle. 6 pts up and going well then switch tactics. Defence too open and Down are getting to many soft scores, conceeding 10 pts in a half is not good. Need to up the intensity to stop this becoming a dogfight at the end.
Our transition is too slow. SOS reverting to too much soloing.
I’ll say nowt!
Mayo very poor but got the win mayo fell apart when down ren at them never taught Monaghan would beet Donegal
Phew !
A lax performance overall. But a win is a win, great performance from Regan lots of work today. We seemed to think we just had to turn up. A serious reluctance to kick the ball. I hope Roachfords words ring true & the football we see in winter is different to summer
Are we still up
So we stay up due to having just a two scoring points advantage over Monaghan? Too close for comfort but glad we’ve retained our status. Onwards and upwards!
Down had an average score of eight points per game before today yet managed nineteen against us. Wasn’t at the game but concerned our backs didn’t keep them under wraps more.
No, we’ve actually ended up fifth – we had a healthy points difference over Cork in the end but if we had slipped to a draw or defeat against Down we’d have been relegated on 5 match points.
Got the job done but lots to improve on. Would have been sickening to slip down to the second division at home to a team already relegated.
phew, skin of our teeth stuff there. couldn’t go to the match, but Evan sounded fantastic on the radio, what is the opinion of people there, also I think AiDan should stay in the middle, we are not as good when he goes full forward- we should save that for special occasions!!!! thank God that is over, we stay up in div 1 and 7 weeks to London. UP MAYO roll on the summer