The Mayo News has confirmed today (here) that Mayo’s Connacht SFC trip to New York next year is definitely going ahead. Doubts had been cast on the trip some time ago, mainly due to the rocketing costs involved, but the Connacht Council have now confirmed that next year’s fixture will go ahead as planned at Gaelic Park.
No date has yet been set, however, for the fixture, nor will one be – according to that report linked above – until after the GAA’s Special Congress in October. It’s after this that the Master Fixtures List for 2024 will be put together and so only then that the date for the New York game will be confirmed.
One of the items on the agenda for that Special Congress, by the way, will be whether or not the League finals will be retained next year. If they are and if we once again qualify for the Division One decider, then it’s likely, if next year’s fixtures follow this year’s schedule, that we’d be playing in Gaelic Park the weekend after contesting the League final in Croke Park.
Kevin McStay mentioned this possible fixture congestion when Rob chatted with him on the podcast recently, noting wryly that Mayo GAA had, in their wisdom, voted to support the retention of the League finals when this comes before Special Congress in October. That’s one more reason, perhaps, for us to pull our punches a bit next spring, though it’s really the county’s off-field contingent rather than the on-field lads who should be helping us avoid such an potential fixtures jam.
Great to see this happening ! Great way of promoting gaa and also the guys get some travelling ha…say it will be a packed house at the game.
Crazy about the fixtures wise .. but sure we might not even get to the league final I’d say it’ll be a dogfight next year in division 1 what with Dubs, kerry , Derry, Galway ourselves in it so I won’t be worrying to much about that just yet . But it is crazy the fixtures league final right before championship starts ..
I really do think we will bounce back next year and that mcstay & co will know league is about trying new players not peaking to soon if we played like we did during league this year we would have been in final.. semi final at least we couldnt have kept up that pace all season !!
Clare, a much bigger dog fight in Division 2.
@JR really ? Dont think as much as Division 1 this year was already a dogfight ha I still think we well next year but not going to worry about reaching a league final week pre championship just yet ha
We were coughing up goal chances and not creating enough ourselves in all our league matches. Fitness got us over the line.
Surely fixtures committee will revise on basis of fixtures issues this year. Hopefully we will have players puting up their hands in the next few weeks.
The resident American here is thrilled. My wife didn’t even crack a smile when I told her the good news and that I was inviting all my Mayo friends back to the house after the game. ?
@ontheditch colm reape also got us over the line and saved us a few times he will improve I’m sure on his kick outs with time only young but a great star in the making !
Lots to work on but I’m sure we will improve.
Won’t be going this time but for all that are travelling I sincerely hope you’re luckier with the weather than the last time. Our crew were soaked and frozen to the bone but still had a fantastic weekend. As for the league, I think we’ll at least be a bit cuter with our overall planning and hopefully be out of contention but safe with games to spare. Its a funny feeling to have this mentality towards what should be the benchmark competition with the top teams all playing each other, but the fact that it is a hindrance for some teams to make the final is a disgrace.
Think the league won’t be a priority next season. New or fringe players will be given an opportunity along with established players.
While we would all like to see more options at midfield and a few more scoring forwards, they don’t grow on trees so we have to be realistic. We are currently a good bit off the quality of panels that Dublin and Kerry had this year . I think Mcstay and Co will have learnt alot this year .
Looking forward to the club championship .
Don’t think we’re a good bit off the quality of panels compared to Dublin & kerry have sure we beat kerry twice this year and if Clifford has on off game or gets injured they are in trouble.
Also when some the Dubs retire they will be in trouble to for not bringing more younger players through even dubs I know say they this to.!
We have plenty of young talent coming up that will have learnt from this year just hope management have learnt to we aren’t that far off in my view anyway ha. But agree with others that I don’t think league will be a priority year to..
My ball ya they dont grow on trees surely. But whats out there can be trained and coached. Instead of turning forwards into backs and vise versa. We now have a fullback for example. Mcbrien is tough and athletic. The temptation now is to move him further out the field to try abd expect him to defend and attack. He should be our number 3 and to anchor the defence. End of.
McBrien should be tried at 6 imo and give us leadership from that position. I agree my ball giving new players opportunities in the league.
Reape definitely a good find and not totally at fault from kickouts.
We have players no doubt Clare. Big test of management to get tactics right. Club championship definitely something to look forward to.
@ontheditch yeah agree with you there about management next year I think there is pressure on them so we will see big improvements I think ! ( hoping ) ha
I think mcbrien would be a good option for number 6 strong athletic and seems like a good leader !
Didn’t Sligo win their league final this year a week before heading to New York and hadn’t much bother taking care of business over there.So with all due respect it’s different from meeting a Roscommon or Galway a week later/
I agree with more experimentation,and giving fringe players more game time during the league and called for that last year but if it’s there to be won we should go and win it.
Leave McBrien at number 3, we’ve been crying out for years looking for a FB, we’ve found him, leave him there and let him grow and develop into the position. Diarmuid to 6 for me, solid and reliable.
Brickendon for no 6.
Thinking of heading over for this game. Would anyone have any recommendations on where to stay? Were tickets hard to get for the game? Any info on last trip would be helpful.
When I was young and foolish about picking Mayo teams,a very good Mayo footballer explained to me the fact that when you have got a player in one position leave him there,you have solved that problem don’t move him and then have two problems,we have a very good full back,leave him there and solve our half back problem,I am very confident that we have p!Ayers who can easily play number six
@Mayomanindublin, tickets very scarce the last time but those that arrived early were able to pay cash.
Can’t see as many travelling this time.
@corrick number 6 is a vrry tough position unfortunately i can only see 2 guys that can step up to that position Atm and that’s David mc brien or Diarmuid o Connor
2 Hops Sligo did indeed win the Division 4 final this year however it was Leitrim who went to New York, and didn’t manage to do the business. Sligo played NY in Markievicz Park 3 weeks after their Division 4 final, and did the business then.
I would put O Hora at chb ,he is strong and good at attacking the ball and can move up field and join attack and even score a few, he is certainly not a corner back. but we always seem to want to play players out of position.
I am confident that K King from Knockmore is capable if he recovers from injury
Culmore, I like oHora but not sure if he is good enough.
He has got lots of chances.
I don’t think o hora should be number 6 not a good option o hora is a decent player but nit strong enough for number 6 he was wiped out in 10 min v dubs yes not fit but he should be an impact sub .
Pleased for you, Not Half Fast!
One of the hardest positions to fill is full back. We finally have a gold plated one and ye want to move him. I’m with Spectre on this one. Leave McBrien at full back.
I fully see where people are coming from re McBrien at No 3 and leave him there, but just to contradict myself, what about for 3 games in League, move McBrien to 6, Brickendon to 3, I thought he was going well there this season until injury v Kerry.
To think back Horan played 2 Rolls Royce players Leeroy and Oisin Mullin in the full back line bonkers stuff, good at preparing teams and players but tactically very poor.
Thanks @FDB. Of course you are right. I was getting my foreign trips mixed up.
I’d go with inisbofin. We have to be prepared to experiment. Hopefully Brickenden will recover his form in club championship. McBrein has had a great year. Very alert, not afraid to make runs forward at pace. Diarmuid wouldn’t have that kind of pace