I’ve just had a hunt around the usual haunts and there’s very little being said about our match with Cork next weekend. The media appear to be assuming that Tyrone, Kerry and Cork are all dead certs to come through and so most focus seems to be on the ‘mouthwatering’ clash between Donegal and Kildare tomorrow evening.
The Indo has a small piece with Alan Dillon but there’s very little meat to chew on there. The same paper also has a longer interview with Cork’s Eoin Cadogan. Darragh Ó Sé had plenty to say about Cork the other day in his Irish Times column, where our clash with them on Sunday earns the desultory observation that “Cork will have too much for Mayo”. That’s just a more polite version of Brolly’s boorish dismissal of us on The Sunday Game. Meanwhile, Shane Stapleton writing on the Eircom SportsHub website widens the attack by looking down his nose at every football county in Connacht (this piece, by the way, initially made reference to the ‘David Nestor Cup’ until he was put straight on the correct name for this obscure bauble).
The previews have started to come out too and, needless to say, they all point to a decisive Cork victory. Jason Sherlock does a video preview for the Indo where he says Cork will do it by five points. Hogan Stand make the telling observation that we’re “not the biggest team in the world” (which, given all the teams in all the sports in all the world, must be true) and they reckon that the Rebels are good things for back-to-back All-Irelands. Eircom SportsHub reckon that winning Connacht is equivalent to making it to the Ulster or Leinster semi-finals and that we could be having ” ‘Nam-style flashbacks to that 20 point defeat in 1993″ before the 70 minutes are up. Then they round off with the patronising observation that, if we play without fear, “a competitive football match could break out”. RTÉ have only posted previews to the Saturday matches as yet – has Brolly deleted the Sunday ones, I wonder?
The GAA’s website has a match profile which contains some interesting facts and figures on previous clashes (including the two in 1916 where we beat them twice in the All-Ireland semi-final).
What else is there? Cork Red FM radio station (one of those foreign language, ethnic ones from what I gather) has apparently released their All-Ireland song this morning. I don’t think that need worry us as the lyrics will have as much meaning to us folk as an Eastern European Eurovision entry would. Also John Mulholland, a bookie in Galway, is offering to refund all losing bets if we do the business on Sunday.
Are we bovvered about all this disrespecting? Are we hell – roll on Sunday!
Willie Joe I’m bovvered – very bovvered – to the extent that I want to shut it down the throats of the self-serving, ill-informed, arrogant commentators (and we still have to wait ’til we get Senan “I’ll throw a statistic at you to make it look as if I’ve actually seen this Mayo team play before” Connell on with Matt Cooper tonight).
I hope the players don’t just think they feel hurt by these comments but go out determined to show that they are better than people think.
Up Mayo!! It’s Showtime
HAd a look at the ‘committee room’ on rte player and they scarcely even mention mayo, just in passing, spent more time talking about the much anticipated Cork V Kerry clash in the semi!!!! Very maddening indeed, Let it be gunpowder!!!
mmm. Spoke to a couple of lads from Cork earlier and whilst describing their demeanour as quitely confident would be like saying porter shites are black, they were not quite sure whythe Murphy move was made so public. Theres a real sense off them that Cork are capable of blowing it on occasions that seems to still worry them deep down despite their AI.
Shhhlippy ball, lads… sshhhliiipy ball
Just the way we like it…..
So far under the radar we’ll be heading up the canal to croke park in a submarine!! 🙂
Making up the numbers it looks like, I say we make our own numbers,
Go onto youtube to watch the 4 minutes of Mayo Tyrone highlights in 2004.
DB was a great player on his day
“Cork Red FM radio station (one of those foreign language, ethnic ones from what I gather).”
…what.
That was just me trying my hand at humour, Turenne!
Have we ever been such underdogs for a game?
I would luv it if we beat them, luv it.
when we played Kerry back in 81(?) we were in the same boat. Dont think we scored in the 2nd half that day….
Thanks for that Ted
love the Kevin Keegan moment facetheball!! eiri suas a mhaigheo
The Heralds resident comedian duo McKeon and Roche fairly sow into us tonight (Friday). Both seem to have a thing about us. Poor stuff and actually annoying.
I’m not sure what my reaction to all of these media people, and especially Cork/Kerry/Dublin people would be if we actually won. Part of me would love to be humble and act like nothing had happened, game face on.
But the other part of me wants to go plant Mayo flags on top of the Spire, in Montrose and D’Olier Street, on top of Carrauntoohill, at Mizen Head and Cobh Harbour and wherever else I could think of. And several at Liam Hayes house for good measure …
Digits, save one to shove up hayes @rse and out his mouth if we win!
It doesn’t matter if we win. If we do the pundits will put it down to a bad day at the office for Cork. They will say that it was down to their bad preparation, Mayos good fortune or give some other reason rather than any giving any serious praise to a winning Mayo team. Why? Becasue they have made their beds and now they have to lie in them.
I would advise people to forget about the pundits as the majority are only their for soundbites or controversy to be watched by the wider audience. There are some notable exceptions e.g. on TV these being Dara O’Cinneide, Tony Davis and Anthony Tohill, although RTE seem to have done away with him.
I don’t want to burst your bubble lads and i don’t want to sound as if i’m not a proud Mayo man.
The reality is though, we are not as good as Cork and tbf we are not a first cousin to them at this time. I have a younger brother up here in Dublin with me for the weekend, he’s the same as ye, all brazen, throwin back the shoulders ” we can do it, why can’t we do it, we’re Mayo” . I don’t want to break his young misguided heart but the truth has to be told, this team has done well to win Connacht and this is way too big of a step for them, it’s nearly unfair in a sense that it could cause them damage to the mindset for the yrs ahead IF what i think is going to happen comes true, we will be brushed aside in a very one sided affair.
I will be there as usual and i will not bring this attitude with me,i will bring one of a fake/ bravado type attitude (which i think the team will have also).
* brother is no romancing watching 06 s/f on youtube, dear jesus this buck is away with the fairies*
Mayo god help us.
Has the Dublin Embassy (Club Mayo Dublin) any fundraiser on this weekend Wille Joe?
Rumour has it that the Dublin Ambassador was very annoyed after the Connacht Final as the Team Bus drove off without him!!!
Anyone who knows the Ambassador will know that he is not one to forget disrespectful acts like this.
30+ years of devoted service to the Green and Red and you get treated like this.
fair play to sean burkes bro, i’m watching it tonight too, getting riled up for sunday!! Happily away with the fairies, mayo forever 🙂
Reading some of those articles would be enough to make your blood boil, especially that lad taking cheap shots at connaught football.
Amidst all the talk about the game in the national media, I did find one decent article, in the Irish Examiner of all places!
http://sport.irishexaminer.com/post/2011/07/29/Mayo-and-Corks-golden-2006-generation.aspx
Its an excellent piece about the u21 final of 2006, amazing that 18 of the 35 players who played that day will have direct involvment on Sunday. Should give a bit of belief to us! Nice to see a writer from outside the county actually bothering to do some proper research for a change, when talking about mayo football.
Great article written by somebody who knows their football and knows both counties. refreshing to see.
jesus lads that ariticle on the eircom site would make your blood boil, who ever wrote it hasnt a clue about football….hope a copy of it is handed to each and every player tomorrow on bus out to c park.
UP MAYO!!!
Shane Stapleton and his cocky article on Eircom site doesnt look so smart now