It’s exactly four years ago today that I penned this first piece here on the site (good sweet Jesus – is that what it looked like then?) and, as increasing numbers of you have come to realise since then, now that I’ve started there’s no shutting me up. Well, not anytime soon.
I started the site at the outset of the Johnno II era which, along with so many others, I’d hoped would see us reach the Promised Land but while he managed to find his way to his own Nirvana (well, the 30th Dail) the rest of us ended up in the ditch. Now, four hard years on, we’re starting off anew with our hopes on the rise once again. Such is the lot of the Mayo supporter.
Time for some cake and smarties, then – here’s to the next four.
Happy Birthday to you…happy birthday to you…happy birthday dear mayogaablog…happy birthday Willie Joe!
happy birthday and what a great job you are doing. keep it going
Happy birthday willie joe, keep up the good work.
Well done Willie Joe and keep up the good work. Maigh Eo Abu
Well done WJ. The blog is getting better each month and it’s providing a great forum for us to follow and chat about Mayo football ( without any of the juvenile stuff that you see on other sites and blogs.)
Congrats as well on reaching the 500K hits mark. Great achievement
Thanks for the kind words, all – wouldn’t it be great if we had a nice, long run in the championship to salivate over this year?
Hopefully it will be a longer run than last year! 🙂
Breithla shona dhuit wj, you’re providing a great service to us mad fanatics who really should know better, but isn’t it great really how hope springs eternal, especially in the Mayo breast. No more than the rest of ye, I’m really looking forward to the start of the league and its been such a long time since I have been so clueless when it comes to what the Mayo starting 15 (or panel of 30) will look like. This, of course, can only be a good thing, a serious dose of freshening up was badly needed. Hope to be in the middle of a noisy crowd in the new stand, under lights, watching a youthful Mayo giving it a lash against the all-ireland finalists. Couple of jars afterwards in C’bar, sure what else would you be doing?? Here we go again,, bring it on!! Thanks in advance wj for riding the roller coaster with us for whatever befalls in 2011!!
Happy birthday Willie Joe.
Whatever happens this year it will be better than what happened last year in Sligo and Longford.
However, dont write off too many of the old guard. Parsons looked really spectacular tonight in a tough hard hitting challenge between U21s and Seniors. Aidan Campbell was also very good. It looks like Cafferky will be at CHB as will McGarrity be in MF. Jason Gibbons is also near the mark and hard decisions will have to be made. Aidan O Shea was getting stuck in tonight while Barry Moran was largely inconspicious. Ronaldson was his usual self as was Dillon.
I reckon the following might well be starting on Sat night:
David Clarke
Richie Feeney
Alan Feeney
Keith Higgins
Chris Barrett
Ger Cafferky
Kevin McLoughlin
Tom Parsons
Ronan McGarrity
Aidan Campbell
Alan Dillon
Aidan Kilcoyne
Alan Freeman
Aidan O Shea
Mark Ronaldson
Diehard, I’d like to see that set of forwards get a run alright, theres plenty of ability in there between them. Did anyone stand out for the under 21s and did the likes of AOS play for the under 21 team or the seniors as he is still underage this year?
AOS played U21. Conor Campbell in goals had a few good saves. Cafferky from Crossmolina was good as was Kevin Keane (although he had a handful in Dillon). To be honest I was not as familiar with the U21 lads.
heppy Birthday WJ! Dont underestimate how valuable this website is to all mayo Gaels!!!
Diehard – I’d be surprised if Keith Higgins gets the nod in the corner. From what I was told, he was still standing 5-10 yards off his man against the Rossies in Ballyhaunis and given James Horan’s apparent desire to see us tighten up at the back, I’d have thought he might go with Hallinan and Richie Feeney in the corners instead. Keith would be better suited to the half-backs but competition for places there is heating up, what with the three you’ve named plus James Burke and a few more. I’d say Jason Gibbons might well get the nod ahead of Parsons at midfield (Tom has a bit to prove after the last two years and Jason would deserve the start ahead of him for this one) and I suspect that Dillon might be on the wing, though I hope not at the expense of Campbell – I’d sooner see Killer drop to the bench instead. Andy Moran saw plenty of action over the course of the FBD so we may see him start too but I’m not sure who might give way from your line-up above to accommodate him. Would love to see the FF line you’ve got there though – plenty of potential to wreak havoc inside!