Against Down in the opening round last weekend it was the young guns who were to the fore but, sucked into a battle against a deeply defensive Westmeath at Cusack Park in Mullingar yesterday, it was the more experienced lads who stood up strongest to see us through.
True, Mattie Ruane was prominent in both games – particularly so yesterday – but then I guess that, now in his third year at inter-county level, the Breaffy man also straddles both camps. His Breaffy clubmate, Robbie Hennelly, was flawless in goal yesterday, making two crucial interventions in the second half, both of which averted clear goal chances. Then, at the other end of the field, Cillian O’Connor was as dependable as ever on frees and it was his injury time point from play that finally broke the home team’s resolve.
But the man who was central to yesterday’s win and who took the fight to the opposition all day was Paddy Durcan. Captaining the side in Aidan O’Shea’s absence, the Castlebar Mitchels player was a livewire presence all afternoon, defending with his usual tigerish determination and raiding forward to notch three excellent points from play.
He was named Man of the Match by Eir Sport on the live broadcast yesterday and, with 36% of the vote in the poll here on the site, he wins the MOTM award here as well. Congrats to him.
The other lads name-checked above all polled heavily – Mattie got 16% of the vote, Cillian got 11% and Robbie got 9% – which provides recognition of the heavy lifting they did for us in Mullingar yesterday. Well done to them too.
Was only quiet the first day out as he was detailed to smother Mooney out of the game. Probably our most consistent player over the last two to three years.
Robbed of an All Star last year
Well done paddy. As regards relegation they are not semifinals they are one off games. Winner staying up loser relegated.. Can anyone tell me who is responsible for the forward mark rule? Without exception everyone I hear on the media or discuss it with are totally against the idea so how the hell did it creep into the game. Makes a mockery of the game imo.
Well deserved Paddy Durcan. Great inspiration to all the yonnger lads.
Great work by Paddy again. Popped up with three points at times when Westmeath had maybe drawn level or had rolled off 2 or 3 without reply. A great leader for sure.
I voted for Hennelly I thought he did well and won a 50/50 ball which otherwise would have been a goal
Hi, I notice that Clare’s win has hardly been noted and the possibilities thereof.
John Maughan had a great win with Offaly.
I am sure Paddy Durcan deserves MOM. Also it is a relief that Rob Hennelly had such a great game.
No sweat this weekend.
Well done Paddy, a rolls royce of a player. Never less than an 8/10 from Paddy.
Interesting weekend, i watched a lot of games. All the contenders (even Dublin) have weaknesses to sort out.
– Dublin: None of the new lads they try seem to make any impression, still reliant on the core of 5/6 big players. Subs bench looks weak
– Donegal: Leaked 4 goals, so defense a big worry
– Galway: Still not convined by them when i look through that teansheet i see passengers in every line
– Tyrone: Dark horses if they can get the blend right, although if campbell scores that penalty they could have lost to armagh there
– Kerry: leaking soft goals, david moran definitely not the dominant force he was
A big takeaway for me also this weekend was the sight of players limping off with muscle injuries in every game, john small and michael murphy the most notable, as much as promotion coming through league unscathed without bad injuries is no 1 priority. Injuries and how they are managed will be big factor in coming season
If two teams are level on points it is decided between the result in their meeting who finishes ahead. If 3 teams finish level on points its based on scoring difference. If Cork beat Clare they will more than likely top the group unless Kildare better Corks result by 4 points. That group is still wide open with all 4 teams still in with a chance of finishing in top 2. Yes Laois need a massive turnaround in scoring difference and hope Clare beat Cork but anything could happen. Mayo v Meath to decide who tops the group. I don’t like the system, Mayo could win all 3 group games but then lose the semi final and miss out on promotion. In a one off game anything could happen.
Next weekends game against Meath is a free hit, both are through to the semi finals and both have no idea where the teams in the other group will finish so i expect it to be like a challenge match. Looking at the other group, cant see any of the 4 beating Mayo or Meath. Meath and Mayo pretty much have a two week rest before the semi final whereas the other group, the teams still have all to play for.
Yeah a massive result for Clare, hope the momentum they’ve built gets them over the line against Cork. I just do not want to face Cork in a one off game for promotion, yes we’d be favourites, but they are so unpredictable. Beat Kerry then lose to Tipp for example. I’d say our record against them in league football isn’t great, even in championship we’ve struggled in recent years. I just want us out of this division with as little fuss as possible then breath a sigh of releif and start planning for Sligo.
@alan Kenny. Laois can’t make semi final. They on 0 points
@No doubt. Laois can qualify albeit very unlikely. If they beat Kildare by 10+ points and hope Clare beat Cork by 7+ then Cork, Kildare and Laois would all be on 2 points, goes on scoring difference then. Very unlikely though, I expect Kildare to beat Laois by 5/6
No doubt…
If Clare beat Cork and Laois beat Kildare next weekend, then Laois, Kildare and Cork all finish on 2 points.
So Laois can make a semi final. A longshot I’ll admit!
Paddy is a class player and had a great game The game suited him. Westmeath retreated into a defensive stand and this gave him and other defenders a great chance to come forward into attack. Our full forward line on the other hand was smothered by that defense and we we mispassed and fumbled too many possessions. We missed Aidan’s strength inside. Westmeath were strong on defense but fowled too much and Cillian punished that. One thing we did well was kick long range points with good efficiency. Defense was opened too easily by a team that did not generally counterattack at speed.
I stand corrected
I know I know , not another team suggestion. But I’ve been playing with this one. Curious what others think .
Why can’t Mayo field this team ?
Hennelly
Harrison
Mullin
E McLaughlin
Keegan
Aido
Durcan
Diarmuid
Ruane
Loftus
Cillian
Jordan Flynn
Conroy
James Carr
Ryan O Donoghue
Food4thought – 12 of that team started last Saturday.
What about the other 15 players in the panel who have seen no game time yet – they surely deserve a start next Sunday to show what they are capable of. If not – why are they on the panel.
There are 3-4 players who are getting a lot of game time and have been far from convincing. Management have to be fair to other players and give them a chance.
It is very frustrating when younger players are coming in this year and starting ahead of players who have been there 2 or 3 years and have fuck all game time under Horan. It just makes you wonder whats the point in having heads in the squad that are not getting game time. Its pointless naming names and I think most people know who they are, but from my own opinion anyways I feel a few of them have done enough in previous performances (club and county) to get the chance to even make the 26. One or two are on Food4thought’s team. If not send them back to their clubs, I’m none the wiser what Horan is trying to do and I suppose what would I know either when I’m living 3,000 miles away from McHale Park for the last couple of years. He knows best, but he’s as well to throw out as many debutants against Meath and get prepared for the play-off.
Well done Paddy, top man and an out and out warrior??
Quayman – I think everyone on Food4thought’s team has got loads of opportunities under Horan. Some of the other panel members can feel hard done by, but at the end of the day maybe they just aren’t doing it in training/challenge games.
Just a question, why is there so many forwards/ midfielders in the Mayo panel and not enough defenders?
As somebody mentioned yesterday, is there too many guys on the fringes of the panel for the past 4 years ?
Maybe a few others should be tested in the centre of the defence, something we haven’t seen before.
Wideball I misread I thought Eoin O’D was on that team. That Mayo squad that was up for a couple of hours on sportsfile featured more than 40 players, I suppose that amount is needed given the circumstances and a few possibly will be cut for championship. In that 40 from what I can remember featured very few inside markers. It is going to be a problem for us.
Re ‘players not getting game time’ this is the way I see it. You pick the best players within the county and ask them to commit to inter county football. Those that do you ask them to apply themselves to reach a certain level of fitness and playing intensity. You get these to play against each other in A v B games. You do this to get the very best to compete against the very best and the cream will rise to the top. This is not under 12’s football where everyone gets a run out. If you are good enough and better than the next fella you get to play.. if not you don’t.. that creates competition for places and that makes the team better. There is no favouritism. James has repeatedly said he will play those who are performing the best. Players performing now may not later in the season and visa versa. There’s no room for nostalgia on past performance or been given opportunities. You are better than the next guy or your not. You play the best team available to you all the time. I don’t think we will see that many changes or players been rewarded for been second best been put on the bench. Do you think Dublin or Kerry go on past performances or give players a run out in the hope that they will suddenly come good even though they are not doing it in A v B games.. I don’t think so.
That photo of Paddy Durcan is a really great shot. She (Lorraine O Sullivan) captures beautifully the level of athleticism and determination that make him such an elite sportsman. A worthy photo for a worthy Man Of The Match.