Those of you who have already signed up as Mayo Football Podcast club members on Patreon will know that we’re chugging along nicely so far this year, doing what we can to keep step with the impressive swathe being cut in recent weeks by Kevin McStay’s New Model Mayo team.
The condensed schedule of League matches has meant we’ve established a nice rhythm to our podcast content. We’re all over the forthcoming game in the lead-in to it, we’ve immediate post-match reaction once it’s over and then we’ve some more considered analysis the day after. We’re also continuing to interleave this regular content with other bonus pods at regular intervals along the way.
The main event on the podcast leading up to a game is Mike’s ‘Here Comes the Weekend’ show. Billy Joe Padden or Colm Boyle usually ride shotgun with Mike on this show and there’s always useful insight on it from the special guests from the opposing county.
Once again this year, Mike has proven he has a little black book of contacts like no other. For the Galway game, podcast regular and former Galway player Barry Cullinane joined the chat, for the Armagh one it was former player Aaron Kernan, for Kerry it was Tony Leen of the Irish Examiner, for Tyrone it was the one and only Peter Canavan, for Roscommon it was former captain Seánie McDermott and for Donegal it was Jason Byrne of the Irish Sun. Ahead of the Monaghan game this Sunday, Mike has Malachy Clerkin of the Irish Times lined up.
We’ve had plenty of big names on the game-day Final Whistle pod too. Rob and I are usually (though not always) helming this one and voices we’ve heard from over the last number of weeks include Edwin McGreal, Billy Joe Padden, former Kerry player Ambrose O’Donovan, Ger Flanagan, Martin Carney, Colm Boyle and former Donegal player Martin McHugh. This pod also includes post-match reaction from members of the management team and players.
In our match review pod, we go for a more reflective, in-depth discussion on the match Mayo have just played, with a look ahead to what’s facing the team next. Ed, Billy Joe, Colm and Ger are regulars on the match review pod, in which Rob, Mike and I also feature depending on the week.
We’ve had Q&A pods, we’ve had Fiona McHale on to chat about the LGFA action, we’ve had gems like the Lee Keegan interview and the Rob Hennelly interview. We’ve also kept going with new pods during down weeks when there’s been no game on.
To date, we’ve already released thirty separate podcast episodes in 2023, the bulk of which are exclusively available to our loyal club members on Patreon.
The pace is starting to quicken now for the players and it’ll be the same on the podcast. We’ve a League final to look forward to the weekend after next, with the Rossies in the Championship the weekend after and after that whatever fate holds for us in the hunt for the Sam Maguire this summer.
We’ll be there all the way once again this year on the podcast with the Mayo team – and the women, as well as the underage teams and, when all that’s done, the club action too – and we’d love to have you on the journey with us.
Monthly podcast club membership, giving you access to all this audio content, match-day Discord chats and more, costs just €5 plus VAT but our offer of annual membership at a 10% discount (which works out as a single payment of €54 plus VAT) is still available too. You find details on how to join the club here.
Well worth the few bob. I find myself watching for the email to say a new one is up. Great insights from the regulars and guests. Love Colm on it as much as I did on the field. He really knows the game.
I think it is great value but unfortunately paying monthly for podcasts is not something I can do, with all the other subs like Netflix, Disney +, Amazon, Spotify & sky that my family insist we have! Something’s gotta give and thankfully there’s enough podcast content on Spotify and elsewhere, to keep me going without having to pay anything more, than I already am. It’s a shame as the mayo new pod is excellently put together, but that’s my reality unfortunately, I’ve no doubt others are in the same boat.
Great service without a doubt, sets the scene nicely and has good analysis before games. I enjoy having the view from the other side before matches. I thought McHugh was great the last day, a very fair analysis of the game for the few minutes he was there. I always enjoy when Mike Finnerty is reading questions from Discord and is putting questions from FrosThammer to the likes of Peter Canavan!
I listen to such a variety of podcasts that I haven’t even time to listen to them all and can’t justify the subscription at the minute.
Are there any free podcasts anymore?
Mayo Focus – we’ve released seven free pods so far this year and free pods remain in our plans.
Well done on super content
Very enjoyable ??
I haven’t got into any podcasts up to now, but I am going to sign up and no better place to get started.
You might find this list of interest.
40 players have lined-out for the Mayo senior squad this year so far. Seven of those are now recovering from injury, but none too serious.
There are 3 more players available to start their season – ready to play, and one more continuing his rehab.
It is a good place for Kevin McStay and the management team to be with the schedule that the squad faces over the next month or so.
Played at some stage in competitive games for Mayo this year:
Rory Byrne
Jack Coyne
Rory Brickenden (Now recovering from injury)
Sam Callinan
Fenton Kelly
Stephen Coen
Donnacha McHugh (Now recovering from Injury)
Matthew Ruane
Jordan Flynn
Fionn McDonagh
Bob Tuohy
Bryan Walsh (Now recovering from Injury)
Aiden Orme
James Carr
Paul Towey
Gavin Durcan
Connell Dempsey
Kuba Callaghan
Conor Dunleavy
Ronan Carolan
Colm Reape
Enda Hession (Now recovering from Injury)
Conor Loftus
Diarmuid O’Connor
Conor McStay
Ryan O’Donoghue
Jack Carney
Aidan O’Shea
Eoghan McLaughlin (Now recovering from injury)
Cillian O’Connor (Now recovering from Injury)
Ruairí Keane
Ethan Gibbons
Joe Tuohy
David McBrien
Kevin McLoughlin
Darren McHale (Now recovering from injury)
Paddy Durcan
Jason Doherty
Tommy Conroy
Padraig O’Hora
Ready to return from injury:
Michael Plunkett, (Recovered from injury),
Frank Irwin (Recovered from hamstring injury),
Rob Hennelly (Recovered from a broken toe injury).
Plus
Brendan Harrison, (Reported to be back training)
And I hope I haven’t left anyone out.
Cloud 9 – Have you official updates on those injuries. Some conflicting stuff in the rounds that I wont add to but would like to know what is officially known and possibly communicated i.e. we officially know that Cillian / Enda are just short term knocks. The rest are a combination of confirmed / unconfirmed as injured as far as I can see from the usual local media sources and Mgmt..
@cloud9.that’s an informative post well done. Some of those played fbd and haven’t a hope of getting game time again this year. Wasn’t aware Harrison is back training, it’s a totally different defensive group since he left and could struggle to become a regular but it would be great to have him back.
@Cloud9, Good post there. That’s still one in four players either injured or returning from injury. I wonder is that about average in a squad? You’d hardly call that “injury free” either as some might have you believe. Fingers and toes crossed that’s as bad as it gets this year!
The Mayo News podcasts are part of my going to/from work or walk routine. Love them.
TheDarkyFinn – no official updates, just told by a very well informed former player that there were no injuries that would prevent any player from being available before a possible Connacht Final.
No doubt – He included Brendan Harrison in that.
I know for a fact that when McStay was in charge in Roscommon, he was always in favour of giving players the maximum rehab time from injuries. He won’t rush Harrison and risk him breaking down.
I think Padraig O’Hora and Michael Plunkett might prove to be other examples of that.
Mayo Gaa have requested that the league final be played on the Saturday
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41099980.html
@Paddyjoejohntom
You beat me to it. Bit cheeky on our part, considering our opponents aren’t decided yet, but again this is a fault of the scheduling
A saturday would be better for the turn around in the games dont think its to cheeky (maybe a liitlle haha) to ask its so many games in a short space and league finals are normally played on saturdays arent they?
I think it will be our old foes Galway that we will face haha they are miles ahead of kerry even in if kerry are playing at home.
Don’t think it’s that cheeky. We know we are in the final and it’s only one day.
@frostThammer.it’s not a bit cheeky imo. They have to look after their own interests and probably should have wrote to them when the fixtures were made to see where is the respect for players and the league because with mayo and roscommon in division 1 there was always a chance at least 1 of them would be in the final . If mayo were to win the final it would be great for all involved to be able to have a few pints and celebrate if they wish and not be thinking of a championship match in a weeks time.
Just to clarify, it’s not the nature of the request that’s cheeky imo. It’s that we don’t yet know the identity of our opponents.
Looking at the fixtures, I believe that might be possible, D1 & D4 finals on the Saturday and D2 & D3 on the Sunday.
I believe all D4 teams are due out a week later but I don’t think any of the D2 or D3 are scheduled to play
I think it should be on the saturday with the turn around in games..
I think we will be facing our old foes Galway haha they are miles ahead of kerry even if Kerry are playing at home
Sorry did not mean to double post ha.
I don’t think it matters who the opponents are? If it’s Galway or Kerry, it barely matters to them because they don’t play again for another little while. If it’s Roscommon, they’re in the same boat as us so would probably suit them too.
We know we’re in a league final and playing in championship a week ltr. Doesn’t matter who we’re against..Its common sense to give as much recovery time as possible..
@FrostTHammer – The fixtures wont be announced until Sunday night regardless and we are the first known div 1 team in the league final. It is in no way cheeky, If we don`t ask for it to be changed we wont get it changed.
The ship has sailed for this request (if ones submitted). This would need to have been submitted when original scheduling announced.
Our game will likely be 4pm Sunday as second game of a double header.
When we had a break week a couple of weeks ago we organised a challenge game, so not exactly in position to warrant a change for break purposes.
Good point there Gizmo, and I think we had a challenge (wasn’t it against Clare?) when the earlier break occurred. And, correct me if I’m wrong, did we not have two teams out during the FBD games – one for public viewing, and the other, the real stuff, under the counter?
They aren’t requesting an extra day for a physical break. Moreso time to mentally switch from league to championship.
Highly unlikely but if they do, then i hope its saturday afternoon as many supporters rely on train service and could do without the expense of a night in Dublin. Have mayo GAA given a mental issue as the reason for extra day? It s not going to happen imo.
Ah jays wide ball, do they need the extra. 16hrs to return from a “finding themselves” excursion in a Tibetan Monastery?
These lads know all about championship, if they have not got the same mental/competitive mindset for entering a national final as they would rd1 championship the week after, why are we paying our Sports Psychologists for?
On the GAA website all 4 finals are down for Saturday at the moment with throw in times TBD.
Gizmobobs – surely you can understand the disadvantage if we have 7 days to prepare and Roscommon have 14??
If Roscommon end up making the league final then there’s no issue of course.
Oh i do of course Wide Ball, but ship and sailed springs to mind, raising a concern at this point when it was known long ago if we made final this would be the case.
It’s silly stuff having final and championship so close, but that’s the way it has been set for a long time. The time for counties to object was as soon as it was announced. I’d be surprised if the CB put in a request of fixed for Sunday as expected request.
I don’t think it has been confirmed anywhere that the division 1 final is on Sunday? Only the weekend.
I know Division 1 final is always set for 4pm the Sunday and we should assume that is the time it will be at based on previous years but as wide ball pointed out the GAA website has all 4 finals currently down for next Saturday.
There is no official confirmation the 2023 Division 1 league final is scheduled for 4pm on Sunday week or that any of the time and dates for the 4 finals has been set ?
On that basis i think we are well within our right to ask to have our Game played the Saturday and i wouldn’t agree the ship has sailed.
For the 2019 league final limerick and Waterford hurlers played before us. So it’s not set in stone that D1 and D2 football finals have to be together on a Sunday.
If it’s not decided prior to this weekends games then I would doubt Padraig Joyce would agree to reschedule
As I said earlier playing D1 and D4 finals on the Saturday would be viable
Shouldn’t be anything to do with Padraig Joyce especially if the fixture has no set date and time confirmed yet . Personally I’ve said from the get go that it’s a fook up having it a week before a game where two div one teams start championship.
Our Here Comes the Weekend pod is up now on Patreon. Mike’s in the chair for it and he’s joined on it by Colm Boyle and Malachy Clerkin. Boyler has a go at picking a possible Mayo team for Sunday’s game against Monaghan while Malachy reflects on his native county’s recent poor form.
From my reading of it, I think it’s the Connacht Council thats at fault here.
The League Final was pencilled in for the weekend of the 1st/2nd April.
So for the start of the Connacht Championship to be set for the following weekend is in my opinion their mistake.
I cannot see what the hurry was to start it so early anyway.
But I’d be delighted to hear, if someone has the reason.