Today’s an interesting day for us (as well as for Scotland), with the time ticking down to tonight’s 11pm deadline for nominations from clubs for the Mayo manager’s job. I’ve no idea what form the process will take once the deadline passes but I guess it’s at least possible that this time tomorrow we’ll know for definite who’s in the race to succeed James Horan. So although it’s only three days until the All-Ireland final, local considerations continue to hold sway.
For me, it got a bit more local than this last night as the young lad and myself dashed from his training up to Parnell Park to catch what was left of the Vincents/Sylvesters Dublin SFC clash. It was approaching half-time at that stage with Vinnies holding a narrow 1-7 to 1-5 lead but two further goals after the break helped the Dublin and All-Ireland champions to a comfortable 3-12 to 1-9 win. Diarmuid Connolly was in top form last night, proving assists for the second and third goals, but it was his own virtuoso effort early in the first half that everyone was talking about. This had all happened before we’d arrived but thanks to the wonders of modern technology I was able to show it to the small fella this morning over his Weetabix. It was quite something – here it is.
Anyway, back to the All-Ireland on Sunday. Part of me (a large part, I have to admit) remains aghast that one of these two teams will be the All-Ireland champions for 2014 come Sunday evening, though, the McGees notwithstanding, I think I’ll be slightly less aghast if Donegal manage to do it. I fear a Kerry win might tip me over the edge altogether.
Idle thoughts have been going around my mind all week about alternative plans for Sunday, with the notion of a very long cycle ride during the afternoon right up there as an attractive option. Along, I’m ashamed to say, with thoughts about the likelihood of Croke Park getting hit by a meteorite or becoming engulfed in an unseasonably high tide.
But no, the match will go ahead and I will of course be watching it, although the GAA’s utterly bizarre decision to allow both teams to play in their predominantly green and gold colours on Sunday will make for confused viewing through these colour-blind eyes. I think I’ll just breathe a very heavy sigh of relief when the bloody thing is over.
So, who’ll win it? I haven’t clue (says the man who boldly predicted that Donegal wouldn’t get within ten points of Dublin) – the bookies favour Donegal but the Yerras will no doubt relish coming into the decider, a place that’s home to them in a way that it arguably isn’t for any other county, as underdogs and so there’s every chance it could go either way. Which way do you think it’ll go? Time to vote.
Who'll win the final?
- Donegal (52%, 130 Votes)
- Kerry (48%, 120 Votes)
Total Voters: 250
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Kerry to be leading by two with seconds to go,a long ball in and Donegal get a goal to sicken the fuckers,how I’d love it
And Donaghy to cry … if that happens I’ll be able to move on, really I will.
Kerry would definitely win, if the game was moved to Limerick and Mr. Reilly was referee,
seriously though, I expect Donegal to out muscle Donaghy, to close down James O Donoghue and finally to target Moran in mid field. In doing this, Kerry have nothing left.
Donaghy , might try lying on the ball, for the whole game.
I always had an opinion of Kerry teams as pure footballers, who played the game according to the rules ,but my opinion has changed.
I hope future Mayo teams playing Kerry, meet fire with fire.
I really couldn’t care, on the way we were treated with the whole limerick debacle and subsequent knackerness of certain Kerry individuals, I’m leaning Donegal but I really could care less! I’m more interested in the national league fixtures released, first game below in Kerry!!! Now that’s gonna be a humdinger!!
Really don’t care, it sickens me to see both these teams here. But…IMO Kerry in the final, statistically they win. But, this is Jimmy’s Donegal. Will watch with interest.
I’m not sure at all will Donaghy start for Kerry, i have my doubts. Unfortunately i think Kerry will win this, Dublin completely underestimated the ability of the Donegal forward line . Kerry havent a notion of going that route and will hold them tight with JOD proving too much for Donegal at the other end. Have Donegal a man as good as Higgans to do a job on JOD, im not convinced they do.
Kerry by 3.
Don’t know who’ll win and really I don’t give a damn. All I know is that we won’t be there and that still hurts. I have a horrible feeling that our ship has sailed and won’t be back in these waters for quite a while. We had 3 great chances and failed to take any of them and that is beginning to sicken me as we face into the winter.
I of course will watch the game but it will be like watching someone f***er spending your lotto cheque while you are making do with bread and water. Sh**e anyway is all I can say!
Wish this game was over and roll on next year for us . But I would like to see donegal win. McGee Enforcers and Co will give the Kerry forwards a good going over. The big bad bully Donaghy will be looking at stars . Will playing the replay in limerick be a disadvantage to Kerry . Hopefully . I would not have said this a couple of months ago but I like the way donegal play . I have to admire how they have come back after last years QF. Mental strength they have for sure .
Donegal for me…..have seen Kerry win enough over the years. Not Donegal’s biggest fan either but there you go….honestly I wish we could all fast forward a few weeks.
Draw for me Willie Joe, nothing in the Poll for the draw?
No sitting on the fence in this one, Citywest! Of course if it’s a draw the replay will be in Limerick with Cormac Reilly in charge so there’ll be no point putting up on a poll on it if it comes to that.
I’m in bad form the last few days and I’m coming to the conclusion it’s because I’m so pissed off we’re not lining out on Sunday due to being fcked over by Liam O’Neill, Cormac Reilly, bad luck, and, it has to said, our own failings.
We should be there an it would sicken me to the pit of my stomach to see Kerry win on Sunday after all that has gone on.
Tír Chonaill Abú!!!
Interesting contrast in styles on Sunday – blanket defence mixed with cynical fouling against a blanket defence mixed with cynical fouling! Hold on, that’s not a contrast!!
Ideal outcome – Donegal bang in 3 early goals against what is a poor fb line, the game is over at halftime and listen to Brolly tell us that Kerry really shouldn’t be out there today. That might ease the pain somewhat…
Kerry’s 10th final in 15 years!!! lost 4 of them and maybe the fifth in Sunday. They’re doing something very right down there so lets not bury our heads in the sand, we were 5 points clear with the end in sight and they still got us and could have won, 7 clear in the replay and they caught us even allowing for the referee helping them. It took doing, we have done Jim mcguinness a huge favour I think. Kerry are exposed, every trick they have is known and how they turn the tricks. Plumpus baldicus won’t get much room on Sunday and that’s probably enough to knock them off the rails.
Donegal. 2 13
Kerry. 1 11
My Mayo flag stays up until Final over anyway. We were cheated out of getting to the final. I would agree with everything Horan said about CB. Spineless when dealing with Top Brass and walking around like peacocks on provincial final day. Have a bad feeling that Kerry may blow Donegal out of the water unfortunately.
I would love to say that I care not about who wins, but I do care. I can not imagine how it would be anything other than gut-wrenching for any Mayo supporter to see Kerry winning this. Donegal all the way. I’ve great time for McGuinness.
I would be very surprised if Donaghy started full forward, but in any event I would expect Donegal to have all bases covered. Although he and Moran will be dangerous out the field. It’s a very hard match to call, but if things go their way, every chance Kerry could steal it.
Since I can’t go for the draw I will opt for Kerry, much as it saddens me, they will find a way (and I think we may have helped them with that brilliant quarter final win last year, their forwards will harry the Donegal counter attack much like we did and Dublin didn’t).
An Interesting aside is the record that Kerry have against all comers in Football (detailed in today’s indo) we have played them 24 times, 17 losses, 3 draws and 4 wins Dublin have played them 27 times, 17 losses, 2 draws and 8 wins. (not too dissimilar really)
Really just want to get this game over with, part of the grieving process.
Wish neither of them could win it, but would prefer Donegal to win – and think they will because that Kerry team is very average, make no mistake. We made hero’s out of some of their players over the two days…JOD, KD, DM, honestly, they are not as good as we let them be. As for the rest of their team? Decidedly average. I mean we have been worrying about the make up of our HF line over the last four years…take a look at theirs! FFS, look at their 6 backs! It makes me angry.
Yes Keith H is one of the top defenders in the country, but do you think JOD will score 2-6 the next day? Or even 0-4 from play? Not a chance. Do you think KD will get a sniff? Bet they wont start him because they are afraid to, that’s why! Cos they know Donegal will deal with him. They probably knew we wouldn’t.
In defence of our players, we have a better set than both finalists, but we have failed to set a collective plan for them to deal for critical game changing situations. Keith Higgins, Ger Caff, etc are left exposed one to one too often. This is the difference with Donegal…there defence works like a chain being pulled….when one gets pulled, the other move into position like a chain link, never allowing space to be created or men left exposed. Man for man, Keith Higgins is much better than the Donegal full back line, but Donegals defensive system is far superior to ours. It’s a team game unfortunately.
Anyway rant over, still sore like AM! After Sunday, it’s a blank canvas again, time heals ?
Let’s look inward here for a moment. Unable to learn from the past cost us v Kerry. Forget Limerick for a moment, like ’96 we blew a substantial lead on the home straight. That was criminal. No player took responsibility to nail Star when he came on, and to compound it, we went into the replay and repeated the stupidity.
We know hate Kerry from the posts I read. Last year it was the Dubs, the year before Donegal, anyone recall the snap shot of the Mayo follower on RTE v Donegal QF last year as he emotionally beat the shit out of his chest at their mauling.
Like Meath before in 96, all that matters is winning and fuck the friendship or whether we are “liked/loved” by others. Forget the “best team since 51” crap. They are not, the team that stood toe to toe with Meath and a poor ref has that accolade in 96.
Finally allow me to register my disgust at the cheap shot taken by James Horan re “bleached/blond hair and white boots”, I would rage at someone outside the county throwing that jibe. That a Msyo manager did it leaves me gibsmscked. The two players I thing referred to owe us nothing and one could lay real claim to greatness. By the way the Msyo wing backs wear white boots, that didn’t hold them back.
Lads I landed in Shannon this morning and on the ride north to mayo couldn’t help think of what could have been this year and what the same journey was like last year.
Then, just when I’m rightly depressed and nearing ballindine, we see the “Welcome to County Mayo ” sign. Friiggin warms the heart seeing it, and the flags still flying despite our predicament. This is a great football county and we’ll be back, cause we have no choice, it’s what we do.
Donegal won this fixture well in 2012 a late Kerry goal gave the scoreline a false look and Donaghy,O’Donoghue were well held that day as well as a certain Mr Cooper. Eventhough Donegal beat the so called unbeatables Dublin a few weeks ago i still don’t think Donegal are at the level of 2012 however i think they should have enough to beat this less than great Kerry side by a few points.
John Cuffe , James quote was that people thought of us as lads with bleached hair and white boots , meaning IMO that they saw us as just that, jack o Connor called us the blondies in his book as well.
I see horans point , the two lads were two great players for us but people didn’t see mayo as a serious team at that time, certainly over James reign we were seen as a serious team once we bet cork
Mister Mayor – Welcome Home. I take it you flew in from the US and hoped Mayo would be in the final this year? I am off a few days next week myself from work having thought the same thing…ah well Keep The Faith.
donegal looked so impressive against dublin..hope that wasnt their final..really liked earlier post about a late goal winning it for donegal..limerick has made me a very bitter mayo supporter!!
Couldn’t care less who wins, is there any way they could both lose?
roger milla says:
September 18, 2014 at 4:21 pm
John Cuffe , James quote was that people thought of us as lads with bleached hair and white boots , meaning IMO that they saw us as just that, jack o Connor called us the blondies in his book as well.
I see horans point , the two lads were two great players for us but people didn’t see mayo as a serious team at that time, certainly over James reign we were seen as a serious team once we bet cork
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Horan giving himself a pat on the back for getting rid of the blondes with white boots is almost as bad as what O’Connor said in his book, what to expect from a Kerryman but James should know better TBH.
You will get little respect when getting hammered in AI finals like 2004,06 but back in 1996,97 Mayo were more respected because they just came up short and i think most agree that 1996 is the one final that Mayo really should have won.
As for Sunday i’m going for Donegal simply because they have beaten the best to reach the final thus far and Kerry wouldn’t have beaten Dublin if they played them. Looking forward to the midfield battle though Moran v Gallagher should be worth the admission fee alone.
Mister Mayor enjoy your trip home,my 4 by 3 foot Mayo flag is flying high on my front gate,only time it comes down is when it’s fucked and a new one has to go up,best supporters in the country are from this county,roll in February and we get going again,any chance your home to get your name in before 11pm tonight!!
My thoughts exactly Roger Milla … Can’t seem to move on atall …
I think a bit of perspective is perhaps needed in relation to that bleached boots/white hair (you know what I mean) quote. This (from the Irish Times piece which referenced the original in the Western) was what James said:
“If you think back about Mayo football for many reasons we were seen as guys with white boots and bleached hair – all flash and no substance, whether that was true or not. What we see now are guys with huge honesty and integrity and no little skill. It was crucial that we changed that in the psyche and I think we did that.”
Looking at it coldly, I’m not sure there was a swipe there in what he had to say at all. For sure, all flash and no substance was what we were seen as and it’s also absolutely right that in James’ time he changed that external viewpoint on us fairly fundamentally. Also, in that quote he adds the rider “whether that was true or not” so I’m not sure what he said can be given the malign interpretation that some are putting on it.
Welcome home, Mister Mayor! Sure, there’s always the Ploughing championships next week as an alternative to Sunday’s event.
Welcome home to Mayo Mister Mayor, hard to believe its been 4 months since we met in Gaelic Park! Enjoy the trip home.
Connollys goal was a cracking shot could get his all star this year along with cillian who where both done out of the all stars last year.
Having read all your posts one name keeps cropping up Donaghy, we got plenty of warning the first day of what he was capable of against our full back and what did we do for the replay? NOTHING
Even though the venue was wrong and the ref was a bollix we should still have beaten them
At the end of the day we contributed to our own downfall and I take no great pleasure in saying this
We would beat Donegal as I feel.Kerry will win our All.Ireland
With Dublin out of the way this was our year
I sincerely hope that the new manager has a bit more cop and is not too ingrained in his thinking Be it Kevin or Noel I wish them both the best and needless to say we will be backing them all.the way but no more Xmas boxes like we gave to Kerry.
Its a little bit difficult to work out the context of the ”blonde hair , white boots” comment . I can see its not a blunt jibe at the two bucks but then i wonder why make the comment in the first place.
To those who are blinded by loyalty , jh has spoke out of both sides of his mouth on a few occasions , the influencing of referees as pointed out by fogarty in a piece in the examiner a few weeks ago for one example. He also mentions Conor Morts tweets albeit in a positive speak, i would of thought in Horans spell as boss he distanced himself from the likes of former players tweets.
My point is he is not always as straight down the line as some make him out to be.
It is certainly time to move on now though , we need to make hay while the sun shines as this team could be our last good one for a while. No matter how positive i try to be the one aspect i cant remove from my mind is the lack of decent 21 teams last 4 years. I found it really strange that more of last years minors were not tried at 21 level this yearbut obviously they weren’t ready for the step up. We have to find 3/4 players soon that are going to blend in with this panels 24/25 year olds or else we are in big trouble for the future and that future could be sooner rather than later . The club championship doesnt seem to be bringing any newbies to the fore , ffs the best individual report i read in the western was that of k Macs 6 pt display for Crossmolina in relegation play off.
James did not say he thought of us as bleached hair and white boots, he said that was what others thought. He certainly changed that.and 97 was the one that got away it must have been the worst final ever.but I think it is time to finish this tonight we get another chance to get a new man so hopefully we can look forward rather than back.even though I am pessimistic. Anyway its kerry for me
I’ll be in Lower hogan 229 on Sunday in my Mayo jersey protesting
Cormac reilly will be beside you in his Kerry gear. Think he got a few of donaghys ticket allocation .
With the help of god donegal will turn this lot over. As the saying goes in my house “id shout for England before id shout for Kerry”. Come on Donegal
willie joe I know u wont post this. But was Reilly the same ref that ye had v cork and ye should had got one red card and a black and cork should have got two penaltys. Didn’t har cork saying any thing about that match when ye robed cork double standard by ye up in mayo and if donagal beat us fair play to him cant wait to see ye in the kingdom in the league
As regards the blonde references, they are no more than just words to me. However I do
feel he should have been more circumspect in his choice knowing that he was leaving himself open to the interpretation referred to by a few people on here.
I wish both teams well on Sunday and plump for Donegal. I think a team that wins the Ulster title and then it to the AI by beating Dublin on the way deserves respect.
Am i seeing things or did I just see the Kerry team announces as ‘Kerry (v Mayo) for Sunday on the RTE App? It has been a tough day and I may be seeing things.
Kerrysam2015 starting the celebrations a bit early 🙂
It was the same ref alright but he was the one who didn’t even book, let alone send off, Cadogan for that elbow smash into Kevin McLoughlin’s face and then only booked O’Driscoll for a clear strike into Colm Boyle throat. I don’t recall any of the cards you claim we should have got or the two “penaltys” Cork should have got. Oh and that’s not how you spell robbed either. Now why don’t you fuck off and leave us in peace?
That last comment willie joe was the best thing I’ve read in 2 weeks and has the smile back on my face !!! ????
Go you smiley smiley face ….
Tears coming down me cheeks WJ, fair play to ya 🙂
Good man Willie joe. Would you be interested in the county board spokesman position?
And Kerry 2015, we can hardly wait to see you in Kerry in February as well, and I hope Plumpus baldicus hasn’t retired because McGee gave him a torrid time in the final, Mayo aren’t the only team that can lose a final.
In fairness the Kerry lad is entitled to have a fair opinion, I dont agree entirely, but he is entitled to it
Couldn’t care less who wins – the only result for me on Sunday would be to hear of that bald lanky jeering fuck being stretched off with an O’Neills size five lodged in his arse !!
45 who that your on about I hope our lord (jim mc) wins on sun I don’t mind could not give 2 hoots on Kerry to be honest
It’s Donegal for me, Jimmy will have a master plan and an alternative and another one if necessary. McGuinness will have analysed Kerry to the enth degree and there isn’t a hope of Kerry getting the time and space they were afforded by every team in the championship here to fore including ourselves. It will be tight for most of the game but Donegal should strangle the life out of them, watch for Donegals famous clean sheet strategy. If they don’t concede a goal there home and hosed. Here’s hoping anyway.
Hows it goin my fellow comrades. This my first ever comment but ive been hovering over reading yer comments 4 da last few years and am a massive follower of the site. Im a huge follower of mayo. I dont go 2 as many games as i used 2 for work and family reasons and would never classify myself as hardcore as alot of da posters on this site who travel all over da country 2 watch our great team. The reason why im finally commenting is because i think alot of u are taking horans comments about da bleached hair and white boots completely out of context. Ive been around da country threw work and when im asked where im from and i tell them im from mayo, i used 2 always get da “yer a bunch of posers” or “pussies wid yer blonde hair” and other shite! I wouldnt have been horans biggest fan after last years final and am like a feckn antichrist over da game in limerick but i have 2 admit dat horan was completely rite wid dat comment cos dat is what we wer seen as from outsiders.
I hope Donegal win because I just don’t like Kerry. I predict a draw however in what will be a poor final full of negativity, cynical fouling and off the ball incidents. What’s the price on a draw does anyone know??
My first post to this great blog which keeps me going through thick and thin I have to say. Just wanted to echo WJ’s comments to our imposter and to say I hope Mr Kinsella opens his eyes and sees Kerry for what they really are on Sunday. They like to pontificate about playing a great brand of football, are natural footballers etc…Bollix… when it comes to it they’ll blanket defend, persistently foul and do whatever else to con the ref and win the game.
No points for guessing who Cait !!
Willie Joe I wasn’t expecting that!!! Ya boya!!
Good man Willie Joe, well said. We are all sad as the All Ireland Final weekend approaches as we know we should be there but a few posts has put the smile back on my face for tonight anyway!!
Hope Donegal win and that’s not because I hate Kerry . But they have won enough and to be honest I am sick listening to this bullshit of them being football purists etc. There wasn’t much purist about their carry on in the last few mins of replay and I cant bring myself to admire Donaghy and Enright after their activities either. As well as that I admire McGuinness as a brilliant manager. One last word re J Cuffes comments. Since Mayo lost to Donegal in 2012 you really haven’t had much time for JH and this magnificent Mayo team. As you said yourself earlier this year you had given up on this crew.. Well I never gave up on them and I hope I never will. I am proud of them and what they did over the last 4 years and I do think JH has been our best manager since 1951. I also happen to think John Maughan was a brilliant manager for Mayo . To get to 3AI Finals was a remarkable achievement. Unfortunately neither of these men got us over the line due to some bad luck poor refereeing and yes some poor tactics on the side line. But they did a damn sight better than lots of other managers we have had in the last 60 years. Having a go at JH for his white boots comment is missing the point. It was not an attack on C Mortimer. If that was the case why would he have praised him in the article. It was on attack on the mindset found outside the county and sometimes inside it which suggested we were flash harrys with no substance to our game who folded when under pressure. That accusation can never be levelled at JH s team. Witness their fantastic second half performance v Kerry in draw and even in the replay when as many as ten of their players were struggling to find form they still hung in and by sheer force of will took the game to extra time.
Donaghy you mean am sure donegal will go to town on him so of his anticts against mayo awful
Its bad when all you have to look forward to is the ploughing.. fuck it anyways but i’ll renew the season ticket for 2015.. you never know. Not to bothered who wins and expect it to be a low scoring shite game with two sending offs and Kerry to just win out on the day unfortunately.. but then my predictions have been rubbish up to now so don’t listen to me.. Will promise to be more cheerful and upbeat next time out
And the last nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize is Willie Joe
oh wait – news just in !
Scratch that .
Hope Donaghy and Walsh take each other out …
It’s great to be back, thanks for the well wishes lads. Yeah I had planned this as an AI trip but could still have cancelled. Not a chance though! I love this place. Fishing in the Conn tomorrow am, Downpatrick head by afternoon, then reek climb Saturday am..And There’ll be no ploughing WJ!
In fairness I think Kerry are getting a lot of very unfair comments. Lets face it they beat us on the day, just like Dublin, just like Donegal, just like Meath. There were a number of things that did not go to plan (location, ref, clashes, poor tactics, poor planning, no thinking on the feet). On the day we played with our hearts and not our heads. Need to quit the bashing and start taking the blinkers off.
Donegal to win this Sunday. Cannot see Kerry overcoming their game plan. They don’t have the players. They beat a Mayo team that was totally shafted after the exertions six days before. Even then they needed extra time.
It’s so agonisingly frustrating for all involved with Mayo, team in particular, but fans as well.
Though down at the moment, we are fortunate to be building from such a strong base. We are Mayo, we will keep coming back, and we will succeed.
Three weeks have passed since the battle of Limerick and I’m beginning to settle a small bit. Looking back I think Donegal did superbly to beat the dubs and they certainly deserve to be in the final. So too Kerry, though it pains me terribly to say it. The truth is they battled back from 5 down in Croker with time running out and indeed should have won it with that terrible miss by JOD . In Limerick they completely outplayed us around the middle which was a surprise to many and in reality should have had a lot more on the board at halftime. Granted the ref was awful and we were tactically dumb and very unlucky and their pulling and dragging was desperately annoying. But for them it worked and they won. If we had engaged in similar tactics and won the game we would have thought of ourselves as very clever, battle-hardened warriors and deserving winners. Kerry won ugly ( very ugly) but they did win and so deserve to be in the final.
On my way home from Limerick I would have given anything to see the dubs bate the bejazus outa them (not expecting Donegal to do what they did to the dubs). At this remove I really don’t care who wins. I have absolutely nothing against either Kerry or Donegal.
All I look forward to is the day when we ourselves meet Kerry in an Ireland final and beat them out the gate with 14 men and an awful ref!
Agree with alot of diehards comments. As to who will win the final – I will be roaring for donegal, I am green and red to the core but I also have donegal blood in my veins. I would have loved to see them win in 2012 if it wasn’t us they bet, and what a fantastic achievement for them to get back to the final by beating Dublin especially after how they got knocked out last year. Still can’t get used to the fact it’s not us heading to Dublin …
Not what ye want to hear, but ye have taken your Brave Warrior off the battlefield on his blood soaked shield, the masses have lamented his passing, spoken of his bravery, his manliness, his strength, his honour. You have examined his wounds and explained to those too young to know how he met his end with honour and unrelenting resistance. You have gathered the clans and asked each of them to bring dry grass and timber to place under his mighty corpse so that he would get a burial befitting his commitment in battle. This is the expected duty of the faithful and on many occasion we have burried our heroes in similar pageant in the past…
The difference is in Kerry before we open the bottles of ale, light the clay pipes, put our hands on his beaten cold body and we call in the women to commence the crying duties,,, we call ithe pathologist to do one final and important duty. We ask them to do their best to point out where our warrior was most seriously wounded and what if anything we could have done to prevent his demise. Was it his bloodied wounds, his massive bruising or was it something more sinister ,,, was he tricked, not properly armed or was it an accurate Arcker, someone who sat in the distance choosing where and when to inflict a lesser wound that would yield more blood loss.
Everywhere on our site people are saying that ye were robbed,,,, ye have being robbed for the past 70 odd years according to some,, referees, sinister players, the powers that be in Croke Park also have ganged up to deny one of the greatest GAA Counties an All Ireland,,, not true .. Kerry beat ye because Mayo could not hold onto a five point lead with four minutes to go. In the replay Mayo had a seven point lead and ye let it slip… In Kerry we would not look to outside elements for the reason or blame for these anomalies we would address them.
Not easy to hear but absolutely true, and until the great people of Mayo face the cold fact that great men will not win an All Irelands great players will. When I say great players I’m not saying that ye don’t have them,, by God ye do but the reality is that ye need to strengthen the lines and stop hailing men that put the jersey on because its Green and Red. Ye have to find some new warriors that can inflict the deep cuts, add to the bruised and get the better of the other Knights that arrive on the battlefield in May and prepare to fight to the third Sunday in September. In Kerry we have great respect for the incredible Mayo warrior, but we have learned his weakness, he doesn’t actually yet know what his weaknesses truly are. Mayo Abu in 2016. Not in 2015 as there are Warriors in that Great Field that remember your failings, I’m afraid…..
Please celebrate that Kerry will carry your noble flag into battle against the antichrists of our game,,, do any of us want to see our under tens being told to line out on one side of the field only,,, in 2012 every person in Kerry were shouting as loud as they were in any town or village in Mayo. We knew what was at stake,,, look at the footage of last years semifinal ,,,, green and gold celebrating the death of a Systen,,,how wrong we all were !,,
The myth is of course Kerry are the purists on Sunday. Total nonsense! They’ll be every bit as defensive as Donegal and just as cynical..
Mayo where beat at midfield that was the losing of the game the reason I want Kerry to beat is o donoghue I think he is so overrated and is not as good as the gooch.
Don’t think it matters who wins. We wont and it is because of poor decisions on the sideline and an inability to correct past mistakes.
I really think that some self evaluation should take place. Those who expressed doubts over the sideline awareness all summer were told they were part of a lunatic fringe.Those who suggested the selection policy was suspect were told ‘James knows best-he sees them in training’ Those who dared to question whether there was a plan for Donaghy were apparently guilty of breaking rules.
Fact is James got it wrong too many times. Sure he made us competitive though our record in semi finals would suggest we were often competitive.
We were told support lost it for us last year- Well it didn’t. Our support is always phenomenal.
And we are still complaining about the ref! No one likes a bad loser and we didn’t on the sideline open our mouths on the day! We complain about the County Board- don’t think that is fair at all.
Yes some evaluation is called for now. Don’t think it matters who wins.
Gamechanger10
Much of what you say is true but I think we ourselves in Mayo are more than capable of accounting accurately for our own demise.
You’re wrong on a few fronts there, Gamechanger. First, several contributors here on the site have already pointed to our own failings in both the drawn game and replay (both on and off the pitch) as to why we didn’t win so don’t pretend you’re the first person on here to do this. Secondly, it’s nonsense to claim that Kerry “would not look to outside elements for the reason or blame” when you lose a big match. Sure, there was a good ten years of moaning out of you after the Seamus Darby final in 1982 and you’re still complaining about what befell you in 2011. And in neither of those matches did you suffer the atrocious kind of reffing we had to endure in Limerick. Do you seriously expect us to believe that you’d be any less outraged now if the shoe were on the other foot? Give me a break.
Kerry for me by 4 points. They always have an uncannily ability to improve by as much as 10% between semis and finals and that coupled with their ferocity to win the breaking ball at midfield gives them the edge over a Donegal side that of course I would like to see do the business.
Interesting thing imo going into this game is that i reckon 3 of the 6 all star forwards are most likely penciled in already – Cillian, Connolly and Flynn. And Connolly would be the most obvious choice for player of the year. I think it suggests a fair bit.
The most encouraging thing for us to take from this final is the progression that can be achieved with a committed panel of players in a 6 month spell. Donegal in the league final were a shadow of where they are today, Kerry throughout the entire league campaign were at sixes ans sevens whilst they blooded their new guys to the fullest – look at where both are today. Massive encouragement for us to strive on.
If mayo were playing in the final this Sunday , I would be more worried about getting myself organised for Croker rather than trying to point out issues to a team we beat in the semi final. But sure some people know everything . We better listen to their rants.
Gamechanger10… will you go away with your purist shitetalk. You’ve really got my donegal blood pumping with that wee fairy story. Kerry have been adopting their own defensive strategy in recent times so all this nonsense about us ruining football is starting to wear a bit thin. You play your way and we’ll play ours and we’ll see who’s the happiest come Sunday evening.
I shouldn’t laugh, I know, and ordinarily I wouldn’t like it, but this thread has cheered my bitter self up immensely.
I have always, throughout all my years of loving GAA, admired Kerry and what they bring to football. No more. Yeah, I’m sore, yeah, I’m bitter, and yeah, my anger is probably more than a bit misdirected (and I can still appreciate our own failings and their talent as being a major factor in our not having won it out), but there is little logic in this game for me. It’s all about emotion and I will be sick to my stomach if I find myself leaving Croke Park on Sunday in the midst of a bunch of celebrating Kerrymen. SICK. I would utterly begrudge it to them. That’s not sportsmanlike, I know, but I’m past caring. I just want them to lose.
Three weeks on and I still feel furious about how events panned out. In fact, I think I’m getting angrier by the day. Last year, after losing to Dublin, I was gutted, as I know many of you were. I mourned it. This year, it’s laced with bitterness. I hope that bitterness will drive us on as a team next year as well as ambition.
There’s the other side too (it’s not all badness) in that I’ve spent a lot of time in Donegal over the years and have a strong affinity for the place and more importantly, the people. So on Sunday I will be crushing my feelings of bitterness and disappointment, and bandwagoning like I’ve never done before with those good people. I hope they wallop seven shades of shite out of Kerry, frankly, along with that self-righteous sense of entitlement many of the Kerry population carry around in their back pockets. Either way, I’m looking forward to a highly entertaining day.
Tir Chonaill abú 🙂
Willie joe you really need to take a walk back and have a good look at the defeats ye continually suffer at the critical stages of every Championship. The reasons are not external…
Anne-Marie ,
That’s dreadful talk.
But I have to agree with you. My anger might be misdirected too but I had no interest in this game, until now. But I hope Sam is heading for the hills of Donegal on Monday . They will party them good people.
Gamechanger – you really need a good hard look in the mirror: is this the most productive use of your time that you can think of three days out from an All-Ireland final? As I said to another fellow-traveller from your county last night, fuck off and leave us in peace. House rule 21 applies in case you’re interested.
I love rule 21.
Gamechanger if you are still browsing this site( I know I wouldn’t be looking at a Kerry site 45 hours before we play an AIF) might I suggest to you that Donegal are far from the anti christs of football that you make them out to be. Sure I was not impressed by them in 2011 but they won in 2012 fair and square beating the purists(yourselves) along the way and the second in the purists league (cork) before accounting for our good selves in the final. This year they beat a strong Dublin team in the semi and I saw nothing cynical from them in comparison to the antics of donaghy and Enright nor the type of unspotsmanship of Walsh in the draw as he attempted to get Keegan sent off. I have lots of admiration for the brilliant players Kerry produced down through the years and think JOD is a wonderful talent but just because certain counties have come along and beat ye (Tyrone, Armagh and Donegal for instance doesn’t mean theyre antichrists or play puke football. True ye have won 36 titles, a brilliant achievement, but sure that would suggest that ye should be a bit more magnanimous and gracious when defeated. Enjoy Sunday, if you go to it.