As well as finding out where this year’s Connacht final is going to be played we’ll also (barring a draw) know by Sunday evening who we’re going to be facing in the provincial decider on July 21st. Leitrim last made it to a Connacht final in 2000 – when they lost by 1-13 to 0-8 to Galway – while the Exiles are aiming for uncharted territory should they win on Sunday.
Both teams for Sunday were named last night – full details are here. Leitrim have made five changes from the side that comprehensively dealt with New York in the preliminary round way back at the start of May while London have two alterations from the team that started against Sligo. If you’re planning to heading to Carrick on an intelligence-gathering expedition, by the way, ticketing details on the match, where throw-in is at the nice old-fashioned time of 3.30pm, are here. The match isn’t being shown live on TV.
Leitrim are at 8/15 with Paddy Power to prevail, not overwhelming favourites but warmly fancied all the same. What do you reckon – will there be celebrations on Sunday night in Dromahair or Dollis Hill, Mohill or Maida Vale, Kiltyclogher or Knightsbridge? Time to vote.
Will it be Leitrim or London on Sunday?
- Leitrim (51%, 50 Votes)
- London (49%, 49 Votes)
Total Voters: 99
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8/13* backed in from 8/11 during the week.
I expect Leitrim to win this with a bit to spare. They are not a bad side at all, great fbd campaign, beat Wicklow last year and brought laois close. Seem to run out of steam a bit but can’t see that benn a stuumbling block in this game, Mulligan is one of the top forwards in Connacht imo. He could run riot the weekend.
i would agree with Sean. London did very well against Sligo but Leitrim at home are a much tougher ask. I think Leitrim (-1) at 5/6 or Emlyn Mulligan to score a goal at any time(7/2) are good bets.
London beat Sligo, I think it will be close
Leitrim put it up to us in Carrick in 2006 and ran the Dubs close in 2004. Beating Wicklow and running Laois so agonisingly close last year is a good indicator of how strong they are at home in recent times. I would say Leitrim by 3 or 4 with Mulligan doing the most damage is a good bet.
London..end of
Leitrim will have a bit to spare.
Think they would provide better challenge for ourselves though its hard to see them troubling us really.Mayo just have to beat themseves i.e. over confidence for now.Im not helping on that front am I?
@ Sean Burke
Mulligan is one of the top forwards in Connacht and if he’s on top form on Sunday Leitrim should win by 5-7 pts.
Its nippy between the two. Could go either way like. It will be a game of 2 halves. Let the best team win. Hopefully it will be the english lads though! Could the connaught final be played in wembley if we get there? or is that to much to ask? It would be a great day out for all mayo supporters. It more than likely would hold the expected attendance. We need to mark mulligan closely and no let him score too many goals like he did in 2005 v dublin.
Just down home for weekend with kids. Weather shocking but looking forward to my young buck joining his cousin at u12 training tomorrow in ballyhaunis. The town looks great with all the mayo flags and bunting. Meet keith on the street and couldnt get over his physical development since last year. He is so down to earth and a lovely lad.
I read a great piece by michael gallagher in western saying we are blessed to be alive at this exciting time in our lives with this mayo team. I couldnt agree more. We dare to dream.
You would imagine that Leitrim should win it but I am not so sure. The same argument can be put forward for London as was put forward for Galway and Roscommon when they faced us. In that London are rank outsiders with nothing to lose against opponents that are considered far superior on every level. However, Leitrim are not us and Leitrim have dropped 4 members, 2 that started against New York, from their panel for disciplinary reasons. London have one of their best players returning from suspension, have the leading scorer in Division 4 in their team and will be travelling over in the full knowledge that this is the best chance of their lives to get to play in a Connaught final.
Leitrim only beat London by 2 points when they met in Carrick in the league and this myth seems to have grown around Leitrim that they are “hard to beat in Carrick”. Their league form would not indicate this, having had 4 home games they lost to Offaly and Clare, beat London by 2 points and Waterford by 7 points.
London beat Waterford at home and lost the remaining 6 games, losing by 1 point in Carlow and at home to Limerick (the division champions) and by 2 points in Carrick. So, in 3 of the 6 games London lost they were defeated by a total of 4 points! In a game of inches, on another day, they may have nicked a draw or victory from some of those tight games. Granted Clare, Tipp and Offaly beat them soundly but those teams all finished above Leitrim also. Also, London had only 3 of the 7 games at home. Bear in mind they are both division 4 teams and I don’t think there will be much in it at the final whistle.
A lot was made of the huge tally Leitrim recorded against New York and their FBD success. But really, c’mon. Firstly, the New York lads have no competitive club scene and are gathered together for one game a season. No disrespect to them and it is great for anyone over there to be involved (and I can’t wait to go over there next year as All-Ireland Champions) but in comparison to the club scene and structure in London they are way behind. Put it this way, I think if London were to play New York they would win every time. Secondly, I think Leitrim won the FBD without having to play a final. In a competition where Mayo struggled to draw with Roscommon in Ballyhaunis, and then we all saw what they did to them last Sunday, I think we can see where that competition ranks as giving any indication to form.
I really hope that London win and if I was a betting man I would chance a few pound on them. If they can manage to keep Mulligan quiet I fancy London to win.
Remember 51, you a ‘haunis man?
Sorry, get the facts right man. I am wrong about top scorer being from London. It’s actually Mulligan. Still fancy London though.
Not that it matters much but Leitrim beat Sligo in the FBD final.
This is a no contest game, Leitrim will win this match pulling up. It’s one thing to catch a team stone cold in a first round as happened with us two years ago, but with a Connaught final at stake, coupled with home advantage, there can only be one outcome. A Leitrim Mayo final in Pearce stadium …….
If Mulligan is closely marked he will be confined to scoring from frees. He had a good start last year against Mayo but when, Lee Keegan I think, was given a man marking job on him that was it.
The standard in Leitrim is way down on their good days in 1990’s. Take a look at their Connacht club record. Manorhamilton were four in a row champions 2008 – 11 and never won a game losing to Sligo twice. Similarly with Melvin Gaels last year and losing intermediate in first round in 2011. When Sean O’Heslin’s and Aghawillan were going well they regularly won Connacht club games – no titles but they were reaching finals.
There was no sense in being the big men in discipline matters. The top teams do not drop key players from their panels, e.g. Kerry did not drop Tomas O’Sé and Gooch a few years ago for getting a bit thirsty, one start on the bench and that was it. The sensible solution in these situations is to give the offenders good tough extra training after each normal session for a few weeks and let the rest of the panel enjoy watching.
Tomás Beirne and Wayne McKeon are probably the best players in the county – ahead of Mulligan – while Moran has played very well for NUIG for the past few years.
They will be very lucky to get a win Sunday and unless Mayo take it easy they will take an awful walloping in the final no matter where it is played.
Born and bred pebblesmeller!
I think management have overacted with the 4 players dropped in leitrim and can least afford to be dropping fella,s, i understand decipline is important but its happened in kerry and even ere in our own county and maybe could have dealt with in some other way…..As for the match tomor. i,m putting a few bob on london to do the buisness… Good luck to both teams tomorrow and may the best team win….
I would like to see London winning and getting to the Connacht Final, I think it would be a great achivement for them and would be, historic as well.
From a Mayo prospective, if the game was played in Castlebar, it would be far more convenient than Salthill.
Agreed, Leitrim can least afford to be dropping fella’s from the team but sometimes past decisions made with the best of intentions can often come back to haunt you. In the previous year a player had been dropped from the panel for similar sins and i guess management could not be seen to have one rule for one and not another (a case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t). Maybe the lesson here (for teams with a small pool of players) is not to set down such harsh rules that can potentially have massive implications on your season.
Personally, I hope Leitrim prevail on the day.. Also best of luck to the Mayo Minors
Of the four lads dropped i’d say only two would have started anyways. Paddy Maguire their best defender is out injured and if Mulligan is well marked it’s hard to see where the Leitrim scores will come from? saying that more pressure on London to perform in this game the spotlight is very much on them and i think Leitrim at home with a strong support should have enough to beat.
Well done Mayo minors especially Michael Hall.
Would be nice to have double Connacht champions this summer.
When is the Galway game(minors)?
30th June Galway venue possibly Tuam.
Plane load of London supporters landed in Knock airport this morning, another one landed in Dublin airport! Have London down to win by 2 points in the prediction league!!
Replay in the Hyde next Sunday 3.40. Bad for from the Gaa, I get the feeling they don’t want to see a Mayo v London Final, bad bad form from them.
Agree mayo mick the replay should be in Ruislip its the least London deserve. Bad decision. All the Connaught council care about is money though, and for them Mayo v Leitrim is better than Mayo v London.
Remember 51, that makes 2 of us!