It was announced by Elvery’s this evening that, as expected, the lads will sport the current away strip in Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry at Croke Park (throw-in 3.30pm). It’s an attire that was unveiled in the League game against the same opposition down in Tralee in February this year.
That match remains the only occasion in which the lads have played in the distinctive red and black outfit. We won that night so that means we’ve a 100% success rate in the alternative strip. Plus it bears a passing resemblance to Down’s colours. Seeing as Kerry go all Mr. Jelly when they encounter the Mourne men at Croke Park there’s possibly a psychological edge for us in there somewhere too.
I’m pretty sure that Kerry will also be wearing their away garb on Sunday. If that’s the case then, unless they shock all and sundry with a new design, they’ll play in the same blue jersey with the black band around the middle and yellow trim that they’ve used for some time.
The same one, in other words, that they appeared in last February. When we beat them. In our nice new red and black clobber.
In other news entirely, I’ve been asked to give a mention – which I’m delighted to do – to the exploits of two young Kiltimagh ladies, who were part of the Irish U18 womens’ basketball team that made it all the way to the European Championship Division B final. Both of them have strong Mayo GAA pedigrees.
Photo: The 42 (Tommy Dickson/Inpho)
Dayna Finn (daughter of John) and Maggie Byrne (Tom’s daughter) were on the team that became the first ever Irish basketball side to reach a European final. The team’s groundbreaking run – which ensures Division A status at womens’ U18 national level next year – ended on Sunday night in defeat to Germany in the final but not before they’d put Irish basketball on the map.
Dayna and Maggie – both past pupils of my old alma mater, St Louis Community School in Kiltimagh – were not only the sole representatives from the county on the team but were also, I gather, the only players from Connacht to feature. Hearty congrats to them for their great achievement.
Mighty stuff Girls well done, I’ve a pain in. my chest thinking of the game on Sunday, agonies of 2004 and 2006 still haunt me and don’t mention the Limerick debacle, but this is a whole new game and we fear no one so bring it on Kerry we’re ready for ye, Criost Linn Maigheabu
Ready and absolutely raring to go. It’s going to be a long slow week. As much as I love our green and red jerseys on match day the away kit is pretty damn slick.
No fear of Kerry on Sunday.
Mayo4Sam.
I hope the only red and black to be seen on Sunday will be the Mayo Jerseys.
I love the the green & red the most so will be proudly wearing the green and red Jerseys and flying our flags. My Kerry colleague seems a little bit different this time round!! Something definitely worrying him!! Hon Mayo
Okay. Red and black it is then. Versus that awful blue strip.
Speaking of colours i’d expect a good display of the dark arts on Sunday. Plenty of cuteness thrown in too. Mayo need to be alert to this from the off. Including the fellas on the sideline.
For example somebody should always have a spare ball to “accidently” throw on to the pitch to stop the game or slow it down when its in Mayo’s interest to do so. That is an old trick used by the Kerry sideline in Limerick 2014 when Mayo wanted to take a “quick one”.
Also if a boot comes off a player, that boot can be “accidently” thrown into the crowd. That too is an old trick seen in Limerick 2014.
Sunday will not be a day for “Mr nice guy”. Not a day for shaking hands before the throw in and clapping on the shoulder and wishing good luck.
About a minute before the 2006 final started, one Mayo defender went up to a certain K Donaghy and shook his hand and patted him on the shoulder. He stopped just short of asking him for his autograph. 10 minutes later the game was over.
Hope we have wised up and copped on. Win at all costs.
I am so convinced that Sunday will be our day, that I am unnerving my be in-law and he’s thinking of having me committed!
Donaghy is a smokescreen being thrown up by the clever kerry boys for the real danger men of Donaghey and Geaney. I believe that if our lads are fully tuned in that they have the wherewithall to cover these threats. Do people seriously believe that donaghy is a better, more effective player now at 36 years of age? Come on folks.
For me Andy will need to start. He has scored 1-10 from play in the last 5 games. Sideline have big decisions to make and they have some very interesting choices to make. Maybe kerry are planning for Andy and it might throw them if Andy comes off the bench. I for one am glad I don’t have to pick the team. Best of luck to all the squad on Sunday including fans.
The black and red of mayo….
Return of Barry Moran on Sunday in back line…..??
Kevin Mc playing sweeper….??
AOS full forward…??
Andy Moran super sub…??
Onemoretime – Donaghy is 34
Love the green and red but wearing the black and red that beat Kerry earlier this year is a great idea!!! Every little edge will be those “incremental game me” our lads often speak of for us to edge out and win Sam! Been saying it…. Roll on September 17!!!! Maigh Eo Abú!
SAFE TRAVELS all my Mayo fan friends! We will be watched by from Florida, so wish we could join you all! Be safe and have fun making memories of a lifetime!!!!
Best of luck to my home county ???Flag flying high here in Kilkenny
I love our green and red but I have to say I think this ‘red and black clobber’ is the nicest jersey in the country.
Had a good old laugh reading this post WJ.
Maigh Eo Go Deo
Go raibh míle maith agat faoi sin. 34/36 it doesn’t matter, he’ll be all arse, arms and legs as usual. Thanks for the correction.
Fully agree with Jim Flag also. Kerry H/F line will spend the day blocking pulling and spoiling as they did in 14 especially Walsh. I think we’re wiser now though and this will be a different game.
Don’t quite feel the same watching Mayo on anything other than red, green or alternatively white with green and red trim. Just doesn’t feel right somehow!
I would personally start both Andy and Loftus in the full forward line, would give us a great mix of craft and youthful impetus. Would resist the temptation to bring Lee back on Donaghy also, unless things are going seriously awry back there. We could do with a few trademark scores from play from the Port Man! Donie V could be the man for the job back there, with Harrison and Barrett picking up JOD and Geaney.
Will be searching for a place to see the game in Sydney in the wee small hours of Monday morning. Hon the green and red!
*Should be Brisbane, time diff obviously has my brain addled!
The All Blacks jersey and shorts (black) the latest seemless one supposedly makes it harder to read the running line of the player in posession. Without a clear differential between hips n torso you have less ability to spot the little body mechanics changes to change running direction. The
I’m glad we are going with red and black.It’s a reminder of the league match and the players look physically muscular in them.
Ps I just scrolled back up and looked at the photo. The hips don’t lie but how can you tell if you can’t see them!! Psps similar on the hips thing was in Tommy Bowes Bodycheck documentary. I just recalled that now is where I heard about the All Blacks.
Onemoretime – I just think it’s important to get things right when analysing the opposition, plus I could have saved you from an embarrassing moment if you happen to end up chatting to Kerry fans about Donaghy come Sunday, so you’re welcome.
I prefer the green and red but couldnt care less if the team wore long johns and vests so long as they win on Sunday.Maigh Eo Abu.
I like the black, have to say. I never ever liked the red and green away ones for some reason, but saw a picture of our u21 hurlers in an inverted version of our current kit, and it was bloody nice!
Still reckon our away kit should be Clarkey’s kit. My God that’s a nice jersey
Oh, the long johns and vests of Mayo…
Has a nice ring to it!
Donaghy is 34 and yes is the fittest he’s been in years. His return to basketball is doing him wonders
Thank God no-one told Roger Federer you’re meant to be finished at 34
Donaghy 34, how old is Andy Moran ? Donaghy quit his job last year to concentrate on football (professional?). I have a feeling he wont actually start but will be used as an impact sub, Geaney prob start at ff. Regardless, this game will be won and lost in mf. If Mayo can dominate mf and cut the supply line to Kerry ff then we are well on our way to a win. If Kerry are allowed enough possession to deliver quality ball to their inside forwards then it doesnt really matter who we have in defence, with quality ball that kerry ff line would tear any defence to shreds. Midfield is the key on sunday, win this battle and the war is ours.
Once you get past 33 there is no training in the world will maintain your explosiveness and reactions. It’s why the lighter division boxers are finished younger than heavyweights.The speed and reactions take a dip. This is more exposed in the lighter divisions. Similar in Gaelic football. Very few player of the year contenders will even be 31+.
I agree Mayomad, I think Donaghy will be a sub the next day, in an attempt to unsettle the Mayo team. Also they would be hoping for a repeat of Limerick in the last few minutes.
Midfield is again the key area, if we can gain 50/55% of midfield we will win.
Your right Done deal. Our discipline is vital that we give no excuse to the “ref” for black or red cards. Kerry will target Keegan for a similar response they got before. Hard physical football is a must to win. Discipline is the second requirement. Only like the black and red of the Mayo jersey.
It will be interesting alright to see if Kerry will start Jack Savage in the full-forward line along with Geaney and JOD, instead of Donaghy. Savage looked very lively in the game against us in Tralee. We coughed up a no. of goal chances early in that game so we’ll need to guard against that this time. Getting on top in the middle third will be vital. Johnny Buckley is a good fielder around the middle third as well, playing at no. 12, so it’ll be interesting to see who will mark him.
Delighted to see Mayo in its new strip. Always think that white shorts make men look like sissies and conversely dark ones emit menace and ferocity. So allied to their other attributes black shorts will imbue each Mayo player with a certainty one associates with winners. Things are in alignment this year and defeat is not an option.
I see Lee Keegan is 25/1 to score the first goal of the game.
I see Lee Keegan is 50/1 to score the first goal of the game and Mayo to win.
Mighty odds for the best player in the country and who has shown he knows where the back of the net is in Croke Park on big match days.
Might be worth putting a few hundred on him.
Savage did play well but it was his first big match on his home pitch for Kerry. That league game was very raw with a huge crowd. A lot of both Kerry and Mayo supporters. Some of the Kerry support turned on their team as Mayo began to get a stranglehold on the game. Both teams played with huge speed down the middle with Mayo also having the advantage of the option of the pass wide to Andy Moran. Tom Parsons was sent off near the end with some gamesmanship by certain Kerry players. Not the most pleasant atmosphere but who cares we are not looking to be liked. You knew you were in the first division when Kerry came out with Mikey Sheehy and Maurice Fitzgerald on the sideline – GAA royalty. Fxxx them viva La Republic.
Deceptive hips, reaction decline and large bets on goals to be scored can only mean the pointy end of the championship.
Christ where else would you want to be????
The point I was making about Jack Savage was that a lot of the talk has been about how do we cope with Donaghy but maybe Kerry might try to surprise us by playing 3 out and out speedsters in their full-forward line and not start Donaghy. It’s something to think about anyway, it would be a surprise if Donaghy didn’t start with the form that he is in at the moment. Jack Barry has a lot of pace too running from midfield so it’ll be interesting to see if they start him or Anthony Maher. Hopefully our players will be giving them plenty to worry about too!
Donaghy was very good v Galway and has always tormented us. He is a handful, but they also have class players all over the field, so a mighty performance will be needed to beat them. Some posters here think we are innocent victims against the bully boys and dark arts practices of lots of other teams. That is an insult to our players. I have not seen this team bullied or intimidated by anyone for the last 6 years. They are physical, hit hard and are well able to look after themselves. True we have come across the odd snide dig here and there but I doubt if theres any reason to feel sorry for ourselves on that score. Other reasons have cost us big games. Leeroys kick on Walsh in 2014 was not the Kerrymans fault, Aiden and Cillian clashing heads was downright bad luck in the replay and O Reillys reffing was woeful. Fast forward to 2016. 2 own goals, incredibly bad luck, a major goalkeeping call that back fires etc etc. Hopefully our luck will change but one thing that I presume wont change is this teams ability to stand up for themselves and give as much as they get in the physicality stakes and the dark arts etc. Lets not feel we are always the victims of conspiracies and nasty happenings. Go to Croker and support the team with heads held high and no sense of inferiority. Iam sure thats what our team will do. Up Mayo
Great post To Win just Once.
Having reached another base camp early yesterday, spirits I notice have generally eased somewhat among the team members. The towering summit is expected to emerge later on as the billowing mass of stratospheric cloud dissipates with the passing hours. We have passed by many dead and decaying bodies on the way which seems to have welded further the sense of human intent within this camp. I can only surmise at this stage what tomorrow will bring but I’ll say this much…..this party is not over till it’s over.
I find it incredible to read above that this team has not been bullied off the pitch or has not been on the receiving end of far more dubious tactics than we’ve dished out. I suggest you watch the replay v kerry again at least and see if you still feel the same. We were bullied that day plain and simple. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it just happened on the day. And now it should be used as a rallying cry to extract an extra 10% from our players. We’re not innocent victims, but we’ve certainly been on the receiving end far more often. Some of our players are singled out for special treatment it certainly seems to me.
The reason being is that we’re perceived patronisingly so as a nice team who won’t get involved. And to be honest we are to a certain extent at times too nice. If we’re to win on Sunday we need to stop certain players having an influence and this could mean being far more naughty than nice. It’s called winning at all costs. It’s the one thing left this team has to learn.
You cant bully hardmen .Kerry are hardmen. Sin e.
I find it hilarious how some dont understand stuff about kerry.
i see austin gleson got off very lighty up mayo they have to get a good start against kerry
Ah Now, I find that comment about the 2014 replay to be a bit off, tbh. For instance, I remember Boyler dumping Donnchadh Walsh into the stand at one point when he tried to impose himself on him. A combination of some missed chances, tired legs and woegeous reffing cost us that day: had Lee buried that goal chance in the second half of extra time things would have been very different.
On form, it’s difficult for me to see us outscoring Kerry, but I don’t see us being intimidated by them physically.