Photo: Connacht Tribune
The Mayo News (paper and digital versions) is reporting today that the appointment of Stephen Rochford as the new Mayo manager is expected to be formally ratified by the County Board at its next meeting this night week (1st December). Ahead of this, the mediation process being undertaken by Martin Conroy is – according to County Board vice-chairman Seamus Tuohy – set to be wrapped up this week.
The report states that County Board officials are due to meet with Stephen this coming weekend. Following this meeting, where it’s expected that the finer details of the appointment will be thrashed out, the decision to appoint him is set to be signed off by the County Board next Tuesday.
Stephen himself indicated after the match in Tuam last Sunday that it was time to get the matter resolved. By the sounds of it, this is what’s finally about to happen.
A foregone conclusion for weeks now, considering that he appears to be the only candidate who wanted the job.
Yep. ,,, done deal alright.. Hopefully he will get time and support from all the genuine mayo supporters ,,, best of luck to Stephen and the lads ,
Slowly, slowly… Getting there. Roch won’t have C oC, Aidan, Barry, Tom, Durcan at a min for the start of the league so jan/fbd will be important time for him to get set up for the league. Just need to stay in div 1. Roll on 2016!
Vote for AOS.
http://www.joe.ie/sport/joe-men-of-the-year-awards-2015-gaa-player-of-the-year/519004
Never a forgone conclusion Observer 2 with our gang, its not done until its done.
I nearly wouldn’t be surprised if a thought process sprung up that it would be a good idea to speak to the Castlebar management team, “sure didn’t they just beat him”!
I hope Rochford gets all the encouragement and support that he needs. Tough role that he has now taken over but by far the best man for it.
It will be interesting to see who his backroom team will consist of.
Roll on the FBD it seems like an eternity since the green and red have taken to the field.
Facetheball. Just voted for O’Shea.
Its on a knife edge.
TJ Reid 1,195
A O’Shea 1,187
Come on. Get voting people. A grain a rice could tip this thing.
I agree 100% with Sean Rice in this weeks Mayo News with the heading of his article
LET ROCHFORD GET ON WITH THE JOB
outside of castlebar, hollymount and ardnaree ( all have new year commitments and players unavailable) what other players under rochford would ye guys on here like to see tried out early next year ?
Just over 5 weeks to first fbd league game! Let Rochford in and get on with the job, a lot of work to do to prepare for national league! Because of the calibre of players were missing, and the need to freshing up the squad, I think avoiding relegation would be a great result! That’s not negative thinking by the way, it’s a realistic view, and I think if we get a few lads bedded into the squad, it’d be the making of us!
I don’t know about SR that’s just. If he gets the gig I will be behind him all the way. I would have preferred Jh. I liked what I saw from young Durkan and I think this year might be too soon given that he will spend the spring on club duty. Gibbons and OShea looked good in senior championship and Knockmore and Aghamore have a bit of up and coming talent
will o shea be missing for the start of the league or what ??
I’d like to test a few goalies,full back and centre back. Not sure if our current players in these positions are good enough or we have the required backup. Regan will get a run and hopefully will stay injury free. Serious talent. I wouldnt mind trying another midfielder if Aidan is going to stay in the forwards. Apart from working hard, not sure if SOS and Parsons passing or scoring ability are up to scratch. SOS was out played in the county final and Barry Moran has given a glimpse with Mitchels on to best utilise his skills. Will the management hold trials?
The Castlebar lads will be looking for games after xmas. Could some of them not play in fbd in January
Caolan Crowe should be tried in the FBD. If he’s good enough, leave him in panel for league.
Rochford was a done deal as soon as James Horan pulled his hat out of the ring I’m not sure why the county board are so slow to appoint Rochford matter of fact this must be the latest ever senior manager appointment made by Mayo.
On new players, here’s my list of a third XV, that doesn’t, I think, include any players from the current panel. What do posters think?
1. Mark Mulligan
2.Ruairi O’Connor
3. Eoin Reilly
4. Darren McHugh
5.Michael Hall
6. Shane McHale
7. Shane Nally
8. F. Duffy
9. J. Gibbons
10. Cathal Carolan
11. Corduff (Breaffy)
12. James Durcan
13. Tommy Conroy
14. Brian Gallagher (the real deal)
15. Adam Gallagher
Bit early for this but i have to ask who would ye like to see captain Mayo next year.
It’ll be tough enough alright trying to get a team in place for the FBD League games with three of our clubs in All-Ireland club series action. Remember that our 2013 minors are coming on stream into the U21 grade next year as well so you’d like to see that grade being given more of a rattle too. Even last year when we had no clubs involved in the latter stages of the club championship we had a situation where 3 players played for the U21 team on the Wednesday and played again against Dublin in the League on the Saturday evening. We don’t really want to see that happening again either. Hopefully we can concentrate a bit more on players over U21 and with some potential for the future.
Fionan Duffy (from Crossmolina I assume) is a forward catcol. Well I’ve never seen him play midfield, maybe you know more about him. He’s a good goal poacher that’s for sure.
Cait I would think it should be CoC. Captaincy affected Keiths game.
On S.R. imminent appointment, wondering what happened to the agreement by C.B officers, with delegates, at the last Co Board meeting, that the now famous( or infamous) charter would be presented to delegates for scrutiny, and agreement, and an interview process to be agreed prior to any management appointment. [Deleted].
Some interesting positional switches in there catcol 😉 but you have the makings of a decent B team surely. I think I’d have Liam Irwin in there too and I’d like to see Eddie Doran from Achill get a stint in the senior setup. Have been saying for a while now that I’d like to see Ruaidhri O’Connor get another crack of the whip too.
I watched Fionan Duffy in a couple of club championship games this year and was very impressed with his physicality and presence in front of goal.
James Carr from Ardagh is another that can be lethal in front of goal but probably not at that level yet – one to watch though.
Coc and Colm Boyle joint captains. Colm Boyle during the league while cillian is out.
Outside the Pale – I’ve deleted that second part of your comment, in which you make an assumption and draw a conclusion about what might happen based on what appears to be speculation. I think it’s best for everyone to stick with hard facts on this issue.
@Catcol,Brian Gallagher gone to USA for a year,Mark Mulligan gone to college in UK plus he’s just coming back from double hip surgery,Brian Gallagher didn’t look up to it for Claremorris this year
Catol, that looks like a very good 3rd 15 though I’d expect Gibbons and McHale if fit would be straight into the panel. Ballina Corduff has been mentioned a good few times. Guessing you’re assuming Loftus will automatic be on the senior panel. Brian Gallagher will never live that JH quote down, the one game I recall was a cameo against Donegal where he was throwing himself about and held no fear of the Donegal lads but we haven’t seen him since. Fairly big lad too, anyone following Claremorris or nearby have opinions as to his inclusion in the seniors.
What goalies would you like to see John ?
What would your team next year Ann Marie ? Maybe start 1 to 6
Many thanks Anne-Marie, F’Deelin and Shuffly Deck, for comments and corrections.
Mistakenly thought Fionan Duffy operated at midfield, so I could swap him with Brian Gallagher. Also, I shouldn’t have included Michael Hall as he is a panel member.
Perhaps Keith Rogers then for Michael Hall?
Other possibilities are Peter Dravins who performed well when he came on for Breaffy. Liam Irwin is a natural, but I understand he may not be available. Darren Coen deserves another chance I think.
My point in all this is to try to identify guys who could and should be challenging the existing order. I’m not close enough to the club scene to know how realistic these choices are, but am using my memory and the bit I have seen of some of them. The great thing of course is that some unknown could crash onto the scene via FBD or early league games.
Hon Rochie!
Best of luck to new manager. Hopefully all goes well in the next week or so and we have no county board surprises. I am looking forward to seeing who is in the back room team. Talk of Gavin Duffy and mcentee is very interesting. I would like to see James nallen looking at defence or maybe Mac looking at skills/kicking coaching coming on board
Surely after last year’s debacle in the appointment of the management the Co Board will not try to come up with another surprise? Does anybody know if the proposed document being drawn up between Board and players will be made public? I presume the new manager will have to buy into it as well and that the players will run it past the GPA for advice. My own opinion is that it is purely window dressing and will be meaningless if another dispute arises.
It’s very difficult to know who will be part of plans. For former minors sometimes they simply don’t add on a bit more height after 17. You can’t add height in a gym. Very few county footballers are under 5’10”.
Then fellas have other commitments meaning club football is all they can commit to.
Padraig Prendegast Louisburgh is the type of player that needs a run. Around 6’2 or 6’3. Out for a year with a cruciate injury but seriously bulked up in that time. Came back for louisburgh late in the year but came on leaps and bounds with every game. Was played at full forward in the last game and was unmarkable. Same physique as AOS but has the silken skills aswell.
Padraig Prendergast sounds very interesting KMacLegend. Did he play minor or U21? Louisburgh begod. When did I last see a Louisburgh player in action? Austin O’Malley maybe.
Sorry pacar, missed your post earlier. Thanks for update on Brian Gallagher and Mark Mulligan. Is there any end to the injuries our minors have sustained in recent times?
Yep catcol. Remember he came on midfield for the minor winning team in 2013. You don’t want putting pressure on young shoulders but I do really think he is the type of player that will inject freshness into the current set up. I have no doubt he is the real deal. U are right about Austy being the last louisburgh man in the Mayo setup but I am very confident that will change in the next 4 to 5 years. I am not going to call out individuals that are still only 17 but there is one particular that will play midfield for Mayo without doubt. Again this is down to a 7 or 8 year investment in underage in Louisburgh that is now reaping the rewards.
Saw your tweet Anne-Marie. Great stuff from Kieran Shannon:
http://tinyurl.com/osyq6zz
I know we are going to have some very important players missing for the early part of the season, Personally I couldn’t care less who wins the FBD, even tough I normally go to one or two of them just to see who’s playing and what’s happening. But I take the League seriously, last season’s league with COC out we persisted with Jason Doc and Kevin McLoughlin as free takers, and not to great effect, why not just do the sensible thing and let the aptly named Freeman take them all, he’s very good, can’t recall him missing very many. We came out the wrong end of a few tight results last season’s league, could have easily made the league semi final, on the other hand been relageted quite easily too. The only team in the league that we didn’t look capable of beating on THAT day was Dublin. Had our free taking been up to scratch the other days we would have ended up with 12 points, anyone can check the stats. . So that’s what I hope Stephen Rochford does, get Freeman playing, get his confidence up and let him do what he does best, he’s an assured free taker in .the absence of Cillian. We are going to be short staffed as things stand early on, but we have to get points on the board early. We are the longest serving team in Div 1 of the league, we need to preserve our status, Mayo play Dublin early in this year’s campaign, If we can beat them in Croker, with a few points already in the bag, we should go for it, “League Champions” had a nice ring to it! After Patrick’s Day or hand’s should be gaining strength. On recent here’s the League Champions have an wonderful record in the championship. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity and definnately not to be missed!
Would agree with a lot of that Lean times re free taking etc. I think we play the Dubs in Castlebar again not Croker. Anyway looking at the fixtures, 3 of our last 4 games will be against relegation fodder ie Monaghan, Ross, and Down. The last 2 in particular are games we will surely have to win. We will be doing well to have any few pints in the owl bag going into the second half of that league. The way the fixtures have fallen, its a hell of a start to the campaign. Having said that, we are well capable of winning against any of them and topping the table.
Would love to see us giving the league a proper crack this year I have to say … though it does feel like a means to an end. But it’d be nice to be collecting a trophy in Croker again, wouldn’t it?
I flipping love the league. A game nearly every week, a few road trips, seeing new footballing faces, all the time safe the knowledge that most of the people out there in the freezing cold are at least as daft as you are .. what’s not to love?
Only 10 or 12 more weeks to wait a Marie getting exciting about next year too.
It’s great to see the mood lift in here. People back focusing on football and less on the politics of it.
Can’t wait for the League can’t wait for the FBD.
Ann Marie you can add me to the list of other daft people.
Who would people like to see in Goal ?
Clarke / Hennelly or some else ?
Looking forward to next year already. It wont be long to the fbd
I seen this on GAA.ie
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Blow for Galway as Lundy and Duane head for US
By John Fallon
Galway football manager Kevin Walsh may have to plan without two key players for 2016 with defender Johnny Duane and forward Michael Lundy both moving to the United States for an indefinite period. Lundy departed for New York this week after Corofin’s Connacht club final loss to Castlebar Mitchels, while Duane moved there a few weeks ago. It’s expected that both players will make themselves available to play for New York in the Connacht Championship next year. The Exiles will play Roscommon in the opening round of the Connacht Championship on May 1. Lundy was a key figure in Corofin’s All-Ireland success earlier this year while both he and Duane, who is a member of the St James’ club in the city, have been regulars for Galway for the past few seasons. Lundy was wing-forward this summer and Duane was at corner-back as Galway’s run through the qualifiers was ended in round four by Donegal on a 3-12 to 0-11 scoreline at Croke Park. Manager Walsh, heading into his second year in charge of the Tribesmen, has targeted promotion from Division II as a prime target for next year. Galway will enter the championship at the Connacht semi-final stage when they will take on Mayo on June 18, presuming the five-in-a-row champions account for London in the opening round.
Catcol Anne Marie That’s a great piece thanks for posting the link. Nothing, we did not already know. Essential reading for one Stephen Rochford and team.. I love the line “empathy was yesterday, today you are just wasting my time”, nothing personnal. Had it said to me one time my a senior manager at a crowded meeting, ouch.
KMac I remember Padraic Prendergast and I had been keeping an eye out for him. I saw one game that involved Louisbourg in the last year, and he did not line out. My friend did not know the story with him either. I am delighted to hear that he is still playing. I hope he makes the U21 team and he could be one for the future.
League venues like Scotstown are bit like the GPO in 1916 come the hunt for All Ireland tickets – everybody who was anybody and many who were nobody were there. I recall a match in Scotstown being abandoned when the ref got injured [that led to standby refs being appointed]. The refixed match took place in mid Jan. When Mayo reached the All Ireland final the following Sept the then Indo GAA correspondent Liam Horan reported that only a fraction of the 30,000 Mayo supporters who attended the refixed match could get tickets.
Jim Flag That post is a bit of a windup I think. I think we will do well to stay up next year. First of all 3 Mayo clubs are going to be involved with club football for the majority of the league we hope. Second we have quite a few of the panel involved with the U21 setup. Then we have the colleges having first pick on the players that have a college life. We have the rookie manager and a new backroom team. I could go on, about the 4 away games in this schedule. We do not know if any of the current team will make themselves available for 2016. The strategic need to rest as many of the players as possible for the summer season. I think that the league title will be decided between Dublin and possible Cork or Donegal. I will be happy with 6 points, give some new players a run, improve our defensive setup, and maintain Div 1 status for 2017
In my nievity I see the charter as a roadmap for all to pull together, if we need sticksfor each other, we’re feiced anyway
Not worried about league, let’s blood New faces, let some fringe players lead, rest any that need it and stay up if we can, while doing that.
Agree with the rest of Anne-Marie’s league love
Roll on the FBD
Tubberman, you might be interested to see the article in the Irish Times by the psychologist from James Horan’s backroom team Kieran Shannon has fairly stuck the knife into Anthony McGarry saying he couldn’t grow the Ballintubber team any further and (was) moved on. The team didn’t grow too much after him either!
Sorry correction, should read Irish Examiner.
Don’t know where you’re seeing that in the article Magic Mayo, are we looking at the same one?
It looks like Stephen Rochford has finalised his management set-up:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/rochford-drafts-in-former-teammate-carey-to-complete-new-mayo-management-setup-34235398.html
You’re on the ball early HSE! That looks like an informed ‘insider’ piece by John Fallon in the Indo.
Don’t know a lot about Sean Carey’s backroom credentials, but I’m sure Rochie does. Shaping up to be a dream team really, and this could be a worry. Johnno’s line up in 2007 was also a dream team.
Thanks catcol, I usually do a scan of the papers, The Irish Times, The Indo and The Irish Examiner first thing in the morning to see if there is any good news for us supporters. I love to get it up on the Blog then for our chief WJ!
Mayo News tweeting that Co Board meeting tonight, and Rochford ratification expected.