It might only be the middle of January but yesterday we had a club from the county contesting an All-Ireland title while the Mayo footballers were beating Galway in the FBD, having earlier in the day reportedly also got the better of Westmeath with another county team in a separate pre-season joust. Time for the return of the match reports round-up piece? I think so.
Let’s start with Tooreen, whose tilt at All-Ireland glory came up agonisingly short at the big house last night. Before I provide links to the media coverage of last night’s final, it’s worth alerting everyone to the club’s homecoming arrangements which is scheduled to happen later today.
Details on the homecoming are here. The team will be welcomed home at Tooreen Hall at 3pm today, the band will be tuned up by 6pm, with a DJ from 9pm. Sounds like the makings of a good event.
Onto the match reports and related coverage.
Match reports: GAA, RTÉ, Mayo News, Western People, Connaught Telegraph, Limerick Leader, Sporting Limerick, Irish Examiner, Irish Independent, The 42, Sports Joe.
Photos: Sportsfile, Inpho, Mayo GAA (Facebook).
Video: Post-match reaction from Ray Larkin, Conor Henry and David Harrison.
Onto the FBD match, where once again the excellent playing conditions in the Dome helped to serve up a high-octane, high-scoring encounter.
Match reports: GAA, RTÉ, Western People, Connaught Telegraph, Irish Times, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, Irish Sun, The 42.
Photos: Sportsfile, Inpho.
Video: Michael Maye (match highlights).
Audio: our Final Whistle pod is available on Patreon for Mayo Football Podcast club members (here).
That’s your lot. Have a good Sunday, all.
Here’s hoping Tyrone and Kerry meet in the championship. Some nastiness between the w countries as displayed yesterday in the club finals.
Hope they meet and beat the lard out of each other in an AI semi while we watch on
See tg4 are showing the fbd final on Friday night.
Be interesting to see how Towey and Orme go this weekend v Ross.Both were very impressive against Galway.Feel one of them is capable of breaking into the full forward line with Cillian and Tommy Conroy with ROD coming out as playmaker at CHF.
Towey is very accurate and is capable of shooting comfortably of either foot and can hit 45s.Orme has a really high skill set at this level and is left footed which is a thing we are lacking in our current panel.
We only need one of Orme Towey or Carr to elevate their game to a higher level this year and we suddenly have 4 very dangerous forwards (with ROD, Cillian and Conroy already at that level when fit).
Like TonyH I’m really encouraged by Orme and Towey in particular. They have got scoring power.
Carney, Diarmuid, Mcdonagh, Walsh – they are more like the utility forwards that work hard, link play, set up scores etc. you don’t need 6 finishers. Kerry deliberately leave a couple of sharpshooters on the bench so that they can play the likes of Adrian spillane and Dara Moynihan in from the start.
The forward half of the field is really looking up. There a lot of options there now and quite a few guys at the point of their career where they are still improving rapidly.
I hope Bryan Walsh can stay fit all year. He’s got a great engine and has improved his composure on the ball. That Conor Meyler/Paul Galvin style defensive wing forward role is becoming a key part of modern football.