So, it wasn’t a bad dream after all – we did really get our arses handed to us in front of an enormous home crowd at MacHale Park last night. No wonder then, despite the fact that I didn’t have a drink before or after the game, that I feel like I’ve got a rather bad hangover this morning.
I was awake early this morning and, fool that I am, decided to go hunting in the results archive so that I could place last night’s meltdown in its proper historical context. As I’ve already mentioned in the comments, my research tells me that last night’s paddling was the worst reversal suffered by the county since the 5-15 to 0-10 defeat to Cork in the 1993 All-Ireland semi-final. Later that same year, the same opposition as last night beat us by the same 14-point margin in a League fixture at Croke Park.
Then, sad case that I am, I kept on hunting as I wanted to see when – if ever – we’d previously been beaten by a margin such as last night’s at MacHale Park. Part of me didn’t want last night’s thumping to go down in history as our worst ever in Castlebar and so I was slightly relieved to find an even worse one. This hiding occurred way back in 1956 when Galway, with the Terrible Twins in their ranks, came to town and went to town on us to the tune of 5-13 to 2-5.
So that’s what we’re looking at when contextualising the defeat we suffered last night. It wasn’t any old defeat (by the way, the one against Donegal in 2012 that shocked James Horan’s charges into action was only a seven-pointer), it was a hammering of historical proportions and it’s one that, as I said last night, demands an immediate response.
Back to last night, though, and the match reports, which was the original point of this piece before I went all Diarmuid Ferriter on you. Here’s a selection of what’s out there:
Mayo Advertiser, RTÉ, The 42, Hogan Stand, Breaking News, Sunday Independent, Irish Times. That’s enough for now, I reckon – there’s enough misery in there to last you the whole week.
Finally, please do vote in the MOTM poll. I know a few of you have questioned the logic of putting up such a poll in light of how the lads performed last night but I still think it’s worthwhile gauging what the consensus is on who performed best for us in the games we play, regardless how of those matches pan out.
Morning after big game hangover in full flow! We met a well drilled well oiled machine last night.but don’t forget it’s only March! It’s what we learn from this defeat is what’s important! Maybe we need to take Kerry’s approach to the league! Anyways I said it time and time before we have a huge problem in full forward line especially corner forwards.we just don’t seem to produce a go to man bar cillian! It’s something we need to look at in long term in coaching underage teams could we be actually coaching the football out of sine of our talented young forwards for a more work ethic player .
There was a further update on Cillian O’Connor who missed the game with Holmes informing the press that: “He has a tendon issue under his kneecap and it requires rest. He will be out for probably three weeks anyway.” When asked did he expect that to see him definitely miss the last two rounds of the league he responded saying: “It’s very possible but we’ll just have to manage it as it goes along.”
^ That was in the Mayo Advertiser.
Is there any reports yet from management and their opinions on what happened?
Capacity of Mchale park 42000, last night 13000 = room for 29000 more people, as Dougal said to ted I’m not much good with numbers but I find that hard to see
Under16s go free though, I’d estimate you have 3-4 k not counted on that basis.
The Dubs are back, not that they ever went away. That was a superb performance from the blue and bluer. Fair play to Galvin, some operator. It feels like they won every kickout. Their distribution was first class. I thought Higgins done the best while been overrun. Cluxton was excellent again, and he was prepared to defend his line on the 14 if it was needed. Do we have a goalie like that. The foot passing skill was a joy to watch and one of the main reason I like watching the Dubs. Any team focusing on a league title in 2015 should reference this display first. We have several target men and good forwards but we do not have the foot passing skills of the dubs and kerry, or we never did. What amased me from last nights posts is all the Mayo supporters that did not realise that. At half time we watched the young boys play football at half time Mayo stlye. Next time you visit McHale on any League Sunday take a closer look at Bord Na nOige Mayo style. There is almost no catch and kick here. Time on the ball is king. Almost impossible to get 12 year olds to change the tradition of showboating while in possession. Blame any one you like from the full back line to the shite forwards, to the management, to the co Board. We are not Kerry or Dublin, build a bridge…..
Terrible performance last night. I have not seen us that bad in a long time. We looked like a team that trained hard yesterday morning, concrete shoes, chasing shadows and a yard off the man all springs to mind. BUT it is March and we are not as bad as we showed last night. I really don’t think last night defines our summer.
Dubs took de ball off us, time and time again, like candy off kids!
Less – and a lot less! – to do with “It’s only March the League”, or “Dubs were so afraid of relegation/needed de pts” – and much more to do with de fact that this slow, ponderous, laborious way of playing ball, will get us absolutely Nowhere!!
I hope we can turn things around but honestly, we are becoming so predictable now, that we don’t look threatening going forward.
The unilateral hand-passing – across, back, forwards, across, back etc, etc, etc – needs to be replaced by pace and quick movement of ball.
I mean de stark difference between de way Dubs moved de ball and de way we did, was frightening.
We need to learn fast or we will be going back to de drawing board. And if we do, we may have a lot of sketching to do!!
To put it in a nutshell ” WE GOT A DOSE OF THE BLUES”. Pathetic stuff.
Last night we received a serious trimming. I think however we need to take into account a few factors before we abandon all hope and burn our Cairde’s.
1. The “full court press” has now been abandoned and a more defensive approach has been adopted with 12 men behind the ball. This group of players had perfected the system under JH over 4 years and have been asked to adopt the new system in the last month. While I personally loved the “press” and think it was hugely successful it ultimately failed if your measure is an AI title. Division 1 is a hugely difficult place to try and perfect a new system and I think it goes at least some way to explaining some of last nights frustrating lack of positioning we showed.
2. The weight of expectation now being heaped on the players and management is becoming suffocating, the crowds travelling to games is clear evidence of this. If we had WON the past 4 AI finals would we still expect this panel of players to perform every single time and not be getting fatigued? Now add the baggage of hard defeats and 64 years of expectation.
3. I don’t think we will win the All Ireland this year, I think we’ll win Connacht and should make a semi. Maybe we need to measure or expectations, give the players and management time to regroup and develop their own style and systems. JH got us within a point of the holy grail and was our best ever manager, however, when he arrived on the scene we were at an all time low, compare that to the pressure and expectations of N&P.
Ok – I got the initial managements feedback.
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/76369/oconnor-worry-adds-to-holmes-woes
Well said liam, take it from me as someone who used to criticise players and managers for not making changes and making mistakes, I have come to realise once the players cross the line they are good enough or not, and there is not a lot anybody can do about it, I do think there is pressure on pat and noel but I am sure we got the best of the applicants, I hope we have a good run this year, but think they are running on empty, I hope I am wrong, anyway neither players or management owe us anything, they have all given everything for club and county
Have to admit that I wanted McStay as manager but I think the criticism of the present duo is a bit harsh. They were great men last week . Had us top of table, beat AI Champs away beat Derry away, had pulled a master stroke with AOS at FF, conceded least , top scorers, had our backs defending, were way ahead of Galway and Ros, even Sam was being mentioned. And then the best team in the country came to town and hammered us and we have a dreadful set up and no hope for the future.The truth I suspect lies somewhere in between. We still have good players though they have high mileage on the clock. We need to play our top players in their best positions ie AOS at CHF or MF, Vaughan at CHB, Boyle at wing back and so on. We need to be more clever against the likes of Dublin and play extra man in defence. We will be hard pressed to win Connacht this tear as Galway and Ros are definitely on the up while we may be heading in opposite direction. We have just lost a really excellent manager who had Mayo play a certain style which was bought into by the players. But Holmes and Connelly deserve a chance. Its totally unfair to judge them in March. Yes they are making mistakes but I have yet to come across the person who hasn’t. They should be judged at end of championship whenever that may turn out to be.
Fair play to the dubs. They came into our back yard and did what they needed to do and then left. They played like feral cats toying with tame white mice. The dubs fucking humiliated Mayo. To their credit they showed us no mercy and were relentless from first to last whistle. Once the Dublin machine clicked into gear they were unstopable and even if we rolled over and played dead, they would have kicked or fisted us into the net along with the home ball. If it hurts the likes of me how must it be for our players?
These are the matches that Mayo need and if there are any positives to be taking it’s that the dubs won’t have learned much but Mayo must have learned something. I’m not sure what that “something” is, as the man says, “it’s hard to know and you’d hate asking.”
After an annihilation of this magnitude the spotlight will be flat out beaming onto players and management. How they respond will determine the fate of this great Mayo side.
We were really bad last nite, looked lethargic and bar Aido not that interested. The line got it wrong big time. not sure I see what P&N are trying to do. We’ve played two quality sides with shrewd managers and lost both . Kerry were on the piss. Monaghan and Derry were shite, and let’s be honest folks, going into the last 10/15 min against Derry they could have caught us.
Donegal and Cork will be big challenges, both are well oiled machines and play to a system – how will we cope? we’re near the end of the league we should be starting to click now. I’m a bit concerned – while JHs leagues were a mixed bag we never saw that kind of shite like we did against TY or Dub.
Can I ask you more tactically aware posters a question on one incident that stuck with me last night.
We were in possession of the ball , it was in the second half over on the opposite side to the stand about thirty five metres out, I can’t recall who had it but mcgloughlin had twenty yards in front of him to run onto a forward pass for direct route to goal but my jaysus he just stayed put and wanted the ball in his standing position alongside the man in possession . I just don’t understand the logic behind it, why not make the dash and receive the ball in a forward motion? Why why why
From what I saw last nite it looked like the lads were sent out with NO tactics at all other than to play the game.How else can you explain for the performance last night. There was very little running or support done by the lads.When we had the ball we were left isolated. Now you don’t have to be a great footballer to offer support to your team mate.There was just nothing going on with the lads. IMO it has to be down to the fact that the lads were sent out without tactics without a game plan.If that was a Mayo team who had a game plan then I would be seriously be concerned. Lads Its March and it might not look like it but those young lads would have learn more from defeat than in victory .
Sean I remember that play and I don’t think I can answer your question. Our build up play was slow and this passing across the field and back has to stop. Dublin players always had a man or two running into space to play the ball off. I counted 12 occasions where we had only two men in the Dublin half.
” Mayo are boasting the meanest defence in the top division” -Sean Moran predicting a Mayo win in Saturdays Irish Times. . .Little did he know that on Saturday evening in McHale Park our generosity would know no bounds
Reality check time. No point dilly dallying it’s time for the management to move on because it has been inevitable since their cack handed appointment that they would not succeed.
We all have heard the rumours of the players being unhappy with the set up and that is proving to be evident on the pitch.
Good win against a Kerry team just back from holidays, but bad defeats and shown up by Ros, Tyrone and now Dublin at home all point to a short Summer and maybe Division 2 football.
When have two managers ever succeeded? Pat Holmes had his chance before. He blew it with a series of humiliating defeats after taking over a successful team that had been on the brink. The game has moved on to a different level since.
Noel was a great captain but his shortcomings were shown up for Hollymount.
Yes they won an u21 in 06, had a little luck against Cork and Tyrone but still got there. They failed badly the next 3 years with very good teams.
The players and supporters deserve better. We know what they are capable of, and now see that management cannot meet their needs.
The cutbacks which the likes of AnnMarie and Mayonaze worried about are reality
We’ll it’s only March I hear a lot say .Maybe the training was too hard ? Maybe the team have given their all ?maybe the lads have given too much commitment over the years ?
We’ll in my humble opinion that’s all utter nonsense. March isn’t too fat away far away from championship. Had we been beaten well but has scored a decent enough return ourselves that would be something to cling onto, but our squad should be far too experienced to be hocked in our own back yard in such devastating fashion. We couldnt run we could pass to each other, we couldn’t support each other we could score even when the goal was open. Simple basic football skills not to be seen. We have regressed at an alarming rate based on this and the Tyrone game. How are we are supposed to change this in a couple of months? Nobody begs the lads to play they do it because that want too and want to be county players. Sacrifices we all make them in life , a players career is short enough get on with it. It has nothing to do with them being there for the last few years their footballers and should want and try to win any game be it club or county.. Playing for Mayo is an honour few of us will achieve . This display lies firmly at the feet of management they have to rethink a new game plan an quickly.
By the way can the county board not put silencers of those generator the noise in the stand is terrible from them. It this what we’re buying season tickets to be deafened by ?
Sean, pure speculation here, but it is a tactic to either:
– Wait for them to commit to a tackle and play it off to a colleague, thus taking the defender out of the play
– Get the defence static/stood up to make it easier to burst past them
Barcelona sometimes adopt the same tactic against packed defences in football. Both are predicated on a running game/power game rather than a kicking game.
ger you are in need of a reality check if you are calling for the managers head in March. I’ve seen some crazy shit on these threads over the years and that’s right up there. I remember a couple of seasons back Kildale beat us on a Saturday evening in the league and that was under JH, it was every bit as bad as last night. And we ended up in the AIF that year. They deserve at least one full season and judge them then, not 5 games into the league.
To be fair Wjmightdelete, Kildale mayo 2013 was nothing like last night – we threw it away in the end to Kildare and should have won it. Last night on every line of the pitch we were comprehensively beaten.
@ wjmightdelete it is complete nonsense to say “Kildare beat us on a Saturday evening in the league and that was under JH, it was every bit as bad as last night.” That defeat doesn’t come anymore close to last night.
I also agree with the sentiment that there were much better candidates our there for the Mayo job and we didn’t get an inspiring appointment. You have to be realistic, they’re not going anywhere anytime soon so I will give them my support, as everyone should.
I overheard people at the match last night label Pat and Noel as dumb and dumber and saying double acts don’t work in management I think they should be at least given until our championships ends before talk of removing them begins and even with new management there are no guarantees
What a disappointment lastnight was, I was looking forward to this one since I seen the fixtures announced.Beaten in every area of the field, the dubs just walked through us at times and if they had decided to shoot more from distance the loss would have been greater.Hennelly,s kickouts were poor but I wonder is this down to changing goalies every week and not being on same wavelength as players??Should have been at least two changes at half time I thought.Alan Freeman got nothing inside and we expected A oShea to be our full forward, center forward and midfielder so when men like Kirby and Moran on bench why not bring them sooner and leave one big man at FF?Our defence couldn’t cope with the fast moving Dubs which is worrying as it will likely be our championship starters.Fair play to the Dubs they knew they had to get two points in Castlebar and weren’t leaving without them.
Mayo are still second after todays results on same points as Kerry and Monaghan. Cork’s comeback in Tyrone has done us a massive favour. Donegal have to play Tyrone meaning two points dropped between them irrespective of the result.
We can still go down, but this has made it less likely in the event of worst case scenario of us not picking up another point.
The permutations are endless, but it could be a beat Donegal to get in the semis or lose and be relegated situation in the last game.
The management have got to be given time,it was unlikely we were ever going to be close to winning an all Ireland this year are we are miles behind the likes of Dublin, Kerry Cork and Tyrone, we just haven’t got the talent or class of player of these counties, nothing coming through the ranks, the team are stale and playing at a snails pace, but we must give the boys in charge at least this year to try sort something out to stop us at least getting humiliated in games.
Derry have Dublin away next week. They’re gone.
Monaghan finish up away to Kerry and at home to Dublin – they will almost certainly lose both games and our points difference is already better than them as things stand.
Whatever about making the semis we could lose the last two and we’d still stay up.
[Deleted].
Points difference won’t apply if it’s just us and Monaghan on 6 points. Two teams are separated by head-to-head and we’ve got them on that.
Greenandredblood I share your disappointment. Like everyone else I had been looking forward to this fixture for months and while thought they might beat us, I fully expected we’d have at the very least have a contest. You talk about wavelengths; it felt like no-one was on any kind of wavelength out there. Reception went down completely.
But those of you suggesting players “didn’t want to win” ought to take a long hard look at yourselves. No player goes out to lose a game and none of that bunch of players owes you, or anyone in this county anything. We make choices as supporters; if we don’t like what you’re seeing, we can always choose to stay at home.
I also think most after last night our faith in the new management might be wavering; but writing them off in March is an absolute joke. At the very least they deserve to be judged on championship football. Ger Bohan, you say “we have all heard the rumours”, but the only place I have heard or read such rumours was once, on this site, and if I’m not mistaken (which I may well be, and I apologise if so), it was yourself who made the suggestion then too. You say it was inevitable since their appointment they would fail, explain to me then how we are still second from the top of the league?
We’re all disappointed, we’re all a bit shellshocked, I’m struggling to see any positives myself, but honest to god, even in the light of that, some of the commentary here is a bit off the wall altogether.
Liam – play the ball not the man, please.
Ok it looks like we may be coming to a crossroads and maybe a slight rebuilding programme is needed with a clear plan but to suggest the lads don’t want to win games is absolutely wrong these guys are out training on nights that you wouldn’t put a dog out whilst most of us are in watching TV deciding if we’ll have three Jaffa cakes with our tea or half a pack. I came out of the drawn game with Kerry prouder than I have ever been of any Mayo team in all my life. I’m going to Cork in two weeks and going to cheer on the lads whether we win the league or get relegated this team owes us nothing and anyone that feels otherwise I will personally drive you to the trials next December and January to see If you can play any better
Madness suggesting that the mgt needs changing. They deserve the year and see how they get on. Its not all that bad. Weel at least see the quarters
I can`t go along with all the doom and gloom. The Dublin lads were coming off a bad
performance the last time out. They probably got a roasting in the dressing room and
at training. Ad in the incentive of not wanting the drop down to Div 2 and you begin to
see where that performance came from. A wounded animal is a dangerous thing!
It`s also true that teams have their up days and down days. They are human like the
rest of us. And besides………………… we were still second in the table the last time I
looked. That means that there are 31 other teams that would like to swap with us.
Keep the faith.
Thats right Willie Joe and it could easily work out that three or even four teams end up on 6 points and point difference then comes into play.
Monaghan and us have the points on the board. We may well stay up on six but we just as easily go down if we dont get our act together for the last two games. If we lose both our point difference will probably become negative.
I still think we should be looking up and not down though and looking for a reaction from the players. League tables dont lie no matter how we are feeling.
I’m not the best of backers but for my twopence worth, I reckon we will finish fourth with Cork obviously topping the group. Regardless, the game in Pairc Ui Rinn is of huge importance most especially to gauge our reaction to last night. There is still lots of football in our lads however there is a substantial mental adjustment process to occur over the next two weeks – we need to immediate recognise that wing forwards are pivotal defenders when confronting any of the top teams. Doherty will have to revert to the wing to take up that cover back /burst forward/ defend aggressively job together with McLoughlin. I think Kirby deserves a lengthy run at no 14 and we have a selection of boys for the corners. Is Pairc Ui Rinn a bit of a nightmare to get in and out off parking wise does anyone know?
– Only team that is showing any type of consistency in Div 1 is Cork.
– Erratic displays by all other teams
– Dublin have strong athletic players and are a good team but that good ?
– Why have are we continuing to just play the left side of the pitch once write pass the 45…this was exactly what we done v Tyrone .
– Burnout my foot many of that Dublin team have more miles on the clock than us. Why do Kilkenny never use burnout as excuse ?.
– Mayo were lethargic kk was out of puff after just 2O mins.
– So many lessons in that hammering if written down would stretch from Castlebar to Westport.
– We are rebuilding no going back we have to go forward.
– U21 need to be given time between games playing them 3 days after U21 match against fitter Dubs was a error.
-I want and expect a massive response from our team and mgmt in Cork otherwise expect a similar scoreline.
– AOS mom by a mile from a Mayo perspective.
Too right about dublin needing a performance last night and getting it. The best thing we can do is walk away in the knowledge that we were hung, drawn and quartered in our own front garden and that we must be prepared for Dublin a lot better next time out. I still fancy Mayo for a league semi spot and maybe even another go at dublin in a few weeks time in Croker. I think Danny Kirby at ff with aos at chf and SOS with Barry or Tom p at midfield for the next 2 games. Vaughan in the hb line with Boyle and Keegan.
Goalie, unsure, was Robbie playing under instructions or on his own ideas? That short pass when he should have taken the shot for a point was strange, he came up to take the shot and then gave a short pass?
Anyways, it’s over and 2 points dropped at the end of the day isn’t fatal. There will be a reaction to this loss, that’s why I’m thinking we will see a league semi and that’s no harm either, even if we don’t win it we should be up there competing.
Looks like CoC will be out for these next few games, any word on jason gibbons, cathal Carolan, Evan regan and Andy being ready to come back in?
It was interesting to see what score Roscommon put on the board today against Kildare, and how Galway fell apart and let Cavan come back from a big deficit to win. We know who ll be the problem for us in Connaught even now in March, the Rossies.
Looking at the table and the remaining fixtures, a win at home to Donegal should sneak us into fourth. Anything from the Cork game would be a bonus – but there’s got to be a reaction at a minimum.
We need to win at least one of our upcoming games not so much because we need the points but we desperately need to build our confidence after Saturday night. What we need now is a reaction – swift and severe and lay down a marker. Our defeat to dublin was real bad but further defeats against cork and Donegal would be hard to take for the players, management and supporters. It takes a lot of motivation to give the kind of commitment required to be as good as we have been. I fear that further defeats would zap our confidence, energy, motivation and commitment. Let’s hope they can draw on deep reserves during the coming critical few weeks.
Ger Bohan That’s not the first time you have come on to this site just to spread rumours about the inside the Mayo camp. I suspect you are trolling here. Including the defeat to Ros as anything significant in the FBD suggests you are probably not even from Mayo. Let me assure you of the following. The preseason competition football was used trying out some new players. The stated objectives as reported in the press for the National league was to secure Div 1 status. Anything after that is a bonus. I believe this objective has already been achieved. H&C have the complete backing of the vast majority of Mayo people. We have always been very proud and respectful of those guys in County Mayo. Hold your fire until the team you support can rub shoulders with the men of the Green and Red.
I cannot make the game in Cork I believe. Getting in and out of Pairc Ui Rinn is a nightmare. Best give yourself time and get there early. If I can make it I would stay nearby on Sat night.
No one is suggesting that Holmes and Connelly aren’t getting support, but one is entitled to criticise and what we have seen to date has been disappointing. Our victories have been average displays and fortunate. Our defeats naive and clueless.
The county board made a farce of the selection process and appointed the wrong management team. That’s that. It makes it more difficult now for the team to win and ultimately victory is what we want. Unfortunately I cannot say we’ll progress this season. In fact I’d be amazed if we did.
A lot of over the top reaction as can be expected.
We had the league title ours for the asking last week, now straight to division four and lucky we are not meeting New York in first round
Staying up is the game and we possibly have enough points already
We are obviously changing system
Saturday night will have taught more than Kerry, Monaghan or Derry
Hang together