We named our team for Sunday’s National Football League Division One decider a short while ago. Here’s the starting fifteen we’ve named to face Kerry.
Mayo (NFL Division One Final v Kerry, 31/3/2019): Robbie Hennelly (Breaffy); Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Brendan Harrison (Aghamore), Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis); Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels), Lee Keegan (Westport), Donal Vaughan (Castlebar Mitchels); Matthew Ruane (Breaffy), Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy); Fergal Boland (Aghamore), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole), Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Darren Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), James Carr (Ardagh).
So, League decider or no League decider, the switching and shifting continues and as a result the team picked for Sunday contains five changes from the one that started the last day against Monaghan. Into the team come goalkeeper Robbie Hennelly, as well as Keith Higgins, Lee Keegan, Donal Vaughan and debutant James Carr. Out from the last day go the injured David Clarke, as well as Stephen Coen, Eoin O’Donoghue, James McCormack and Conor Diskin.
Sunday’s team contains nine survivors from the side that lined out against Kerry in Tralee two weekends back. Chris Barrett, Brendan Harrison, Keith Higgins, Donal Vaughan, Matthew Ruane, Aidan O’Shea, Diarmuid O’Connor, Jason Doherty and Kevin McLoughlin all started for us in Tralee, while Robbie Hennelly, Lee Keegan and Fergal Boland all saw action off the bench that night.
Best of luck to the lads on Sunday. Special best wishes to Ardagh’s James Carr, who’s set to make his full debut in the final. More power to him.
Kerry also named their pick for Sunday tonight and, by contrast, they stick to the same who lined out for them last time out. Full details on Kerry’s team are here.
Should not fear kerry, strong team named, best of luck to James Carr on his first start, it would be fantastic to win it
This is a powerful and exciting plus experienced team.
For years teams didn’t hold much fear of our front 6, now we have scorers all across them.
Our 8/9 pairing can continue to dominate.
The backs will rough and tumble with Kerry and let them know some solid Mayo timber when required.
Hennelly for longer range frees too.
JH et al, over to you.
Still Mayo by 3/4.
Huge occasion for James Carr. Can’t say I’ve seen much of the lad but good luck to him.
I presume the subs haven’t been named yet but we have good options with Andy, Boyler, Reape, Coen, O’Donoghue and Diskin in reserve.
Like that team. Don’t know much about no 15 but I’m sure he deserves selection. Haven’t felt so excited about a league final since 1970. Good luck to them on Sunday. Up mayo
So it would seem that James is not putting all his eggs in the “win the Final” basket. At least that’s what I take from his naming a debutant for the final – assuming that that debutant does actually start. Good luck to all on Sunday. If we do win I expect that we will keep our feet on the floor. Afterall, our last three league wins, 1954, 1970 and 2001 saw us fail to come out of Connacht in the following championship.
Delighted for Leeroy on his 100th appearance – what a player. Best of luck all. We will roar ye on!
Absouletly delighted for James Carr.
Haven’t seen him in a Mayo jersey since Ennis 2016 till last Sunday. Was part of a very strong inside line on that U21 team, with Irwin/ Reape/Duffy. He has had a tough struggle with injuries, but perseverance has paid off for him. Strong, fast, and can score. Croke Park will suit him. Could be the difference. Disappointed for the lads currently injured, they can take the positives from James’ attitude.
Going to croke park with a strong panel. Great starting fifteen and we have match winners on the bench
Was the bench named?
Jason Doherty all so started in Tralee
Fair play to young Carr he had a torrid time with injuries, as Willie Mac says he looked the complete article as the youngest member of the 2016 u21 squad hopefully the injuries are behind him and he can go on to forefill his potential. Glad he is getting his chance and what a day to get it. Doubt if subs will be named until Sunday, Plunkett and McDonagh are hopefully okay but I don’t think James will risk them if there is a doubt
Best of luck to JH and the Mayo team especially James Carr. A proud day for the Ardagh club what ever happens. I believe James Carr is about 21 at present, would that be correct?
Like 8-15 don’t know much about Carr but he has a great reputation .thought McCormack would have started in defence and left us another old head on the bench. Good luck to the lads should be good game. Hope to see treacy at some stage and mcdonagh if fit.
He did, Pat – thanks for pointing out that error. I’ve now amended the post to take that change into account.
PJ,
James Carr was a minor in 2015 so he is will be turning 22 this year. Kerry also starting a 19 year old in midfield
The very best of luck to all the squad.i know the result will go our way this time please god.hon mayo
I wonder will that team start. Keith needs to play sweeper with coen coming into backline. If we dont Clifford and O shea have potential to destroy us. We conceded 19 scores last week…
Find it hard to see Kerry start that 19 year old in midfield.
Happy we’ve picked a strong team. Don’t expect Carr to play as orthodox CF. Our team more experienced than theirs albeit they have returning star Clifford who, depending on his fitness could be a handful.
Great team selection, as a poster said above, Horan is’nt too bothered about the league. 5 changes again, and starting a rookie in ff line. He’s really trying to build a squad, which is brilliant to see. Glad Keegan is back fit. Dont know anything about carr!…has he pace? Tall/small?
Very experienced back line and a very novel forward unit. Would have preferred a sweeper to combat Kerry firepower but its still a strong team. Delighted for James Carr. The lad has been beset with injuries and what a stage to make your full debut. Best of luck to him and the team.
Nice one, Jimmy Carr! Good luck to him and here’s to a successful Mayo senior career!
Prediction time => Robbie for the win? BOOM!!!
Would prefer to see ODonoghue and Coen starting with Higgins/Keegan/Durcan pushed further up the pitch and use their attacking threat. I dont see us getting enough scores without this. Something like the below lineup.
Hennelly
Barrett,Harrison,ODonohue
Coen
Higgins,Keegan, Mclaughlin
AOS, Ruane, Durcan
DOC,McDonagh,
Doherty, Reape
Great to see Carr getting the start .If anyone knows the type of player that will thrive in Croke Park , James Horan does.
Probably the strongest team James Horan has selected so far. I wouldn’t be shocked if there was a change or two before the throw, in.. I’d say the same time about the Kerry selection! .. Very excited, can’t wait for Sunday, definitely we can do this…In the meantime good luck to our only other fellow Connacht repesentives, in the Divisional League finals, Leitrim .. I would say if anyone from Leitrim was to know a Mayo season ticket holder, they might very well get a free ticket for the game!…. Connacht Abú!
Good luck to the lads on Sunday.I would be happy with a good all round performance. I have to get this rant off my chest-I heard that dickhead Bernard Flynn on RTE,doing his Dunphy impression about Aiden.He can’t let it go since he made a dick of himself about selfies in a meaningless friendly.He started by giving Aidan credit for his performances this year,before adding the dig “now that he has changed his attitude” There was never anything wrong with Aidan’s attitude-always gives 100% in the Mayo jersey.p
Question for you GreenandRed.
Did Bernard Flynn predict who might get relegated along with Meath next March? Tough league next year in division 1. Only one easy fixture!
Apart from that, take no heed of him.
@centrefield – K Mc scored 2.2 from corner forward last week yet you think he should start at left half back on Sunday.
Where’s the logic?
If we can control midfield, then that can hopefully be a spring board to control everything else. Clifford and Sean O’Shea are potentially very dangerous together and I think Kerry will be looking to drop high balls in to them all day, so if we can stop the supply of ball, we can hopefully curb their influence. Best of luck to Ruane and Aidan. They’re a good partnership.
Mayo13BG
i don’t think Kevin Mc is going to work at corner forward in the championship.
Any time i’ve seen him get a run at wing back he’s played well. he seems to play well when facing the play and would be able deliver better ball to inside line.
the system i would play
Would be to the back 3 plus a sweeper (Vaughan/Coen)and AOS staying in our half at all times. Lads funnelling back when we don’t have the ball but Higgins, Mclaughlin, Durcan, Keegan given license to attack when we don’t have the ball.
i think a counter attacking style would suit the players we have
Key for me is that Keegan and Durcan aren’t given man marking jobs that means they’re stuck back in our FB line. They’re too important offensively for that
Good luck to Mayo and let’s hope our manager will be tactically superior to Kerry.
If we don’t concede any soft goals we will win.
Great team but doubt it will start.
I have best time in world for Barrett Harris and Higgins as fullbackline but not against Tommy Walsh.
Need coen to start if not Caolan Crowe.
Just afraid with their team selection. That Kerry will play o Shea and Clifford inside on their own and lorry high ball in over Barrett and Higgins.
That or. Tommy Walsh and Lob it onto him.
To be fair to him and Kerry their machines aerially if giving a chance.
If Carr does play he’s very mobile and aerially good another option.
Hopefully all goes well confident we are better than them in every line but afraid of aerial threat they have on our shorter fullbackline.
It’s great to be back in a big Croke Park final only about 19 months after our last big final.
It’s not bad for a team in terminal decline.
I don’t hear the experts mentioning terminal decline lately. Terminal has a finality to it. It suggests an unstoppable decline in form and performance.
If this is terminal decline then full steam ahead. More please.
Best of luck to Leitrim, and when all the other support acts have had their tilt at their respective titles, and the Croke Park grass has been flattened, I hope that Mayo put in a performance for the ages.
Playing in a final with what looks like a starting 15 we have never seen start together, alot of newish faces I have to say this is very exciting.
May the green and red flag fly highest when victory is decided tomorrow evening and I hope this is the 1st of many titles for the greatest fans in the land.
Kerrys half forward line is set up for long ball into walsh and clifford.
Its important our half backs give them zero time on the ball.
Coen and odonaghue held for when geaney and james odonaghue come on.
Kerry had no game this year croker we did lets hope it stands to us.
Think this game will suit james carr down to the ground,take the bull by the horns and shows us what you got.
Exciting times on the way.
Best of luck to James and the lads tomorrow, particularly James Carr. Safe travelling to all. 2 adult tickets and 2 kids available for the lower davin free if anyone interested.