The team for Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final with Cork (throw-in 4pm) has just been named and there are two changes from the side that started the Connacht final against Roscommon a few weeks back. Ger Cafferkey replaces Alan Feeney at full-back while Enda Varley gets the nod ahead of Jason Doherty at corner forward. The team and subs are as follows:
Mayo (All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final v Cork, 31/7/2011): Robert Hennelly (Breaffy);Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites), Tom Cunniffe (Castlebar Mitchels); Richie Feeney (Castlebar Mitchels), Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe), Trevor Mortimer (Shrule-Glencorrib); Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Alan Dillon (Captain, Ballintubber), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen); Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber), Alan Freeman (Aghamore), Enda Varley (Garrymore). Subs: David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites), Alan Feeney (Castlebar Mitchels), Dermot Geraghty (Shrule-Glencorrib), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Lee Keegan (Westport), James Kilcullen (Ballaghaderreen), Ronan McGarrity (Ballina Stephenites), Peadar Gardiner (Crossmolina), Aidan Campbell (Swinford), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole), Mark Ronaldson (Shrule-Glencorrib).
There’s no great surprise in the changes announced, with both Ger and Enda known to be pushing hard for starting positions. There’s sound logic in sticking Ger on Donncha O’Connor and it’s likely that the Ballinaman will prove a stickier opponent for O’Connor than Alan Feeney would perhaps have been.
I’m less convinced about the merits of dropping Jason Doherty, I have to say, though it’s true that Enda Varley made valuable contributions when he came on in both the Galway and Roscommon matches. I just think that goals will be a prerequisite for us the next day if we’re to have any chance of pulling off the win and, in this respect, Jason is likelier to find the net. That said, Enda knows where the posts are and he has the ability to knock over morale-boosting spectaculars. A few of those would certainly help the cause on Sunday.
On Doc i agree willie joe, but i suppose when they looked at it, Doc had the guts of Three championship matches and one or two points of a return. Varley comes on in atrocious conditions against Ros and scores a screamer.
I think that’s it Peter and, to be fair, it does make some sense. Both of these switches were also made during the Connacht final.
So far the manager has got it right. 3 wins outta 3 in Connacht should be vindication enough for whatever changes he decides to make.
One thing about the switches is that it shows there is no preferential treatment being handed out to players and each fella must prove himself good enough to be guaranteed his position.
There is going to be a very small mayo crowd at it on sunday, going by ticket orders going through the club! I hope the mayo,s in dublin come out in force. I think the Varley change had to be made after last two games. Doc could be good to come in, with McGarrity, when space opens up later in game. A late goal to win it!!!
fully support both changes , roll on sunday
it’s really hard to see why Varley starts Sunday with all due respect to Enda.Sure Jason Doherty has not played up to his high standard lately but his supply was dreadful in the last two games and had he to be dropped in my opinion against a big strong hard running defence Enda Varley will pose little or no threat.Surely moving Aidan O’Shea to full forward and letting the two lads play off him would provide us with a plan a or plan b.
I think Tony Davis hit the nail on the head when he said we would be going into this game as a unknown quantity. Absolutely nothing can be learned from our run so far with the conditions we played in and I would be a little more optimistic that we can pull something off especially when I look at the match ups. Higgins vs Kerrigan, Feeney vs O’Neill, O’Shea vs Lynch, Dillon vs Miskella. I think if Corks heads are not right we could give them a proper run for their money. Really looking forward to Croker Sunday.
I don’t think Feeney can have many complaints, Doherty either to be fair. Although I was looking forward to seeing how Doherty would perform on a dry day in the open expanses of Croker. His goals against the Dubs in the league are still fresh in my mind.
Tough calls by manager. Had to be made so fair play to him. Plan b is a bit limited now so if ronan and Jason get to come on we are a bit short on the bench. I think our running passing game will cause a lot of problems for cork. Airfield breaks are key and also converting chances. I think our mindset is good. I’m sure the players are well used to cork and are well matched to them. Mayo to win.
I can see why Jason did not make it, he got three championship outings this year and did not deliver, I thought he got good ball into him, in the Galway and Ros. games, still a good man to bring in after 15 mins if Varley not performing. Yes I am confident that we can be there at the end of this game, its all about the passion and mindset, and I feel this team, will not give into a Munster team easily. Its the best defence that James has at his disposal, and good luck to them, I would have been happier with Ronan back with Aidan at centrefield, as my view is that Seamus is not mobile enough for the open spaces of Croker.
I will be there with my Family, and I am very quietly confident that we could win this game by 3 pts.
first time in a long time,with the exception of maybe half a dozen lads in the squad,the only baggage we,re bringing is in the gear bags.Roll on sunday.
Were going to get a hiding to nothing.
Our fordwards are boys compared to the men in the Cork half back line and full back line. Our midfield is brutal. It will be all huff and puff and no system on how to play. When we bring on a man who has not played 8 full matches either for club and county combined in the last 15 months and has not trained all year as a replacement midfielder you can forget about getting any results. Our backs will be as useless as a ashtray on a motorbike against Cork fordwards. Cork to win by 15 points or more.
Not to many suprises in the team selection, I think the performance of our full back line will detrermine how well we do on sunday, All three have lots of pace which they will need to give minimal space to Kerrigan and O,Connor, i think they may be vunerable under the high ball, but i dont see cork raining high balls in like kerry would.
We can win with a little luck and alot of hard work.
It`s a funny auld world when it comes down to draws but we would probally have had a better chance of getting furthur in the series if we had lost to Roscommon the last day.
What a pig of a draw if we beat Cork then it`s Kerry and if we struggle through that it could well be the Dubs in the final after that!
I know i`m getting ahead of myself a bit but it`s sobering when you look at what we have to do to get into the final this year not even to think the unthinkable of actually winning Sam…
So i guess it will have to be one game at a time and see each game we win as progress.
Cork…since 2005 we have beaten them 4 out of the 5 times we have met them in the league.
We also beat them in 2006 at u21.
Now everyone says you can`t compare league and championship.Cork are a different prospect this time of the year.True but so are Mayo and most other teams in the country everyone is fitter and sharper.
The difference is the likes of Cork have a history of beating the likes of us and go out with an inbuilt confidence that is worth a few scores to them.
When a team goes out to play with that feeling that these guys are way better than us this lowers their confidence and they won`t attempt the shot or they will stand off the man in possesion and allow him to shoot instead of getting stuck in and having a go.And fuck it if it goes wide it`ll go over the next time or he might leave me on my arse this time but he won`t the next time!
We have some of the most naturally talented footballers in the country.Lads just go out without fear and give it every ounce you have and you won`t be too far off the mark at the end and win loose or draw we`ll be all proud of the Red and Green.
COME ON MAYO!
well said pj
I thought Doherty would have held on given his display against the Dubs in Croker and Cork in the league. Higging has to pick up O’Connor and Cunnffe Kerriag. I think Vaughan will be suited to marking Kelly. If we are to be beaten it won’t be by much.
should have played connacht final team and moved T.Mortimor to full forward K.Mc Loughlan to wing back Alan Freeman to centre forward Alan Dillon to wing forward
Mayo will be well represented up in croker by the Mayo Dubs and each and everyone of us will shout them on with full confidence knowing that we have the ability and the confidence not only to compete with cork but to actually beat them, come on Mayo, believe!
Changes had to be made in my opinion, and horan wouldn’t make them unless he believed they were necessary. varley and cafferkey are obviously doing the business in training.
With regard to the game itself, in my head i haven’t a clue how we could possibly win this game. I don’t think our midfield is good enough to get us the type of ball we will need up front and i don’t think the lads up front will score enough. And at the back, we really don’t know what to expect, our full back line hopefully will hold up well, but in reality i think they could get filleted!
My heart though is saying something different. as the week goes on i’m starting to think we have a chance. don’t know how but i just feel the lads could pull it out of the fire, if cork fail to play to their potential. We will need a day like in in 04 v tyrone or 06 v dublin or last year’s minor’s v tyrone(i know they lost but was a great effort) where absolutely everything goes over and everyone gives it there all for the cause. We always do well in games where we’re given no chance by anyone and hopefully sunday will be no different.
So lets go out and give it a lash. they may be better than us on paper but fuck it, the better team on paper doesn’t always win. The game sunday is set up for an ambush and wouldn’t you love to wipe the smug smile off brolly and spillane’s faces!
Come on Mayo!!
‘we have some of the most naturally talented footballers in the country’ according to PJ.I would be very interested to hear who they are and you cant include Cora Staunton.I cant think of one player that would be good enough to make the Kerry team.We are an average team and we are too fuckin small which i believe is part of the problem.I cant understand why people compare the league with the championship.the League is for the Ronaldsons of the world whereas the championship is where the likes of the Coopers and Cavanaughs live.But i agree with one of your points Pj,lets have a fuckin right go at them.And if we do get beaten at least give it a right go and dont have the heads down after 20mins.
Horan has been true to his word. Doc was living on the reputation only and can have no complaints. He got a fair chance and DID get some good ball into him in the connacht final but was well beaten to it.
I guess its not a major surprise the 2 lads have been dropped. Alan Feeney was roasted in the connaught final and Donnacha O Connor is a different class to even Donie Shine. Its still a massive ask for Ger Cafferkey, a guy who really hasn’t convinced in a mayo senior jersey so far in his career. Hes got a big chance to prove he’s a championship player on sunday now though, but on all known evidence the full back position is a big problem for mayo.
Doherty can consider himself unlucky not to start, but he’s still very young, Varley has been on the scene a couple of years now and has improved as he approaches his mid-20s unlike many other Mayo players over the last decade who were on the panel when they were 19 or 20 and are considered no longer good enough when they reach the 24-28 age bracket (depressingly, this particular list is far too long to mention), lets hope he grabs this chance on Sunday and shows that Horan made the right call. I think its quite likely we’ll see Doherty at some stage anyway.
There was a body of opinion among some mayo fans that Mc Garrity should have come in for Seamus O Shea, but I think Horan made the right call. Seamie is one of the few really big solid men we have and his physicality will be needed against the giants from Cork.
Donal Vaughan has benefited from Trevor Howleys injury problems and our lack of options at centre back, he’s got it all to prove on Sunday, it’s his third season starting on this Mayo team and in my view has yet to show us that he can cut it in championship football. Marking one of the countrys form players in Paddy Kelly is a great opportunity for him to show that he deserves to play at this level, although on the evidence we have seen to date, this position is also a weakness for us.
Cork have their problems too however, and I’m feeling more and more confident as the game gets closer. We are beautifully positioned in the long grass coming into the game with everyone writing us off and I expect to see a big performance from Mayo on Sunday and who knows what could happen!
struggler, you are going to have to stop sitting on the fence now and tell us what you really think !!
You seem to have forgotten that “old reliable” – Peadar Gardiner in your listed squad, Willie Joe – is it that you just dont like him or would it be a typographical omission?! I’d say you’re a bit young yet for Alzheimers!! Mayo supporters are advised to arrive early in Croke Park on Sunday so we can have a good look at the next team we are playing in the Championship – the Kerry bucks – two for the price of one – great value. If we are winning handy then we can always leave a few minutes early – tear west on the motorway and then mount Croagh Patrick in thanksgiving – Sunday is Reek Sunday as I’m sure you all know.First one up to the summit of the mountain after the match with a red and green flag and official match programme wins a pair of All-Ireland football final tickets. Come on the Red and Green.
Nevermind shutting up Brolly & Spillane, I’d like to see a big performance to shut up a few of our own people. Some of the disparaging comments about our players physique and ability are shocking. Christ, have a bit of faith and pride in the lads who are representing each and every one of us on Sunday.
I would have liked to see McGarrity start on Sunday. He’s by far the best fielder of the ball in our squad. Winning a fair amount of possession will be vital. I can see the benefit of the O’Shea’s in the physical stakes, but I’m doubting their ability to win clean ball.
I would have liked to see McGarrity up against Walsh in the middle.
In terms of him not being 100% fit, what exactly is wrong with him? I’ve been hearing that he’s only 70% fit since the Galway game in June – surely he must be near 100% by now?! Or is he just not showing up well in training?
Which Mayo do we focus on? The one that beat Cork in the U21 final, the teams that have beaten Cork in four of the last five league meetings since 2005 or the Mayo squads of 1993,99,02 and last years league final.
Fat lot of good it did Cork beating Mayo in ’93,’99,and ’02. Derry, Meath and Kerry stopped them dead on the tracks next time out. And that’s the key, it showed how much off the pace we were. The team of 1999 after beating Galway should have beaten Cork, instead they gave it up fairly meekly.
Sometimes we all (myself too often) buy into illusions. This, we are told is the new Mayo squad with its nose firmly pointed ahead. Still if we look at the team that lost to Cork in the league final 14/15 months ago we see that Cafferky, Vaughan, McLoughlin, S O Shea, A O Shea, Moran, Dillon, Trevor survive. Throw in Ronaldson, Freeman, Barrett and Clarke and we have 12 from that debacle.
From the squad that lost to Sligo next time out we have 15 in the present squad. That being the case I have to throw sentiment out the window and put Cork down for a 6 to 12 point win.
I did, Sam – total oversight there so thanks for pointing it out. I’ve added his name to the list.
Poor on the road. You sang the same song before the roscommon game. Give the lads a chance. If you throw out all the lads after a bad defeat you won’t have many left. We may lose on sun but let’s judge the lads on the performence. I stil think we can win. It’s all about attitude.
Im with Dan-some of the posts have been pathetic.I sometimes think they are done so that the posters can come back after the games and say”Did’nt I tell ye they were shite-am’nt I the smart boyo”All we ask is a small bit of positivity from the naysayers!
Hear hear Dan and op2 let’s all have a bit of faith! It’s kind of funny really to imagine the cute cork hoors thinking on to Kerry without a care in the world like the dubs in 06 – it would be a pleasure to burst that particular bubble!
Agree with Horan on sticking with SOS, he’s done nothing to deserve being dropped in favour of McG and it’s good to have a sub that’s fighting for a place, ensures effort and engagement with the battle!
Onwards and upwards a chairde!
Dan,
Apparently he’s in constant pain with a muscular injury that restricts his playing time, or so i’m told. No amount of training etc will cure that.
heres to a positive attitude remember 51!! Hope that young lad of yours is smiling Sunday.
Huup Maayyoooo
Good luck lads on Sunday, really looking forward to the match. I studied the Ros game again last night, as I thought Feeney did O’K. However I have to say Horan was correct in dropping Feeney, as he hadn’t his best game, also, Doherty didn’t hold onto ball as well as the other two on the ff line, so I suppose he can’t complain either.
I think the preformance of the O’Shea’s will be critical, if they can break even and disrupt the Cork MF, we have a real chance.
Cafferkey and Vaughan will have to play the game of their lives (So Far), but these lads are entering their prime footballing years, so why not.
I love Horans low key attitude, and the hard working teams he puts out. Cork have injuries to key players, we have nothing to loose.
The conditions for an upset are all their.
Come on Mayo!!!
Lads in the words of Nelson Mandela “it always seems impossible until its done”
Is fedir linn!
In defense of those who expect Cork to win easily: We have all been on this forum in the wake of disastrous CP performances so, a bit of caution never hurts.
Of course we all want Mayo to win but being realistic, Cork are AI champions and much further down the development road than the Mayo team. It’s not being defeatist or negative to suggest we will do well do come within 5-6 point of them. That would apply to probably 28 other county teams.
In the wake of the defeats to Cork in the league final and Meath in the QF, the most common complaints were about the lack of leadership, effort, passion etc by the players. If we see these qualities on Sunday, even in defeat, then that will be a tangible sign of improvement that would satisfy a lot of supporters I think. Anything beyond that would be a bonus at this point in JH’s tenure.
In fairness some of the less optimistic opinions are based on fact! The more optimistic are based on hope. Honestly if everyone who posted a comment here was forced to put their savings on the the outcome of sundays game im pretty sure not one would put it in on mayo? So talk is cheap…until we beat these guys, a result not achieved since 1916, the less optimisitc are quite entitled to express their fears. One thing for sure is that doubters and dreamers will be 100% behind the boys. Up Mayo!
Ted, great point and cuts out all the nonsense. Sometimes sport goes completely against logic and the form lines and we all hope this Sunday is another such occasion.
PS Think I’ll keep my savings where they are!
Lucky you to have any savings in these dire times!
It is always possible. And in fairness no one quite does negativity like Mayo. You notice it more when you live outside.
In that league final the most striking thing was Cork’s superior physicality – that day it was a case of men against boys. But our team have changed since then, the lads get stuck in now. This is led by the O’Shays and TM. We also did beat Cork the last time we played them – yes I know it’s only the league but we did beat them and Cork do have some injury problems. So it clearly is possible.
I had a little flutter on them meself a kind of insurance policy in case we do win!
It keeps coming up that we`re too small.From the back Hennelly Higgins Cunniffe Cafferkey Feeney and Vaughen are all touching 6 foot.AOS is 6 4 SOS is 6 2. Admittidly our forewards apart from Freeman 6 3 and o`Connor 6 0 aren`t tall but then again the Tyrone team with a few exceptions were small.Martin McHugh was 5 8 as was James McCartin.Darren O Sullivan is small as was Michael Meehan.The Armagh team of monsters only managed one All Ireland.
Gooch or Padraic Joyce or Savage couldn`t be called big men neither was Jayo or joe Brolly and all these guys have All Ireland medals in their pockets.
I feel that winning is more about work rate and a never say die attitude and a bit of luck thrown in, rather than loads of brute force.And i think there is a nice bit of the latter in our team lets hope we get plenty of the former out of them on Sunday if you get my drift.
Fair points Mike, well said.
I don’t think any of us aren’t being cautious. I don’t think a cork win would surprise anyone here.
I normally have a bit of a bet on most games, but I didn’t on this one!
But still, a bit of hope isn’t expecting too much.
It would be a big upset and probably one of our best results in my time of watching us if we were to pull it off. I’m basing that on how highly I regard this Cork team (which is why I found the comments of Brolly on Cork laughable – he’s clearly just an attention seeking arsehole, but sure we knew that ourselves). I think they’re a great team, but you can never write off anyone in a one-off game.
At the end of it all it’s 15 against 15, and the Cork lads are made of flesh and bone just like ourselves.
I just hope our 15 go out with a desire and fierce determination that will make us all proud, win or lose.
This idea that we’re beaten before we take the pitch is annoying though, sure isn’t that the ‘physcological problem’ we’ve always complained about when it comes to our players in the past? Time to change the mindset.
It’s great to see the Green and Red posters (in the main) getting behind the Mayo team, that’s what being a supporter is all about. I could’t help but take a sneak view at some of the rebel opinions and I came across the article below in ‘The Corkman’. Floor wiping would be an understatement!!! I remember the reaction from the Tyrone squad when they drew Mayo for the qf in ’04, they were hooping and hollering and setting their sights on a grudge match with Armagh. Mayo and Fermanagh proceeded to pop both those baloons to prove there is no such thing in sport as a foregone conclusion!! The article below smacks of the same arrogance – there’s only one thing for it!!!
REBELS WILL CONTINUE TO HAUNT MAYO
By Noel Horgan
Thursday July 28 2011
THE Cork footballers will be bidding to register their seventh straight win in a major game at Croke Park when they square up to Mayo in next Sunday’s All Ireland quarter-final.
And, in the wake of their sparkling display in hammering Down last weekend, they will be going in as overwhelming favourites to extend their winning run at headquarters at the expense of the Connacht champions.
The sequence began in last year’s league final when Mayo were in the opposite corner, and the Rebels simply blew them away, running out unflattering victors by 1-17 to 012. To say that the teams moved in starkly contrasting directions after that would be an understatement, and by the end of the 2010 championship they would have been poles apart in the rankings.
After losing by a point to Kerry in a Munster semi final replay which went to extra-time, Cork negotiated all the obstacles in the qualifiers to return to Croker where they accounted for Roscommon, Dublin and Down in turn to claim the top prize.
Mayo, for their part, fell to Sligo in their opening assignment in Connacht before being dumped out of the All-Ireland race by Longford in the first round of the qualifiers. Little has happened in the meantime to suggest that an AllIreland title is a realistic target for Mayo, even if their fortunes have taken a significant turn for the better over the past few months.
They were in danger of being relegated from Division 1 in the league until they fashioned a twopoint win over a severely depleted Cork side up in Castlebar in early April. And they almost came a cropper in the first round of the Connacht championship, needing extratime to see off the challenge from lowly London over in Ruislip.
Since then, they have claimed the scalps of Galway and Roscommon to lift the provincial crown, and, in light of their disastrous campaign last year, it was no mean achievement on the part of new boss James Horan to turn things around so quickly.
They are operating in bonus territory now, but they won’t need to be told that they will be taking a big step up in class when they go head-to-head with the All-Ireland champions on Sunday. With due respect, winning Connacht was never going to be enough to convince the pundits that Mayo have what it takes to make an impact on the national stage.
They had just two points to spare in the final over a Roscommon side that was on the receiving end of a 1-16 to 0-10 thrashing from Cork in last year’s AllIreland quarter-final. That Mayo will be similarly outgunned by the Rebels is very much on the cards, especially in view of how awesome the defending champions and back-toback league winners looked when riddling a Down team that came within a point of them last September.
It was a performance of sustained intensity and power, and it firmly dispelled the notion that Cork’s narrow loss to Kerry in Killarney had reduced their chances of making a clean sweep of the national titles for the second year in-a-row.
Admittedly, Down hadn’t been going as well as they were prior to last year’s showdown with the Rebels, but it’s hard to imagine any of the other teams, including Kerry, still in the hunt for Sam savaging them to the extent that Cork did. Down were simply out of their depth, and their decision to engage in a straight shoot-out with Cork rather than get bodies behind the ball and counter-attack from the back, as they did in last year’s All-Ireland final, was always likely to have disastrous consequences.
Possessing a rearguard that seemed only vaguely familiar with the art of defending, Down leaked scores like a sieve, and Cork’s final tally could have assumed far greater proportions had they been a little more clinical in the second half when they clocked up eight wides.
It goes without saying there are stiffer tests ahead for Cork, and they won’t find other teams as accommodating in terms of affording them the freedom of the park from here on in, but Cork have shown over the past two years that they can cope with demands of a tight game as well, and success in the last three national competitions is ample testimony to their adaptability and consistency.
Mayo can be relied upon to try and close down the space as much as possible on Sunday, but the likelihood is that their efforts will amount to little more than an exercise in damage limitation, and that they will eventually be overwhelmed by Cork’s superior balance, ability and power.
Cork’s annihilation of Down was dampened by the injury to Daniel Goulding, who is expected to be sidelined for about six weeks. With Ciaran Sheehan and Colm O’Neill already ruled out for the season, Goulding’s misfortune means that the attacking resources available to Conor Counihan are now fairly thin on the ground.
Barry O’Driscoll, who was handed a championship debut after Goulding made his departure last Saturday, lasted just ten minutes before he too sustained an injury that rules him out of the equation for the clash with Mayo. Fiachra Lynch replaced O’Driscoll, and he would appear to be in pole position to start on Sunday in what is likely to be only change to the team that shredded Down, with championship rookie Eoin Cotter having done enough to nail down a corner back berth, and Eoin Cadogan’s five-star display ensuring that Graham Canty, troubled by a hamstring injury, will again be held in reserve.
The injury to such a quality forward as Goulding is potentially a considerable blow to Cork’s AllIreland aspirations, but his absence should help to focus the minds ahead of the encounter with Mayo, and it will be a surprise if they aren’t able to cope with it on Sunday.
– Noel Horgan
Tear into them Mayo… there’s nothing to lose!!!
I agree with PJ on the size issue.
I’d like people to point out these giants on the Cork team. I’ll give you Canty, O’Connor, Walsh and O’Neill. They have plenty of tough footballers like O’Leary, Miskella, Shields and Kelly but these guys are huge.
Caff, R.Feeney, T Mort, the two O’Sé’s, Andy, Freeman and O’Connor are either big men or teak tough as well. We have had a problem in the past with size or toughness but I don’t think it’s true this yr.
It’s more about fitness and attitude at this level than size. I want and hope and expect to see an unbelievable attitude the next day. Hit everything, win the dirty ball, chase back and give no quarter. Let the subs come on if players get tired. Do this and we have a chance, don’t and we won’t.
Cork team below.
http://www.gaacork.ie/taggedNews/56043/99/cork_senior_football_v_mayo
Kev – Cadogan, Murphy, Quirke and Goold are also all extremely well built.
And Michael Shields
Tks for kind words its a trap. You never know………c u sun. Hup mayo!
In fairness a few things have changed since our league final of last year.
1. Last years defeat by Sligo and Longford has hopefully put a ‘floor’ on our failings.
2. We now have a new Manager who’s main focus is on the Mayo team. Regardless of the players available, if the Manager is not up for it then you get the results you deserve. The management team have also made some tough decision in dropping the likes of Parsons and Kilcoyne from the panel, but only after giving them many chances to justify their inclusion.
The fact that the majority of the panel is still the same is a reflection on the wider failings of Mayo football which will take more than a year to remedy and will require more than James Horan and his back room team to change.
3. In addition to the above Liam Horan has taken the courageous decision and published a report on what is wrong with Mayo GAA. In doing this he had to go against the ‘Men of Power’ in Mayo football. You would have to go back to the team of the 50’s to obtain a statement of this magnitude and we all know what that team achieved.
There is nothing wrong with having a bit of hope and thinking positively. Reference to putting your savings on Mayo is a bit unfair. Would you put your savings on Cork?? Don’t think you would ‘ted’. So you are right, talk is cheap.
We seem to be very quick in Mayo to knock our players and our teams. It truly amazes me that so many Mayo people will go to matches and come on to this site and personally attack Mayo players or the Mayo team. Most of these lads give up their lives for the cause of Mayo football and in their later years they suffer the pain of 20 years of hits and knocks. No where in Liam Horan’s report did it point the finger of failure at Mayo Players, past or present.
I have no issue with a fair and critical analysis of the Mayo team, it’s players or it’s management provided a similar analysis is carried out of the County Board and it’s dramatic failings of the last few years.
When Liam Horan ‘broke the gain line’ and pointed the finger at the real failings of Mayo Football very few individuals or Clubs had the courage to stand up and take on the individuals who have failed Mayo football. If we haven’t the courage to take on the ‘Men of Power’ in Mayo GAA then how can we point the finger at decent young men who try to bring honour to our county. Some day in the future a group of young men will bring honour and glory to Mayo and they will achieve this against a back drop of an inept County Board and a group of ultra negative supporters.
As a County we get what we deserve, not because of our players but because of the inept and spineless people who run the affairs of Mayo GAA both at County Board and at Club level.
Best wishes to James, his back room team and most importantly the players on Sunday. The pride of the Green and Red rests on your shoulders.
Jesus id love to read what our friend from The Corkman would have to say next week if we won. What an arrogant attitude to have. As per usual for the media outside of mayo, it reads like a lazy, unreasearched analysis of our team, using rehashed cliches and old stereotypes about mayo football.
Surely the lads will get out there on sunday and tear into them for the 70 mins. I think they are there for the taking if we play to our full ability, I feel there’s no question Cork are a bit complacent, I don’t care what they say to the contrary.
Regarding the size of our players, a number of posters have named people like Cafferkey, Mc Garrity etc as big men. Just because they are tall doesnt mean they are physical. I think its a fair criticism of this mayo team that we dont have enough big men, by that I mean hard, well built players like David Brady, Colm Mac, etc. Take a guy like Gary Ruane. He was hardly 5 foot 10 inches but was there a harder defender around when he was in his peak? Even Paul Galvin isnt the tallest man on the Kerry team but he is widely regarded as one of the most physical players in the country.
In fairness one of the hardest hitters on the current team is Tom Cunniffe, and he’s one of the smallest. Guys like Trevor Mortimer and the O Sheas should also be well able for the physical battle. Id prefer to see a small or average sized man who’s able to hit hard, that big, light, lanky fellas gettin tossed around. Theres nothing worse that looking at big skinny bucks being brushed aside by men 6 inches smaller than them that are built like tanks. We have seen too many Mayo teams in the past like this and I hope we dont see more of it on sunday.
Well lads I put a 10 on them to win at 11/2 with Mr Power. I have it taped up on the wall at work just to make the Cork lads laugh, the odd one or two are starting to wonder what do I know as I’d never be the fastest man to put the hand in the poca. Tis worth the tenner just to see them wondering!
into 9/2 now with PP……. iput 20 on it for the craic. twill pay for the day out 😀
I’ve never made a bet before in my life, but for the craic I put a few bob on Mayo to beat Cork at 5/1 and a few lesser bob on Mayo to win the AI at 33/1. The missus thinks I’m going crazy …