Photo: @RMcB5Foundation
Apologies, all, but as you can understand I’m a small bit off the pace for this one. I’ve just seen that our team for tomorrow’s Round 4A qualifier against Cork tomorrow evening was announced a bit earlier on tonight. Here it is:
Mayo (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 4A v Cork,22/7/2017): David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites); Brendan Harrison (Aghamore), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites), Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis); Lee Keegan (Westport), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Colm Boyle (Davitts); Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy), Tom Parsons (Charlestown); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber); Conor Loftus (Crossmolina), Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen).
That makes it one change from the team that started against Clare, with Donal Vaughan dropping out and Tom Parsons coming back in. Paddy Durcan, once again available for selection, has to be content with a place on the bench.
Or not. We tend to make at least two changes on the day to the team we name in advance so maybe Paddy and someone else will start. Or maybe not.
Congrats, by the way, to Aidan O’Shea who, incredibly, will make his 100th senior appearance for the county tomorrow. Bloody hell, I’m clearly getting old.
Cork also announced their team earlier this evening – full details here.
As mentioned yesterday, the proceeds of the Mayo GAA Players Welfare Lotto this week go to the David Gavin Benevolent fund. Play the Lotto here.
We might see Paddy Durcan included in place on Conor Loftus, this might enable Keith to play a sweepers role. Other than that, i cant see too many more changes.
If he goes with this team we may see DOC and/or KmcL covering back a little bit more.
We need scores from our full forward line and we need to see our half back line running forward and taking a few scores.
hup Mayo!
Would agree with that Liam O Grady, Durcan for Loftus the one likely change. Corks biggest problems against Kerry was in defence and their management have made more changes to their forward line than their defence. A sign of a manager that doesn’t know what he is doing?
Hope Loftus does actually start. Will need as much experience as he can get for the really big games later in the summer.
In the other game i think “The Hills” will have too much for Galway. Therefore on to the owl draw on Monday morning i suppose.
Ciarrai v The Hills
Rosscommoin v Maigheo.
I’m sure Durcan will start but perhaps instead of DOC. I hope Loftus starts. He’s a good playmaker and we need new blood in the forward line. I also think KH is more effective as a half forward.
Looks like AOS will flip between CIF and FF.
Reckon we’ll have changes as usual but more interested in Cork. Looking at the names, there’s plenty of good players both on the field and on the bench so can’t figure why they’ve been in lower division. Maybe S&C, maybe management and tactics, maybe just confidence. They are probably at about Galway’s level so we need to be at full championship tilt to beat them. Mayo need to approach like Cork QF a few years back, high intensity to the finish. Cork did not give up that day. I personally don’t think that’s Mayo’s best 15 but expect 2 changes as per normal. In any event it’s very close to our top team. I hope Loftus plays as he may have an X factor but I also think Higgins should play the field with a forwards jersey and not keep Durcan out edging out probably Diarmaid.
We definitely should be more confident coming into this after navigating a few scares. They did too but then Kerry pounded them. I’m confident of a strong Mayo performance but if Cork show up too it could be a cracker.
I too would keep loftus out and put in a defender instead, keep it tight as long as possible and then introduce the like of loftus and co. It would also be good to see Kirby up near the cork goal and let Mayo do some of the question asking for a change, lob some high ones in to Danny and let him do his stuff. It’s an option and one that should get a trial run at some stage.
Level of confidence going into this game is unfounded. Our form is very patchy and Cork have been a team we have always struggled with. They have players that can turn it on and really put it up to us. This game will determine where we are at and hopefully we can do something we have not done this year so far and put 75 minutes of football together. Otherwise it could be a long road home from Limerick again!
Talk of bigger games and later in the year scare me. Cork have great players and the potential to pull off a big performance. They are well capable of creating one massive performance. They could also be terrible. But then so could we.
Jim flag ….If Donegal beat Galway they play the Rossies….Then if we beat Corkand thats a if we play Kerry in quaterfinal…Wheras if Galway beat Donegal Galway play Kerry in Quaterfinal….
Freespoon…. I think if Donegal and ourselves win it’s an open draw for 1/4 final as no possibility of repeat fixtures. If Galway win, and we win, we def get rossies
Just in case, are we all happy with the venue?
Strong Mayo team. Interesting looking at Cork the amount of quality in that team too. We need to impose our will and dictate the game from the off.
Up Mayo
Very excited and nervous about this one ,,!!! Heading shortly as going to visit my sister first . Safe journey to all … Today is just about winning ,1 point would be grand
I think geographically the venue is far from neutral even if the Gaelic grounds is a fine venue. For a start it’s in Munster and it’s a neighbouring county to Cork. Would Cork have been happy to play us in the Hyde or Pearse Stadium? Exactly. I think we should win and put the 2014 memories behind us but it will be tight. I am nervous because Mayo have not been clincal which give lesser teams a chance. We need to come out and put doubt into Cork straight away sapping their confidence – that’s what Kerry did. Come on Mayo!
i wouldnt be surprised to see Danny Kirby coming on sometime in the game .His height would be an advantage and he can score with any foot .What do ye think ?