Photo: @RMcB5Foundation
We’ve announced our starting fifteen for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry at Croke Park (throw-in 3.30pm). Here’s the team we’ve named.
Mayo (All-Ireland SFC semi-final v Kerry, 20/8/2017): David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites); Brendan Harrison (Aghamore), Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe), Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis); Lee Keegan (Westport), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Colm Boyle (Davitts); Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy), Tom Parsons (Charlestown Sarsfields); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber); Jason Doherty (Burrishoole), Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen).
So it’s just the one change from the team that started in the quarter-final replay win over Roscommon. In comes fit-again Lee Keegan and he replaces Paddy Durcan in the half-back line.
I actually think that team will start.
Think you’ll see Durcan in for Doc
Just proves how good that team is, when you have someone as good as Paddy Durcan on the subs. Good luck on Sunday to the team
Yeah, I think that team might start too. Unless it’s a very left of centre switch. Could be a very cagey first half.
Durcan will start. Agree with Liam, Doherty probably the one to lose out
Two changes again I expect.
Weather forecast is pretty grim.
Conditions will affect game
Paddy for Jason or Andy I reckon
Doherty will start. He has been crucial to mayo since the cork game. Brilliant ball winning ability. We cant go back to playing defenders up front.
What a team!
I believe doherty will play also , lots of thoughts in my head but at this moment don’t know how to word them .
Durkan in for diarmuid I think. That ordiarmuid playing in fullforward line with Andy not starting.
Oh come on Mayo getting exciting now.
That’s ok and as expected really, now let’s go and win this thing Maigheabu
I would be loathe to go into a battle without Doherty. Great man to win his own ball and has plenty of collateral in Croke Park.
That team will start but it will be interesting to see how the match ups work. I see Donaghy has been named to start for Kerry.
Boyler to bulldoze through every Kerry man in sight for 50 mins and Paddy to come in to run them ragged and kill them off !!
The weather forecast is horrendous and we have uncovered seats 😀
Durcan is not a natural forward, the same as Vaughan in not a natural fullback.
I,ve looked at the Kerry line out and I see where they have the hardy boys at midfield.
We have a nice team on paper, but I think its going to be a dog fight. If the day is wet this will suit the Kerry boys better. I wish the lads all the best, but I still think Kerry will win. I hope I,m wrong. Hope the 16th man will at least give us justice.
We F***in owe them
that needs to be in every Mayo players head at 3.30 on Sunday.
Hope that team starts. Doherty indispensable to this team imo. Wins ball, hits extremely hard and always takes the right option. Durkan needed to bring on to match O’Sullivan for speed. Still think we’ll lose this one, Deegan will f**k us as per usual. Aido needs to stay in ff for longer periods, think he can do seirious damage, and that will give us a chance.
Best of luck to all involved. Roll on the game!
It’s a very credible Mayo starting 15 for the Kerry’s but I still rekon there will be once change. Why would management start being predictable now? I disagree with people saying J Doc can’t be dropped as I think very attacking defenders can add more and can be efficient in stopping and mopping around the middle too. J works hard but we’ve a few extra defenders who are serious line breakers.
In very wet weather the whole thing becomes a lottery. It often slows down the runners allowing defences to get on top. I can’t see how it will be an advantage to Kerry no more than us. It’s all about who can make the least mistakes. It will be a dog fight alright but we just need to hit them hard in all sectors and keep hitting!
I met a man today and when i asked him how he thought the game might go he let out a long sigh AAAaaaaaa !
We both then laughed out loud because both of us, having followed Mayo for upwards of 50 years , were feeling exactly the same emotion . We basically didn’t know what to think!
Having said all that, we will both be going to Croker to roar on the lads and do you know, we just might put them Kerry boys back in their box this time!! Come on Mayo
If wet weather slows down runners then its an advantage Kerry. Wet weather is also not conducive to lots of handpassing either, something we do quite a bit of. It will be a day for kicking the ball long, so FF forward lines will be crucial. So advantage to Kerry again. On the other hand wet conditions often suit big strong physical teams so maybe we have the edge there and another thing is that on miserable wet conditions its often the team with the greater desire that comes out on top. I am sure our desire will be huge. So its all to play for. Both Mayo and Kerry get their fair share of rain so no excuses for either team. Up Mayo.
Hope we’re ready for the change up in pace. Think it will be 2 steps quicker than all games up to now. Quicker passing, quicker restarts and quicker to shoot for scores.
If we are ready for the step up in pace that kerry are going to bring then I think we have a great chance.
Hope Durkan starts and keith is named in the half forward line.
A wet day is a day for backs simple as. We need a performance like the drawn Dublin game last year. I’m surprised by how little chance Mayo have been given in this one. I know our form has been patchy but I think a lot has been read into Kerry’s win over Dublin in the league. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think they are as strong all over the pitch as people say. We will get goal chances and we need to take them.
Very wet day ya need a ref with common sense
The ref Sunday is Maurice Deegan
Forget about the ref. That call has been made and there’s nothing we can do about it.
If Donaghy is kept scoreless Mayo will win
Good to see a settled side named, and I think it will start. Looking at Kerry side named, Donnacha Walsh is out injured, so taking into account the heavy conditions forecast, his workmanlike qualities will be missed. I think Kerry will try to lay down a physical marker in the middle third from the off. Mayo will need to adopt a similar strategy, while at the same time having regard for discipline. Do not be the first to blink!! I have a lot of confidence in the defence to sufficiently thwart the obvious threat from Kerry’s attack. Aim to be on par at 50 mins. then I think the hurt of 2012 will be enough to see them home by 3 or 4 points. It will be a day for physical players, and I think Mayo also have more of these type of players on the bench. My prediction: Mayo 2-16 Kerry 1-15
You can’t forget about the ref
He is a massive factor
I’m not saying he will Favour one team or the other …….I’m saying if it’s a very wet day you need a good sensible ref . He is not one and could have a big impact on the result
Interesting to see Sheehan lurking on the bench
Frees could be vital
No reason to believe that either Fitzmorris or Rochford will go with the named selection.. And no reason to believe that Donnacha Walsh is injured either,…. We will know at the last possible moment!
We can’t control the weather no more than Kerry but we sure as hell can adapt to the conditions as well as they can. For Mayo they must forget about the result from the off, just concentrate on and execute their game plan to the best of their ability and hope it’s good enough at the end. Kerry will try and rattle us no doubt and hope we retaliate, that will be our biggest challenge, staying calm and sticking to the task at hand. We’re good enough to win but only if we avoid conceding soft goals at our end and taking our chances that come our way at the other.
Can we PLEASE stop drooning on about the ref FFS-Go out and win the damn game!
We are not playing
It’s a discussion forum
He is a factor for the game on Sunday as is the weather
What are we allowed discuss so ?
Apologies.. Man of Aran it seems that Donnacha Walsh is out injured after all, seeing as he is not named in the 26…I initially thought that he might have been dropped, he was poor enough against Galway, but still worked very hard… In terms of the tactics or selection, I’d expect the unexpected from Fitzmorris and Kerry… Rochford and Mayo will bring something different to the table as well… Mayo have had more experience this with a certain level of tactical and selection changes this year compared with Kerry.
Judging from the comments so far 99% of us agree with the starting line up. This is good. However it is a full squad game and there will be substitutions. How we do this tactically may be the difference between winning and losing.
Let’s not talk about owing them one or introducing irrelevant matters. This is a new game. This will require focus, determination, discipline and execution. Emotion is only useful if channeled properly. Cold bloody application is the order of the day. Play the ball not the man. If the man gets in the way of the ball then that is his problem. You own the ball and no one will come in your way to get it and no one will take it from you. That was the old adage and no one better than Kerry understands it. We just have to be better at it. Hard physical and full effort for the full duration will get us over the line. Make no mistake this will require all the lads at their best working together as a team. Let battle commence.
Amazingly 40 of 48 players used in 2014 are still involved Sunday . Thats some Stat . Im quessing the men not involved now are conroy , cunniffe , feeney , conor oshea ??. New men loftus, nally, durcan reagan ?
I’ve had a great time since we beat Ros reading all these forums and various opinions. Positive / negative etc..
I can’t fathom however the lack of discussion regarding the impact Aidan O’Shea is going to have on the game. He’s delivered X 3 MOTM and dragged up when we were sinking on so many occasions this Championship season. He’s even kicking points for us, something he lacked for us I felt last year.
When Aidan is humming we are very, very hard to stop. He’s playing clever football this year and his distribution has improved also.
Kerry will do all they can to stop him, thus he’ll create space for our firing forwards to exploit a pretty week Kerry defence.
I was more worried about playing Ros in game 1 than I am this one.
Mayo to win by several points.
i hope that there is one change for the team for Sunday. i hope paddy durcan is put back on the team in place of seamie o’ shea . leave the backs as they were against the rossies when they were flying and put lee midfield to mesmerize david moran and ware him out . i think especially on a wet day that could be the winning of the game for us . it will be hard for big men on Sunday keeping their feet on the slippy croke park surface and i feel the more plucky and sharp we are especially in the middle third the more we can put kerry into misery .
I think we will win. I think we will win because I genuinely believe we are better than Kerry. I believed it before our first game in 2014, I believed it before the replay, I believed it on the motorway leaving Limerick and I believe it now.
Up Mayo!!
Mayo 13bg – yes agree think Aidan had a great season and correct he is scoring points this year great to see , all the rubbish in the papers about donaghy etc. Takes the focus off o shea which is what you want a distraction, let’s hope Aidan can live up to his motm performance s , if he does we will win , however he needs to prove it against tough opposition in cp
Don’t know what we will bring on Sunday, but I BELIEVE! I know we are good enough to win. I take the naming of the team with a grain of salt (but leaving enough for the salting of Kerry as alluded to by a poster this week!). Can’t wait for it to be Sunday! I was genuinely insulted to read Aidan O’Mahoney during the week saying that Kerry need this more than Mayo… such CRAP! We NEED this, we deserve this and by hook or by crook we will take this!
I was worried about my 9 yr old earlier… he looked peeky, off his food, mentioned a few times he felt a bit sick. No temperature, so I had a wee chat to make sure nothing was bothering him as he is a quiet child. Turned out he was nervous, so I said nervous about 4th class, and he said ‘no, nervous about the Mayo Vs Kerry game’… He is born and bred in Sligo! He was sick at the Derry match. He felt sick in Ennis when we went 6 points down… He balled crying at the drawn Roscommon game when they scored the 2nd goal (but the Rossie supporters directly behind him continued to scream in our ears! Not cool when a child is obviously upset I might add!!) Each time I told him to keep the faith! At the replay he had the time of his life! Today I had to sit him down and explain that this is what it is to be a Mayo supporter, the sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, the tears when it doesn’t go your way and the elation when we come through! I said ‘If you don’t want that choose Sligo, and you will have a few days out every year, but they won’t be as extreme as this…’. This is what Mayo are about, and O’Mahony can just f€ck off with himself if he thinks that Kerry need this more! We are Mayo and we are in this together!!
Is it Sunday yet ???
Nice on A Mc. We need everyone roaring the lads on squeezing every last bit of support. It’s last 4 and squeaky bum time so every micro decibel counts.
As for the weather.. Pros and cons even it out, remains a dogfight.
As for the ref, I’m completely pissed off with people moaning about that as there’s little we can do about the general standard of officiating at top GAA games bar make them professional. It’s a problem for the GAA, there are good refs and good reffing performances but play the ref is the best advice on that and I think any cool headed players follow that.
Does the bad weather put an end to the sausages Saturday night? Get that wasp off my sandwich! Put the bunny back in the box! The King left us 40 years ago, Sam left us it might as well be 140 years ago, Heartbreak Hotel Sunday evening for the skitters down south.
Does anyone know our subs, please post
3 lower Hogan tickets for sale (section 327 ). Phone Liam at 087 9802757 I want Mayo people to have them. Up Mayo forever
Good post a mc
For all the hurt from kerry since 1997
Mayo by 4 n if chance comes racks it up
The score…Muigheo go deo
do we know what our subs list is
Martin Breheny in today’s indo – I wouldn’t buy it. It’s another list of the worst Mayo defeats. This time he concentrates on 2011-2016…the seven year itch as he puts it.
Honestly I could do a better job myself of “previewing” a big game.
a_mc
Nice story about the young fella. Have the same situation myself at those games.
We will do it tomorrow.
More yerra propaganda from Tomas O Se. Their sense of entitlement is amazing and contrary to what he is saying it is the Yerras that have the chip on their shoulders. They are really patronising bastards. Psychologically I think they are there for the taking, the tone from the yerra propaganda machine is quite nervous.
I think we can expect aerial bombardment early in the game to break our spirit. I think if we can withstand their bombardment, it will weaken their resolve. They were no great shakes against Galway, but in fairness they didn’t have to be, and you always sensed that there was another gear in them. If the supply into the FF line is limited, we will do it
OnTheDitch/Centerfield – our side have opted not to release the details of our subs at this time so it’s best wait till tomorrow on that one. There’s nothing to be gained by anyone posting details here and I’d prefer if they didn’t.
Shuffly Deck. Can I have my opinion same as every one else. I am a Mayo supporter , but I too have my opinion even though you may not like it. So you say my track record is not what you need from supporters. The track record for Mayo is there since 1951. If Kerry win on Sunday be sure and come back and say I was correct in my opinion, and if Mayo win I will also come back.
You’re right there, True Grit, you’re entitled to your opinion like anyone else. Shuffly Deck – I deleted that bit of your comment as it breaks the ‘ball not man’ rule.
There’s a pigeon outside cooing 18…6. 18….6. I don’t know what side he’s on but he must mean 1-15 to 8 surely? But then surely they’ll score more than 8. Arah…I don’t hold too much by predictions anyway! C’mon Mayo. It’ll be your day.
” the weather is frightening,
the thunder and lightening,
seems to be having its way
but as far as I’m concerned
It’s a lovely day.”
I think too many Mayo people have a love in for Kerry…it’s in the psych. Yes respect them absolutely but once the ball
Is thrown in, eat them. It was a Tyroneam that once said that to me.
It’ll be a big mistake if P Durcan doesn’t start. He’s arguably our best player and a huge attacking launch pad. With this Mgt.team, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s left on the bench (unfortunately)
The ref is a factor Mayo can’t control so we need to forget about him (whoever he is). All we can do is focus on what Mayo can control.
Not sure why mgt cannot just made the subs as well, what’s the secret when we could name them most of them,supporters deserve more.the pro will have to give this information to the publisher.so why should supporters have to wait till they buy a program. Just a bit of courstey for supporters wouldn’t be a miss, even Kerry have done this
Agree to extend with you GoneSouth though SOS should be dropped for Pat but with Maher in I can see why he would start even do he would cause problems with his direct running at Kerry defence
I don’t know if it’s a mistake leaving P Durcan off. I’ve been a fan since early days especially because of his pace and felt he had to come in. He hasn’t stood out as often in this year’s championship as previous 2 not that he’s doing anything wrong as teams are set up to stop such runs. Donie offers a different type of run where he receives the ball almost at full pace vs Paddy turning on the afterburner when he sees a gap. Mayo seem to be a better attacking force in Croker for whatever reason when Donie plays. Also Paddy’s shooting accuracy I’d guess is about 50% this year especially off his left where it was at least 60 maybe 70% last year. That said Paddy is a guy with leadership who won’t give up and is willing to go for a score a few of which were at big moments this year.
Kerry will surely try the early high ball bombardment to break our resolve but if we can weather that I think we stand a good chance. Have to say I am nervous for Donie in full back but collectively we might keep them out. If the game settles down then I think we could be a bit more battle hardened than them and that could see us over the line. Kerry will have improved somewhat from the Galway game but if they cough up half as many goal chances as that day again I can see Mayo grab a few of them. Up Mayo
Apologies for the 3rd post but just noticed this from T o shea in indo “Knock Aidan O Shea back on his a*** and you knock the whole of Mayo” A nice shit stirring sentence for your weekend.
To beat Kerry and Dublin we need to attack, attack, attack. We have the best 15 in the country when we push up and go for the jugular, nobody can stop us. Of course the defence needs to be solid, but we have the defenders if set up properly. This team is good enough to win Sam. Let’s go and get the job done!
You can’t control the ref but you certainly can play him. For instance deegan generally does not give frees to aidan O’Shea. Kerry will know this and it will be open season on aido on Sunday. Therefore aido needs to make sure he gets the ball away early, especially if he is on the ground, make sure you get the ball away. Also don’t clog up the centre, move out to the wings, bring 2 or 3 defenders with you and leave the centre open for Mayo runners. I think Keegan on David moran would be interesting. Moran hasn’t been talked about much but I think he’s Kerry’s best player. Keegan might not be able to compete in the air but he could certainly bring him on a tour of croke park!
I don’t know about that yew tree… Kerry’s emminence has been long standing and do deserve credit for it but let that be it as you say, and once on the field let’s all be free to tear chunks out of one another.
It’ll be interesting to see how/where the best footballer in Ireland plays on Sunday. Midfield at Seamies expense and Paddy in for Keegan then? One thing though, David Moran is on an old program I have here as being 6’5″ and that seems like a lot to give up in midfield with Lee being 6 or there abouts. Hope Donie starts at #3. A tough customer and very hard to get the better of.
Can’t wait to fill her with diesel and point her for Croker!!
Hon Mayo.
@Niall
Your correct in your statement regarding O’Shea and Deegan not giving him frees.
A good friend of mine is a Laois man and he asked Deegan a few years back why did they not do more to protect big players like O’Shea. His reply was that O’Shea went in to contact looking for frees. That’s what will be in his mind on Sunday so we need to be aware of it. On the other hand Deegan held up his hand and admitted he made a mistake not giving Small the black card in the final last year so maybe that will also be in his mind and he’ll look to make amends for that. It’s these small things that could be huge factors tomorrow. T O’Shea is right regarding Aido, the crowd feeds off him and vice versa. If he wins the throw in or knocks Moran on his hole it will throw Kerry off and give us a huge lift, just as it deflates us when he’s knocked back. I firmly belive Shane Enright will get a red card tomorrow. D Walsh is a big loss for them and make no mistake about it. He got Keegan sent off in the drawn game and himself and Buckley played havoc (mostly illegal) on our half backs by pulling and dragging in LImerick.
Any of ye lucky enough to be going to Bowes in Fleet Street tonight, would ye make sure that Willie Joe doesn’t have to put his hand in his pocket from the minute he walks in the door until the end of the night when he is carried out a bit Brahms and Listz!!!!!!
Its the least we can do for the man considering all the trojan work he does in this place all year long.
It could be a night for “the shaking of hands and the exchanging of telephone numbers”.
Hopefully tomorrow’s game will bring echoes of this:
http://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0811/808446-mayo-take-kingdom-to-reach-all-ireland-final/
A Mc – just like that! living in Wicklow and my nine year old is my little Rock! I bring him to as many matches as I can and he’ll be there tomorrow with myself and the uncle. He gets very animated at some of the matches. gas to see! But he knows the passion and what is at stake and has given his dad an oul squeeze and hug when it was needed in croker! I think the ref is important in a greasy game like this so hopefully he has a bit of cop on too. Mayo HAVE to attack in this and winning the throw in is vital to throw down gauntlet to Kerry! Win or loose this is what it is all about and I would not rather being anywhere else on a Sunday afternoon in August; but I predict us to pull through by 4 points. Other point, we cannot Roar enough – it makes a huge difference to the guys on the pitch! Mayo Abu!
Like the look of the team. My one doubt would be whether or not to hold Andy in reserve until later in the game. I also think we need Jason and Seamie on the pitch for what will be a tough, uncompromising battle.
And I hate to say it but we’ll need to bring as much of the dark arts to this one as Kerry have in the past. I lost all respect for their image as pure footballers after the replay in Limerick. Bring it on!
Safe travelling to all gon this evening and tomorrow.
Hope the team take a leaf out of Aos book as regards discipline. His attitude has been unbelieveble all year and all the rough stuff that’s dished out to him. He’s a credit to his county.
Hey my wee man moved up a belt in karate this morning….HAS to be a sign???!!!
I’ve a good feeling about tomorrow. If we stop their full forward line and run at their defence we’ve a great chance. Mayo by five
So many thoughts going on in.my head I cant think straight. As the day will probably be wet we need to be careful with the greasy ball. I felt during the year we had a tendency to carry the ball into the tackle a little too much…that will kill us tomorrow. Teams at this level will turn yiu over too easily with a wet ball. Both teams have had time with cian o Neill so I would expect hard tackling….not good with a wet ball and a Whistler like deegan. Midfield is crucial to stem the supply of ball into the forwards of donaghy ET Al. SOS needs a monster game in midfield and resist the urgency to go drift forward too much and leave pockets of space in front of our half backs. I predict a mayo win after a Titanic battle. I just hope if we do beat them that the lid is contained on the whole thing, even though 21 years is a long time. I remember galway celebrating so much last year and this year when they beat mayo but went to pieces after that on both occasions. It’s worth noting 26 clubs represented by the starting 30 players tomorrow…must be a record surely. Maigheo abhu
Yew_tree. I’m pretty sure Breheny has written that article at least 27 times already. What a bitter little man.
There is eating and drinking out there today for football fans in all of the papers, and Breheny’s drivel is firmly at the bottom of the heap. In particular, Keith Duggan’s feature on Donie Vaughan is – as always – a great read.
As for Tomás O Sé – I’d take it with a pinch of salt. He loves a bit of shit-stirring and that’s what he’s paid for and overall it’s a decent read despite the “chip on our shoulders” comment. There is a definite whiff of nerves off the Kerry media this year.
Centerfield – agreed. I hope Mayo bring every bit of bile that’s in their system from 2014 and go hell for leather on them. Do whatever they have to do to win. Play the ref – he is susceptible to it so let’s take advantage of it – you can be sure the Yerra’s will dig out every dirty trick in the book as they did three years ago so let’s match them. I have a funny feeling we won’t let this one go.
Remember the charge on Nicholas Murphy by the Aussie Rules/ Kerryman in the first minute. And no card!!!!
Be warned and ready. They have more (battering) rams about. Maher could be there for a purpose.
Watch yourself Aiden and Tom. And don’t retaliate. They’d love that. Let Maurice do his job or be told .
the weather could just help us tomorrow. heavy rain forecast and if it turns into a battle then we have enough warriors and dogs of war to overcome them physically.
we could do with finding a way to squeeze durcan into the team. somewhere and somehow. goodness knows where though.
of course kerry must be respected and rightfully so but they were no great shakes against galway who had half a dozen clear goal chances and as poor as we have been ourselves at times that all gets wiped tomorrow. we to believe in ourselves and go for the throat from the very first minute.
even brolly himself has tipped a mayo win!!!!
Personally, I’d prefer a dry day and a more consistent ref, but these thing are out of my hands.
I can’t select the starting 15 neither, but I’m quite happy with the named team.
What I can control though, is the support I show our warriors tomorrow, (sorry I won’t control it), all reason, rhyme and logic will be thrown out the window and for two hours tomorrow i will resemble a crazed shopper on ‘black friday’, I’ll shout, roar, clap, stand & troop the colours until we get what’ve come for on ‘Green & Red Sunday’.
With all the talk of cute Kerry hoorism – the headline by Tomas o Se about knocking Aidan back on his arse is great motivation for Mayo – If they even look at the headlines. I think Paddy D has to start. He had the stamina and pace for Croke Park and is a proven big game player- just what we need tomorrow. Proven big game players can’t be left on sideline tomorrow. If it’s as wet as forecast – tactics go out the window. It’s down to hunger and skill
There will probably be at least one change on the Mayo team before throw in. it can only involve centre field and the full back position. Not sure who will come in but it may involve Paddy Durkan. Lots of options. Any thoughts?
Couldn’t even bother my hole reading Breheny, I gave that shite up a long time ago.
As Anne-Marie rightly says, it’s the same drivel that clown regurgitates every single year. You can set your watch by him.
How that man has such a prominent position in a leading newspaper is one of the mysteries of the world.
And as for “knocking O’Shea on his hole”? A lot easier said than done, good luck to whoever tries it tomorrow.
Anyway, on to more important things. Genuinely think we’ll do it tomorrow. Can’t honestly understand the 5/2 odds on us. I’ve gone though both teams 1-15 (+ 6) and I always come out with us having the better team. In terms of a first 15, I always come out with 9 to 6 in our favour.
We get the tactics and sideline calls right, we win this.
Safe travelling to all, up Mayo.
Enough about the ref ffs! Mayo are up against it, no doubt. Bookies have it about right with kerry as warm favourites. We had 1 good game all year, against v poor opposition. On paper kerry have the advantage but this match will be down to desire and has to be war for at least 80 mins for mayo to win. If mayo’s fwds can up their game and reduce their wides, we know mayo’s backs and midfield are good enough. What they can’t do is concede an early lead or lapse in concentration for their usual 15-20 mins. DOC very lucky to be starting. Would love to see durkan on asap.
Kerry have a 21 year sequence of victories over us. Never forget what Kerry did in Limerick in 2014 for the last ten mins.its that bite mayo need on Sunday.
Not sure if this was posted already, but the replay from 2014 is now on YouTube https://youtu.be/E2_c_CzxXP8
For a bit of light relief, if ye haven’t seen it already, this interview by Kieran Shannon with Mickey Conroy is just gold.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/had-an-arse-on-me-that-would-knock-over-cattle-457331.html
Let’s be honest we don’t know the starting team and we don’t know the subs. So it’s much speculation.
One things for sure Donie will not outfield Donaghy and we can be prepared for aerial bombardment. I’m trusting we have a plan A and a plan B and will not be caught cold like game v rossies. Playing someone like Diarmuid O Connor in front of Donaghy would make it difficult.
Kerry full back line the weakest line so I’m hoping our ff line hold their ground and get stuck in there.
What’s wrong with me?! I’m not nervous about this one. I believe we will win like I knew we would not lose all Ireland last Sep. We are not getting beaten tomorrow. I don’t want a draw either though.
Just get job done tomorrow and onto what we want.
Attack attack attack. Never give up
Much as I would love to see us do it, I think Kerry will probably have a little too much guile for us on the day. But one thing this bunch of warriors of ours will never do is surrender. Hon Mayo!