On goes this crazy Championship rollercoaster.
We’d no time to celebrate properly after the Galway win, equally we’ve had to pack away in short order all those negative thoughts after last Sunday’s thumping down in Killarney.
Once again, for what is now the fifth weekend on the trot, the team is back out playing Championship football. And, like it was for those three rounds in the qualifiers, everything is on the line again for us at Croke Park tomorrow.
Now isn’t, I suppose, the time to be thinking about the insane Championship structure. We’re stuck with it and just have to get on with it, knowing full well that it was that hugely damaging loss to Roscommon which sent us down this punishing route. But it is worth noting in passing the madness of it all and the inhumane pressure it’s putting on a group of amateur players.
The pressure will be back on them again tomorrow. While we’re fancied to win, nobody is taking this one for granted. If anyone hasn’t noticed that we’ve slipped in recent years from challenging at the very top to losing to more moderate opposition like Kildare and Roscommon, as well as repeatedly to Galway, then they haven’t been keeping up. We could very easily find Meath added to that list tomorrow.
James has, once more, shuffled the deck with his selection for this game. This is partly out of necessity but also we need to find an extra spark, something to kick-start us again after the pounding we got in Killarney. There may, of course, be a few more changes as well before throw-in tomorrow.
It’s a throw-in I’ll be missing myself. While football always features large in our summer it can’t hog the whole damn thing, which is another reason to rail against this mad week-after-week schedule of games. Not, mind, that it’ll make any difference.
But many of you will, of course, be heading to HQ tomorrow and, in the process, crossing the country. If you’re on the road then you could do a whole load worse than listen to the match preview edition of the Mayo News football podcast, which is here. If Billy Joe’s rallying call doesn’t get you revved up for the game then I don’t know what will.
Back tomorrow with some final pre-match thoughts.
Hi All,
A wet start to the day here in Dublin but it’s to dry up this afternoon and hit 21 degrees….similar forecast tomorrow so fitness for all teams will be tested. My 20 Euro accumulator is Cork, Dublin, Mayo and Kerry. Best of luck to Mayo tomorrow and we might be meeting soon enough.
Kind Regards
Martin the Dub
Martin the Dub, best of luck to your boys too today, I see a big double header next weekend with u20 Dublin v Galway game preceded by minor Mayo v Dublin game in Longford.
Warm weather in store alright however last week it was baking hot in Killarney so don’t see the heat being as much a challenge tomorrow. Despite our concerns as supporters sometimes with this or that selection, JH and management team seem to be very perceptive at reading the lessons from game to game and I see that in both the selection of the team for tomorrow and in the rotation as much as they can rotate players with such serious pedigree.
We were outnumbered close to 3 to 1 last weekend but we should at least match the Meath support tomorrow so our voice should help and play its part tomorrow. Safe travelling all.
Enjoy the holiday WJ, you certainly have earned it! I am feeling positive about tomorrow as we are back in the wide open spaces of Croker. I don’t think the team will have any hangover from Killarney. As you say WJ there is no time to linger on the past as games keep coming at you so fast. We have not reached peak performance yet this year and it has been made very difficult given our injury woes. A win against Meath and with a two week break until Donegal arrive we have the possibility of having some players recovered from injury.
I have a feeling Donegal will beat Kerry as I can’t see them giving the Kerry forwards the freedom we allowed them as they are better organised defensively. Sean Ban is a huge loss but they can cope. We want Kerry to win as that would do us a favour provided we beat Meath which we will. Can’t see another systems failure tomorrow.
IF that team lines out then I think we’ve gone for running power. O’Donoghue has real pace and is very effective when he ventures forward. Higgins out on the half back line could also also add real ballast moving forward. Treacy is also a young guy who seems to thrive in the open space of Croke Park.
I’m a little disappointed to see Carr on the bench. Looks like we’ll go with Coen and Cillian inside and move Doc out to the 40. McLoughlin hasn’t had a great two weeks but I’d still have picked him.
5 weeks in a row is ridiculous. But it doesn’t matter because it doesn’t affect Dublin or Kerry.
Dubs playing a series of mediocre teams in Leinster don’t have to worry about it and Kerry who are seeded in Munster will worst case scenario end up in rd 4 of qualifiers if they lose to Cork in a Munster final
Better Connacht and particular better Ulster teams are disadvantaged with this system
Any update on the extent of Paddy Durcans injury?
Cheers Richardmgd….Galway U20s are very good but our lads were impressive last night considering Laois had a harder run in and did very well. Archer is a real find for us scoring 3-08. The Meath lads will certainly travel tomorrow and as usual they will be on the Hill singing Cmon you boys in green!! They are good craic to be fair…like yourselves
Meaths game is based on holding on to ball to get half back line on runs–our half forwards will have to be vigilant.Newman does not like it tough or to be marked tightly.Gallagher their CB is a fine player
Wouldn’t I just love us to beat Meath tomorrow even regardless how the other game, kerry and Donegal goes. In fact to hell with the other game for now.
There is a lot of old scores and a whole lot of hurt to settle from past battles with Meath.
It would be another famous milestone for this great team if they can somehow dig it out tomorrow.
May the Mayo flag fly high when the battles final bugle sounds tomorrow.
May victory be ours.
I feel we have to use smarts in this game – those of you more knowledgeable than myself about football might know how that could work.
We’re experienced enough to know how to control things, frustrate, play to our strengths, try to only use running where it will pay off. Tactics.
Sorry to see you’ll miss it Willie Joe. Will be in the same position myself for the last match – nice sleight of hand there by Croker to switch Mayo’s final game to Saturday, which through a family wedding, I will miss.
JH has definitely made a statement with that team and positions. Aido at CHF suggests he’s struggling in some way and not able to dominate midfield. Whatever way you dress it up he’s not the Aidan of the latter stages of the league and the final. Meath nothing to write home about, but, as posters have pointed out, we’ve struggled against lesser teams. Croker for this one is good for us – think of going to Pairc Tailtean!
Is there a concession for an A>O>P> with season ticket tomorrow. Seems a bit unfair if an A.O.P. with season ticket pays more than an A.O.P. just going to the one match.
Durcan injury initally thought to be a slight pull of hamstring and not a tear. Paddy pulled up very quickly and managed his way off the field very well.
Obviously injury a little more serious but expect him back for Donegal.
On another point, I cant see why anyone would be disappointed when their fav player is named among the subs. Impact subs win games and have a huge role to play in the modern game.
Anybody in dub get hold of program, let us know who subs are please. Once program is printed, this info is in public domain.
Have the subs been named?
Interesting team on paper but I expect more changes. I agree with poster who says system is fine so long as it doesn’t effect Kerry and Dublin. Everything is geared towards them in the GAA and always will be until they they start using league format for c’ship. Happier playin Meath in CP than Navan and I think after Donegal beat Kerry tomorrow that Kerry won’t fancy going there either in last match. Hurson was rediculously poor and gave Kerry extremely soft frees to help put some daylight between the teams early on.
‘Where it began, I can’t begin to know it’ is the opening line from a Neil Diamond song.. Well from James Horan himself announcing himself to the Nation’ as a serious forward in a John Maughan managed Mayo who should really have lifted Sam… to ourselves the Multitude of Mayo Supporter’s beginning to believe that it really could be ours… It certainly began in a more meaningful? way in 1996 and was continue thus .. Circumstances and Fate decided otherwise in 96, and decided the same a number of times since… Tommorow at 2 PM, our Fate versus Meath is definitely in our own hands…We owe them big-time, let’s do it!
Crntrefield and Onemoretime,if we had beaten Ros the first day,this fiveweeks running would not concern us.Its the same for all qualifier teams-lets get over it and not always be seen as whingers
It’s a quad injury for paddy. 3 weeks recovery so should be back for donegal
I’m now fully into the space where the game tomorrow is all I can think about.
Arseboxing: A short dissertation .
So riddle me this. John HORAN doesn’t have the facts ( about GAA funding in Dublin ) at his fingertips.
As a student of accountability it’s not like this topic is newly being brought up.
What IS his job if he doesn’t know that ? Or is the ethos one of “ I’m just an amateur , I shouldn’t be expected to know this” ?
I mean 19 million Euro here and there , pretty soon you’re talking serious money. Not amateur like!
Tommy Lyons ( a Mayo man in residence in the capital ) explains that we “ should look at the facts “. And concludes that the funding has “nothing , nothing to do with the success of the current Dublin team “.
So Tommy is taking “facts” ( which are apparently unavailable to the tippy top GAA brass ) and coming to a definite conclusion that there is nothing to see here. He’s shocked , shocked I’ll tell ya , that anyone could think otherwise.
“Arseboxing “ is what he termed it.
Steve McMenamin , seemingly a very nice person gets upset that the funding is mentioned as an issue at all. Ray Cosgrove is wheeled out as the latest apologist for this absurdity.
So the party line is this .
1. The facts are not available
2. We should take a look at the facts.
3. If the facts ever become available then we can all agree in advance that the funding is nothing , nothing to do with anything especially Paul Mannion’s personal development .
4. Under no circumstances should the funding to Dublin be decreased.
5. Blame every other county for “ not doing enough for themselves “
The logic is a little Trumpian.
In every sport in every country where funding and structures have been properly addressed there is an improvement in standards . US Olympic swimming . US women’s soccer at college level. New Zealand rugby. German and Dutch soccer. Norwegian winter Olympic sports.
Now if you’re saying that general standards have nothing to do with anything then you’ve already lost the argument. And general standards across a big population improve with funding and structures.
Not being aware of that sport I’ve just tried some arseboxing on myself ( DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME) and to be honest I just kept throwing haymakers to fresh air and going around in circles. So in some ways Tommy Lyons is correct about the level of this discussion. It’s circular , stupid , and is about as useful or relevant as a self attempted kick up the arse .
Win tomorrow, stay in the fight, we owe Meath a beating in Croker. We should have a couple of the injured lads back for the August matches. Strong team named for tomorrow in spite of everything and with good options on bench. Go and support the minors in Longford next Saturday to make it six weekends in a row. It beats the hell out of going to Spain for sunburn. Up Mayo.
Diarmuid to make it onto the subs bench for this one? He could be needed!!!
Could someone please post the subs bench or are the subs known yet.
Not a chance pullhard – i’d say a semifinal at the earliest which is 3 weeks away (if we get that far). Neither should he be played until he’s fit and ready as he could do further long lasting damage. even if that means an early championship exit for us without him- these warriors give enough of themselves without being expected to abuse their bodies – player welfare is essential
So Brady is after starting a rumour that Diarmuid will be on the bench tomorrow on Newstalk. I don’t he how that lad possible considering he was still in a cast during the week. I really wish they’d stop wheeling out Brady on the national airwaves, he’s just a mouth piece will little to no proper analysis. Billie Joe is light years ahead of him but I guess he’s doesn’t have the faux “as the man says” accent for it.
Fantastic Swahili.
Another arsebox ticked on my bucket list.
Quickly now, to the Batmobile.
Just thinking if we do beat Meath tomorrow and go on to make the semifinals and ultimately win the All Ireland (which would be amazing btw).
But would winning an AI after been beaten twice be a bit tainted. I know Galway and Tyrone have won it after getting caught out once. Don’t know if I’m comfortable saying we are the AI Champions after getting bet twice (and one of the defeats an absolute hiding).
It’s just been bugging me as the Meath game draws closer.
What do the rest of you think??
I have a good feeling about this latest team named, I think we will do the business in Croke Park against Meath, Up Mayo!
@Davitts 51.. . All that matters tommorow is beating Meath…. Next Question?
After the Armagh game Brady was on several media outlets saying Lee Keegan had done serious ankle ligament damage and was out for a long time. 5 days later he was coming on against Galway!
@Davitt51
I completely agree. I think if we were to win it we shouldn’t celebrate. Now back under your bridge where you belong, you’ve too much time on your hands with the footballers and hurlers gone.
He’s desperate wide ball. He was at the same crack saying jim mcguinness was at mayo training sessions a few years ago. He does nothing for the cause and invariably does more harm than good, like his comments we need to be beating Roscommon by 15 points this year. I believe initially his heart was in the right place but these days he’s happy to get paid as long as he keeps spouting nonsense.
Yes davitt51. After the final went and we had won the all Ireland. The first thing I’d do is say. Ah sure we’ve been beaten twice. I’m not going to celebrate and head home.
To be honest it was on newstalk and Brady that I heard about the Diarmuid thing. Its beyond brutal to be saying those kind of things if there’s zero truth in it. He’s shooting himself and mayo football in the foot so often now with this shite!!! I heard it and nearly dropped the baby with surprise…..
I Have a gmome in the back garden that has more smarts and brains than Brady he’s nothing doing us any favours
@davitt51 I don’t care how we would have won it. Dublin didn’t care that they won it by cheating in 2017 and didn’t bother Kerry taking our rightful place with 8 points SF help from referee in 2014.
Feels like we are a very long way off a final appearance at the minute but we are not out yet so I’ll remain hopeful for another little while.
@Davitts51.
Don’t mind the beaten once or beaten twice.
Sure God help us Galway claim to have won 9 all Irelands.
Google the 1925 I think it was, competition. It’s up there with the greatest cocophony of sporting warpism I ever came across.
Watching the Cork Tytone match, Cork are playing Tyrone very smart…playing a possession game, being patient and waiting for the opportunities for the gaps. Very clever.
Now having said that, I can’t believe the lack of intensity from Tyrone…mind you, it’s half time so I’d expect Tyrone to bring it in the second half, but if Cork can continue to dominate posession, and chop in a few more scores, law of averages is on their side, cause Tyrone just don’t score high.
Not a great match, but interesting watching Corks tactic against Tyrone.
Davitts51, would ya cop on, you play to the format of the competition and if your the one left holding the cup at the end then you are champions, end of. Do Liverpool consider the champions league tainted because they lost in the group stages and Barcelona beat them 3-0 in the first leg? Do they fuck.
Sinéad37, suggesting Dublin only won in 2017 by cheating. Are you serious. Best team wins on the day. End of story. This type of endlessly rolling out past hurts (many imagined) is a waste of time.
Diarmuid O’Connor is still in a cast. No way is he playing on Sunday
Brady not the sharpest tool in the box .
Don’t ever support Dublin but enjoying watching them this evening ?
Watching Dublin hammer another team out the gate in their neutral venue of croke Park is utterly depressing. Hard to maintain interest in this farce of a competition.
It’s grim viewing alright Niall.Dublin dont even look like they’re out of first gear…
But Frankie.
Would Dublin have won without some of the outside the rules carry on that went on ?
Would Mayo have gotten away with the cynical stuff ? Not against the Dubs in a final. No.
They sure as hell were determined to make sure we were not going to win it anyway. That’s all I will say on the matter.
Mayo v Meath is the only game I give a hoot about right now. A win tomorrow would be fantastic, and if it happens, would be one of my highlights of the year.
Hon Mayo.
Yeah The sheepsteels are getting their ass’s handed to them this evening. There’s 20
Mins left and Dubs are 17 pts up..and they’re not even trying. No joy in this, sad!
I thought the Rossies were in for a hiding but this could end up so bad I might even start to feel some sympathy for them….
Only 36K in Croke Park for a double header one of which involved the Mightly Dub’s… I said it before, no better men, than the Manderians in Croke Park to Kill the Goose that once laid the Golden Egg!… Why not give Dublin all the money, never mind the vast majority of it, and let Dublin never have to leave Croke Park in both League and Championship?…. And then we can finally bury the Golden Goose they greedly Killed.
Split the dubs in 4 I say!!! Its depressing…..blow it up ref
Remember lean times that Dublin have a core support base of 35k(according to John Costello) so Tyrone, cork and Roscommon between only brought 1000 to croke Park. Disgraceful!
How many will be at the rossies v cork in pairc ui rinn in two weeks for a game that means absolutely nothing? The gaa need to rethink the whole super 8s regime
The big question is how the hell did all the other counties allow this farce to come about in the first place…giving the best team an extra home game…they should hang their heads in shame…and please don’t spout this ridiculous rubbish about players wanting to beat Dublin in Croke Park..nonsense
It’s nuts to split Dublin, then it would be the perpetual Dublin dominated final …at least now they can only field one team!
But, the Super 8’s need to move out is Croke Park completely. To where, I must give more thought
Lol, its so funny seeing roscommon getting slaughtered by a team not even out of first gear…embarrassing. That didn’t even come close to an A vB game for dublin. Why oh why did conor loftus not take that free against them????…their beyond shite.
@NiallMc 1983, There was almost as many in Killarney for Kerry and Mayo last Sunday and it was a sell out…If we win tommorow, and bring it down to the last game V Donegal in McHale Park on Saturday August 3rd…We can have a bigger attendance than was in Croke Park today,! John Horan, John Costello and their apologists ,Tommy Lyons, Marty Morressy, Tommy Carr etc, can put that in their collective pipes and smoke it!… The way it’s going Parnell Park will be too big for the fan’s of the so called Greatest Team that ever played ‘The Mightly Dub’s’.
And of course, Croke Park only done slightly better than break even this evening concidering that it needs 30K to break according to another ‘Myth’ the Manderians in Croke Park would have you believe!
How much better than the Rossies would we do versus the Dubs? Currently, we would do well to match the Cork performance versus them, the only interest in Dubs games this year is will they beat the spread, which they have managed in every game so far.
Sinead37. I appreciate you are a fan and will see things with rose tinted glasses but it’s just lazy to attribute a win to cheating. A phenomenal free kick separated the two team in an epic battle. Donal Vaughan’s sending off was one pivotal moment. A moment of madness. Loss of composure lost the day including donal’s dismissal. An easy free to mayo and an extra man lost. If you want to talk about cynicism read Eamonn fitzmaurice piece including mayos cyncical use of ‘head injuries’ to interrupt play. All teams play outside the rules. The dubs do so no more or less than other teams.
@Mickey… The Mightly Dub’s’ will be beaten, I don’t when or by whom but it will happen and it will be a Mighty Shock… We are playing Meath tommorow, and we can look no further ahead than that…. Teams don’t take much interest in the Spread… it’s just a mechanisms for Bookies to take your money!
That was the Connacht Champions tonight ladies and gentlemen.
This competition has become a farce. As a good friend said to me earlier, we will be looking back at this period in 30 years wondering how on earth we allowed this to happen.
Leantimes, they might be beaten at some stage but you can guarantee that after that it won’t happen again for a long time. Their u20’s won leinster by 13 points during the week. Another once in a generation team I suppose. I’m absolutely sick to my stomach at what the competition has become. The GAA wasn’t set up for that. I’ll be giving serious thoughts to renewing my season ticket this year, not because I don’t want to support mayo but because I don’t want the majority of the fee I pay being pumped into Dublin GAA. There’s better ways to ensure my hard earned cash goes directly to mayo gaa namely through my local club. Apologies for the rant, just really sickened by the whole thing.
Frankie, as far as I am concerned I struggle to see what Fitzmaurice is referring to when he says Mayo cynically used head injuries as an excuse to disrupt play. I don’t see the examples of this.
You cannot avoid the fact that Dublin players pulled down Mayo players to avoid them catching a final kick out in 2017. It doesn’t mean your win was undeserved but it’s disappointing unsporting play and prevented a repeat of a Mayo equaliser as in Final 2016. As I said it doesn’t take away from Dublin’s excellence in that game. The referee was the one to deal with the infringement by giving black cards but hindsight is 20 20.
However, that is in the past. As other posters have said tomorrow’s game is our focus now. Onwards we go.
Been saying it for 2 years now, Dublin will decline next year. Gavin is gone after the 5 in a row, Cluxton probably too, he’ll be 38 next season. O’Sullivan and McMahon are pushing on. These boys aren’t easily replaced. Will they have the stomach for the commitment come January after winning 5 in a row?. I’ve been saying it for ages, but the 2020 AI will be the most open competition for years. Smart managers are really and truly preparing for next season. Horan in all fairness is doing the same. The winners of sam 2020 will be one of Tyrone, Mayo,Kerry,Donegal, Galway.
Thats why I feel this year has been progress no matter what happens against Meath and Donegal. It was imperative that the younger players got championship experience against other top teams like Kerry. For me its all about building for next year, although it would of been nice for some of our greatest servants to bow out in a semi or a final, which is looking increasingly unlikely.
Leantimes, Dublin will be beaten at some point, my comments were in part directed at references that could be seen as mocking the Rossies efforts. Re the spread, teams may not take any notice, but they tend to be quite accurate in a high percentage of games.
I do not bother watching most Dubs games, I just want to watch competitive games, obviously plenty people share the same view. The drop in attendance for their games has to be a big concern for the overall GAA organisation. There will probably be close to 40K in CP tomorrow, for what should be two competitive games.
Hopefully, we will end up with a big crowd and important game in Castlebar in two weeks.
Tomorrow’s game will tell us exactly where we are really at.
The Dubs blew Ros away, Ros beat Mayo already this year, Cork almost beat Tyrone, the Dubs blew Cork away in the final 15 – 20 minutes last weekend.
The runner up in Mayo’s group faces a semi final date with the Dubs, a daunting task awaits.
@NiallMc 1983.. I wouldn’t despair about Dublin… this present Dublin Team are undoubtedly Magnificent… but the Romance isn’t there, the sence of anticipation isn’t there… I despair about the direction that the GAA has taken …It started with Bertie Ahern in the Celtic Tiger, greatly assisted by the Association President back then Séan Kelly with the financial doping of Dublin which was paid for by the rest of the Country, maybe the Country could well afford it back then… But it still shouldn’t have happened then. However the fact it’s stillhappening now in this decade which is a far more challenging for most is unforgivable. The recent word’s of John Horan, and John Costello remind me of the Gun Lobby in America, who want to stop mass gun murders by selling everyone guns including teacher’s at Kindergarten’s.. The rest of Ireland apparently should get it’s house in order, just as the Dub’s’ have gotten theirs in order… For Heaven’s sake their home ground can barely hold 10K, …This Decade the Association has been to a huge extent dependent on the huge following of Mayo and the Munster Hurling Championship… The corporate sponcership of the Dublin Machine is sure to deminish- If as happened today in Croke Park as many Sea Gulls flying around as their were fan’s of Jim Gavin’s Mightly Dub’s’… Down the years from time to time, Dublin had a pretty mediocre Team, but surely they never had one as poorly supported as the curerent so called ‘Greatest Team of All Time’ something is obsiously very wrong….Those with the high paid jobs with great pensions in Croke Park are responsible for what’s wrong!
Mayo and Meath tomorrow. Let’s forget about everything else and give this our best shot.
Yes it’s a foregone conclusion who will win this year and I find it impossible to get excited about Dublin victories but they’re doing what they have to and fair play to them.
Hopefully some of the semi final teams will give them a good rattle but tomorrow my heart and mind is totally for Mayo. Maigheo go deo
Great post Leantimes.
Ha the day before a match and the usual suspects are on whinging about the dirty Dubs. My old pal Sinéad, leantimes and swahili.. Right I could post a video showing every Dublin player pulling down Mayo players 2017 but it doesn’t exist. A horrible man with a chip as big as Sinéads called Kimmage made a statement on radio and its now fact.but not really . . What actually happened. There is a video of Ciarán kilkenny hauling down Lee keagan. THE only player pulled down… Now that was just after a certain Rock free kick. I wonder what kilkenny had seen Keagan do then. But that doesn’t suit the dirty Dubs agenda.. The worst bit of pre meditated cheating I’ve ever seen in any sport. But hey hes a mayo player ah god love him.. You lost that final because of Vaughan and the all star winning keeper. Having a mini melt down and kicking a ball to James McCarthy and another out over the line when he really needed to find a Mayo player.. As for the best team ever not having support.. Yes attendances are down. Dublin like yourselves have been involved in a huge amount of matches last five years. A lot of them one sided hammerings… People pick and choose their matches now.. The close ones are packed for a reason.. Bring the challenge not the whinging
Ah Lads,
Obviously Fitzmaurice was referring to the “head injuries” to Aiden and Cillian in Limerick in 14.
We were so cynical that day.
I have had a long week relocating…..back to South Mayo after 20 years
Up ya boy ya 😀
Not really been keeping up with any news bar the team news last night. Good to see the full back line being freshened up. And Clarke starting.
Off to bed now. Early train to catch from Claremorris. Might hit Eyecatchers when I get home 😀
Do we know the subs list yet?? Outta The Blue, do you care to share seeing as your on the Mayo blog instead of celebrating being just two games away from the 5 in a row?? I’m assuming you were one of the 36k… hope you bought the program!
Yeap bought a program. (my son ran out of space beside Deans name marking points) walked back to na fianna, where car was parked brought three kid’s home. Beer in fridge
Not gonna lie can’t bring myself to watch match which I have recorded.. Came on here as I’m looking forward to what should be two good matches tomorrow, and found myself coming on to comment.. Not the most exciting night but there you go.. There will be other days to celebrate..
Roscommon looked very poor tonight.
It’s hard to believe that they beat us a month ago.
The Super 8s have become very predictable and should be scrapped.
Dublin is getting even a bigger advantage through the Super 8s compared to 1 game knock out at quarter Final.
Now it’s like Mike Tyson in his prime, teams are beat before they enter the field with the Dubs.
Fair play! Well crack open a beer there like a good man and let us know who’s made the 16-26!!
I have no chip on my shoulder, my old sensitive friend Outta the blue. I remember you taunting me a few years ago for having experienced a few hateful Dublin supporters in the aftermath of one of our close gut wrenching losses to Ye. For 5 years in the past 6 years I made sure I taught Dublin children a few of their own songs in the lead up to finals – come on you boys in blue, molly Malone, when the dubs go up to get the sam Maguire we’ll be there etc. I could have had them all singing and supporting Mayo in 2013, 2016 and 2017. So used to winning too in recent years that if they didn’t have me teaching them they wouldn’t even have known they were in a final the last two years. So you should be grateful to me promoting your great team to your own. This year teachers like me who promote our games won’t have that opportunity with the final so early. I’m disappointed I won’t get my class behind their county team. If I had this chip on my shoulder that you think I have I wouldn’t bother celebrating Dublin’s achievements. Not part of my job description. Also I’m teaching them to be graceful winners and showing them how to be graceful losers too. I’m not on a Dublin page grumbling. I’m on a Mayo one. And what you say to me or about me will never influence what I think of the 2017 final.
Now I should head on over to a Dublin GAA blog/social media page and enjoy what they say about Mayo GAA. Would be such a satisfying experience. This place is heaven in comparison for supporters from other counties.
‘Not the most exciting night’ so you come on here to make excitement for yourself. Aren’t we the lucky bunnies.
Ok so it always a big fry up in our house the morning of an All Ireland Final. So heading for SuperValu in the morning to get the fry as I think this is our All Ireland Final this year. Need to be 100% behind the lads tomorrow and if we can win this one, happy with the season and anything else is a bonus!
The Dubs have had Dublin Joe for along time on their side, now they have the boss Dublin John also, no excitement for the Dublin fans going to the one sided games anymore, the Super 8’s will revert back to the old Super 4.
Our attendances are down he says….36k turns out today…sure maybe they should start letting the Dublin fans in for free to encourage them to attend games..come to think of it they will probably aprove that in congress soon.
@justoutsideballagh, honestly I always save my Jersey for the final but for some reason I am going to wear it tomorrow, not going to the game tomorrow with the same gusto in the past but more kinda enjoying the day with the young fella, expectations are on the low side.
This have to be the best blog on GAA in the country and the level of discussion and exchange of ideas second to none, plus people very helpful with information re tickets, travel and many other types of enquiries. We are also very tolerant of other county people coming on here, in my mind they should respect that fact and post accordingly!
We’re also good for poetry.
Re tomorrow’s two games. I am confident we will beat Meath and Kerry should do the business with Donegal. What a great occasion then it will be in Castlebar in final super8 game for us in 2019. By semi final stage, who ever we meet, we could have some of our injured players back. We would be then better able to mount a challenge for Sam. Mayo are box office, Up Mayo!
Well said Sinead 37. Here’s to tolerance and the facts .
There seems to be an acceptance here lately that winning tomorrow and we’re all happy for this year.
After all these years following this great, exciting, never know what you gonna get team, I don’t see that at all. Have ye not yet learned that when our backs are to the wall that’s when we strike. God I hope players don’t adopt some of the defeatist attitudes.
Who said winning AI is tainted after being beaten before. My God.
What of the dedication, the never give up attitude, and sheer doggedness, not to mention the horrific injuries to bodies and limbs these guys suffer for love of Mayo jersey and game and the will to battle onn no matter what.
Even to continue to be the most exciting team in every championship game for last 10 yrs.
Cast minds back to last year Super 8 and semis and final without us. Boring boring just like today.
And as for the cruel negativity by pundits and other county supporters. Yuck!!!!
Looking forward to supporting our team tomorrow, and best of luck to all of them.
The journey continues……and will after tomorrow too. Have faith all!!!!
What happens Outta the blue when your boys eventually do start to lose a game or two (if it ever happens) ?
Yea should be able to fit all your supporters in to a phone box at that stage. There should be enough room on the team bus for them by then.
When taken into account
Funding
Population
But most tragically, one sided refereeing
This Mayo team has achieved way more than the Dublin team.
We could overcome your lopsided funding.
We could overcome the population difference.
We could not overcome the man with the whistle.
In years to come when you reflect on your great reign you will always see 3 all Irelands that you won by a single point to mayo.
Some brilliant performances by Mayo against 15 great Dublin players, 6 great Dublin subs and referees who only knew how to play Raglan Road on their whistle.
Anyone have any info on the Great Tom Parsons, has he played any football with Charlestown this year? A huge loss for us, the job he done on Brian Fenton and Stephen Cluxtons kickouts in the 2017 All Ireland, I will never forget it, which if you break it down is the key to beating this Dublin machine.Tom P will go down as a Mayo legend! The more time goes on the you see the loss he is!! Robbed of an All star in 2017 by Colm Cavanagh of Tyrone.
Also is there any prognosis on Diarmuid O’Connors Wrist injury and Matty Ruanes collarbone, James mentioned after the Galway game that they both could feature at the end of the Super 8s!!
Hi All,
As per my earlier post..the very best of luck to Mayo tomorrow.
Kind Regards
Martin the Dub
Also Sinead37…you seem like a very angry Lady and you have also posted comments about your professional occupation whilst trying to slate us Dubs. Please be mindful of your anti Dub sentiment…it’s unwelcome. I am very proud to say I have never disrespected any person on this page and I have always been made feel welcome. Your comments tonight are digusting
Martin the Dub.
You have always been a gentleman. I can say that for sure.
I think everyone on here can attest to that.
Now, I would always say yea have a great team with great players although I have done a few skits on the Dublin team and manager, mind you I have done them as well on the Mayo team.
I do think though, that some of the refereeing wasn’t top quality in past finals. I don’t expect you to agree with me on that point. You’ll have your view on that and I’ll have mine and that’s fine.
As regards the Dublin supporters, they bring great colour to the game. My brother in law is from Dublin and 2 car loads of them travel to all the games. League and championship. Underage as well. I went with them to a league game in salthill last year. Myself and a bunch of Dublin supoorters.We were in 2 hours before throw in on a bitterly cold day. Ended up sitting almost beside Cluxton (sub that day) MDMc, Fenton and all the other Dublin subs. It ended up a draw. We had a great day and they gave me stick all day and I gave it back, but it was all well meant.
I have 4 missed calls from Dubs tonight. Phoning to give me stick about Meath tomorrow. God help me if we don’t beat Meath.
I think yea will do the 5 in a row this year and enjoy it. A 1 in a row would be nice for ourselves.
Your supporter numbers do seem down. I know that will change for the semi final and final but let me ask you.
Do you think the structure as in the 8’s should change ?
It’s hard for alot of the Dublin fans to get excited about going to a match where there is an 18 or 20 point ass whooping on the cards for the opposition.
We don’t have that problem in Mayo. We can play any Divisional opposition and make a thriller out of it.
Just to add Martin the Dub.
The other Counties want a fair shake.
Equal funding from the Gaa.
Dublin with 1 home game in the 8’s. Neutral game shouldn’t be in Croke Park.
Fair refereeing (that’s my own inclusion).
I know that’s not the players fault.
Maybe what Sinead was saying is that Mayo’s finals with Dublin featured instances that would not be covered in the rulebook. Actually they would be covered in the rulebook in so far as your not supposed to do them.
Our players usually get black carded or worse for these types of things. Bkack carded for non black card incidents even. The same rules should apply to both teams but I cannot say this has always been the case. I feel we have been harshly done by with referees in recent finals.
Anyway we have another giant to try and slay tomorrow. Feel free to take issue if you don’t agree with anything I said there.
Rgds Revellino.
@Outta the Blue, I said and I believe that this Dublin Team are a Magnificent Team, …. However you would do well to remember, we are are now at close to the end of the Second Decade of Financial Doping, So Called _’Home Rule’ by Dublin where ye can have the Venue paid for by the Nation as both yer Home Venue and Neutral Venue… How long is since Dublin won a Leinster Championship Match in home of a Viable opponent? .. The achievement of this Dublin Team are deminished by some,far too many So Called GAA Dublin Fan’s who boo opponents even when they are in double digits advantage on the Score board… it’s deminished by ignorance of some of it’s follower’s… No matter what happens, the best that Dublin can hope for is ever to be considered ‘The So Called Greatest Team of All Time’ always play at a Venue which happens to be also ‘Soft Called’ Home Venue and Neutral Venue… The Great and not a ‘So Called Great’ French Writer and Philospher ‘Volitear’ once wrote about the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ that in it’s description it claimed to be three things it most certainly wasn’t, neither Holy, Roman, nor an Empire..In view of the unfair advantage conferred on Dublin by the Nation…it will always be the Truth that your Venue is neither the Dublin home Venue, and nor is it Neutral… These advantages conferred on Dublin by the Nation are indeed shameful for the rest of the fair minded Nation that they allowed to happen in the first place…. To be fair to this Magnificent Dublin Team, Despite their magnifience the question will always remain… What would have happened if it were a level playing Field in the first place.. Remember the Chinese female athletes running away from Sonia O Sullivan, not many will remember them with any real affection in the World of Athletics, not even in China…. Sport has to be fair and seen as fair!
LOLthere’s lots of hyperbole on the blog this evening. Feelings, emotions seem to be running high and making ppl stupid.
Stick to the facts, analysis of the matches as played out, that’s what matters.
And Mayo for the win!
@Mister Mayor, I humbly submit that’s too vague a statement to make… If it’s me you are referring to I’d like to know where I have deviated in Hyperbole….If it’s Hyperbole your looking for, I suggest you look to those with well paid jobs and great pensions employed by Croke Park!
Sitting at the departure gate for Dublin at an unearthly hour but completely wired into the game now. Said a discreet goodbye to the kids before I left the house at 5am and got a ‘Mayo, Mayo, Mayo’ from the five year old.
I’m doing something right!
“The day before” has become “The day off” …
Just reviewing the overnight comments, too much emotion and backbiting in there for sure. Those of you involved should all know that this isn’t the place to be posting inflammatory comments of that kind … on both sides of the ‘debate.’ More to the point, why should anyone here be talking about Dublin right now? Meath is all that should be on our radar today.
I really don’t want to have to wade in by chucking those involved in moderation but may have to if this keeps up, which, to say the least, would be a disappointment.
Good on you Rock. Safe travels and hope your 5 year old will be still singing when you get safely home. Safe travels to all today. A
Just to second that, AxleM – safe travels, Rock! Have a great day!
Sinead37, well said. I agree entirely, more power to you. I have friends in Castleknock and when Sam was brought around to their school two years, the kids had absolutely no interest in seeing it. Please God the monster the GAA have created will eventually see itself destroy itself. For the record, I do have a huge anti-Dub sentiment and I’ll make no apology to anyone for that either. I’m married to one, visit Dublin regularly but that doesn’t change my view.. If you don’t like certain views being fairly expressed Martin or any other Dub, head over to your own supporters bile-filled, vitriolic Hill16 or Reservoir etc blogs and digest what they have to say.
Please can we have some respect for Martin the Dub,and Gamechanger,and other posters from outside the countie,indeed we have very fine posters from all over,ourselves included but it is a game of football,it is to be enjoyed not for giving out,I get as ruled up as anyone but realise that we all have to get over it and enjoy tomorrow as well,up Mayo