Photo: McDaids (@mcdaids via Twitter)
Almost there. In golfing parlance (not that I know much about that sport, I hasten to add) the day before the tournament finale is known as moving day and that’s a fairly apt analogy for today, I reckon. Many of you will, for sure, be on the move today and I won’t exactly be stationary myself, with a whole load of stuff to sort out over the course of the day, starting with an excursion for our U8s which throws in a bit over an hour from now.
As a result, myself and the laptop aren’t exactly going to be chained at the hip over the course of the day. So, no time to go hunting for any coverage that might be out there about tomorrow – I’m sure there’s plenty of it but we’re getting perilously close in any case to it being past time for words – and instead there’s only time to say safe travelling to those on the move and good luck with the hunt for those of you still chasing that elusive ticket.
Till tomorrow, or maybe Bowe’s later on.
Wishing all Mayo fans safe travelling over the weekend. Sunday will be an immense occasion regardless of who wins. Go n-éirí an bóthar leat. Up the Dubs.
Can anyone answer a question for me? Who was the last manager to win an all Ireland, in their first year in charge??
Best of luck to both our Minors and Seniors tomorrow. No doubt they will give it absolutely everything they’ve got on the field tomorrow. Safe journeys to all of the tens of thousands of loyal supporters making their way to the capital over the next 24 hours. Keep the flags flying high. Up Mayo.
Hop it, the last manager to win in his first year in charge was Pat O’Shea with Kerry in 2007. Before that, Joe Kernan with Armagh in 2002. I think John O’Mahony was in his first year with Galway in 1998 as well. So it’s by no means uncommon, really.
Lads I cannot wait for tomorrow. Very nervous. I think (well hope) barry moran and conroy will have a bearing on the game among other subs which will be key. Let’s hope we get a good start which will be key also. Remember gavin took a man off in semi after 16mins. I dont think jh would do that, slow to make changes, so dublin will throw everything at us. Anyway I know there are some genuine supporters on this page so I hope you get tickets. I came away from the tyrone game thinking I hope the lads that were in front of me dont get tickets for the final and I feel the same way. They were getting the players names wrong and could not form an opinion of their own on the game and focused on what media had said…if the independent wrote an article about mr x from lahardane being the best player in mayo and should be on the team they would haveebeen shouting that. Anyway wj I know lads are entitled to their opinion and I am not slating anyone on this page but just saying I travel to fbd, league games as well so know the genuine supporters so if you’re reading this and have jumped on the bandwagon remember the die hard fans should get first choice to tickets…rant over 🙂
Also Jack o Conor 04, Mickey harte 03
There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224
Mr Shakespeare sums up where Mayo are at present. Mayo are now at the ” flood” having for too long been “in shallows and in miseries”.
Destiny Beckons. Off to the home county to collect tickets for tomorrow and the unfinished business that is the hurling replay.
Safe travelling and successful outcome to all.
Morning lads. I had a blast of pints last night due to the fact I’m driving tomorros morning. Yet I am awake since 7am. Every minute of the day I am awake for the past week drifts to the game. I am sure it is the same for you.
This is our time I believe. All the talk is nearly over. Tomorrow we celebrate our coming. Our time is now. Embrace it and enjoy it. Sieze the day.
Note: whatever happens, safe travelling and driving to all.
Heading up later today, a lump lurking in my throat the last few days, not interested in eating or sleeping, when going to matches in early spring, people would say ”you were AT THE MATCH ??? yes I was, i love it, love mayo, think gaa for all its faults promote a wonderful sense of great pride from parish to county. This weekend is the what we were aiming for all year, Now we’re ready, Green and Red of Mayo forever, will be singing my heart out, tears in my eyes when the team runs out, when they play the Anthem, when aido flies up for the throw in, Best of luck to both our teams you carry our hearts and hopes, travel safely everyone and see and hear ye all there. Criost Linn
Every Mayo supporter should be in CP before the Minor game. Its imperative we start the day with a minor win and do the double. Was in CP in 1966 the last timed there was a double for Connacht ie Galway in senior & Mayo in the Minor final. Looking forward to seeing double tomorrow
Like that from Bannerexile.
Like many have said on this forum over the last few days, let’s kick the door off the hinges and carry Sam home on a wave of green and red.
Every second and minute seems to be dragging at the moment!
Well this is it. The day before our destiny.
Ticket secured last night from a Tyrone fella that was planning on going, but instead gave his 2 tickets to me and the old fella (a gesture that will never be forgotten).
Heading to the airport in a couple of hours, nerves are at me like never before.
Nothing else to say apart from safe travelling to all and good luck to all the players and management involved with our two teams on Sunday.
Ye can do it lads, ye will do it lads.
See you all in Castlebar on Monday.
Christ only knows how I’ll get over to the west on Monday with most of the trains and buses sold out. But I’ll walk it if I have to.
Up Mayo
Open to correction but I believe Jack O’Connor was in his first year in 04 and Mickey Harte definitely was in 03
Very nervous and excited since i woke this morning.i was the very first thought i had .The dram i had was of the game but in my dream it wasn’t going well for us.I don’t put too much faith in dreams or curses for that matter.
Mayo have a little more dept and the experience.Its no fluke to get into 2 all Irelands in a row that and last year we didn’t bottle it.We were hit early.I do think we will have a sweeper at the start.Higgins to watch the runs of McCaffrey.Lots of pressure on Cluxtons kick out.Bastick mite get a good run out in the second half.We need to be careful not to get turned over going forward and our pressure needed to be all over the park.We do that and put in a performance we WILL beat the Dubs.
We are stonger,more experience under our belts,more dynamic than the Dubs and any one of our lads than take their score and by god we are starving ,craving this victory.
The pain of last year will drive us over the line. CMON MAYO!!!!!!
Hi P K
Would Mr x be my nephew by any chance.
Don’t be surprised if the best footballer is from there , wasn’t Jackie Carney and Dermot Early’s people from Lahardane
“Win lose or draw – and let it be recorded that the players will not hear of defeat – the team has done the county proud. They have restored the faith in the old county, they have given the young heroes to emulate, they have generated new confidence, a confidence which has transcended sport into business and other sectors, they have shown that despite massive emigration fuelled by a constant and wilful neglect of the West by successive governments, the heart pounds with a pride that cannot be quelled.”
Western People – 1989
“Hope? Let me tell you something about hope my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane. It’s got no use on the inside. You better get used to that idea.”
These words are spoken by Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding, Morgan Freeman’s character in The Shawshank Redemption, in the movie’s pivotal scene. In a way Red is right. No man in Shawshank prison should nurture hope, as it has been ground out of them over the years. He’s taken aback when his friend Andy DuFresne admits that he holds hope within.
Hope is nothing if there’s nothing there to support it. Maybe in the past Mayo fans approached All-Ireland Sundays with bare hope and little else. “This time, please God!” A prayer. After defeats past, I have often thought ruefully about Red’s speech.
This time it’s different. We have a playing and coaching squad the envy of any footballing county. As mayomaningalway noted earlier, it’s no fluke we made it to two consecutive All Ireland Finals. There is substance and depth to this Mayo outfit that we can see, if sometimes the national media can’t. They’re obviously still catching their breath after The Greatest Game Of Gaelic Football Ever Played.
This time we’re carrying something more potent than hope in our hearts. This time we have expectation. We don’t just hope to win Sam this year, we expect to win. It’s not arrogance or just the wearing of green and red tinted glasses to have this opinion. Despite what some commentators may think, Mayo aren’t there just to add a different colour to the sea of blue, but to take what is theirs.
If I hear of past defeats or a brittle Mayo mentality any more I think I will explode. I am sick to my back teeth of hearing how Mayo people have taken another defeat stoically. It’s time all that shite was swept aside.
Yes – have hope for tomorrow, but also believe that we will do it. It’s with our grasp. Let’s take what is ours.
Going back to Shawshank for a moment, of course Andy DuFresne wasn’t relying on blind hope alone for his redemption. He was taking matters into his own hands and finally left Shawshank behind in spectacular fashion after more than 20 years of effort.
Safe journey to all travelling up today, and for the rest of us hitting the road bright and early in the morning be safe. And as been said already plenty of the green and red and don’t forget to get the car decked out. Lets get the chant started before our boys come out on the pitch let them know we are there waiting, wanting and winning. Come on Mayo people do your bit.
Nephin nothing to do with lahardane, which have a fine tradition, just picked it at random. Mr x could be anyone from anywhere im just making an analogy. Mr x could be seanie johnson even 🙂
PK
I know well. Was only joking
Gerry in Laois – very profund, but very apt – another excellent contribution.
C’mon Mayo!
I must be the only person on the planet who thinks the Kerry v Dublin semi-final was silly up and down the field stuff which I would associate with u12s. Indeed it was reminiscent of Barabarians rugby – looked well to the GAA opinion-formers but was essentially frantic, mistake-ridden and bereft of thought and counterstrategies.
Having said that, Dublin displayed an impressive athletic prowess which Kerry could not match towards the end. Kerry had much better footballers but didnt know how to win when pitted against superior stamina/pace,for which they clearly had not strategised.
I hope to God the Mayo players conserve energy so as not to repeat the Kerry naievity.
One of the greatest usurpers of energy is chasing/closing down opponents when they are in possession of the ball. So why not reverse that scenario by maximising ball retention and making Dublin expend the energy.
There were very thoughtful and compelling match-up suggestions on this blog earlier in the week – hope the powers that be have read them.
Finally its so crucial that our minors win so as to set the mood for the main course – best wishes to both teams and at the throw-in let us all,as one,whisper the outcome we long for.
A lot of traffic passing through Swinford all morning heading for Dublin! Make sure everyone is in in time for the Mayo minor match and make sure to wear the #seaofgreenandred. By the way, a young Swinford lad will be bringing Sam onto the pitch before the match.
mayo.mick, heard something about that young swinford fella this morning, any truth in the accompanying ticket going missing?
Not long now, just one more restless night and straight into the minor game at sunrise tomorrow! The anticipation of all this is killing me.
I want to thank you Willie Joe for this amazing site, and all the guest bloggers for their contributions and the regular commenters too. I’m not much of a talker myself on here but you all provide a great service for those of is in far away places, home is never so close than when I’m on here and I’ve close to home about 20 times a day for the last 2 weeks.
Good luck to all of you heading to Dublin, BRING IT HOME!
@wecandothis, didn’t hear anything about a missing ticket. I was talking to his Uncle yesterday evening, he didn’t say anything. A mate of mine had his 3 season tickets stolen from the post during the week. He contacted Croke Park and they cancelled them and issued new ones for him to collect in the morning. I’d say there’ll be a lot of people not allowed in to the match tomorrow with tickets not scanning, a lot of duds and Croke Park have cancelled a lot of tickets that were being touted!
Ya heard about the ones in the post, some people probably made big money on them. I feel sorry for whoever turns up in CP with them tomorrow, as been said already be very careful if you are still on the hunt .
I agree with you Mayo exile in your point about the Dublin and Kerry game.when i watched the game the second time it was more clear.very silly defending you may in fact expect a little more from under 12s.
Anyway lads just one point i want to make that someone brought to my attention.Anyone with flags up at their home should lock up your home well.some opportunistic scumbags mite realise the house will be empty .Game getting closer.Think i have a date with des and Grainne to nite.Watever about Des i could definitely watch grainnie all week never mind for the evening.She is easy on the eye 🙂
Looks like tomorrow is going to be a perfect day for football with little or no breeze, dry and overcast with some sunny spells.. not quiet Nuala Carey but ye get the jist.. havn’t seen wind on here for a while so I thought I might fill in for his climatic knowledge.. Was hoping for a dry day caus that’s when I think we play our best football.
I know its being said here quiet a few times now but we need to be patient tomorrow, even if we go behind, and that’s when the team will really need us to help drive them on with Mayo, Mayo, Mayo. Get up out of your seat, wave those flags and shout at the top of your voice.. Tomorrow is the day we’ve all being waiting for.. Mayo man, woman and child.. let us leave nothing behind in our support of this team.. they have earned that respect through in all the ours of training alone that they have put in (incredible commitment).. we just have to roar them on in delivering this on the day.. and they will
Again I’ve called it before with Freeman.. i think he is the most underrated naturally gifted full forward in the country and if he can get the right ball.. he’d destroy Dublin on his own.. i’m calling it that Mayo’s core strength and conditioning and overall team composition will win it for us on the day.. I expect us to get goals in the second half at crucial times to take the lead.. a lead we will not relinquish..
this is my last post until after the day itself as we’re heading up this evening.. safe journey to all at home and abroad.. Can Mayo win this?.. YES WE CAN
Hope the quality of the football from us tomorrow better than the quality of the songs!
Awful stuff!
Glad we are underdogs- The time is right- the time is now!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH-goRwj_XY&list=PL76E3720ED3256627
Sorry Willie Joe I put the wrong link up, apologies….
No worries, Martin – I’ve left it up as it’s a great video clip in its own right. We’re on opposites sides tomorrow but you’ve shown yourself to be a true sport coming on here over the last while. You obviously want your side to win, we want ours to do the business so I guess we can both hope that it’s a good contest and see where the chips fall tomorrow. All the best.
Many thanks Willie Joe, your a gent…..I wish all the Mayo gang safe driving tomorrow, cheers and best of luck.
My two great sporting passions in life have always been Mayo football and boxing. And I think it should be somewhat fitting that we should find ourselves seventy to seventy-seven minutes from seeing Andy lift Sam in the week that Kenny Norton, a man who knew something of being on the wrong sife of a few decisions, passed to the hereafter.
Well thats another good omen a young swinford lad bringing sam onto pitch, travelling up today loads a flags out in ross, longford, westmeath and indeed on the bridges coming thru kildare and west dublin, lucan, but a special mention for longford town, you,d swear you were in a mayo town, with flags and bunting goin all the way up both sides of main street and out the dublin road in what o hara,s bread had dubbed with signs into the town as” little mayo”. Full house ere in clarion , liffyvalley and loads of mayo folk around but most on the road early in the morning and the stop in rathown for the jumbo breakfast roll………….C,MON MUIGHEO.
Good Doc on after up for the match called Jimmys winnin matches
The time is almost here. I’m away to the leaba. Bus leaves at seven from Dungannon. If you spot a solitary man with a pair of Mayo boxing gloves stating “MAYO KO” please say hello.
To SAM FOR MAYO, lyrically this is probably the best relevant song ever written about Mayo. Take a listen. I’m half in the bag still know a comma from a full stop,just about. I can hardly wait. So many years.
My dad stuck a video of a song he wrote on youtube for the all ireland final, have a listen and leave a comment, he is a bit of a lawd lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3V8lr_1WEE
What’s Another Year is Finally Here.
Thiis is a song for the Mayo team. Mayo will win the Sam Maguire and banish all those barren years. September 22nd, on the mark of half past three A thundero…
No one can extinguish the hope from me
My hope is so much more than me
My hope smoulders
Shared by shoulders
Past and here
Together within the mystery
the roar that will change our history
The boulder we placed
will be erased
Mayo walks amidst and free
within our roar
the door left flittered
on past floors.
Tommorow will come
Sam4mayo
Google”only mayo”, tis only brilliant.
Only one more duvet kicking, pillow fighting, dream rising, nightmare zapping night to go.
Magi hero Abu.
Had a great warm up for the final today, when I joined up with seventy + Mayo people on the Legends tour of Croke Park. It was made all the more special, that the legend for the day was non other than our very own Willie Joe Padden. The weather was fantastic, the pitch looked like no green field I’ve ever seen before, and all that was missing was the players on the field and the roar of the crowd. Sitting in the dressing room that our lads will tog out in, before facing into the biggest match of their lives, was scary to say the least.
Our guide, a Dub, was gracious enough to cover up his blue jersey, while also wearing a Mayo hat, did a great job, and his probing of the infamous but quiet shy Willie Joe gave us all an insight into what goes on in a players mind before, during and after a big match in Croker. Willie Joe was the perfect gentleman and as well as talking us through so many of his big day experiences with Mayo, was happy to pose for the many photos that all present were clambering to have with their very own hero.
The tour concluded with a guest appearance from the infamous Sam Maguire herself. T’was my first time to actually meet her, let alone raise her up – and I thought, If only we could get her back to Mayo, just one time…..
Mighty night in Bowe’s. It’s now appropriate to say today is the day!
Lying in the cot trying to sleep.Cant sleep.full of nerves.
Feckin’ torture. No way I’m sleeping tonight. Up at 6, I’ll sleep on the bus.
Can’t be there tomorrow ,first time to miss a final since I emigrated 27 yrs ago ,gutted ,I know they will win am now thinking I should fly home on Monday ,from tomorrow 26 new mayo legends will be born ,the moment I will miss the most is when Andy lifts the cup and every Mayo supporter will breathe in that air of been the best ,for me that’s when it hits home and every mayo persons chest bulges with pride , allways proud to be from MAYO
Its 4,45 am. Like last year and all the other years i ain’t sleeping well .Im sure i ain’t the only one.I don’t know how the players can sleep before an All Ireland.
I have being waiting 16 years of my life since i was taking to see the final in a hotel in Westport and some have being waiting the whole 62 years.We have dreamt non stop about it and day dreamed about the mayo captain lifting Sam McGuire high above his head.To me seening that come true would be the most significant thing to happen so far and would be the proudest day of my life.Mayo Gaa is everything to me that’s why every year i,we come back with more passion and more love for it than anything else.Nothing else comes close to this.
13 hours from now with some luck we will see our dreams come true. All the pain of previous all Irelands will be evaporated through our tears of joy and for all our loved ones who cant be here lets all enjoy it for them.OUR DAY HAS COME,CMON MAYO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There’s no point in going to bed at this stage Mayo man in galway. The day has come. Now it’s time for abit of the aul Carp Diem.
“Come On Mayo!!!”
Like others above, I can’t sleep. Getting up soon for the journey, got my ticket at 8 pm Saturday evening after a day long series of texts, calls, waiting for replies, etc that left me drained. I had a possibility of a second ticket that would mean the young lad would be with me but it didn’t work out. He can’t understand why I can’t just buy tickets online like I did for the other games, and it’s very hard to explain the reasons why to a kid who is being perfectly logical.
But what I m confident of is him being able to watch on TV today and see something the rest of us never saw in our childhoods. Something that seems logical to him, something that a child’s innocent mind thinks is only right and makes sense, that this great team we have the honour of witnessing will reach the top and achieve the ultimate goal. As far as he is concerned, Mayo can do this. He hasn’t suffered the last number of decades of doubts, hopes being dashed, near misses…. He can only see what’s logical in his mind, that Mayo WILL win today.
I’m proud of him, I’m proud of this team….
Let’s do this today , no more waiting.
Will this be the day ? Fuck ya! This is a young team, fearless, got the fitness right mentality, the fear of losing will be too much for Dublin! I cant sleep either, my father came to visit last night and was reminiscing about 51 .hes old now and would go if he could, please do this mayo ,do it for the generations of mayo people!
Good man young fella. Next year will be a bit easier. Mayo man in Galway it’s bit late now I know but next year try having six pints and two bags of tayto. Make sure to set the alarm and you’ll be good to go.
Just seen a an archive pic in this weekends Irish Times. It was taken at the junction of OConnell st and Lower Abbey st. It shows a group of people waiting for traffic to clear so they can cross the road to the other side. Nelsons Pillar looms skyward in the background.
The pic was taking on th 31st July 1951. It means nothing much. Life in a snapshot of people passing by. I’ll be crossing the road at that same junction today on my way to Croke Park.
I used to do a bit of boxing one time and I’d get the butterflies before every bout. I never felt churning like this in my stomach before , ever. Good luck to the lads and all travelling up to cross the road. SAfe journey.
“ComeOnb Mayo!!!”
up since 4.45 am in clarion hotel, cant sleep the time is near the time is now c,mon roll on 1.15 for the minors and 3.30 for seniors…..MUIGHEO ABU
Willie Joe,
For those of us living abroad, your site has given us the chance to experience the wonderful atmosphere in the county leading up to the final, which we could not get from the national papers or any other media. To hear people speaking from the heart about their fears, doubts and, especially in the last few days, the optimism and good wishes for the Mayo team makes those of us who are many thousands of miles away feel like we’re there among you. All your hard work has made this possible and it is very much appreciated.
I believe this year’s Mayo team has the 3 essential ingredients needed to win an All Ireland and which no Mayo team since 1951 has possessed (except ’96). At long last they’ve got the hunger, belief and the level of preparedness/skills that all winners need and for the first time in many years supporting Mayo I firmly believe they can do it today.
The best of luck to James and the Mayo team on what will be a truly historic day for our lovely county.
Morning all eventually got to sleep at 3am up at 6am, at least I’m not the only mad yoke heading to CP with red eyes!! Safe journey to all.
I’m away here.
“Come On Mayo!!!”
Sick with the nerves here.
We’re going to do it. Our time has come