We know all about the heady mixture of excitement and nervousness that comes with being one of the final four in the Championship but this year, for the second season in a row and for only the third time since 2010, the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals don’t feature us.
If we were involved, we would, of course, have been fully focused all week on this weekend’s penultimate round fixtures and the pre-match chat here on blog would, no doubt, have by now sorted out the likely match-ups in our semi-final. Oh well, what’s another year?
For the supporters of Derry, Dublin, Kerry and Monaghan, this is a big weekend. The Sam Maguire isn’t yet up on the plinth in the Lower Hogan but the two winners this weekend will get to compete for possession of the prized silverware for the coming twelve months.
A Dublin/Kerry final appears to be written in the stars but those with a reasonably long memory will recall that the same kind chatter was to be heard back in 2002. That year Armagh took out the Dubs in the semi-final and then did for Kerry in the final so, with the two favourites facing off against Ulster opposition, they might want to take account of that particular cautionary tale.
For my own part, I find it hard to see beyond a Kerry/Dublin final, though I do believe that Derry have the means to make life very difficult for the defending champions. It’s more difficult, I think, to make a case for Monaghan but maybe that’s just a knee-jerk reaction in light of what the Dubs did to us last time out.
Anyway, don’t mind me. I’ve been wrong all year with my predictions and I doubt that’s going to change from here to the finish at the end of the month.
Talking of predictions, let’s finish with a quick straw poll: which of the final four do you think will go all the way this year?
Who'll win Sam?
- Dublin (45%, 120 Votes)
- Kerry (41%, 109 Votes)
- Monaghan (9%, 23 Votes)
- Derry (6%, 17 Votes)
Total Voters: 269
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Derry – Dublin final for me, with Dublin winning it outright.
Tommy+Joe
Wouldn’t be to surprised at all if Derry pull something off this weekend. Historically the northern teams have always caused Kerry problems, especially when they are underdogs. But I think Clifford and Co will have to much firepower to get them over the line.
The Dubs look strong, and a Dublin Kerry final would be a rip-roaring game. But like you I’ve a slight feeling Dublin are the team to beat now. Would be an incredible achievement for Dessie Farrell if he wins 2 out of 4 all Irelands considering the change over of players. Should be a cracking final if it’s Dublin and Kerry
Actually hope Dublin win it. Even just for James McCarthy as he must be in the top 3 best players to ever lace gaelic football boots. Clifford is on the way to that status soon.
If Con was playing last year they would have beat Kerry.
the gaa made sure that kerry and dublin would NOT meet in the simi.
Some of ye may have noticed, or imagined ye noticed that I am very critical of all the extra advantages bestowed on Dublin in their Neutral, Quasi Neutral, Carbon Neutral Croke Park ( a bit like Ireland at the moment) and therefore I would be unlikely to support Dublin versus Monaghan. Not at all, , I tossed a coin with a D on one side and an M on the other side to decide who I was supporting , just one toss of the coin, sure enough it came up D, so I decided that the first toss of the coin was the deciding toss , Yes I decided that I would support Down versus Meath in the Tailtean Cup Final..sorry Colm O’Rourke but the M was on the bottom,.could’nt hardly be fairer than that. So I removed the D from the coin to decide what team I would support in the second game and M was the first side that came up. The more observant among ye might argue that my second toss of the coin was’nt exactly fair, of course it was’nt fair at all, but it was as fair as the all the important venue’s, and fixtures sorry I meant (venue) singular , as designated by the CCCC for all important match’s involving Dublin all of this century.. Com’on the Farney.
I actually hope Meath win the Tailtean, if only so that I get to enjoy the look on Colm O’Rourke’s face when he’s introduced as a former all Ireland winning player and “Tailtean Cup winning manager”
Kerry
FREE TICKETS OFFER! This is short notice, I’m afraid, but Cathal has been on to offer two adult tickets for 11am today to the Legends Tour at Croke Park with Lee Keegan. Whoever puts their hand up first gets the tickets.
Just a thought provoker on the viewpoint of making best use of our available pick.
One point is that for whatever reasons we have swathes of the county that are not providing county grade footballers in anyways in proportion to their available underage pick.
So, shouldn’t these areas get more focus and suooort in both club and school?
Divert county coaching support budget from the areas that are in rude good health.
A scheme like that, which is only a refocus of current supports could give us a 20% bigger pick. At least 30% of clubs are simply not in a position to help bring through players I would guestimate.
But, by definition, allowing for social factors, there would be in every club every few years an excellent athlete with football skills.
Point 2.
We are wasting time with non athletes. What I mean. GAA is now an athletic profile first sport. There are no non atgjrres zero.
By u20 we should be fully aligned on a panel of athletes first. From that panel would emerge each year the two or three that have the skills and commitment to play senior.
I don’t mean sloggy cross country runners, I mean explosive pace and strength.
It’s easier give an explosive player more stamina than give an endurance athlete agility and pace.
Point three.
We can think differently about players. Usually the best club underage players play 3,6,8,9,11,14 jerseys.
What tends to happen is a midfielder will get judged only for jerseys at midfield or wing forward. But what about left field thinking like moving a 6’1″ midfielder back corner back because we see he has pace and good hands. If you make that move at 17 maybe that’s a senior at 21. 6’1″ is probably too short to be a fielder and maybe such a player is not a good scorer.
The trend I’ve seen is no position conversion happens once into adult football.
Balla and Parke made minor finals and we’ve not managed to even have one fringe panellist from those teams. Surely that’s an indictment of how we think about where players can play.
Tyrone have been very fluid about where players play.
My thinking is if you have a player with pace and power, with an okay level of skills, you surely have a potential senior on your hands with work needed to move 7/10 skills up to 8/10 from ages 17/18 to 20/21.
I would love Monaghan to win it but would happily settle for Derry. Unfortunately I think it’ll be a Dublin/Kerry final with home advantage swinging it for Dublin.
I have never seen two teams been written off as much in the lead up to the two semi finals.
People have forgotten the wet conditions will even things out especially for the Dubs v Monaghan game.
I am positive that Mayo made the Dubs look very good in that 2nd half flop.
It would be great to see Monaghan get to a final, first time ever maybe for them.
I would be happy to see a Derry v Monaghan final.
I fear Dublin could really hurt Monaghan after 60mins. Dublin have an ability to tack on heavy scoring in a blitz.
Dublin by 10+ for me with the game competitive for the first half.
While I know so much is judged on the last game played and that suggests a Dublin Kerry final, Derry are unbeaten this year. Kerry were very impressive v Tyrone, especially in second half. Likewise the Dubs were much too strong for us in the second half. This could be a case of the big guns peaking at the right time or just merely one off games. As I look back at the championship not many teams have put in two or more consistent performances. In fact I think Derry have possibly been the most consistent team this year and I expect them to test Kerry. Monaghan deserve immense credit for what they have done and I’d love them to get to final. Some year for the two Ulster counties with getting to the minor final also. However when all is said and done I expect a Dublin v Kerry final……unfortunately
Really hate the new calendar, Inter County game has lost its glamour since moving away from a 3rd Sunday in September Final.Hard to believe the All Ireland Semi Finals are on this week.You wouldnt think it with the lack of coverage on TV and Radio.A few podcasts and the Irish Examiner preview and a few small pieces in the Indo.The sooner its changed back the better.Its only 4 Counties that would have to have a later club championship if they got to a Semi Final or Final.Minor Football has been really put into the gutter, playing Friday evening games instead of playing matches before Senior championship Provincial games and not playing the biggest match All Ireland Minor Final before the Senior Final in Croke Park.Minor football doesnt even have the same appeal for teenagers now.there not going to play in Croke Park unless they become a Senior Inter County footballer which is quite sad.
I think Down will beat my adopted county well.
Dublin will be too good for Monaghan.
Derry are a different animal this year and are more attack focused, could cause problems for Kerry. We have developed the template and they have speed like us, depth in panel could be their downfall.
Galway were talked up this year but beat 2 novice teams in the quarter and semi finals last year.
Came up very short this year despite all the talk of their panel depth
Hard call to drop Walsh not made by Joyce. Poor Comer can’t get a break from injury, would walk on to any team.
FrostTHammer
I wouldnt be making smart comments about Colm O’Rourke , Meath and the Tailteann cup after the way we finished the year.We dont know how far into decline we could go again.You dont have to back too far to see how bad Mayo were in Gaelic Football for a long time.We were playing Division 3 football back in 1996 and getting hammered to Cork in 1993, We won only 7 Connacht Titles between 1951 and 1991.
7 Connacht Titles in 40 years that really was terrible.No Title at all between 1969 and 1981.
I’d hate to see Derry win, for the good of football it’s better if kerry and Dublin win. Derry are ultra defensive.. They played 2 of the worst championship games of all time, last year and this one v Cork and I think it was down or someone last Yr. Fuck them
@Achill75
I’m with you 100% on this. Even if Mayo had made a semi, I just think the new format has killed so much hype.
All Ireland semis this weekend, all-ireland hurling final next weekend and they have the feel of round robin games.
Thanks for vote of confidence lads [ insert laughing face ]
Dublin by 6 or 7 derry by 2 or 3 Dublin to win Sam
That’s just the way it is coybib
Agree 100% Achill75. Semi finals at the very least should be given stand alone weekends in both football and hurling. It would be great if the all–Irelands finals could be put back to the end of August, just to give teams and supporters some breathing space and eliminate the madness of playing big championship games on successive weekends in May and June.
Kerry to win it out.
I firmly beileve Monaghan will win today. We made Dublin look like superstars with our flawed or should I say non existant defensive plan. Today will highlight even more what a massive screw up we made against Cork.
I’ve gone for dublin all year since cluxtons return they a different animal that’s not what he does on the field but his example in every day life , you won’t see him running to the Mic but you can be sure he’s a leader within the group , Dublin Derry final with the dubs having more fire power and the bench to lift it
I think two factors have killed and will kill interest further.
1. Most of the games are patterned and dull.
2. The structure has too many games before we get to knock out quarter finals.
I can’t see Monaghan getting within an asses roar of Dublin….that machine has found it’s gears again.
Derry and Kerry will be closer but would expect Kerry by 4/5.
Dublin by 8 today, Kerry by similar tomorrow and kerry to win AI by 2
I tipped Dublin here before ball and lots of individuals didn’t think they had a chance so will stick with them. I did too Mayo e/w though so my opinion could be way off ….
In these conditions the Kerry game could turn into dogfight but will go Kerry by 3-5 due to superior forwards.
Monaghan are very well managed and set up so they could keep it tight for a while but legs of aging squad could allow Dublin open up on home straight. If Dublin come out to blitz early and get a head start could be ugly.
@Achill75, don’t see a fall off like past generations we big hitters financially now, when spending over million a year it keeps you a step ahead of most.
I think it will be a Dublin Kerry final and it will be hard to call but after the year Clifford lads had I wouldnt begrudge them another all Ireland medal. Nothing against Dublin either so may the best team win. Id love to see Monaghan win an all Ireland but cant see it happening
Can see monaghan getting close to the Dubs dubs/kerry final bit I think Derry will give kerry a bit if a scare of kerry by 2 or 3 .
Dubs will win Sam just hoping not for the next years again :p haha
Meant can’t see monaghan getting close! Can’t Can’t a lot of the 6 in a row team coming back next year if they do win Sam? Or maybe I’m just hoping they won’t haha .
Sorry for double post!
I’m afraid the biggest regret Monaghan will have this evening is beating Armagh.
Hate to say it but there only there because of the draw. They got the soft 1/4 final draw a bang average Armagh team.
It’s Dublin’s Cup to lose, McCarthy, Fenton, Howard like hoovers around the middle with Scully and Bugler chipping in. Its hard to see past them.
West Kerry if Kerry go on and win it no problem but I think you’ll agree that semi final last year had gone to extra time Dublin would have taken them.
I don’t think anyone on here is sneering Kerry. It’s genuinely how people see the thing panning out.
Well done ladies. A great win.
Dublin to kick on from the momentum they gained from putting Mayo away with ease. Be interesting to see the impact of bench players
Kerry will also be looking for a progressive performance. It will be interesting to see if the Derry defensive set up can stand up to the rigourous test it will be given from Kerry.
Favs for final will depend on semi final performances more than what’s happened in quarter finals
Hope Down beats Meath.
Great win by the ladies well done to them!
@Kickhams
I think that narrative about Dublin winning if the game went to extra time last year is completely wrong.
Dublin only lead once in that game,
The scoreline flattered them at HT, Kerry should have been 7/8 up at HT.
Dublin had very little on the bench so in extra time in 24 degrees you’d be expecting lads in the 30s to jeep going.
Kerry don’t get half the credit they deserve.
@ West Kerry. Only one way to answer that, back to back wins
Final Whistle pod is live!
Ontheditch,
I don’t think Kerry need to win this year to somehow validate what they achieved last year.
First half summary then: we’re about the same level as Monaghan, and given the first half performance, I think there’s a lot of hyperbole saying The Dubs are back to the being the best team in the history of mankind. Let’s see if they bring their third quarter blitz, still expect them to win by 4 or 5
Close enough with dubs& monaghan might not be a hammering after all…think the way of the fixtures and mayo playing 2 weeks in a row dubs 2 weeks break really had a effect tbh.
Still think the dubs will come through though..
A couple of very questionable frees given to Dublin
I disagree Clare. Conor McManus could play 2 hours in this type of a game. Monaghan have slowed it right down so fitness isn’t an issue at all. Unfortunately for Monaghan they lack that bit of quality. That said, they are doing something that Mayo cannot do and that’s to create goal scoring opportunities.
Very similar to first half of mayo game
It will be interesting to see will the dubs blow them away 3rd quarter or did we underestimate the effect of no break between games for mayo !
That and the failure to move o Hora off basquell on time and also us being so very mayo ?
True west Kerry. They need to win three in a row to acchieve some recognition. Do I detect a sense of fear about doing it all again. That’s not Kerry mentality
Surprising how Dubs have coughed upp goal chances. Kerry will be a lot more clinical in their finishing
@The West is best yeah thats true I’m not actually watching it only following it on twitter as I’m away . Sure who knows really what happened to us against the Dubs next year is a big test for management I feel.
Conor mcmanus is some player though fair play to him
Well, if nothing else, it gives us a better picture of where we’re really at, and it’s a bit depressing. Can’t believe people tipping Dublin to beat Kerry
My guess is Monaghan will be more cuter than Mayo in the 3rd quarter , but still expect Dublin to pull away 4 or 5 at the end when games opens up and they empty the bench.
That be my take as well Achill75, they haven’t made a hero of Basquel which a good start.
A ref finally does Con for steps only 6 years!!
There you go now. We’re seeing where Mayo and Dublin really are at this year.
But then ignores its every other time after that
Monaghan really showing up our management today, we have as good as players if not better.
We got the dubs a round too early as feared
We needed a break before getting them
They will be beat by Kerry as long as Clifford is fit
@Km79 totally agree with you
But Km79 we abandoned our centre back who we had all year for our biggest game of the year.Played a half back who lacks pace in the full back line.Ignored the midfield problem all year.played with no sweeper.Our management team were really poor when you compare us to how Monaghan setup.
Despite the final score, the game was in the balance with injury time announced. Shows how poor Mayo were against Dublin.
@Achill75 i do agree regards management i was surprised a them if they honest next year they need to step up .
The ref shafted Monaghan on a few occasions.
Mayo fitness in question v the Dubs after seeing this today
This game showed us that it was more to do with McStay and Rochfords lack of tactics on how to setup against Dublin than a lack of top footballers in the County.
At Clare km79. We were on a downward spiral after we beat Kerry. Wouldn’t have mattered when we met the dubs, were not at that level, that’s the reality. Monaghan played to a plan and kept their shape, maybe fitness told in the end. We were chaotic, shapeless lacked any kind of leadership. .we shouldn’t be looking for excuses, look for how we have to improve..
Final score doesn’t do Monaghan justice. They were smarter than we were for sure. Shows how bad our approach was against them.
So the ref can change a decision because he sees it on the big screen.that’s a new one
@Ontheditch that’s true to I guess just so dissapointing but sure onwards and upwards for next year haha
We’ve a really young team who will grow and develop with time !
Ontheditch – I agree. We aren’t at the level required at this time. Next year won’t be much different. The players aren’t there and we lack any kind of structure. Very mentally fragile too when push comes to shove.
Feel so bad for Monaghan, died with the boots on there today. Great set up from a man in his first year of inter-county management. Would make you wonder tbh. Just didn’t have the legs to keep it going near the end.
Fair play to the dubs but Monaghan can walk away with their heads held very high.
The 2 soft goals killed us.
You can have all the systems and tactics in the world but you can’t plan for conceding such poor goals.
Take those goals away and we’d have been in touch coming up the stretch.
We don’t need to be brilliant to win Sam. If you got to a level of beating Dublin 1 game in 3.
Beating Kerry maybe 2 games in 5.
That’s a performance level that would get you a Sam once a decade.
Monaghan showed up just how poorly we were setup to contain Dublin.
A top defense coach is needed ASAP.
@Mind the house yeah for sure we always seem to leak soft goals I was actually walking around versailles at the time the 2nd goal went in I literally did curse out loud haha
Did I just hear that Dublin have kept 13 clean sheets in a row?
If that’s true it’s just phenomenal.
Even allowing for us only having a week break.this puts our performance against Dublin in perspective.Basquel didn’t get a kick today because of the right match up.Monaghan with no designated sweeper managed to slow up the Dublin attack.it really makes you wonder what was going on behind the scenes all year and the perception of putting all our eggs in one basket and seemingly no back up plan
Truth be told Monaghan would prob have beat us too
I agree unfortunately that you really have to question how able the current management set up are. Mayo have way more talent in their team than Monaghan but are under achieving relatively. Next year is make or break for them. If they’re not competitive at the semi final stage they should be out.
Monaghan looked coached simply, in the positive sense of that word.
They were organized and had a plan.
Biggest losers of this game is our managment team. Dublin are average when you set up correctly. We have a better squad than Monaghan, but they have a superior managment team.
I said it 2 weeks ago here if Kerry play them in a final, they will wipe the floor with them, and they will. Monaghan just ran out of legs in the last 10 minutes, Kerry won’t.
Managment made a very conscious decision to go all out for the league (i really don’t know why). Aside from a 6 week break before Kerry, we never got up to the same pitch in championship. Embarrassed by Roscommon, Cork and hammered by a mediocre Dublin team. This was the mangment team who self proclaimed they have 100’s of inter county game experience – Do me a favour, as Roy Keane says.
In any other seirious county, hard questions would be asked of this managment team over the winter. A “please explain” would be handed out in relation to the approach to the league and complete lack of a defensive structure. This won’t happen because the chairman looks very cosy with managment coming of the team bus like he has a role in the back room.
Some people will buy the spin from Managment about a decent year, and “national title”. Other people like myself have seen through the waffle already, and realise we are in big bother with this set up, unless changes are made.
Last point, if I remember correctly, McStay fell out with joint manager Fergal O’Donnell after his first season in charge of Roscommon. O’Donnell left and the brother in law was promoted to number 2. Intersting if lightning strikes again? One to watch i think.
We definitely do not have way more talent than Monaghan.
A little humility please.
Look who would make our team nailed on.
GK Beggan
WB Karl O’Connell
WB Conor Mccarthy
MF Mohan
CF Conor McManus
That’s five that don’t even need thinking straight off.
@Jp disagree with def have better talent then monaghan in my opinion..management let us down on the day I really feel with some bad calls don’t want to be to harsh on them but we’re we’re better squad then monaghan.
Yes we’ve a really young team but next year will be a true test for management.
We absolutely do JP. Hession, McBrien, Durcan, Eoghan, Diarmuid, Ruane, Flynn, ROD, and Conroy. I’d have Aidan ahead of Mohan. And then there’s Mayo’s greater depth. For arguments sake, let’s say they’re equally talented, who has the better management team? That one is obvious.
JP for a poster that always on about age, Karl O Connell is 34 , Mansy 35 and Beggan 31.
Even my dub mates say we could take monaghan anyday on our day we’re at our best so to say monaghan have better talents then us I find very untrue but sure each to their own opinions!
Honestly if you are all so certain that we have a much better, way better, whatever way want to phrase it than you really have not been observing the two teans this year.
Karl O’Connell has been brilliant this year, I’m aware he’s 35 but are you aware Achill75 that he competed in athletics in sprinting?
I’d be a poster going on a lot about players having proper explosive pace.
Eoghan McLoughlin would not make that Monaghan team ahead of Karl O’Connell or Conor Mccarthy. Conor Mccarthy should get an All Star this year.
McManus is slow but he’s am unreal shooter.
Beggan is brilliant.
Matthew Ruane is not getting near that Monaghan team on current form.
I really enjoyed watching meath play today we need them back at the top table great fielders around the middle organised defence and good forwards mens football
@Jp mattie ruanne has been on/off since 21 who can blame him he’s still one of the best midfielders on his day just need the confidence back in him .
Eoghan mcghloulin wouldn’t make the monaghan team? Hmm yes he’s on / off to but has some great pace and can score great goals like the one in killarney .
@Clare Eoghan McLoughlin has an error rate this season that is too high for this level.
If you look at the teams outside Dublin and Kerry that won the All Ireland in last 20 years and beaten one of them on the way in there campaign .They had all had a system to beat them.We need to delvelop a system to challenge them and be more consistent.
Feargal Logan /Brian Dooher 2021 beat Kerry
Jim McGuinness /Rory Gallagher 2012 beat Kerry
Conor Counihan 2010 beat Dublin
Mickey Harte/Tony Donnelly 2008 beat Kerry
Mickey Harte/Tony Donnelly 2005 beat Kerry
Mickey Harte/Paddy Tally 2003 beat Kerry
Joe Kernan/Paul Grimley 2002 beat Kerry
Galway didnt play Kerry in 2001
The template for a midfielder is Brian Fenton.probably one of the best of all time and a big leader when the going gets tough and if we are waiting for Matt ruane to return to form well that doesn’t include winning possession and never will be .i wonder do we actually over estimate how good some of our players are
If Monaghans players are so good how come thay havnt been to a Final in all there years while Mayo have been in 2 of the last 4.
The difference on the score board is a slip by the youngest player on the pitch and 2 45s from the second most experienced goalkeeper in the country, but somehow Monaghan have a fantastic defensive system and mayo have absolutely none.
Monaghan were never in that game today. Never lead, kicked some bad wides, completely failed to take advantage of being a man up, didn’t have a single goal chance in the second half and their first half ones weren’t exactly gimmes. Completely reliant on one player for scores, distinct lack of pace all around the pitch. Never really managed to prevent Dublin from getting scores when they wanted.
It’s harsh but that’s the reality, and if Mayo put in a performance like that there’d be 1.5 million comments here about a lack of ambition.
@Jp who would you have replace eoghan so out of the clubs then?
I’d have doghan on my team anyday ha
Everyone of the management teams above had a defensive plan, might not have been pleasant viewing but they had a plan.
Ah come on 1985, absolutely no one compared Ruane to Fenton but Ruane on form is a very good player, as his All Star will state. You don’t need Fenton level of quality to win the thing or beat Dublin. Anyway, JP you haven’t answered the question, who has the better management team if both teams are equal? Mayo are playing within themselves and Monaghan are not. Mayo management are under pressure big time.
@Frosthammer Think you are way wide of the mark on Monaghan today.
The year Tyrone beat us in the final by 5pts they fell over Monaghan by 1pt in the Ulster final in Croke Park.
But supposedly we’re definitely better than Monaghan because we made the final.
2020 we had the softest route imaginable to a final.
Ye all need to get this “we made finals” logic out of yere heads. Look at the actual players and look at the results consistency and performances.
We are about the same level as Monaghan, no better and no worse.
We are short in jerseys 4,6,8,9,10,14 to really challenge Dublin.
Six players short.
I believe there are players coming through can fill those jerseys.
Matthew Ruane is not a top midfielder I’m afraid. He had a great year in 2021 until Tyrone well and truly found him out in the final and frankly, he has been nowhere near the level required in midfield since. A midfielder who can’t contest for a high ball and cleanly win it could barely be called midfielder. Ruane might be better suited to HF but he is seriously loose in possession in general.
Let’s be real here,
Dublin have played well for 35 minutes this year.
The only reason they get afforded the lack of criticism is because of their past glory.
I don’t expect them to be as poor in the final but they are very beatable.
@GBX1 Monaghan had the better mgmt team this year.
@Clare I’d simply have Enda Hession ahead of Eoghan.
Well Matt ruane was being compared to Brian Fenton but if you are unable to win possession in the middle of the field then you are not a midfielder whatever other attributes he may have
@JP agree with you there I’d have hession over eoghan ti but would still have eoghan on bench..
@JP
Really? Because I don’t understand why Monaghan are being praised to high hilt for exiting the championship scoring a single point more than the they did last season when they were knocked out in McHale Park.
They conceded less that day too, against a team that struggle with defensive structures, but today their structure was brilliant.
We’re all long enough in the tooth to know everyone game of football is completely different. Mayo weren’t involved today. Today was about Dublin and Monaghan, and it should be left to them, but if people are determined to twist the knife, they should at least show some consistency
@Frosthammer The two points under discussion are that Monaghan contained Dublin for longer and better than we did today.
The other point is that ourselves and Monaghan right now are probably around the same level.
FrostTHammer if we lost to Dublin like that, I’d handle it, Monaghan were in it, till almost injury time, although I think we knew the Dubs would win it. We scored 3 points in 50 minutes against them, and made them look like the invincibles of the 6 in a row. Kerry if they play like they did against Tyrone,and peaking at the right time, will flatten them.
We are currently no where near all Ireland contenders. Our midfield is poor our fullback line is poor. We’ve a long road back to finding players like Higgins, Barrett, Keegan, Boyle those boys gave us serious thrust going forward and all scored big game day scores. The current backs come no way close to the talent we’ve lost bar Durcan.
@Thatteamwonstart our team is very young and loads thought we would not be competitive at all with the loss of keegan & mullin we come again and learn we got to quarter final place loafs of other counties would have loved to have gotten a quarter final place even once in their lifetime.
Young team with lots of 6alent who will learn and develop we are still one of the top teams in the country.
Frosty Hammer I think if we went out like Monaghan went out today, there wouldn’t have been half as much of an uproar, in fairness they never looked like winning it, but they were right in it till injury time, and made the Dubs look like the average team that they are. People almost writing about Basquel as FOTY after the mayo performance, and he hardly touched the ball today
Clare we do have loads of talent like we always have but sometimes you have a question whether we have the real top talent to win the big one, I don’t see the talent in the back line especially and Midfield coming through at the minute. There not all that young either
@JP
Again Monaghan conceded a goal less than we did and did so with one of the most experienced full back lines and goalkeepers in the country, whereas ours was almost certainly the least experienced, with 4 players who made their debuts this season.
We didn’t beat Monaghan this season, they are one of the four teams who we met and couldn’t beat, and we were both third seeds, both finished third in our groups, both won preliminary, both lost to Dublin, so yes we’re pretty even this year
But Monaghan had the better management team? The trophy cabinet would argue otherwise. Monaghan would snap your hands off for a league title and victories in Killarney and Salthill. That would be an amazing season for them, whereas as no one is saying we had a good year. Not a bad year – maybe, but definitely not a good one
Clare the problem is we were not competitive in the championship this year.we lost 3 games out of 6 and got beaten out the gate by 12 points in our final match .yes it’s a young team but there is also a large number of them have played in 2 all Ireland finals.Kevin mcstay will rightly be given time to build the team and tactically get it right but another year like this and I’d imagine there will be rumblings
I think there’s a route back to being All Ireland comtenders but it would mean next year we need to bring in 19 and 21 year olds to develop them.
My view is the best of last year’s minors were pretty obvious. Bring them in.
The older established players on speed and fitness work and don’t play most of the league over the next few seasons.
We made Aidan play early season games. We’d be better off him doing fitness work and resting.
The whole strategy from mgmt on our best 15 at preseason was a wrong strategy.
Dublin used give lads lengthy breaks from playing early season games.
Fair enough @1985 &Thateamwonstart
But I mean young guys going up against the likes of the6 in row team after a huge game against Galway would have taken its tole.
Though I do really question management tbh padraig
o hora was not fit enough if you ask me great player but not quick enough and not enough game to start in a quarter final place team .
We need a top class defence coach as others have said asap who are the top defence coaches that could come in? Haha
For a rookie Vinny corey gave a masterclass tonight.
Given their resources he got every single call,matchup and strategy right and mad monaghan right in the game until right b4 injury time.
Only difference ultimately was dubs had a bench, monaghan didn’t. They emptied the tanks.
McManus is an incredible footballer and like a true great he always shows up on the biggest days
Your right Clare re ohora. I would worry about our game plan going into games maybe I’m a bit harsh on the players. The Cork game was a huge game for us and we blew a 6 point lead by conceding 1-6 without reply then the Dublin demolition after half time we looked all at sea.
Monaghan illustrated what can be done when you have a proper defensive structure with proper defenders.
Mayo over the last 12 years are like Newcastle under Kevin Keegan no clue how to protect their goal.
@clare The 6 in a row team? Very few of them left or playing at the level they were at that time left in that team. It’s a shadow of it now
After today it looks like if we got that extra weeks rest we would have beaten Dublin
@corickBridge doubt it to be honest, Cork blitzed us for 1-6 without reply a few week earlier, as has been pointed out many times , it was all downhill rapidly after the Kilarney high. Scraping by Louth at home by our fingertips, getting blitzed by Cork, hanging on for a one point win, over a Comer less, one leg Kelly, and Walsh completely off form Galway , and the Dubs drubbing.
Would we have developed a defensive structure not leaving men man to man with no sweeper, a kick out strategy etc in that week? I think not.
Seeing Scully get the curly finger after the stupid black card he got and comparing that to us overruling a Doctor’s advice to leave on an injured player who lost possession in next play tells a tale in itself.
I think our main game plan sadly should be on defensive plan and work on v blanket defence sam callinan is key (what a player he is )
Oh and also get a top defence coach in …
Maybe Lee keegan come in as defence coach? Wishful thinking haha
A poster above mentioned ‘mental fragility’ and that as much as anything sums up a condition we need to work on. Why do players go ‘off form’. Because they stop believing in themselves. Doubts creep in. Ruane, Carney, Loftus?.
Every Dublin player believes in his ability, Collectively they believe in their ability as a group
And they have leaders a plenty. Fenton stepped up for a spell in the second half as did McCarthy..
In fairness to Monaghan, they had a plan, they believed in it, they believed they could execute it and it was strength in depth that caught them out in the end.
Now where are we by comparison. Great players, great young players, but it’s going to take time to get the steelness required to be competitive.
I do agree with so many posters re management. I would give them two stars out of five for their performance.
@corick Bridge based on what we seen tonight we wouldn’t have beaten monaghan. Who’s fault is it that we didn’t have the extra week off again? It’s all self inflicted I’m afraid
The template for our defense coach is Paddy Tally or whomever has been coaching defence for Dublin.
I don’t know who would be that person, but that is the type of defensive structure we need help putting in place.
@David
Regarding Galway. They were many peoples favourites for Sam. Comer did play for a half. Kelly shouldn’t have been playing if he wasn’t fit and regarding Walsh he was taken care of as he was in the League final. They have had 3 goes at us this year, 4 if you include the FBD game yet they couldn’t get past us.
All i ever read is ‘Mayo only bate Galway’ because……
The only result I can’t excuse this year is the Cork one. Cork had run Kerry and the Dubs close so the warning signs should have been there.
The Monaghan league defeat I have no doubt we would have won with a full team out.
The Roscommon game was madness to schedule a week after the league final.
I still think we have plenty of reasons to be positive. We have to stop conceding silly goals. It has been our Achilles Heel for far too long.
We need to find a number 6 who defends first and foremost.
Mind the House at all costs.
Sat beside Jim Mc Guinness at the game today.He knows his football.
Early on in the Down game he said their goalie was a liability, cost them 1.3 in first half.
I said I never forgave him for 2012 ,he retorted that he never forgave us for 2013.
A very sociable guy.
@Jr He’s quite a tall guy isn’t he, one of those persons who is well over six foot but ya don’t realize.
Jr
Did you ask him the big question ,would he ever be interested in managing Mayo someday and just land the Big one?
How did Monaghan handle Cormac Costello this evening. It looked like he ran riot for 45 minutes before Vinny and his magnificent management team switched Ryan Wiley onto him. The wet and windy weather suited defenders this evening and to give Monaghan credit they were a lot more aggressive defensively than we were 2 weeks ago. But to suggest that Vinny Corey gave a masterclass in how to play against the Dubs is stretching it. They lost by 7 points never looked like winning and conceded 18 scores. One less than ourselves.
Strange how we seem to have become more ”mentally fragile ” since we have rehired a sports psychologist . This was supposed to be the missing ingredient during Horans last term.
Monaghan put up a decent fight, fair play to them but Basquill was never going to be allowed a repeat performance today…forewarned and all that. But then Costello steps up ,and they won handily enough while not hitting the high notes because they didn’t have to. There’s more in this team when they need it.
2hops, our sports psychologist may need a psychologist if has to go another year with us and the team trying to get on with no systems or plan B to what the system was meant to be 🙂
Not surprising really the comments on here after the Dublin Monaghan game. First thing I’d like to say is well done to Monaghan who fought hard to the end but using the match to criticise Mayo team and especially management is wide of the mark. Firstly all games take on a life of their own. We were better in first half than Monaghan were in the first half today. We showed ambition while Monaghan were conservative even with a man advantage for 10 minutes. Where I admire Monaghan most is the first 20 minutes of second half but in truth Dublin have not been great all year other than their second half v Mayo. Let’s not forget in that second half we gifted them a goal and followed that up with the miss of the season. Now it suits the anti management agenda to point out how wonderful Monaghan were but much as I wanted them to win I never thought at any stage they had a chance. In fairness to them they have had a good year and Vinny. Corey deserves credit but I’d be surprised if most Mayo supporters want our county to play that style. There would be some whinging on this blog tonight if Mayo put in a performance like that. In the Tailteann Cup as much as I am not so fond of Meath, they deserve credit for second half performance. Yet again everything was based on the previous games where Down ran riot. The team who scored 8 goals the last day were woefully inept today. As I said games take on a life of their own and judging teams on one last performance is not wise. Finally well done to Colm O Rourke. He got up of his ass in the nice comfortable chair in RTE ( similar to McStay) and tried to do something to help his county. When Pateen and Brollix do something similar instead of criticising everybody else I might change my opinion of them.
I think it’s about time we have a tribunal of inquiry into Mayo, led by a Judge of good standing in the County of the Yew , and call all the expert witness’s to give evidence as to why we are not All Ireland Champions, several times over?..We could start with the first module about the narrowness of the McHale Park pitch?, The second module could be about exactly what happened when the Mayo Kit Van got a two match ban , surely the ban handed out to a motor vehicle by any GAA authorities. Whatever County Davy Fitz is currently managing can have an inquiry into exactly what exactly the Powers that be in the GAA have against (the little Fish at the end of the Day) ?. Galway can have an inquiry into why despite the correct width but the wrong wind of Pearce Stadium Salthill they keep losing to Mayo by a point, games they should have won both Women and Men? Armagh can have an inquiry as to why they seem to try so hard NOT to actually ever score when they are on top so much? . The inter county games will be over in two weeks time, but the inquiries could /and will go on well into the Winter …In the Hurling its the Cats (ever without Brian Cody the have 9 life’s) V the Treaty who’d have ever guessed that at the beginning of the season ?..In the Football it will be Dublin V a team with the last four letters ERRY in the Sam Maguire decider. If someone told all us that this was what would happen at the end of July on the first of January ..Im looking at the pint of Carlsberg and thinking Probably.
This match proved, as I thought it would, that our failure to set up a solid defensive plan cost us dearly. BJP, I think, mentioned on one of the podcasts that this felt like a year wasted. Kerry not as strong as they were last year (don’t be surprised if Derry beat them tomorrow) and Galway riddled with injuries. Dublin shown that they are just a normal team. Someone rightly posted above that you don’t have to be ‘brilliant’ to win Sam. That’s it exactly. Mayo need to understand this. If we can get our set up right then there’s absolutely no reason we can’t compete for outright honours. It’s like some weird mental thing. Forget about the team of the last decade and those players. Those were different times who on a few occasions lost finals due to poor tactics and individual errors but for the most part lost because the opposition were the greatest team ever to play. Times are very different now. It’s open season for the remainder of the decade. If Mayo can get a proper defensive plan in place, one which makes us incredibly difficult to break down then we have a real chance. We have sufficiently decent players to win an All Ireland if we get luck on injuries and others have some blips. 2023 was there for the taking. We just didn’t set up right. A missed opportunity.
To win just once. You think there’d be whinging if we put in a performance where we drew level with about ten minutes to go? Were in it until almost injury time? Instead of putting in a performance where the game was over 5 minutes into the second half, scoring 3 points in 50 minutes of football, something that in all honestly, is probably division 4 level against the big boys in Croke Park.
The Dubs had only 36% possession at half time, yet were ahead by a point. To me, they played well within themselves and got the job done. McCaffrey and Kilkenny will both start the final if it’s Kerry they’re meeting. I’ve a sneaking feeling they’ve two more gears to go up if not more. Monaghan played outstandingly well for 60 minutes but Dublin moved it up a level. I don’t think Kerry will beat Dublin, and there’s a sting in the tail on the cards today if it’s raining. The lack of celebration at the end of yesterday’s game suggests to me Dublin hadn’t entertained the notion they weren’t going to be in the final at any stage. This team is on a mission and only they, themselves can derail the train.
Gaelic football is not really that skilful of a game especially nowadays , the better conditioned and physically stronger team usually win . We are not as powerful as we were in previous years and wont get back to that unless the s&c of the players improves greatly .Mcbrien is a unit but the rest of the newer lads need a lot of work and unfortunately some are never going to cut it . needs to be a few cuts to the panel also
Diarmuid Connolly recently asked Lee Keegan at a Boylesports event for a one word thought of different places or events.He asked him about McHale park and Lee answered Nightmare.Somes up what one of our best players ever thinks of our home ground.
@towinjustonce.. Spillane well entitled to criticise, the man has 8 all irelands and 9 all stars.. On the team of the millennium and could play anywhere, would fit in now too given his fitness levels and kicking ability. As for the other guy brolly..enough said, I wouldn’t heed him.
Wouldn’t be surprised at all if Derry threw a surprise and beat kerry today they probably will give them a scare but I’d still go with kerry to win by 2 or 3
@kick it in Spillane can criticise but he’s always been way to harsh on mayo tbh
Mark Dempsey hit on something there. No celebration by dublin at the end of the game. Compare that to 2 years ago when we beat them in the semi. That was our all ireland. Preparation. Were lacking in that department also. Planning. Ya see after that win it should have been off the field asap barring media commitments and keep it low key. Instead we celebrated like we won the big one without the cup. For me there is more than onfield issues that were lacking in
The beat 15 from 1970 on, only 3 outside Dublin and Kerry
1.Stephen Cluxton
2.Seamus Moynihan
3.John O’Keeffe
4.Marc O’Se
5.Lee Keegan
6.James McCarthy
7.Jack McCaffrey
8.Brian Fenton
9.Jack O’Shea
10.Diarmuid Connolly
11.Matt Connor
12.Pat Spillane
13.Colm Cooper
14.David Clifford
15.Peter Canavan
Unlucky
Michael Murphy
Conor McManus
Larry Tompkins
Keith Higgins
Mikey Sheehy
Trevor Giles
Ciaran Kilkenny
Tomas O’Se
Padraic Joyce
@Spectre any team would have celebrated in 21 like that after finnally ending dubs 6 in a row era we were all fed up of dubs winning every year sick of people saying whenever we celebrate a win its ‘our all ireland’ yes sometimes we might go overboard but literally every time we win anything every other county goes its our all Ireland.
Any county as I said would have celebrated after finnally ending the dubs 6 in a row era .
Ashill 75 did we winter cattle in mchale Park it’s a fine mess , I don’t like saying this but the rossies have in the Hyde a beautiful playing surface why can’t we do that
Highly unlikely that Dublin players some of them with 8 all Ireland medals are going to celebrate beating Monaghan in an all Ireland semi final that they fully expected to win.our win against Dublin in 2021 was a very different scenario where after so many near misses we had finally beaten the team that had inflicted so much misery on us .There was a long enough gap to the final to the final for the players to get their heads in the right place
Clare did u see the final against tyrone?? Where was the intensity we had against the dubs?? And i dont think every team would have celebrated. Kerry or tyrone would have skipped away onto the dressin rooms preparing for final.
Kerry will massacre Derry, and beat the Dubs pulling up in the final.
@spectre were not talking about the final obvs I saw it I like to blank that from my memory.
Im saying any other county would have celebrated the way we did after ending the Dubs golden era. You don’t think monaghan/ derry/ Galway would have gone crazy after ending the Dubs golden era? Come on like.
Yeah kerry/dubs would have skipped away as they have medals we get carried away sometimes as we have failed soo many times to win the big one so yeah any other county other then kerry/dubs would have celebrated the same way we did in 21 .
We need to be good enough in all aspects. Things like celebrating after matches are not a factor.
Achill75,
The omission of the highest scorer in the history of the game needs attention.
Yours,
Joet1480
Good one @Gizmo.
Look back at the Kerry players after Sean o sheas winning point in last year’s semi final win against Dublin.a fair bit of celebrating I would say .we didn’t lose to Tyrone because we celebrated.Kerry had a fair bit of torment at the hands of the dubs as well
David as I said I think Monaghan deserve a lot of credit for their performance but the fact is they were ultra conservative. They had a monopoly of possession especially in first half but similar to ourselves did not seem too keen to kick the ball in. Beggan scored 3 frees and overall they only got 6 or 7 from play against a Dublin team not really firing ( Monaghan deserve credit for preventing them from firing) To have any chance of beating the big teams you have to go after them. Mayo always did that against the Dubs in their prime and even though we didn’t beat them we absolutely rattled them and the Dublin players of that era always refer to how difficult they found it playing Mayo. Only last week Clare went conservative v Kilkenny in the first half and it cost them a place in the final. When they went toe to toe with KK in the second half they were better than them. One of the real positives about Mayo in the last 10 to 12 years has been their willingness to have a go, even in Killarney this year. Of course we have to improve our defensive structure and stop conceding daft goals to be successful and that’s where we can learn from Monaghan. So far this season Kerry have conceded just one goal ( I think) and they were equally defensively mean last year so certainly that is something which we need to work on, Finally in reading an article about O Rourke and Meath he stated that fellas need to be playing senior inter county for at least 2 years before they are comfortable and consistent. I think that’s something we need to acknowledge in Mayo. Lots of our players have only had one full season at inter county and they did well. The more they play the more consistent they should become.
Joeyy1480
So your saying Cillian is better than all 3 of that full forward line. Hes not.All 3 have scored goals in All Ireland finals , Cillian hasnt.He has been Mayos best forward since as far back as Tom Langan in 1951 and one of Connachts best inside forwards of all time.
@clare.. Spillane was fair enough on mayo.. Gave them stick when deserved and praise when deserved too. It’s hard not be critical of a team who can’t get over the line in 7 finals since 2012 for goodness sake..sure we’d all love to see mayo win, that’s a fact but we’re as far away as ever again. We have great support, maybe as a friend of mine said.. The roller coaster of being a mayo fan, if they won it would take the fun out of it.. Haha.
I wouldn’t begrudge our players a little field celebration after getting one over on our fierce rivals for the previous decade nearly. Just a shame it wasn’t a final. After all the players had put in a huge effort.
The bigger issue for me at the time was one of our esteemed county board members goading the Dubs afterwards with terms like ”their usual swagger ” was brought to an end. That sort of BS only serves to make sure they won’t be caught again.
@1985 good point! Yes kerry went mad after they beat dubs with seanies point they also went mad after they hammered us in a league final when we had loads of injuries and players missing and the final we just didn’t want to be in .
@kick it in I just think he’s been overly harsh on mayo in the past yes he’s given us praise (sometimes) ha or his phrase of mayo haven’t a snowballs chance of ever winning an Ireland you don’t think that’s harsh? Haha
It def is a roller coaster ha
@Achill75, even when All Stars selected some guys are moved around to other positions than that of their normal position.
Not a hope in hell that Padraig Joyce, Larry Tompkins or Trevor Giles would be left out and Diarmuid Connolly put in, Connolly did it in bits and bursts but those three guys were the fulcrum of their teams attacks and delivered always.
To add, Rory O Carroll from Dublin was the best fullback I ever saw in a County jersey, Donaghy got the better in duels with all others but Carroll is the only one that cleaned him out.
Bernard Brogan junior not on that list.
That’s one huge myth about Larry Tomkins that he was some generational legend. There was one final for sure where he wasn’t just average he was poor missing almost all his frees and 45s. His scoring record from play wasn’t anywhere near other actual legends.
Now you really got me thinking @Achill75
Paul Flynn was a better wing forward than Connolly, scored more from that position / long range and was just a much better ball winner around the middle, he was really under rated in his time with Dublin.
The more I think about this unfortunately it’s Dublin players that come up guys that best us in All Irelands, ie, Cian O Sullivan one of the great defenders.
This being the reason why the Dubs beat us in 4 finals.
For me I saw Joyce and Moynihan do battle in the 2000 finals, the drawn one and the Replay, this finished at 50 / 50 between those two players, and maybe in the drawn game Joyce slightly won that battle.
The time to celebrate is when u win rhe cup. Other than that u keep a lid on it. Not bringing babies on rhe field for photos for rhe gallery. Stick to the job at hand. Were great at beating all ireland champs but not at becoming champs. All areas need attention to detail.
@spectre bearky every county team brings their kids onto the field after after a big win?
As @JP says we need to be goid at every aspect to land the big one doesn’t matter if you celebrate or not aftwr a game if you ask me anyway .
Was at the game yesterday (and prob going today).
Mongaghan made Dublin look ordinary enough for 65 minutes. Beggan’s role does give them options – we may have to go there too, and Reape could do that job.
The more I think of it, those three weeks in a row were killers. We are not as bad as that Dublin scoreline suggests. McStay was right to accentuate the positive, though of course a lot of work needs to be done. When you think of it, the three best teams in the country a month ago were Connacht teams. All three of them can’t be crap.
Meath under o Rourke had only 5 starters yesterday from their first leauge game against cork they were on a learning curve all year , and were rewarded and their manager looked for the players he wanted to play his style and he was rewarded , meath are going forward we are going back, and that’s how I see it under the two former rte pundits, as Pete migrate once said there’s nothing for losers!
So apparently Colm O’Rourke does know something about football after all.Could he be the man to provide decent competition to Dublin in Leinster? Always liked him on the Sunday Game.very fair in his comments and a wry sense of humour.Enjoyed his post match interview and his Nunc est Bibendum (Time for drink) comment. Admittedly had to look it up.
@achill75. Ken mortimer would be near that list imo. Don’t think it’s really logical to judge mayo on how monaghan got on against Dublin. Every game is different (example i doubt meath or 30 pts better than Laois considering down hammered Laois and meath beat down) and i suppose monaghan were forewarned about basquille after our game and if we met Dublin again the following week it would probably be a different player who would destroy us… Regarding management no matter who’s in charge of the team it will just mean we’ll be reading different posters on here will be critical.
Just on the celebration after the semi in ‘21…
Trust me, I get emotional about Mayo as much as most but I thought the immediate post-match celebrations were WAY over the top that day. It didn’t sit comfortably with me after a semi final.
Look at the you tube clip of O’Hora’s post match interview. Look at him. Look at the Mayo supporters on camera. Listen to them. Look at the body language. You can hear the tone. You’d swear we had just won the feckin All Ireland. O’Hora said it’s the best day of my life. Far too uncontrolled. A total release of emotion is great after a final victory and we’d go into meltdown, me included, but the kind of emotional release after the 21 semi final was a glimpse into the psychological condition of the team and fans. Not great. Far too many people felt we had it won. We got a rude awakening from Tyrone. Shambles.
Kerry today I’m sure would like to win without rave reviews or giving away too much. Interesting to see how hard they find it to break down the Derry defence. Derry will have to take every chance they get
Last January i predicted Dublin to win the all ireland but the more i see i’m leaning towards kerry tho they have a big game today. Dublin have been poor in 1st halves v mayo,monaghan, kildare and roscommon and really only performed 2nd half v a tired /poor mayo team so I’m calling a kerry win and as it happens I’ll be in kerry for a few days just after the final and if my prediction is right I’ll take in the homecoming and maybe a pint with @westkerry.
On same topic. AOS on his knees, fists clenched and looking up to to the sky after a National League Final win (the photo was used here back in April after he was voted player of the league on the blog). Seriously! It’s head in the hands stuff folks. Maybe I’m in the minority here but winning a national league means jack shit in my opinion, even if it is a ‘national trophy’ etc etc.
@Mayonzae true that about league we do go a bit over board sometimes i know guess it’s from all the hurt over the years but I don’t think it really matters if we do if we’re good enough and have good enough management we will land sam even if we celebrate after a semi.
Sure all I heard last year after kerry beat dubs was kerry for sam but they went and won it even after all the celebrations after the semi so it really doesn’t matter if you celebrate after a big one once your good enough to land the big one you will!
I really think Derry will give kerry a good run out today !
Padraig Joyce has to be on any team ever.. Brilliant player.. At 14 or 11…he scored 10 points in 2nd half v meath in 2001 final.. And was marking a hardy Shaw in Darren Fay. Won 2 all irelands and lost another.. Has to be in ahead of canavan even tho he was very good too
Cillian o Connor nowhere near that calibre of player, accurate yes.. But no pace and not exactly exciting to watch. Had a great team around him from 2011 to 2019 ish.. Highest scorer in champo history is fantastic but one the best ever.. Not on your nelly
Cat col what positives was mcstay right to accentuate , a day we were beat out the gate one of our worst defeats in years
Im with ya mayonaze all the way.
Ya but PJ struggled on Seamus Moynihan in 2000.That Galway team never beat Kerry the other top team team from 97 to 02.Best inside forward and finisher from play in Connacht from 1970 on in my opinion but not better than Gooch, The Cliff or Peter the Great.
Achill, Connolly shouldn’t be anywhere near a list of all time greats. He is in the same category as Shane Walsh – naturally gifted but nowhere near reliable enough. Galvin, Donnellan, Paul Flynn, Kilkenny, are all miles ahead of him.
Kenny Mortimer a great corner back but better than Marc O’Se or Seamus Moynihan I dont think so.Should have picked up Maurice Fitz instead of Holmes in 97 final.Pity he didnt foul Brendan Reilly in 96 replay, but I suppose know one thought he would score from that angle out near the sideline.
Papers on about mc manus retiring he lasted the 70 scored 5 points and was inspirational for monaghan but Corey used him sparingly during leauge n early championship horses for courses Donkeys for derbies , our gurus never thought to rest oshea until we got to the knockout stages eg galway and Dublin when subbing him early , it don’t make you a rocket scientist to work out where we are inept
I was at the 2000 finals and the 2001, in the 1st half of the 2001 final, Joyce played close to goal but a different strategy was employed for the 2nd half, where Joyce moved everywhere in the forwards out etc this effectively ending Darren Fays career.
In 2000 drawn final Joyce was good also but stayed in an orthodox full forward position.
My own tuppence on an all time great is Paul Barden was the player of the 00s.
He was an absolute elite phenomenon.
If he was a team that featured more on TV he’d have got multiple All stars.
He scored one of the greatest points in inter county history going 60 yards with the ball and belting it over from 35 yards.
He had everything.
Paul Barden was the most skillful big man at midfield we’ve seen. Even more skilled on the ball than Brian Fenton or Anthony Tohill.
GBXI
Galvin and Flynn better than Connolly dont make me laugh.
Connolly led his club to an All Ireland final were he was brillant against Castlebar in 2015.He was the standout player in the 2013 All Ireland Semi Final v Kerry which I attended one of the best games ever where he cleaned Tomas O’Se.Brillant again in 2016 All Ireland semi Final v Kerry.Won 6 All Ireland Medals.Treated terrible by the media and the Gaa.Wrongly suspended for a whole championship for a slight push on a linesman.Connolly in my opininon could do anything with a football left or right, more skillful than Gooch and Shane Walsh.For me he would have stood out more for a County of lesser class than Dublin.
I guess it’s that debate of effective versus brilliant x factor. There were games more suited to Flynn and games that needed Connolly’s x factor.
Alot of the great Dublin players of the last 15 years have been asked in interviews who is the most talented player in the squad , they all say everytime its Connolly, Nobody could touch him in Dublin A v B games .A team which includes the 2 Brogans, Kilkenny, Con , Paul Flynn, Paul Mannion, Kevin McManamon, Dean Rock, Cormac Costello, Paddy Andrews, Mossy Quinn.Bernard Brogan has had huge clutch moments in fairness over the years in the big games but the 3 greatest Dublin footballers are Cluxton, McCarthy and Connolly for me.
JP, wasn’t it Barden in that famous pic foaming at mouth with his head stuck inch away from a stony faced Jerome Henry?
Great pic and a great player.
Achill, club football hardly counts – top county players should be standing out at that level. Flynn was much better than Connolly. Twice as many All Stars playing in the exact same team, in the exact same position. Connolly had all the talent but was weak mentally. You couldn’t rely on him to turn up. Galvin was definitely better, he had the same ban as Connolly but he was ultra reliable and has the footballer of the year award to back it up.
Most talented doesn’t always mean most valuable. Look at Shane Walsh he’s probably the most talented player in the country regards what he can do with the ball and equally brilliant off both feet but I could easily pick 10 players in the country I’d have on my team b4 him when the going gets tough.
Kerry mix their play about so much it will be very difficult to cope. Even with a solid defensive system, they need time to put it in place and Kerry will use long kick pass to quickly set up scoring chances. Clifford wins about 90% of ‘fifty fifty’ balls.
Goals in both ends in Derry v kerry this could be an interesting game ..ha
Clifford is different gravy. Is he the best ever? Best I have seen anyways.
How was that not a foul by Shane Ryan? McQuillan not impressing with the whistle so far.
Could have been a red WJ, in Rugger he’d walk. No need go into air, knew well what was at.
Thank God for BBC2 Northern Ireland. As RTE are showing the game on RTE2 and RTE News channel they could have had one in English!
Derry really are putting it up to kerry so far..
Derry will bottle the final now though. And get pummeled again like the league final. Might be the easiest All Ireland The Dubs will ever win
Derry shooting from distance of the charts in first half. So many ‘go to’ players that can finish. Brolly will be delighted. I hope Mayo management are taking something in. Can Derry finish the job. This is where mental toughness comes into play
Derry very impressive so far. Huge spread of scorers and all from play except one. Their running game is excellent.
Jees I’m not sure about that WJ. David Clarke made a living off that move closer to his goal! Shane Ryan wins the ball cleanly. The Clifford shoulder call was very poor though.
Dublin Joe Riding Derry here in Croker.
Kerry goalie should have seen the Red card for two footed lunge into a Derry player, always a red card in Soccer
Two frees given to Kerry for no fouls.
Over 4 minutes and 30 seconds played in injury time in 1st half yet 3 minutes announced.
Derry player given elbow to the face bearing down on goals.
Also, there’s a touch of Donegal 2012 about Derry. Last year they were way too defensive to win the All Ireland but now they have the belief and they’re running from everywhere with pace and power.
McQuillan having a stinker. Sean Hurson the best reff in the Country at the moment.
Derry’s conversion rate is off the charts. Very hard to keep that up, especially into the brezzier Hill 16.
Still expect Kerry to win it by a few. I feel Derry will run out of steam.
I forgot at least 1 Kerry point looked wide, Clifford from a free kick.
No Hawkeye here either
S McGuigan needs a bit more protection from referee, Kerry are trying to knock lumps out him but he’s a tough man, I hope he will be able to stay with it, good game.
You’re embarrassing yourself now, David! My advice would be to stop digging if that’s the best you can do.
Well you are allowed jump to a ball, but you are not allowed jump once in possession.
Also, for a shoulder one foot must be on the ground.
Ryan knew what he was doing, but he’s allowed do it. McGuigan can’t just venture in and then “aah, aah, I’ve been hit”.
I think Derry might take this one..ref is terrible though .
McQuillan seems intent on wrecking an absolute cracker of a game here
Clifford is in another league has kept kerry in this game
Some game of football. Like last year’s final.
Further evidence that we are not as far away as some people fear.
There is no outstanding team out there . There is one outstanding player who single handedly won Kerry and all Ireland last year and is keeping them in this .
That loss to Cork looks more and more costly 🙁
Derry are far the better team but can they close this out?
@km79 totally agree with you we aren’t that far off very young team we will be back business end next year just hope management get their act together
How is that free for kerry …
Looks like I put the hex on them …
Aw I feel bad for Derry they were def the far better team
Looks like Kerry Joe has managed a shocking result
Derry will have a long winter of regret after the way they let Kerry off the hook there.
Dubs will hammer kerry I’d say going by that game.
Km79, Mayo are miles off looking at this game. My God, Derry were incredible for so long. The scores from play they got, Mayo can barely score more than 11 in a game.
Derry had numerous chances when 2 points up and took the wrong options .mcquillan is just a very poor referee
Better team lost there. Derry had all the best performers on the pitch and will be kicking themselves they werent 5 or 6 up coming down the stretch.
Only for david clifford, carried them up on his back single handedly once more. The greatest i have ever seen
Great game of ball
I think its our managment where we’re lacking. Our squad isn’t miles off to be fair. Kerry looked fitter coming down the stretch and thats where the game was won. A shrewed operator like O’Connor has timed their run perfectly. Though we let them off the hook against Cork.
Kerry will eat Dublin in the final. Kerry by a minimum of 6 points I think.
I dunno, I thought McQuillan consistently called the fouls. The shooting in the final 10mins was the difference. Derry had a tapover to go three up and missed.
I feel Kerry could win final now, that was some finish, Kerry’s experience told in the end & Derry lost their shape for the last 8 minutes, great game.
At this point in time, and it’s idle speculation, I know, I tip Kerry to overcome Dublin in the final.
I’m going to set aside my crystal ball now.
Should Derry have got a penalty and black card for Foley when he pulled down McGuigan just outside the big square in second half. He was through on goal only for the pull down. Seems only one ref in one game is applying this rule. The free in to Kerry when they were two points down and Derry after turning the ball over was the softest free you will ever see.
That free when two down was a foul on Stephen O’Brien.
For anyone interested BT Sport 3 now showing Geelong v Essenden Oisin is sub.
Shocking collapse from Derry. 3 points up with ten to play. Miles off.
1-17 conceded. No defensive structure. Management should be ashamed of themselves.
(I’m being sarcastic, Derry were brave and really went for the game. Experience won out in the end, but if we’re going to tear strips off of our own, we should at least hold others to same standards)
Nice @Frosthammer 🙂
I guess it’s how long you are competitive in a game is the key marker.
McQuillan poor in a big game yet again, don’t know how he keeps getting these games.
But Derry lost the heads a bit when they were in control. Taking the wrong option and going for goal when they should have been tapping over points. They could have been about 5 up at one point, which in a game like that could have ended it. They left it behind them for sure and who knows what that will do for the psyche.
All I’ll say is, Mayo would have been handily beaten by any of the teams who played this weekend. We are miles off it at present.
@frostthehamnwr haha good post your spot on .
Really feel for Derry though .
Don’t think mayo are miles off at all to many fixtures at once and some bad calls by management.
What were the obvious calls McQuillan got wrong?
Obvious calls, not on slow motion replay reflection.
He didn’t seem that bad to me, pretty standard.
A really good game between two good teams. Derry had the winning of it but lacked that extra bit of class in the forwards. Also they got nothing from McQuillan. Probably two best teams in final. An earlier poster spoke of a Kerry massacre before the game, then when Derry were on top he reckoned they’d bottle the final. Unfortunately they won’t get that chance but they have had a great year and just need one or two more forwards to be a really good team. Or can you claim to be a good team without winning the All Ireland. According to some here you shouldn’t be celebrating winning leagues or beating the greatest ever team in a semi. Some must live sad lives. You burst your arse giving all for your county but when you have some relative success your fellow county folk reckon you shouldn’t show emotion or bring kids on to the pitch. What a cheerful world we live in. Sport is to be enjoyed so enjoy the bloody thing when you win whether it’s the ultimate prize or just a run of the mill game. Monaghan and Derry people should be proud of their teams this weekend although both lost. They both performed well and deserve credit for doing so.
When did Derry beat Mayo dreamy?
I had this feeling all along that Kerry and the Dubs get all the calls in the big games.
When is in Croker as a neutral easier to see every detail in a game.
Derry were beaten by Dublin and now Kerry Joe today, sure they had chances to win the game late on.
Two Kerry players should have seen red.
A few frees awarded to Kerry were not frees
Derry forwards got nothing from the Referee.
South Mayo, that was his worst decision all day. I was sticking up for him at half time but he makes some bad calls. Sean O’Se injuring McKinless as well at the end was at least a black and the free should have been moved in.
Overall, Derry kicked it away. They butchered the goal chances. Great game.
Scoring 4 points in a half sadly won’t be enough as we well no.
No, I did not see any Kerry red card. Simply wasn’t.
@Batetheblanket totally agree with you..
Calm down, Bate the Blanket! I’ve deleted that accusation you’ve made against the GAA – the one about the word beginning with ‘c’ – you’d need to be coming with some proof when making such a claim. I’d agree that Derry found it far harder to get frees than Kerry today but I’m not sure there’s much to that aside from incompetent referring.
Corick – you think Mayo would have beaten Derry today? I’ll tell you now, we wouldn’t have. They lost their shape in the last 10 and could have made better decisions at times, but their kicking, catching and running game were exceptional for the most part. They executed the basic skills today on a higher level than I saw from Mayo all year.
Dream sleep y. I have to agree . We are miles off it compared to those teams. Not in personnel. Management had a brutal championship. Some players accountable but more Management decisions. Derry beat mayo under o mahony 2009 I think. I was at it. Are we nearly back to thar level again. Championship results suggests not far off.. mcstay famously said about Mcdonald in the stand off with o mahony. Up the yard with ya. Thars a yard he may see too if no improvement
They should look back on the incident with Ryan should have been a straight red card if you ask me.
If Ryan O D was witched hunted on social media for his tackle in Galway game and nothing said about Ryans tackle well how ridiculous would that be .
Derry went a bit negative in the second half, and I think that cost them in the end. Kerry just kept chipping away and had the legs on them in the final. IMO Kerry targeted Shane McGuigan and Shane Ryan was a very lucky boy not to have gotten some form of card for launching himself into him before kicking that point in the first half.
I would say that Kerry are in bother if D. Clifford ever picks up a serious injury or gets suspended, he just keeps coming up with outrageous scores time after time. A lot of their other marquee forwards had quite enough games, and it was the auld dog of war Stephen O’Brien who stepped up in the second half. Is it me or is Paudie Clifford a spiky little fella? He always seems to be mouthing off at someone, talented though he is.
As regards judging where we are, if you were to compare it to the two semi finals this weekend, we look a million miles off. All of those teams have a better defensive structure than we do and looked much more comfortable at shooting from distance. Eleven points won’t beat any of the serious sides come the business end of the season.
Mission number one for our management team is to identify a defensive pattern that reduces the amount of goals we concede, for that has been our major undoing in the last decade. Number two is to see if we can identify a natural defender at number six and give them a run of games. And number three is to identify how we can add a bit more purchase up front. Enough to be getting on with!
I think our panel should be good enough to compete with most teams in the championship, maybe Dublin and Kerry aside. But our way of playing is fairly predictable- clog up the middle channel, force us to shoot from distance and we struggle. Our dependence on our half backs and midfield to top up our scores means we leave a lot of space in front our goal, leaving us vulnerable to quick ball in. Tyrone destroyed us with that long diagonal ball in 2021, must have gotten 2-4 out of it.
It must also be a concern that our minors and U21s were well beaten early this year. No disrespect to Sligo, who are doing great work at underage, but Mayo cannot be satisfied at being beaten two years in a row by them at U20.
Would loved to have been a fly on the wall at the year end review with County Board that took place.
But at this stage all we can do is hope the hard lessons we took on board will be learned from for next season.
Would guess at 2-3 retirements and maybe 4-5 to walk away of own accord/not be reselected.
@Gizmobobs agree hope aido sticks around for another year at least
Shane Ryan is allowed jump into a ball.
He’s not allowed if the ball is not there, he’s not allowed if he has possession.
No foul.
Aido was very good this year, and honestly I would have been critical of him in the past. He caused a lot of bother to opposition teams when he was left inside, he won a lot of marks and his shooting has clearly improved, as well as his dishing the ball off, which to be fair was always good. Whether by accident or design, I do think that our issues in midfield caused him to be brought further out the field as the year went on, which was robbing Peter to pay Paul, most of the time. If he does give it another year (and hopefully he does), I would like McStay to tell him to stay inside, come what may. We don’t want him taking line balls or frees when we’re chasing a goal to get back into a game.
https://mayogaa.com/news-detail/10087070/
Club results round up out. League semifinalists:
D1. Westport, Castlebar, Garrymore and Knockmore
D2. Balla, Ballyhaunis, BMD, Bellmullet (BMD given a walkover by Kilmeena!)
D.3 Ardagh, Ardnaree, Knockmore and Swinford.
I thought kerry would win well. Some of Derry’s tactics were mad but I loved it. Very individual but they fully believed in it and it worked well for the most part. It was a funny games where bother defenses did a lot of the attacking…
I have to say though I thought kerry and Clifford in particular won some very soft frees, two in particular to draw level…. Sounds familiar….
I’m only saying that in comparison to how mcguigan was treated the other end.
The two best teams in the final? Probably…
It’s a bit like a 1500m running race with two well out in front and the chasing pack jostling for 3rd…
Do we have to change our style of play? Yes.
There is a template there, others have done the minding the house thing so we can too…
McQuillan was appalling today. Giving Kerry phantom frees at key times to keep them in touch. Absolutely rotten performance.
Huge credit to Derry. They were the better team. But when you’ve to beat the ref like that it eventually becomes demoralising. All Clifford needs to do to win a free is raise his hand to the ref.
Well, well, well, its the final we all expected and I’m sure many wanted
Quite clearly we made absolute heroes out of this Dublin team, and they’re lucky they didn’t meet us in a semi as they’re not half as good as we made them look that day, and the hype would be in absolute overdrive. Similarly Kerry were well rattled heading into the last ten today, a few bad Derry misses and a kickout meltdown from the keeper handed them the initiative which they seized well to be fair
Both have had their highs and lows all year, but you’d expect all bets are off now as its a final. Dublin have an exemplary final record this century, whereas Kerry’s is iffy by their standards. Still haven’t achieved a big marquee final win the last 23 years, all their beaten opponents have been mediocre teams or ones who flattered to deceive or there due to a lucky run. Its time they beat a top team now and truly announce themselves as the best team in town
Be very careful what you wish for though as a Kerry win here suddenly makes a dynasty look all the more likely. Derry are the third best team in the country but have hit a ceiling, no-one else behind them is within an asses roar and Dublin aren’t going to get any better the next few years. Before we know it Kerry themselves could very well be going for their own 5 in a row
anyway that’s a long way off and this final is very difficult to call. Kerry still are heavily reliant on Clifford and O’Shea for scores. A poor enough Con-less, Mannion-less, Cluxton-less and Jack-less Dublin side should have ran Kerry last year and a decent but not mighty much younger Kerry team should have stopped the 5 in a row in 2019. Form kind of goes out the window. Probably only a kick or two in it, Clifford probably being the difference again
Two in a row is very hard to do, but I just don’t think Dublin are great this year.
Very good effort Achill75, impossible leave out Joyce or Murphy though, and I certainly wouldn’t have Connolly. Paul Flynn not far away either, Dublin’s MVP from 2010-15 or so
fitness,conditioning and like for like replacements to bring on are more important than ever and basically it’s why Kerry and Dublin are into the AI final that will be decided on fine margins. Monaghan Dublin 0-12 each after 60 mins yesterday and today Derry 1-14 to 1-12 in front on 60 mins.
I always feel Mick Fitzsimons goes really under the radar in conversations around teams like these also. The best corner back of the last decade for me
Derry were out on their feet @ 60mins. This lead to some poor shooting and bad decision making in those last few minutes. Derry were also wide open in those last 10 which Kerry took full advantage of. It just shows how a game can swing so wildly in 5-10 minutes when big chances are not taken by the team in full control. It was hard to argue with most of refs calls but the Stephen O Brien one was very soft. Look how Kerry shut down the quick free at the end when Sean O Shea threw himself in front of the free taker. They have nothing to learn when it comes to the cynical stuff. I think Kerry will have too much for the Dubs in 2 weeks and could win with 5 or 6 points to spare.
The last two championship campaigns tells us that Mayo,Galway,Roscommon,Tyrone,Monaghan,Armagh,Kildare and Cork is a group of 8 teams with no a big gap between them and could beat each other on any given day. Monaghan the lucky ones out of that group to reach the last 4 this year beating Kildare with the last play of the game and Armagh on penalties and in fairness to them gave a good account of themselves for 60 mins yesterday which i think Mayo would have done with an extra week to prepare for that Quarter final. Donegal might join that group if they improve next year under new management.
Derry deserve a 3rd place ranking having reached back to back All Ireland semi finals and showed today that they have improved on last year but not enough to topple Kerry, have they reached their celling now?
Kerry,Dublin out in front, the top two and the expected final. The semi final between the two last year was the final in all but name. Have a feeling Kerry will edge it by a point or two. They’ll be the top again next year also and best hope of reach the AI final will be avoiding them in the Quarter or semi final.
3rd year in a row a D2 team has made the final
Derry had points from loads of different players today they stood up sadly they fell short in last quarter and kerry just pulled through . Where as with kerry it was mainly one guy who got them over the line David Clifford.
Derry can still hold their heads up high many thought would be a hammering
I’d still fear Derry way more then kerry if we were to play them ha. Think dubs will get 5 or 6 over kerry .
A key for next year – learn to kick points from distance and to do it reliably.
Looking back, I wonder how much learning we have clocked up from that defeat to Cork.
It turned the rest of the season for us.
You’d have to think it allowed many of our failings to be exposed. Once visible, they can be addressed.
In addition, I don’t blame McStay for this, because I think it was an intelligent move to bring a new team along – I think it didn’t do us any good for our Championship prospects to excel in the League. Teams like Monaghan, Kerry or even Dublin were poor during the League and managed to hit higher standards later.
What I mean by all this is – 2024 is a new year out ahead of us. It’s a new chapter to be written with new information at our disposal.
We mightn’t hit the ultimate heights next year either but we are moving in that direction with every attempt right now.
(I note that like Monaghan, Meath were written off by everyone in the Spring as being in an awful state. It’s amazing how later results put a different look on things and give rise to hope also).
@Swallow Swoops
I agree. Normally the Cork defeat would be the end of your year. Instead we a got pretty thorough examination from the Dubs.
Difficult season to get your head around. We were in exactly the same position against Kerry as Derry were today. Eoghan Maclaughlin bangs in a goal and we run out 5 point winners.
You’d imagine that between today and our visit to Killarney, the Dubs should really have enough tape on Kerry’s deficiencies to beat them, but I wouldn’t bet against David Clifford
I feel Kerry will do it, Frost,
For me, they have more aces.
They have good reliable scorers that can be electric.
They have more speed and mobility than Dublin.
Granted Dublin are a powerhouse around the middle and Kerry are not convincing there.
I remember the Kerry defence as being quite competent and perhaps the Dubs’ defence is less so.
I feel the Dubs’ win over us isn’t enough to label them great this year. Perhaps the win over Monaghan tested them more.
For me, Kerry have been road tested much more than Dublin this year.
In addition, I’d love to see someone test Cluxton.
Swallow I don’t share your optism. We learned nothing from the louth match. That’s where it all started to go downhill. Brutal tactics. Possession football back and over. Jack o Connor more or less laughed at us in castlebar. Quote. We are not interested in the league. We have the players of that there is no doubt.
So we still have a lot of posters who don’t value the league,I believe that we have managed to win four league titles in my lifetime,so it is certainly worth winning,and even funnier is the amount of posters that are saying we are miles away from the the top teams when we hammered one of the finalists and ran the other one close enough,I believe that some posters are against the management team and take any opportunity to find fault,I think that we will be competitive next year
We hammered one of the finalists in a game that didn’t matter, Corick Bridge. Compare Kerry that day (after they’d been playing lower division opposition in the Munster SFC) and their performance against Tyrone. Or even how they reeled in Derry yesterday. Different gravy altogether IMO.
We also got well and truly hammered by the other finalist and lost to Roscommon and Cork, who didn’t pull up many trees themselves in the championship this year.
The league is nice to win, but ultimately the top three teams in it went out of the championship early.
I actually supported McStay to get the job and still think he should be given time, given some of the big name departures last winter. But anyone suggesting that there aren’t problems to be fixed in our set up is away with the birds.
I did not say that we don’t have problems,I am sure that our management team will sort them
Reality.. The worst championship since 2010 so most posters are in the real world and realise the problem s. We want sam not the national league. A competition as leeroy said that nobody wants to win with the championship looming large. I too wanted mcstay but he better decide who is running the ship and offload that negative football that’s not the mayo way. Got alot of calls wrong. Learned zero from the louth shambles and continued on a downward spiral. The usual blinkered supporters were always going to use the keegan and mullin factor but there was so much more to it. Style of play would make you leave the ground. This is not how mayo plays. Good enough to challenge. Yes definitely.
The issues go beyond the senior management team though. Dublin in football and Limerick in hurling got the groundwork right too. When you look at our minor and under 20/21 results it’s very worrying. Sligo with very limited resources are far better organised than ourselves. There’s a need for major changes from bottom up if we are to win an All-Ireland and some of the senior managment team taking on the under 20’s is not the answer either.
It’s not the worst championship since 2010, 2018 and last year were worse. We’ve wins against Kerry and Galway that we didn’t have in those years
@Craggy Boglands the Mayo way has not landed Sam.
The Mayo way is giving away soft goals and missing lots of scores.
Up to Horans time the Mayo way was having lots of soft silky footballers who melted in the heat of battle.
We have to change, we are not in the entertainment business
i think kerry will win and i hope im wrong , if kerry do win itl be clifford morning noon and night for the next twelve months . i know he is a good player but its OTT as it is , thank god we can have cricket
Frost t hammer. Agree to a certain extent. 2018 was a team out on there feet dogged once more down the backdoor route. In need of new blood. Last year was a terrible year for injury s so nobody expected much when key men were out. Jr. Agree too with the soft goals and missed chances more than melting. Whatever the mayo way is…. its definitely not that rubbish football we played against louth. I still believe mayo on their day playing proper expansive football are as good as any Dublin or kerry and we proved it down in kerry. Why did we revert back to the negative side. I don’t buy into this statement. We cannot play against teams that park the bus. We refuse to let it in long and high. It must be a.dream if your a keeper and full back to play against mayo. We never test them out even when we have aos in there. Mind boggling
Is Michael Plunkett injured, didn’t play for Ballintubber at weekend. A good footballer.
Sorely missed this year. Absolutely a fine footballer. He must be injured unfortunately. Could play corner or half back
He is still injured alright, Blond64. He gets a mention in that regard on the latest pod with Billy Joe.