It’s already time to start thinking about the Championship matches involving the county that are on this coming weekend. There are three of them, all of the knockout variety, and there’s also some silverware up for grabs.
All three games are available to watch this weekend and Midwest Radio will be providing commentary on them too. Let’s look at the three games in the order in which they’re scheduled to take place.
First up it’s the hurlers. They’re up against Leitrim in the semi-finals of the Nicky Rackard Cup, with this game taking place at MacHale Park on Saturday, where throw-in is 1.30pm. Mayo GAA TV are streaming the game live.
A bit later that afternoon the county’s ladies football team take on Armagh. While this is a group fixture, it’s effectively a knockout game, as the winners will top the group and so go forward to the All-Ireland semi-final stage. This game takes place at Parnell Park, which is but a short hop up the road from me here in the capital, where throw-in is 3.15pm. TG4 are showing the game live.
Then on Sunday it’s the big one, with the Connacht final down for decision at Pearse Stadium in Salthill where ourselves and Galway will be battling it out for possession of the JJ Nestor Cup. The Connacht decider throws in at 1.30pm and Seán Hurson of Tyrone is the ref for it. It’s one of the live games on The Sunday Game Live show on RTÉ2.
Finally, if you haven’t yet caught it, our Roscommon review episode of the Mayo News football podcast is well worth a listen. Rob Murphy and Edwin McGreal talk you through the match as the action unfolds, Andy Moran and Martin Carney compete with each other in the enthusiasm stakes post-match while Billy Joe Padden provides expert analysis. Lookit, James Horan provides his pst-game reaction to the result as well. You can listen to the podcast here.
Comer will be fine I’d say, nearly sure I seen him in the bog last week cutting turf.
@Baconfactoryend, if you seen Damien Comer in the Bog cutting turf last week, which I definitely believe you did,.., especially last week… But they do have great dry bogs in Galway fair play to them… Good job that he wasn’t cutting turf in Mayo last week, with our ‘Soft and Craggy Boglands’ he’d be sunk without trace and never seen again.
Now that I think of it wasn’t yer one, Teresa Mannion, in the next bog shouting over at him to stay safe and not go near that Hell’s Kitchen of a full back line that Mayo are bringing to Salthill. Where’s the signpost when you need it.
I see the Galway team lining out something like this on Sunday.Feel Joyce might spring a surprise championship debut or two in Matthew Tierney or Dessie Conneely.Tierney has been their best Under 20 forward the last 2 years and Dessie Conneelly was the standout player in the Galway Senior championship this year where he captained Moycullen to the County Title and was top scorer in the championship.I expect Galway to be a different animal Sunday, this will go down to the wire especially in Salthill on a wet windy day.
1.Bernard Power
2.Sean Kelly
3.Sean Mulkerrin
4.Johnny Heaney
5.Liam Silke
6.Gary O’Donnell
7.Cillian McDaid
8.Tom Flynn
9.Ronan Steede/ Cein D’Arcy
10.Eamon Brannigan/ Michael Daly
11.Paul Conroy
12.Adrian Varley
13.Rob Finnerty/ Matthew Tierney
14.Shane Walsh
15.Ian Burke/Dessie Conneely
I see that my idea to get the All Ireland semis and final moved to neutral venues is gaining momentum.
Surely in light of this Covid19 era and where no supporters are allowed to games it is the best way to go.
Think you’re spot on with that team Mayoabu
Have a feeling myself we’ll see a “wildcard” starter up front and I think it’ll be either Tierney or conneely as you say.
I actually think Paul Kelly or Sice might start at wing forward also
Impossible one to call. In February Galway looked on course to be serious all Ireland contenders and definite Connacht favourites. I don’t believe they’ve simply turned poor over night. There’s no doubt though they’re not in an ideal situation at the moment with injuries and lack of matches, but at the same time it’s a while since mayo have put together two top performances in a row.
It’s toss up stuff for me really
In Munster – which is relevant to us also – I have a serious feeling cork could mess that one up.
2016 repeat semi anyone? 😀
It is not acceptable that one team should be expected to drive individually for 3 or 4 hours to a venue, let’s say Croke Park and if another team has to spend 10 or 20 minutes in their cars.
I would love to see this gain momentum and this would level the playing field for those involved.
If,a big If,it’s Mayo and Cork in the semi, then Ennis would be the obvious venue. If Galway v cork , it should be Limerick
There was a calmness there. James Horan leaning up against the inside of the fencing and McD leaning on it from the other side. The lads performing well in front of them.
A calmness in the fixture corridor where a year ago we were told a fixture couldn’t be moved back or forward by 10 minutes due to congestion. A Connacht final in the middle of November.
There will be no one meeting anyone else going the other direction on their way to climb the Reek. There will be no one meeting anyone going in any direction. An awful calmness.
Last year the max attendance and the health and safety limits would have been soundly thrashed out at this stage. Debated here untill none or all agreed. The dreaded Virus would have us welcome back the Health and Safety scheme with open arms.
And if you were to let it, and to dwell. the current plight could bring on a sorrow, a kind of lonesomeness for what some have lost and more are going through.
Put out that Mayo flag, the green and red. This year more than ever. We’ve lost some games but never yet were beaten. We’re nearly there. The rough seas calming, we’ll soon be landing on the shore.
Am awful calmness.
Once gone I hope I see no more.
Paul Conroy has done well in his forward role in general and did very well in the league game against us. We need to curtail his influence – who takes him – Coen ?
Thedarkyfinn galway have a host of attacking threats. They will all need close scrutiny. Dead right conroy made headway at times in league game.
One swallow dont make a summer. That dont sound the same in November but ye get what I mean. Roscommon are gone. History. On now to salt hill. Once again we need ferocious intensity. Relentless tackling and keep improving our shooting. All forwards scored last week except ryan. But he works like a trojan. We’re on a good place regarding competition for places. Brings the best out in everyone
Can anyone explain the logic of making the Mayo Ladies drive 3 hours to Dublin for a game v Armagh in Parnell Park. Would Breffni Park in Cavan not been more suitable for both counties?
Pebbles I think Breffni was originally scheduled to host the game but it was moved to Parnell Park.
I think there may be some issues with the surface at Breffni, but I don’t know why it was moved to be honest.
Well lads, I’m going to give an honest assessment here from a Galway point of view if I may.
I wouldn’t pay any heed to the league game, the covid situation in the panel as well as the u20 team progressing meant preparation was not how it should have been as well as the focus. Shane Walsh back for us will make a difference, being honest, he’s our best player, let’s hope he’s 100% fit. People talking a lot about Comer but believe it or not, John Daly is a bigger loss. Top class intercounty defender and underrated outside of Galway.
If the weather is bad or anything like the Cork/Kerry or Tyrone/Donegal game this game will descend into a lottery and may well be decided by freetakers. I think Mayo will win by a couple of points but I’m not expecting a classic.
I’m also not sure about PJ as manager particularly up against someone with the experience of JH. Now if COC scores 10 points in an All Ireland Final and basically doesn’t miss for a half and wins Sam on his own I’m sure he will be a god. That’s how we view PJ, he did his talking on the pitch as a player, lets hope his managerial career goes the same way(I’m not so sure)
Best of luck on Sunday.
Think Mayoabu20 isnt too far off at all with his predicted line up there, a far far stronger lineup than took to the field in Tuam in league. Plenty of quality in that team yet.
I hope Horan and co havent spent as much time fretting over Comer as we have, because its wasted time, the lads hammer is gone.He wont be playing, and besides there is plenty of scoring power in that galway forward line without him. Conroy was outstanding v Dubs at 11.
Dont think it will be the usual guessing game around mayo team, i think the same xv that started last week will start again. Would like to see more from Ruane and R’oD. I think those 2 are most under pressure.
With all that, i expect mayo to win by 5 or 6 points, As i stated in other thread Galway simply dont have good enough individual defenders or goalkeeper to cope with our high pressing game, they wont have improved that fact on the training ground much. They simply wont cope with the press. Roscommons defence much better than Galway and they got turned over a lot.
To beat mayo you need a skillful ball playing keeper (Beggan, Patton, Cluxton or Morgan) who can live with the press. Galway definitely dont have that.
Mayo to prevail with both side putting up a big score (weather conditions pending).
Mayo 2-15 Galway 1-13
Flying back to New York on Sunday
They have WiFi on plane
Does anyone know apart from rte 2 will gaa go or anyone else be streaming the game on Sunday
Tis exciting alright. Conroy back near best against Dublin and yes I would throw Tierney into the mix for a start. Roscommons defence was very poor ,really tired looking ,made Mayo do little to get the scores. I suppose main thing for ye will be competing in midfield as I expect Clarke will be forced to kicking it long everytime. I hope to see Steed in there causing trouble for Mayo if he has recovered. It will be a battle for sure and the winner will be favourite in the semi final.
New York tommy – I’ve got the UK gaago and the match is shown as streaming on that
@chesneycat
agree with you that galway need to go long on every kickout, for 2 reasons
– in conroy/steed/flynn galway have got serious fetchers there. You would strongly fancy them in an ariel battle
– Mayos forward tacking is excellent, they put a huge press on short kickouts and overwhelm teams going short
Its why i wish we had an alternative to clarke in goals at this stage, i think the running game from the back is the way to go on sunday but clarke is very poor on short range kickouts
Thanks exile
new york tommy, minimum streaming requirements for gaa go is a minimum of 2mb/second according to their own website “Your device is incompatible with GAAGO if your broadband download speed is not consistently above 2Mbps (you can check your speed here “. I assume your flying with aer lingus and Aer-Lingus wifi is max 1mbps download speed, so you wont be able to stream video and audio. Maybe stream radio midwest radio from tune-in app would be your best bet.
@ New York Tommy. You could load the mobdro app on to your phone and then watch it on rte.
If your worried about wifi coverage you can get a portable WiFi stick and link your phone to it. I rented one for a trip to New York earlier in the year and it worked well.
Supermac
I would be very disappointed to see Power at suicidal short taps out of defence as Mayo are really sharp if you go at that. Yes lads should be able to battle for it like Cork but I would deffo put Sice in there to pick u the breaks. Id say AOS will be in midfield but what happened to Parsons I assume he has recovered from injury or alas not?
Who knows, we could see Parsons on Sunday. Not much word on him though, so its doubtful. Would be some boost for Mayo seeing him take to the field.
We’ll definitely be seeing a different Galway on Sunday. I’m a big PJ fan and his words after the massive league defeat will certainly serve to light an inferno under his charges. He has the height of respect in Galway and rightly so and he was visibly hurt after the manner of that loss. Sunday will be a war like no other. Impossible to call, and the weather will be a key factor. Its a complete toss of a coin.
– Going on what PJ has said to date his game plan will be very simple and it will centre on catch and kick
– Power is guaranteed to kick long all day to Flynn and Steede/D’arcy with the expectation they will win clean possession.
-Mayo could do what they did in the Roscommon game and crowd the midfield to win tapped down breaking ball. However I expect Galway will pull their wing half forwards way out to the sidelines therefore forcing Mayo players to follow their men just like Dublin did in 2013 and leave midfield two on two
– Add in the fielding of Paul Conroy at centre half forward and Galway have enough to dominate that area.
– Then it will be fast direct ball into Shay W at FF or to Finnerty and Burke on the wings who will use their speed to turn Barret and Oisin.
– If Shay Walshe plays at FF then Leeroy should mark him. If he plays on the half forward line then Paddy should pick him up as I think Paddy will be wasted at full back.
– Coen to mark Conroy.
– Throw a spanner in the works by playing Aido at midfield with Ruane .
– Toss of a coin who wins
Reckon Aidan at midfield if we are playing into a strong breeze, but Otherwise, should cause havoc for Galway defense playing full forward even if Mostly used as decoy to give Our half forwards more room to kick med-long range points or run thru them
Weather for Sunday is promised ok so don’t see that being a big factor. I expect Mayo to stick to their game plan and play an attacking game. Can’t see many changes to Team that started against Roscommon. As per all the big games, we will be looking to our big name players to get us through and so far they are all delivering. The concern is the kickouts. With Galway likely to push up and put the pressure on the short kickouts, we cannot afford to get cleaned out at midfield. Hopefully we can adapt our approach if we are in trouble in the middle and our approach is working but we do need a plan b when required.
Would not be surprised to see Seamie starting along with Loftus in midfield and Parsons waiting to come in fresh later in game, think rest of team as started against Rossies.