We’ve a huge match on this Sunday, the one everyone is focused on, but it’s not the only game involving the county that’s on this weekend. Here’s a quick run-down on all the Mayo matches taking place over the weekend to come (and a little bit beyond).
The action gets underway on Friday evening when the Mayo Masters take on a Leitrim/Longford combo in Round 4 of the Gaelic Masters Championship. This match throws in at Fr Manning Gaels GAA Club, Drumlish, Longford, at 8pm that evening.
The second game involving us this weekend will be played at Adrian Freeman Park, Tooreen, on Saturday evening. It’s there that the county’s camogie team are playing Limerick in Group 2 of the Premier Junior Championship, a game that gets underway at 5pm.
We lost heavily to Armagh in the opening round of this competition but then secured a morale-boosting draw against Offaly last time out. Saturday’s opponents beat Offaly easily but then got well beaten themselves by Armagh so the form lines aren’t enormously clear going into the match in Tooreen.
We’ve two football games on at roughly the same time on Sunday. The men’s game in Salthill is on first with the women’s LGFA match in Armagh throwing in half an hour later.
For the men, it’s an all-or-nothing, winner-on-the-day knockout Championship clash with Galway, an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final tie between two counties who only a few days ago would have harboured realistic notions of progressing deep into this Sam Maguire campaign. One of them might still do this but all the losers will have to look forward to after Sunday will be the FBD in the Dome next January.
Sunday’s game gets underway at Pearse Stadium at 3pm. It’s being shown live by RTÉ.
Demand for tickets is, according to a piece by Mike Finnerty in the Mayo News (here), running ahead of expectations. Early thinking was that a crowd of around 15,000 might be at Salthill for this game but, you know, there’s nothing like a bit of jeopardy to stir supporters’ interest anew. Mike reports in that piece that 19,000 tickets had already been sold by this evening.
With a ground capacity of 25,000, this one could yet be a sell-out. Tickets are still on sale for the game, though it’s terrace only at this stage, and they’re available to purchase online here. If you want to buy them offline, you should still be able to get them at selected Centra and SuperValu outlets.
Up at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh, meanwhile, the Mayo women footballers open their LGFA All-Ireland SFC group stage campaign with a match against the Orchard County. This game throws in at 3.30pm on Sunday and it’s being shown live on TG4. Tickets for the game are available to purchase online here.
Armagh made a winning start against Laois in this three-team group and they’re now on the hunt for a second win that would guarantee their place in the knock-out stage. After that hugely morale-boosting win over Galway in last month’s Connacht final, though, our women are keen to advance too and will be gunning for the win in the Cathedral City.
Mike Finnerty sets the scene for Sunday’s game in the Mayo News – that’s here.
Finally, although I know that Monday doesn’t strictly count as the weekend, there’s another Mayo game on that day that’s deserving of a mention so it makes sense to include it in this list. This is the LGFA U16 A Connacht Championship final between ourselves and Galway, a game that throws in at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence at 7.45pm. Tickets for the game are available to purchase here.
The very best of luck to all the Mayo teams in action over the next few days.
Thanks W.J.
Let’s hope we see some good results and a bit of fire in the belly from every Mayo team and player.
Our women have been cast into the background due to the men’s game and I think the whole thing has been very unfair on them. I wish them and all the Mayo teams the best of luck and the bit between the teeth, never giving up.
Maigheo abu.
Stand ticket for sale for Mayo v Galway. Face value €25. Selling on behalf of an elderly Season Ticket holder who can’t make it to Salthill. If interested please DM me on twitter @trevornaughton thanks.
What Mayo definitely seemed to do bare minimum to get over Louth and cork, but outsmarted themselves – they were so gassed at end against cork, you’d wonder what kind of build up they done.. I’m always optimistic but I just done know.. Gubu and wtf and wibble are words that come mind
Some showers and stiff breeze forecast for Salthill Sunday afternoon.
@maumtrasna
Has there ever been a championship game in salthill when there hasn’t been rain showers and gael force wind. Lol
As long as people don’t jump up with their umbrellas when Tommy Conroy slices through the Galway cover, I’ll be happy out Supermac!
Great stuff WJ as regards all the information. Have to smile at the weather forecast. So true always wet and windy there. With one exception. Think it was 2005 or 2007. An incredibly warm day. A brutal low scoring match that we lost by a few points and then stuck in traffic for over an hour trying to get out of Salthill and Galway in the searing heat. One of the worst Connacht finals I have experienced. Looks like a big crowd for Sunday. Mostly Galway I’d say based around the negativity about our team. Never mind remember the small numbers who attended Connacht final v Ross in 2011 and the QF v Cork the same year. Those who were present were very vocal and the team responded to give us 2 great wins. Same on Sunday I hope.
Are they really expecting that many to go and for it to be a sale out? Didnt see that coming. What’s Mayos record like in Salthill against Galway. I’d say it’s better than McHale Park anyhow.
Strong and changed team to be named I’d say and Cillian will definitely be on the panel.
Kelly and Comer will both be there as well, thats for sure.
Lee keegans article today is interesting.questioning why cillian was playing a club game and not involved last Sunday.His opinion on Shane Walsh will raise a few eyebrows in Galway and how gleeful Joanne cantwell was to relate the news to him that mayo were in trouble last Sunday
Is it fully general admission Sunday or just for the terrace
Lee’s RTÉ column is here. It’s worth a read alright.
We’ll have another pod up on Patreon this morning. Rob is joined by Billy Joe Padden and Barry Cullinane on it. Barry hasn’t been on the pod for a while and it’ll be good to hear what he has to say about both teams ahead of Sunday. (No, I haven’t listened to it yet either!)
It’s now knockout football and for one of Galway or Mayo the last game of the year so I’d expect a sellout in Salthill. I don’t hold with all the fecking negativity on here. The same as folk using the 21 loss to Tyrone for not going to games since and it’s pure nonsense. Surely to God ye can’t be serious football people if you’ll only attend when everything’s rosy and victory is preordained. It’s sport and sport doesn’t work like that. Real Mayo fans will support the team through good and bad times and especially when the goings tough. When the season’s over for us I’ll get to as many club games as possible but will be chomping at the bit for the FBD and league to start again. Amazing if we can’t guarantee 25,000 in a do or die clash with our greatest rivals when probably 60 thousand from either county would claim to have been at every game all year if one of them should reach the fina. You’re not going to get the result and performance you want every time your team plays but if you’re a supporter you should be a supporter regardless. Win or lose the players and our county should be entitled to our undying support always not just on the good days.
Great no holes barred article by Edwin McGreal Mayo News on where Mayo now find themselves after that disasters last 15min again Cork last Sunday.
No matter how one looks at it or tries to put a spin on it, it was a total collapse right through from the 15 players on the way pitch to the management team on the sideline.
And the sad thing, it undermines totally the positive attitude the team had garnered from the media and Mayo supporters in general.
Going to salthill on Sunday to take on one of the favourites for this year’s all Ireland is the worst outcome possible, and barr a miracle it will be a sad ending to what promised to be a brand new dawn for Kevin McStay and his management team!
Weather looks cooler and breezy for Sunday (as of now) with some light showers and drizzle. In Salthill you have to plan for the conditions a little more than other pitches. Looking at the wind direction alone it will be straight from West to East so to me the defensive line / approach when playing against the wind is critical to minimize Galways oppurtunities from scoring from distance and the opposite when we play with it. Shots can be taken and I’m guessing from an extra 10yards out with this straight breeze. A day for shooters plus the blanket may have to hold a higher line which means we could get in behind them more i.e. greater number of direct balls into our full forward line. I’ll predict one of TC, Aido, Carr, Jordan for MOM based on the wind influence (hope the wind doesn’t turn to flatulence on me though)
15:00 17 °c 95% 0.2mm 0% Wind from W (260°) 17mph with 23mph gusts
Good article by keegan. I noticed to that Joanne cantwell was only delighted to be informing Lee of it can’t stand her either ha .
I was surprised as many why cillian was playing for his club and not for the mayo game wonder did they take their eye off the ball for that game and maybe take them for granted a bit ? Who knows .
Be interesting to see teams tommorow
I’d like to see cillian o Connor, Tommy conroy, Ryan O D starting .
New pod is now up on Patreon.
@Thedarkyfinn, as it stands it looks like being a really strong westerly wind, as you say, over 30km p/hour. Add in a wet ball, Galway’s highly conservative approach, and I think we’re going to have a lot of disappointed spectators when it turns out to be a dour, low scoring affair. It’s ironic, there’s barley been more than a short shower or two in Galway city in the past 5 weeks plus temperatures averaging over 20 degrees I’d say, then we finally get a Galway v Mayo game and it’s back to the cold, wet, windy days of the past!
Good article by Lee, but suggest we have our best 20 on the pitch over the game with possibly 3 changes from last weeks starting 15
@Clare, no excuses, good management don’t really take their eyes of the ball in any Championship game, not switched on more like.
No ifs, buts, complaining about Referees, Complaining about opposition rough play and even complaining about the blanket defences.
Just go and get it done, these guys are long enough playing now, I hope the players take the lead for the Galway game.
@BateTheBlanket I wasn’t making exsuces was I ? They could have well taken their eye off the ball who knows what was going on..
It’s fair to complain about blankets as it ruins the game. We need to come up with an answer Asap.
Cork were rough on Jack Kearney should have been a straight red all day and you can certainly complain about that .
Anyway cork is done & dusted . I’ve no doubt mayo will play better Sunday they always do in knock out as they have no choice but to do so ha .
The weather looks like showers easing off around kick off time but 30km Westerly which is a cross wind. The last time we I recall such conditions in Salthill we blew a brief 6 point lead with Michael Meehan being brilliant during their comeback but then enter Peadar Gardiner for one of the best scores we’ve ever had in championship .
Here it is, 2009
https://youtu.be/DT077_ZYUjY
It was a bit of a gamble to release Cillian to his club but if he wasn’t quite ready for the intensity of intercounty then it made total sense to give him game time. If we had pushed on when 6 up (as we should have done) ,we would have been praising the decision.
Anyway let’s hope all have learned from the experience, leaders need to lead now and if we’re going out let it not happen without the mother of all battles. Up Mayo.
If anyone has a spare stand tickets I will buy it from you. @trevor I can see someone has already contacted u on twitter.
Tickets sold out ? Pleasantly surprised if true
would ye please stop the using the words BET and BATE i just hate them . them words belongs to the saw doctors from tuam and PUDSY RYAN from the far east. end of rant.
@Seanburke stand tickets are sold out
The Galway defence collectively has a good record but individually I have doubts on they’re 2 corner backs who have away invaluable frees to Armagh and Hernon who doesn’t threaten much as a half back. It’s just as inexperienced as ours.
To Mayo supporters continuously calling for Hession, Cillian, Eoghan Mc and Tommy C, all are coming off injury. For Hession to play it needs Coen or Loftus dropped or else Coyne or Callinan- which of those 3 would ye drop?. I can see that possibility for Coen because he’s a clever operator to have on the field to finish out a game but don’t foresee Loftus dropped as management has chosen this blueprint and abandoning it now could add risk rather than reducing it. Loftus has more composure than Eoghan and Enda with Eoghan particularly instinctive and gets caught in possession in tight games). For Eoghan to play it means dropping Coen or O Hora . I wouldn’t drop O Hora but it’s their call. That said, teams have made big changes in the past that worked none more so than Tyrone putting the 2 McMahons on Kerry’s twin towers (Joe normally played at 12). So far no big risks taken by Mayo management, mainly tweaks so it depends whether we need a major change or not. We have just as good of personnel to clog the middle of defence as Galway to (Daly and Loftus play a very similar role) it’s more a case of how are Galway more consistently doing it there than us. In the 2016 drawn final vs Dubs bar the 2 freak OGs we kept Dublin from scoring points until well into 1st half (it was 0-6 to 2-0 well into the game), Rochford packed the defence.
I think Tommy C will start and the other 3 will feature especially Cillian who could be on as early as half time. The best way to accommodate him is bring Aido to midfield to add bulk (Galway have plenty) and counteract or nullify Conroy a very good player but not pacy, horses for courses on a day the elements likely play a significant part. But Aido hasn’t 70 in him in midfield so rotate it. Or just bring Aido outfield for kickouts (especially ours) with Jack filling the FF hole and one of our midfielders keeping an eye on their CHB if needed.
If Coen doesn’t start we absolutely need him there at the finish. He may not do the spectacular but is our best reader of the game. Does that right thing almost all of the time.
Sunday (afternoon) doesn’t look too bad at all according to some weather apps
Steady on yet, we won’t get a real sense until Saturday
@patrica , I see that now but it wasn’t the case an hour ago . It’s such an odd set up ticketmaster , it’s like they’re drunk the people that run it .
We beat last year all Ireland finalaist and winners this year, no reason that we can’t beat Galway and we a
re back on track.
We should have seen game out last week but don’t forget Cork were close to beating Kerry.
Knockout now so expect a different mindset from Managers and players
Ciaran it’s not the rain that’s a problem, it’s the cross wind which is forecast at 30kph average. It only suits right footed players facing the sea or lefties facing north, otherwise use the outside of the boot to bring it in if you’re kicking across the breeze. The best Mayo players at that skill are the 2 O Connors and Mattie Ruane. Hate to say it but reduces the chances of long range points going over the blanket on both sides so it could be another low scoring affair… so we’ll need our defence very well set up for this one to keep their score down and hopefully do we’ll enough the other end. The tactical mark is very important too, kick diagonally to the good corner for scoring. We have Aido and Ryan who are 2 of the best in the game for winning inside marks.
@Shuffly Deck
Coen did a very good job on Tierney in the league final so i would be giving him the same assignment on Sunday.
…If we get the ball on the weather affected side of the goal tear in hard and try to get goals or punch over the bar if it’s not on.
Sure @Neophyte, some of us are Bogmen, the Calfeen, Coween, Ladeen and so on, tis what it is.
The coming game should bring out to that raw aggression in both teams, if it doesn’t then no excuses.
Lamp into them, if C O Connor can last a full club game then surely he must feature v Galway.
Tommy Rooney was good on off the ball interview said game management was so poor and also said would you rather cillian o Connor playing a full 60 minute club or playing 10minutes in the cork game even that would have helped with cillians experience .
Also said that he thought mayo probably expected to just get through cork not that they underestimated them but they’d have enough to beat them spot on I think .
I still think mcstay & co are good but changes need to be seen tommorow when the teams are named.
Regards so called blanket defence in the last 2 games as someone posted b4 mayo beat both setups to lead 5pts and 6pts and our own defence system was the problem on both occasions. Regarding the collapse last Sunday we were involved in another one of those in 2015 but this time we were on the other side of the show. I’m sure all remember mayo hitting Dublin for 1_4 (ironically a penalty) without reply and if it wasn’t for a John small fingertip save onto the post it would have been 2_4 and there would never have been 6 in a row. I suppose I’m saying this has happened b4 and now it’s all about the reaction. We’re still there and ill take that for now.
And anyway @bate the blanket…”lets go out there now and defeat them out the gate” just wouldn’t get the blood boiling . No matter how it was roared.
For the money being sent we will need more than good Clare 🙂
If Kelly and Comer out we will win IMO.
If both fit I’d have them slight favourites with home advantage and less mental baggage.
In my humble opinion, I think the most important player to have on the field next Sunday is Cillian O’ Connor. Not just for his football ability, not just for his leadership skills but most importantly his take no shite attitude. I believe this will be a dour affair where Galway will come to intimidate and bully. We need the team to stand up and protect each other. I don’t want to see players getting the treatment like Ryan and Jack got last Sunday without their teammates coming in to stand up for them. I not advocating we start fights but if it does come to pass, like Willie John Mc Bride used to say “one in all in”
@Gizmobobs yeah that’s true fair point haha
Past performance is no guarantee of future success or failure. Despite the doom and gloom I suspect the busiest person this week will be NIamh FItzpatrick – Mayo’s famed sports psychologist. If she can work her magic and pick the players off the floor then they will know that this is a reset – every game takes on a life of its own and it really is just play by play and build from there. Variables like the weather, fitness, sudden loss or finding of form, tactics, the blanket, luck and the bounce of a ball ensure this to be the case. Will Cillian play? Will Comer or Kelly play? Will they be fit? Will Galway bate Mayo? Maybe according to Billy Joe. Nothing is certain until the final whistle. There should be a big response from Mayo – a wounded animal is a dangerous one – whether its enough we’ll have to see. I”m hopeful rather than expectant as I have for every game watching Mayo for over 4 decades. Nothing will really change on Sunday on that front – I just hope we can up our game so that we get the chance to put ourselves through it all over again the following week.
Before the last few weeks I’d have said there’s nothing in it between Mayo and Galway and despite the journey of both teams I think that’s still the case. Galway are a bit more settled structure wise but their style keeps other teams in the game as they seldom rack up big leads. Tierney and Cooke are more battle hardened and experienced than Jack Carney in our equivalent part of the field although would have to say Jordan is we’ll battle hardened at this stage. Fionn not scoring as much as those 2 Galway lads so despite work rate maybe he loses out.
All – I meant to say this before now but I never got around to it.
In the past week, over 1,300 comments have been posted here on the blog and, despite all the emotion, frustration, disappointment and anger in the wake of Sunday’s loss, the amount of troublesome comments I’ve had to deal with has been tiny. It’s been a full-on debate here since the game and the criticisms made about our performance, on the field and off it, have been fairly unsparing at times. Despite this and with only very limited exceptions (from the usual suspects, most of whose comments never appear as they’re in permanent moderation), all of this debate has, from my perspective, been okay. In fact, it’s been a lot more than okay, as it’s been informative, thought-provoking and, on the whole, constructive.
It’s a common complaint made by those who aren’t either willing or able to abide by the blog’s simple house rules that no real debate is allowed here or that no criticisms can be voiced. That’s never been true but, for anyone who might have had any doubts on the matter, the last seven days have, I hope, put that one to rest.
The reason I’m saying all this is to say thank you – for all the comments you’ve posted, for the respectful way you’ve made your point and how you’ve batted arguments back and forth, for making my life far easier than it would otherwise have been but most of all for proving, yet again, that reasonable and fair online debate can exist in the world we live in. Thanks all for playing your part in making this happen.
Was thinking similar WJ, but it’s thanks to you. We all just passers by on the forum you’ve built for us.
Hi WJ, I don’t think I speak for just myself when I say this Blog and the Pod keep me sane. ( Especially in times of strife which is most of the time following Maigheo!) There a great community of like minded souls searching for answers, and they find most if not all of them here.
Go raibh mhaith agat don obair gleoite
@willie joe thank you for providing a great place to keep us sane in times like this with such a huge game coming up as @Bonni boyler said it really does help keep me sane to your articles are always great & very informative .
WJ it can be like an Arabian brothel on here at times F*****g intense (in tents)…ha ha to quote Clare …
Anyway I really enjoy peoples opinions and even when all dont agree I think people in general provide meaningful reasoning to back up there opinion. It was pretty hot here Sunday / Monday but measured and I think folks IMO have given the benefit of the doubt that it willl be a different Mayo come Sunday !
Thank you, Willie Joe, and everybody. I love learning from all the comments here, and we get to go through these experiences together. Who’d have thought we’d find ourselves in this boat on Sunday?
Please God we’ll be bating blankets, shuffling decks, soaring into space like Willie Joe, minding the house, squeezing ourselves away from the lean times – and there’ll be one swallow swooping overhead with another swallowtail pointing the direction for Tommy Conroy to run and score a GOAL! That’s the MO-direach. Revellino will be on the sound system for half time.
I do not think we will make much changes for Sunday maybe Tommy starts and maybe some knocks in the squad force a change or two. Hopefully we will change tactics What we are doing is not working against packed defenses and hopefully we will get our energy and mojo back. Some basics, move the ball faster, stop aimless leisurely solos especially lateral. All it does is give the defense time to settle and set traps If you are going to solo you need to go hard and direct and beat your man and put the defense under pressure. Our offence needs to be less static, more purposeful running off the ball and quicker and purposeful passing. Take shots quickly to the middle for long kickouts f necessary. and strongly when the opportunity arises Let her fly with confidence like Clifford does, no dropping short which is usually a lack of confidence Stop the high press if we are losing the long ball since that just opens up our defense. Bring Aiden to the middle for long kickouts if necessary. Use subs as the game dictates and as needed not on some predetermined rotation. Be more aware generally watch for runners coming through and not just watching the man with the ball. Check runners not just run along side them.
And esp better game management, kill clock by any and all means when necessary. These are things you would say to an underage team but needed in our case.
Lastly I see similarities to last year, quick start to the league and then a lack of energy come championship.
We need to look at our training program.
Do teams have to be submitted tonight?
I can see Joyce naming Kelly to start regardless and Comer and McHugh on the bench (ie same team as last day except McDaid to 7 and Maher to midfield)
As regards changes I think we are probably making too many changes for each game.
Time to have a settled team with lads not looking over their shoulder to see if they get picked.
By all means make changes as required during games.
Last Chance Saloon on Sunday. Mayo has to start best/strongest team, and management has to be ruthless with any player not performing,, straingt to the line and give another man a chance. Both players and management have to perform 100% or its goodbye.
While I admire everyones optimism for Sunday, there’s no magic switch they can flick on in 7 days. After a month playing rubbish, wasn’t our run last year quite similar? We limped and fluked through a few qualifiers, got overran by Kildare, before getting a few lucky late scores to snatch it , and then got put to the sword by Kerry,? Fading away completely for the final 20, while they knocked over scores for fun. Too many similarities
good luck MAYO on sunday i hope and pray that we pull it off , would love to see TOMMY and CILLIAN if fit starting . also good luck to the other mayo teams playing this week end. UP MAYO
First thing in the morning I look at the blog and last thing at night I look at the blog. In between I look at this wonderful blog about 20 Times I’d say. Thanks Willie Joe and to all the wonderful bloggers, it is so therapeutic and it keeps me going throughout the day.
I’m fairly optimistic that Mayo can beat Galway on Sunday. Keep the faith everyone.
@David don’t agree you cant really compare this year to last year.
last year we had soo many injuries we limped through all the matches nearly cause the team were broken after the 21 final and so were the many supporters and who can blame anyone for that .
Yes was not great the last 2 games but I wouldn’t call the whole month rubbish .
I’ve faith our guys will turn up with a bounce on Sunday .
But entitled But entitled your opinion of course !
That big wind ye are talking about will feck it right up hopefully it isnt as bad as promised. Im actually focused on match agsinst Tipp hoping we can get positions right and ever though they say they are a sure thing the eye was drawn to coughing up 3-18 was it against Offaly. Galway are written off so all the pressure is on Tipp. I still remember the 2017 semi-final when Joe nailed the last play to beat them and my daughter fell out of her seat in the clouds at Croker and we roared for Galway amid hundreds of seething but quit Chip fans. Come on Galway. Do any of yesupport us, many hardcore Rossies fans I know down homealways support us and attend the big games too or does the football history blight ye to the maroon jersey.
@Chesneychet well ye can have the hurling win over the weekend so long as we get the football:p haha only messing ha. Galway have a great hurling team.
I would support Galway in the hurling yeah sure I did support ye last year in the final even ha .
Mayo have always been a football county but think hurling is coming up a bit ..
@Knockingabout .. mighty blog but hardly therapeutic !!!
I voted for Cork to win on the poll , based on their performance against Kerry .
I voted for Mayo to win on Sunday.
Backs to the wall , no players being minded .
It’s Galway in Salthill , I expect a big reaction from our bucks .
Mayo by 4 . Bring it on
Yes @PM ticket sold over on twitter. Thank you.
I think it’s fair to say Flynn has put his hand up as far as offering leadership. Maybe he will inspire others around him to do similar. There is too much tradition between the two counties to write Mayo off and they often produce when least expected
Galways star studded team definitely have the personel to go up a gear now that we are in knockouts. They are strong down the middle with quality supporting players.
There is the one nigling doubt about Mayo….our weakness will certainly be at the heart of Galway plans.
Thanks WJ for keeping all sides going. No doubt at times, you share the same frustrations as all of us, but manage to keep a positive spin on all affairs Mayo
I wonder will Fionn McDonagh be named to start. That’s 3 games in row he has been named to start but hasn’t. Not very fair on the lad I think.
To echo Willie Joe, this has been the highest standard week of posting I’ve seen. Well done all.
Was thinking today we kind of over think things.
Talent is what ultimately wins team sports with appropriate tactics and fitness. My view is across the 75 mins we are not doing well in having fresh talented players in their best positions.
The job of the rest of the team is to protect and provide. Carry a bit more water.
It irks me how we expect Aidan to drag his frame around the field working as we lack structure. Irks me that water carrying defenders move on up clogging up space around Aidan and Ryan.
Extremely irked by our open democracy policy on shooting. Defenders shooting off their weak foot. Come off it, that’s a 20% shot at best. I’m irked.
WJ – I think there is something going on with my posts.I sent a couple and they didnt appear then I sent a test one and that showed ..Gremlins ??
Just checked, Thedarkyfinn, for some reason they went straight to the bin. I’ve no idea why. It was the same comment a few times so I’ve cleared one now. I’ll keep an eye on case it happens again.
Good stuff Clare, hurling is a far better game particularly in these times when only county loyalty can keep you alert at many football games. I would take the hurling too but its funny being a dual county switching back and forth. I often thought if we only played one code we would win a lot more but its a neat enough divide between the codes with my side hurling.My first final was 86 when we lost to Cork. 37 years later still waiting to beat them in a final.
I was on the Hill shouting for your lads that day, Chesneychet, but sadly Johnny Crowley, Tomas Mulcahy and Kevin Hennessy had other ideas. I was there in ‘81 too, that was my first ever All-Ireland, and although I was shouting for Galway in that one as well, it was something to be there to witness Offaly’s breakthrough win that year. In those days, you could pay cash at the gate to get into the terraces on All-Ireland final day, there was a monster crowd in the Canal End for that one.
Chesneychet – I would say 99% of Mayo supporters- including myself – would support the Galway hurlers.
Hopefully they will win Saturday evening but it won’t be easy.
That was a great memory to share, Willie Joe, being able to pay cash at the gate to get into the terraces on All-Ireland Final Day in 1981.
JP, what you said here is elegant and works, in my view – that is, across the 75 mins to have “fresh talented players in their best positions”.
I’m thinking to have people who can take a score to be in the position to do that when we need it, for example, at the end of a game.
AND, to have people who can defend in those positions, when we need them.
Ditto for experienced heads who can organise players around them, like Stephen Coen.
And leaders in all the lines.
Just a small list there, inspired by your comment.
Still remember my Da lifting me over the turnstiles in Croker. Don’t remember the match but would have been Mayo one circa 1985. Gwan Gaillimh for the Hurling, someone has to knock Limerick off their perch.