Once again it’s time to start thinking about the weekend to come and the Championship games that are set to be contested.
The hurlers have this one off, as their Rackard Cup semi-final isn’t scheduled to take place until Saturday week (14th November). In that game, by the way, they’ll face either Leitrim or Longford, with those two set to face each other this coming Saturday.
In ladies football, the county makes its opening Championship appearance of the year this coming weekend. Like the men last weekend, the womens’ game on Saturday takes place at Páirc Seán MacDiarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon where they’ll face Tyrone. Throw-in there is at 1pm.
Tyrone were beaten by Armagh in the opening match in Group 4 last weekend and so that 6-16 to 3-13 reversal makes this a must-win tie for them. For us, the aim will be to start the campaign on a positive note with an opening win.
As far as I know, the game will be streamed live but I’ve done an online search about this just now and I’ve drawn a blank. If I get any information on live streaming for this match, I’ll post details here.
On Sunday, meanwhile, the lads are back in action, this time in the Connacht SFC semi-final. Their opponents are the defending provincial champions Roscommon and the match at Dr Hyde Park throws in at 1.30pm.
This game is being broadcast live on RTÉ2 and Meath’s David Gough is the ref for it.
It’s way too early in the week, of course, for team details or anything like that but there’s plenty of time for that between now and Sunday. Time too to run the rule over the Rossies and for a Mayo News football podcast episode previewing the big game. Stay tuned for all that.
Any news on Jason Doherty?? Still not available???
He did his other cruciate
Looks like Galway have got a walkover
Ya, posted that on the previous topic. Galway Bay FM reporting that Sligo have conceded the game. Hard to know what to think
Hypothetical situation. Galway beat mayo/roscommon by a point in the connaught final. Will we have people going mad that they had a unfair advantage by not having to play 2 weeks in a row or in our case 3 weeks in a row. Reverse that they lose by a point they say they were disadvantaged by not having had a previous game. It’s going to get messy.
It is as predicted going to be a farce of a championship . They probably should have just cancelled the league to give more breathing space between games 😉
Seriously though it probably should not have gone ahead at all. The remainder of year should have been left to clubs. Let the the club championships finish out all the way to All Ireland . There would have been free weeks to allow for postponements etc and if it ended up not finishing this side of Xmas so what ! At least they would have tried
Let’s be honest lads if Kerry and Dublin was placed in a simliar situation to Sligo would they be forced to give a walk over?
@Richie Duck, very good point you make… Galway had their own problems with Covid a few weeks ago.. it’s a tough situation alright. Best wishes for a full and fast recovery to all the Sligo players, their close contacts and families affected by the virus.. Goes to show we all have to take the utmost care to continue to play our part in suppressing the virus..
I feel sorry for Sligo no doubt they have prepared just as hard as anyone else for this championship and now don’t get to play. I think it will leave Galway at a real disadvantage going into a Connacht final against either Mayo or Roscommon with a win or two under their belts
There is one week leeway to move connaught final out another week and maybe sligo be available to play next week. TV revenue must be the reason they not doing so. As stated earlier if it was a bigger county it would be done… Best of luck to the sligo panel
Speedy recovery to all involved with sligo panel affected by the virus.
My question is :
Who is best man to mark conor cox ?
Have to agree it does turn the Connacht championship into a bit of a farce.
Feel very sorry for Sligo in this.
This isn’t worth a shite to us going into a Connacht final either.
As a player I’d take playing 3 weeks in a row rather going in cold against a battle hardened team.
Of course you have the recovery argument on the other side (one week to recover from what will assuredly be a dogfight) but I know which one I would take.
Anyway having said all that I’m still really looking forward to sitting down and watching Mayo-Ros on Sunday.
Feel sorry for Sligo but really feel they should have fulfilled the fixture if at all possible.
Fermanagh managed it in league.
The integrity of the competition is completely compromised now unfortunately, any connaught winner at this point will likely have a big asterix next to their title win.
Actually dont think the bye particularly suits galway either, they looked like they could have done with another game, id say Joyce hadnt yet settled on his team
Spectre, I’d expect O’Hora will come in to mark Cox. Although, hard to see Horan moving Keegan out of the full back line so doubt a full back line of Keegan, Mullin and O’Hora would start.
Erris Head….don’t be surprised to see Keegan moved out of the corner to patrol the threat of Enda Smith.
If Smith goes on those runs from out the field, it is very hard to stop him by legal means.
Total sympathy to Sligo on withdrawing.
It denies them a game, but it’s a game they hadn’t a hope of winning, and the fact they’re not going to field any team, is no doubt an acknowledgement of that.
Fermanagh and Roscommon each fulfilled league matches against Westmeath and Cavan respectively with half the panel missing.
3 games to win an All-Ireland.. Doesn’t seem right
Im a big fan of O’Hora but not sure Horan share my view, he may well not start.
Id say in terms of matchups it will be Stephen Coen on Conor Cox, Lee Keegan going out the field to dog Enda Smith
In terms of full forwards rossies have serious options in reserve also, likely have Donie Smith and the murtaghs coming in off the bench so need to have a plan for those also
Cant see a reason supermac why their should be an asterisk beside connaught winner if no other team has to pull out. On another note a stat to show how crazy gaa 2020 is reads since resumption of football mayo played 3 won 2 score difference +25 into Connacht semi final…. Galway played 2 lost 2 score difference – 21 into Connacht final.(i know it was 2 different competions)
Worked for us in 1950, Moose!
Hope all in Sligo panel get well soon. Hard on Galway alright, im sure they’d a love a good run out and get the confidence levels up. Could work for them too in the sense that Shane Walsh has more time to get fit. Im sure A v B games could be just as competitive as the Sligo game.
With regards the Rossie game. Im really struggling to see how we’ll win it. If Coen starts on Cox forget about it, Coen is a great player but not the man for a threat like Cox so close to goal, Stephen just doesn’t have the pace. No real sign of a defensive system at all against Leitrim, unless James has been working on a plan that no one knows anything about, we’re screwed. Look at the first 15 minutes of the Leitrim game.
Roscommon are limited to an extent, but they are well drilled, well clued in to their system. They’ve conceded hardly any goals in their league campaign. They’ll flood their defence, with wet weather it makes defending far easier. They’ll break at pace through our middle, and with this one v one defence system James is playing, they’ll surely nick a couple of goals AGAIN. Hate saying it but Ross by 4.
Horan really needs to get it right on Sunday or we will get turned over by the rossies.
In the 2017 quarter final Lee played at midfield and kept us in the game scoring a goal and a couple of points after Roscommon got 2 early goals. I hope he is not played in the full-back line come Sunday.
It will be interesting to see who he will go with in midfield as well
Will he bring back some of the more experienced lads?
It will be a ding dong battle. Up Mayo
Moose
Incredibly, it would work and 2020 is likely the only year in the foreseeable future that anyone has a chance of stopping dublin. Have you seen the plans the dubs have for 2 new centres of excellence ?
Ok ill have stab at predicting a team (this isnt my preferred team, just the way i see Horan going)
Clarke
Mullen
Coen (on Cox)
Keegan (to follow Enda Smith out the field)
Durcan
Barrett
E. McLoughlin
K McLoughlin (wearing 13 but floating somewhere around his own half)
Ruane
Diarmuid o connor
Ryan O’Donoghue
Cillian
Loftus
AOS
Conroy
I thought Coen was slow? Surely not a good option for Cox then for ye. Cox isn’t quick over distance but has that initial burst of speed to get out in front. He roasted SAOC last year and he was too slow also.
@rossieman
tbf im only calling out the team i think horan will go with, thats not the team i would pick myself
We will only play with 4 forwards anyways so 2 of yere defenders will either be further up the field or will be sweeping or double marking.
Interesting to see if K. McLaughlin Starts on Sunday…or will it prove easier for a Knockmore man to get into the White House,than break onto the MAYO senior team!!!!
PJ warned a few weeks ago the covid would make it a problem and who knows what team will be impacted next. Dubs have best panel so would cope best with an outbreak.
If Coen starts on Cox we are goosed. I think Stephen is a quality player, but doesn’t have the pace for Cox.
Probably have a better chance of winning the lotto than being able to correctly pick 1-15 for Sunday.
Ok, I’ll have a stab at it 2, 10, 15, 19, 23, 32.
Yes erris head o hora is tough bitta stuff. But not featured much in last 3 games. For whatever reason I’m not sure. He is a sticker though
Who cares how many schools of excellences Dublin have