Photo: MichaelMaye.com
Yesterday’s disappointing defeat to Kerry didn’t have too many positives for us but the bright showing by Tom Parsons in midfield was one of them. Little wonder then that the rangy Charlestown player has galloped away with this week’s Man of the Match award, claiming 47% of the popular vote. Ger Cafferkey, Colm Boyle and Shane Nally shared second spot in the poll, all of them attracting 9% support.
Well done to Tom and the other lads for their performances on what was a difficult and fairly dispiriting day for all of us yesterday.
I agree. Could very easily have won that Game. Better luck against Roscommon
Well done Tom. A powerhouse of a man and terrific footballer. Love watching him on the ball, he moves very fluidly and is very nimble for a big man. Crucial player for us.
Yes, another terriffic performance by Tom P. What a player he is, must be frustrating for him. Look are we ever going to learn? We neef to start with a recognised freetaker ala Freeman, COC or in their absence Evan Regan.You cannot expect to win without one. Its that simple. Robbie Hennelly was our best freetaker last Sunday.His two crucial long range frees v Monaghan gives us chance to survive in Div 1. But I think its asking too much to have to come up the long way so often. It was obsiovusly a plan to for RH tk take the long range ones but coming for so many is conter effictive and any goal keeper needs minding his goal and accurate kickoutd priority. Robbie kickouts remained first class. He cant be happy with the goals he conceded. This long ball into AOS time after time when not working is stupid. He only played 6 mins in Clones and we won.He dosent get fsir play refs but we have other fowards.A point or goal by any player is just ad good. AOS got a great goal v Donegal last August, thats about all he got that day. Whst has he got since? Sweet fuck all despite being the target of about 75% of all Mayos attacks, we need to cop.on
. Aiden is a fantastic player but when its not working we.need to use him differently. If the opposition know what exactly we are going.to do every time its makesbtheir job so much easier.Now Rochy its over to you, make the nessary changes!
Well done to Tom, keep up the great work! Its a pity that at the moment we are not converting all of the possession that we are winning into scores, hopefully that will change soon…..
Tom Parsons has added real athleticism at midfield. He has lifted up this team since his return. A nice escape and shoot for his score.
Well deserved Tom. Great to see a player make such great progress. Hard work pays off.
Another man for all seasons.Tom Parsons would grace any field of play in any age.Deserves all the plaudits for his contribution.
Well done to Tom – well deserved. With regard to the full forward issue – the sooner we get Danny Kirby in there the better. He’s a big man who will win the ball, hold it and do the right thing i.e. lay it off to a player in a better position or shoot if he finds himself in the best position….no ego, no personal glory, no TV camera opportunity…just do the right thing for the greater good of the team.
This Thursday is actually a great chance for Danny Kirby and Neil Douglas etc. to showcase what they can do. Are they good enough for the big time. We should get a good indication of this on St. Patrick’s Day. Like a lot of our other forwards, they seem to be lacking that bit of extra pace that really separates the top forwards from the others. Seeing as Castlebar have been depending a lot on their midfielders, especially Barry Moran and their half-backs, again especially Paddy Durcan to kick points for them, they will probably need to get goals. Kirby and Douglas will be crucial here, in this department. You’d like to see these two boys as well as Castlebar’s other forwards kick a few more points from play as well, as they are well capable of this. The last time they played in the final, they struggled to get points from play, Barry Moran was moved to full-forward for periods that day as well and it didn’t really work out for him on the day. Best of luck to Castlebar, we really need to get a boost from them on Thursday!
Best of luck to Mitchell’s. They have a good balance around the field which is important with a couple of nuggets here and there.The more we’re reminded of Kirby the more I think of the valuable experience he could have been having if he had been available for the league.
I think I ve solved the organisational crux of our front players btw! We need to get in a proper coach from the Ikea crowd ….one or two of their techies would transform any tangled bunch of anything in a jiffy. For absolute proof assemble an Ikea wardrobe!!
Well done tom parsons. He sure gives his all on the pitch. Was thinking about our situation and the fact that we have such a strong backroom team and fitness coaches and so many quality players that they may be just simmering away and will turn it up to boil in summer ? It’s not like they don’t know how to. And the big thing that still stands out is this , Dublin and Kerry will most likely be in a semi in late August , while someone from cork mayo donegal and Tyrone will come from somewhere to be in the other, there’s no reason a fit Mayo cannot be in and challenging if the management have the savvy they are supposed to have. Rockford told us in January to be patient, some of us weren’t and this is why the negativity shows up in forums and pubs.
I’ll put my neck on the block, Mayo to beat Roscommon and down and avoid relegation. That would be a job well done for the league as the team in a weakened state have still been competitive.
Excellent picture in the Western of AOS having his jersey’s elasticity measured by the big fella before he scored that peculiar point!
tom has been carrying the team in the league. Without him we would be in dire straits. For me i would not start aos against roscommon. I would start keith if fit enough in his place and inject pace into the forward line. It lacks pace. Starting the 3 o sheas means to much lack of mobility. Good footballers but we need more players that are fleet of foot. In the first half aiden recieved a ball in the corner, he turned inside and i said to myself ” shoot”. But he chose to recycle and then the move faded. He was in good position to shoot but did not. A natural forward is thinking what he is going to do before the ball arrives. Aiden does not have that ability and he is too fond of doing what he has done all up through the grades which is boring his way through. It seldom works.
Sweeney will get more game time now because of carey. In my view Ronaldson if fit is natural scorer as he proved in last years league. He is accurate and can shoot on the run and would be more effective than Aido as an inside forward. Douglas should be considered for roscommon as his freetaking seems to be good. I always prefer freetaking from the ground and he is good at it. Faster forwards who are aware of whats going on will win way more frees than Aido.
Release keegan from the shackles of corner back for this one and let him penetrate forward.
Forwards with pace and skill I am convinced this year and next will move more towards being the u21s. They are naturally quicker at the same age and from my own observation better footballers at the same age. Right now the young crew are level with our older crew. That is how team sport goes and I think a good U21 campaign could see Loftus + one bolter from Irwin, Reape and Duffy be options on the 26. These lads have pace and goal getting ability. We need to be careful not to wait too long past the peak of this team to introduce them. I think it is the u21s could give this panel a lift.
Great to hear Freeman played well for Aghamore. That is a club going places by the way. When Freeman plays well Mayo generally win as he gets goals when on form. I never like seeing him away from goal. AOS laying off to Freeman we have never seen properly but could be something.
I think we missed Michael Hall the last day. He is in some good form, able to make good decisions quickly and can kick pass well.
I think that it would be very unrealistic to expect the Castlebar lads to come into the team for the Roscommon game. If they win then they should be allowed to celebrate and if they lose they should be allowed to drown their sorrows. Maybe the Down game a week later might see them been a realistic option for that game. For the Roscommon game, if we are to make some changes, then players like Freeman (even for frees alone), Conroy, Ronaldson or Dillon late in the game would probably be more realistic options up front or some of the other players who have not got much game time so far like Barrett, Drake etc. if fit, at the back.
Well done to Tom Parsons. When you combine hard work, ambition and a bit of natural talent you end up with someone like Tom. He is a great example to all our young footballers of what can be achieved if you want it bad enough.
Great ability and extremely humble, that sums up Tom Parsons in my book.
Have just watched ‘The Toughest Trade’ on RTE2, absolutely the finest production in many a year.A O’S is a natural TV person, an outstanding ambassador for Mayo and Ireland. We are so proud of him in our home in Meath tonite.
Also well done to my old bud Peter Ford and the Breaffy clan, we thought you would keep Roberto, what a guy!
There is no curse and never was, the Flyin Doc Paraic Carney said it and that’s good enough for me.
Best of the best luck to Mitchells’ on Thurs,
Looking forward a long time now to the Mitchells match. If Aidan Walsh is fit and on form I think they will take this by a few points. Going to predict young Costelloe plays havoc from the bench.
It’s very quiete on here for the eve of a potential big boost to the county football spirit. All I can say is best of luck and don’t come across the Shannon empty handed.Mayo needs a champion team of dome shape in a bad way.
My score line prediction
Mitchell’s. 2-14
BB 1 -12
Barry Moran to have a big say in this.
Good luck to Castlebar tomorrow I am firmly convinced that it will be a victorious journey for the Mitchells men that will by consequence rid the county of that prevailling sense of doom and gloom. Believe.
Seeing as a Sarfields man was awarded the blog MOTM, it’s worth mentioning his alma mater won the All Ireland D Schools today. Great mix of Sarsfields and Kilmovee lads with a Swinford buck thrown in for good measure. For a small school it’s a massive achievement.
The very best of luck to the Mitchel’s lads tomorrow, I genuinely feel they’ll do the job.
Yes congrats to Charlestown as well!
Best of luck to Castlebar Mitchels tomorrow! You’d just love to see them going out and playing to their full potential, every player leaving everything they have on the pitch and after that, what will be will be.
No regrets lads!
Best of luck to the Mitchell’s tomorrow
Man watching the AOS with the flying doctor would give you goose bumps..,
If we ever get over the line …?can you imagine the feeling
Inbetweener,
I mentioned that photo as having appeared on the RTE website on Sunday night. Hope that Rory Hickey saw it too. Both Dermot Earley and Ciaran Whelan spoke of the lack of protection Aiden gets from refs on the Sunday evening GAA prog as well. Perhaps Mayo supporters should be highlighting the issue too – with examples of concrete evidence as that photo