The lads are off to the Algarve for a training camp next week, according to this report in the Mayo News. This kind of warm weather training is now almost an obligatory part of the championship build-up for inter-county teams and with a good while still to go to our Connacht championship opener, it should help to break the monotony somewhat. Unless they go on the lash of course and hit the clubs but I’m sure Johnno will have his spies out to ensure that any high jinks are kept to a minimum. The break in Portugal that the Meath lads recently had certainly didn’t do them any harm – they took lumps off us in that challenge game when they got back and then they had the poor Scallion Ayters for breakfast at Croker last Sunday.
Speaking of that Meath challenge game, the report mentioned above says that the injury suffered by Trevor Howley at the end of that game wasn’t, after all, a broken ankle. Instead, what’s ailing him is “ligaments detached from the bone”. Sounds fucking painful, whatever it is, but the good news is that Trevor’s recovery time could now be shorter, which raises hopes that he’ll be back in time for the Connacht final, should we get there. (And on that point: check out this thread on gaaboard.com where a few Sligo lads are fairly stirring the pot. And sure why shouldn’t they? They are the defending provincials champions, after all.)
That Mayo News report I mentioned above also discusses various knocks and bumps that a number of the lads have picked up but none of them sound hugely significant so there’s no point discussing them further. The report also mentions last week’s rather hush-hush challenge match against Offaly, which we lost. I’d heard that already but there’s bugger all in the way of further information on it and I see that there’s no match report on it in the Mayo News either. The only other info I’ve been able to get on it is this thread on Hogan Stand where one of the Faithful claims that they beat us by three points and that we were close to full strength but were minus Mort the Younger. I have no idea as to the veracity of these particular nuggets of information. Kev mentions this match briefly in his column but only says that it was a crap game – he must be in on the secret as well, then, as he’s obviously saying nothing. The Voice of Experience clearly isn’t though, as he confines himself to club matters this week.
Finally, there’s a good article in the Mayo News by Daniel Carey about Pat Fallon’s all-conquering Over-40s who this year are aiming for their own All-Ireland three-in-a-row but whose efforts are being clouded by the possible demise of the Masters grade. Burn-out can’t be an issue for Over-40s: those bellies would take too long to incinerate, surely!
Kevin McStay has a bit about the Offally match in his column in the Mayo News. It was apparently a big secret , why I dont know. We had that bull before the 2006 All Ireland when training was done behind closed doors. Fans like to see THEIR team, it does not exclusivly belong to the Mayo County board thank God. Would it hurt to let the fans know in advance and let the younger kids see a match without being trampled on by us bigger people. Forget the waffle and P.R exercises, we are able for the good days as well as the bad days. Otherwise do what Tyrone do, dont play challenge matches. Better, play against some of the top Mayo clubs, i.e Ballina, Cross, Knockmore , Kiltane on a breezy day in Bangor. that would be competitive and give some of the lesser lights in Mayo a chance to appear in the shop window.
It’s a bit odd of Kev alright. He did the same last year about a challenge game prior to the qualifiers, saying very little about it but giving us some titillating waffle about how we’d like the new-look Mayo. I think that this is his army training coming out – you could easily picture him coming out with that “I could tell you but then I’d have to shoot you” bullshit!
in fairness McStay was correct….there was a big change round preceeding the Cavan game. David Kilcullen started center back against Cavan and Pierce Hanley at Center forward. What became of Kilcullen??? He was certainly worth persisting with. of course we all know what happend the other fella 🙁
He was right about the changes, for sure, but he wasn’t minded to let us in on the details. Fair enough, I suppose, but in this information-saturated age, it’s difficult to keep anything under wraps.
The disappearance of both Kilcullens is a bit of a mystery. David apparently also cried off the U21 panel this year and I think it’s fair to assume if himself and Pierce Hanley (who was also still U21 this year) were on the team, we’d be U21 All-Ireland champions now. James seems to have faded away too but it would be difficult to blame him if it was his decision not to be involved this year, after the way he was treated last year.
i didnt realise Kilcullen was also U21. You are right, there was an U21 title up for grabs. I try not to get caught up too much on the players we lost. Every county has similar losses whether its to other sports or other parts of the world, but I will always regret the loss of Hanley. He was going to be something special i reckon. Actually i had a funny dream the other night( after about 10 pints mind you), we were the only team left that could stop kerry winning the 5 in a row, and Andy moran did a Seamus Darby on it!!!! 🙂 You know something it might not be as far fetched as you think, kerry could well be going for 5 in a row and I would expect us to be in or around our peak around the same time!!! what odds would I get!!!
I used to have dreams like that too but sadly (or not) my ten-pint nights are now well behind me. Andy Moran would need a few of those kinds of sessions too before his gut starts to resemble Seamus Darby’s!
Hi Guys, Carlsberg dont do dreams …. but if they did they would probably be the best dreams in the world !
I agree with wj , If we had the two guys this year on the u-21 side we may have done something special again…. we were not that far off at all… and kerry did what kerry do best in winning yet another easy final ! Indeed one could argue that if A Campbell started we may well have made it through …. but that argument is for another day .. With all our fullback problems just wondering guys .. is ger cafferkey an answer or possible solution …. was impressed with the way held his own against tommy walsh …?
I think Cafferkey looks like the long-term answer at full-back but it’s probably too late to pitch him in there at this stage for this year. There’s no question, though, that these U21s will be the backbone of the senior team before too long.
cafferky is the only answer as far as i can see. He is turned a little easily for my liking but there are no other solutions. Kevin Cahill was the complete full back in many ways….big and fast with bucket loads of aggression. I see maughan raving about Aidan O se……possible center half forward of the future?
Ted. Aiden O Shea really is the new McD or Hanley. I have seen all but one of Breaffys league games to date, and he has been outstanding in all of them. He is big (great fetch) strong, very mobile, good ball carrier, and two good feet. He is well fit to play senior county football now, but I know thats not going to happen. Im not sure if he has even turned eighteen yet, and like all good young lads he will be asked to play an awful lot of football over the next 3 or 4 years. His father is also the club manager, so I would imagine he will do all he can to protect him from burnout. Keep an eye out for him in the club championship. I really do think that hes the real deal.
The lads mentioned there Kilculllen and Cafferkey are prime example’s of players, We should be blooding in the Championship. But alas, We throw a Midfielder in at fullback and as good as he has applied himself, We are still shipping goals. Conroy is not a fullback neither is Cunniffe who has been lambasted by sections of the fans because Johnno played him anywhere but his natural position.
Having said that the young players We have coming through will be the backbone of a top Mayo team but this relience on switching lads especially youngsters into unfamilier position could (and most probably will backfire) before this year is out .