Right, that’s enough moping about all those wides yesterday – our next match is almost upon us. On Wednesday evening in Cloone, our U21s begin the defence of their U21 Connacht title when they take on Leitrim (throw-in 7.30 pm) and, courtesy of Club Mayo Dublin, here’s Ray Dempsey’s first team selection at U21 level:
Mayo (Connacht U21 Championship v Leitrim): Robert Hennelly (Breaffy); Pat Mulchrone (Burrishoole), Shane McHale (Knockmore), Kevin Keane (Westport); Lee Keegan (Westport), Eoghan Reilly (Castlebar), Sean Prendergast (Claremorris); Shane Nally (Garrymore), Ger McDonagh (Castlebar Mitchels); Cathal Carolan (Crossmolina), Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Jason Doherty (Shrule-Glencorrib); Neill Douglas (Castlebar Mitchels), Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Alan Freeman (Aghamore).
There are plenty of familiar names in that line-up, with a good number of these lads having played on All-Ireland day at minor level either last year or the year before. This team will surely have more than enough firepower to see off Leitrim on Wednesday night but the worrying thing, I guess, is that four of the starting fifteen also lined out (three of them from the start) for the seniors against Dublin last weekend and there’s a strong likelihood that they’ll be expected to play in the NFL matches against Derry on Saturday night and against Kerry the following weekend. Assuming the lads beat Leitrim, however, they’ll be facing Roscommon in the Connacht U21 semi-final on Paddy’s Day, which means that some or all of this quartet could be asked to play five matches in three weeks.
That’s just plain stupid and, given that this match scheduling was known for months, was also completely avoidable. We’ve a great chance to do well at U21 level this year but a bit of forward planning in terms of the numbers of matches some of the lads are being asked to play wouldn’t have gone amiss.
a few surprises in there. Keane in the corner is the first one! Nally at MF is another strange one and OShea at FF, again, given his performances in the league so far it’s a surprising decision. Im starting to think he needs to be at CHF, afterall thats the positon from which he has played his best football .
A good mix with a lot of lads from last year still there especially up front. I don’t know the circumstances but John Broderick was there last year just out of minor and he doesn’t seem to be involved at all. Others who looked to be sure to have a chance at inter county were James Cafferty and Cathal Freeman (injured) but they are missing also.
John Broderick doesn’t seem to be in the list for now, at least and Cathal Freeman is still recovering from that horrendous leg break. James Cafferty is also injured, I think. BTW, included in the subs are Aidan Walsh (who could easily have started in midfield), Jason Gibbons, Raymond Geraghty and some others.
Aidan Walsh…was wondering where he was. Wonder who the free taker is?
Agree with you WJ. Why not give the senior guys a couple of weeks off and let them concentrate on the U21’s?
It’ll hopefully help them build up their confidence (especially O’Shea…) away from the senior spotlight.
We have a good enough panel to be able to cope without a few lads. Would give some other players a chance to impress as well.
Any idea if Midwest are covering the game?
I’m surprised that Aidan Walsh isn’t on the team, for the frees alone you’d think he’s got to be worth his place.
I think Midwest might be providing score updates tomorrow night but, according to their schedule, you’ll need to endure a fair bit of nice ‘n’ easy 70s classics at the same time. I’ve got a late work thing on tomorrow evening so I’ll probably be out of the loop on it too but I’d say I’ll still manage to get at least the full-time score up before the evening is out.
Club Mayo Dublin might be doing updates on their website and/or via Twitter as well and the latest scores thread on gaaboard.com is usually good for updates. There’s also something on Facebook (here’s the link) but Facebook remains a closed book to me, I’m afraid!
Thanks WJ.
Very surprised about Aidan Walsh as well, thought he’d be a shoe-in for the side.
We found out ourselves last Sunday the cost of not having a proficient free taker on the team.
It will also be interesting to see how McLoughlin does at CHF, assuming that is where he starts. He can also take frees from what I remember of last year.
Is Schlingermann not a part of this panel ?
also will he be playing in goal or outfield for the coming year ?
Also are there any Erris men on the U-21 panel ?
I don’t think he is, Roger – none of last year’s minors are on the starting fifteen tomorrow night although Michael Walsh, Keith Rogers, David Gavin, Danny Kirby, Andrew Farrell and Aidan Walsh are all in the subs. There’s no sign of Schlingermann’s clubmate Ciaran Charlton either, nor does Cillian O’Connor feature (though I understand that, like Danny Kirby, he’s young enough for minor again this year). No Erris men either, by the looks of it, though I guess that could change as the campaign develops (i.e. assuming we get a run going again).
It must be a very strong U21 team if they can keep Charlton off the bench considering the brilliant All Ireland club final he had.
no real surprise to see nally at midfield. he played there for colemans last year and also played at least one game at midfield for garrymore this year.I would hope that if we beat leitrim ,the senior players will be rested for the game v derry but going on o mahoneys past history this will not be the case.
Cloone directions
MEANWHILE, Mayo supporters wondering how to get to Cloone should heed this advice from Connacht GAA Council Secretary, John Prenty. “Go to Carrick-on-Shannon and then head out the Dublin road to Mohill. Go left at the bottom of the town in Mohill and you go straight into Cloone.”