Photo: donteatalone.com
We’re all getting slightly twitchy, I guess, as the clock ticks down to the start of our do-or-die Round 2B qualifier against Fermanagh at MacHale Park tomorrow (throw-in 3.30pm). There’s been bugger-all out of either camp in the lead-in to the game and a little more than 24 hours out from throw-in there’s no word as yet on either county’s starting fifteen. And, of course, there’s a strong likelihood that whatever teams are named won’t be the ones that’ll start.
I’m not sure what the Ernesiders plan to do about announcing their pick but we said last night that we’ll be naming our starting fifteen this evening. I’ve no idea when in the evening this will happen but, as the man says, all will be revealed in due course. In the meantime, here’s some #mayogaa stuff to keep you going.
We’ve scuttled back into the elephant grass where the nationals are concerned, by the looks of it, save for this piece in the Irish Independent by former Tyrone great Peter Canavan. The man who first lifted the Sam Maguire for the Red Hands says that it’s time for the leaders of this team to show their worth. He says he’d “be astonished if we don’t see Mayo go out and lay down a marker against Fermanagh tomorrow.” That’s the plan, Pete, hopefully one we’ll put into practice emphatically tomorrow.
Closer to home, John Casey provides his thoughts in this week’s Mayo Advertiser – here. John’s take isn’t a million miles from Peter Canavan’s, echoing the point about the need for our talking to be done on the pitch. He describes tomorrow’s match as “the acid test for Rochford and his team” and he’s surely correct there. John reckons we’ll do it but adds the rider that “it may not be as convincing as the bookies think.”
Also in the Mayo Advertiser, Colm Gannon has a match preview – here. Colm sifts through the various options in relation to team selection and while he terms Fermanagh as “dangerous visitors” he points to their modest record so far this year, concluding that they’re likely to be “well off the pace Mayo will expect to set.”
The last piece I want to direct you towards for now is by Rob Murphy in the Mayo News (here), which touches on the point that’s been given a good airing here of late, about supporting the team and the journey we’re on and all that. Rob gives a good insight – which we chatted about on the margins of the podcast the other week – about what it was like following Connacht Rugby on their march to Pro 12 glory. The interesting point he makes is that the trophy “was just swept up along the way” and that the real treasure to be mined from the experience was the journey itself and all the memorable displays the team provided.
Right, back to the here and now. We’ve had a small taster of summer the last few days but the forecast for tomorrow doesn’t look hectic as you can see from the graphic below. With fast-moving weather coming in off the Atlantic it is, of course, very difficult to predict – even as close as 24 hours out – exactly when the rain will hit and when it’ll have passed through but there’s at least a strong chance that it could be wild, wet and windy at MacHale Park tomorrow. And that’s before the scrabbling for the unreserved seats in the stand gets going in earnest.
Back later with the team news.
Source: Yr.no
My team v Fermanagh
Clarke
Harrison
Keane
Higgins
Keegan
Boyle
Durcan
SOS
Coen
McLoughlin
AOS
Doherty
Regan
Cillian
Andy
Bit of a pain waiting for the team. Doesn’t bode well either in my opinion. I would understand it for a Connacht final or further on but I don’t get what is the advantage in delaying the naming for a second round backdoor qualifier.
So ballagaman
No room for Diarmaid O Connor?Dont think Id agree with that.In my view he is ahead of most of your starting forwards!
Still not a bad team if they play as they can!
At this rate it’ll be a folded A4 for the team program 🙂
Saw the programme earlier. An interesting selection
Ah you can’t do that Ger
I dont see anything wrong with delaying the team selection. No one really needs to know other than the ref an hour or so before the throw in. Who needs a programme, surely everyone knows the players by now. I prefer it this way than the whole dummy team announcement midweek that everyone knows wont line out. Good man Stephen, keep your cards close to the chest and keep everyone guessing.
Ara Ger Bohan .You can’t be at that lark..”Interesting”team selections always unsettle me for some reason!!
Delaying the release of team selection is only annoying to some fans that are anxious. Anyway, they can name 1 team and start another, so it’s only something to talk about for us fans at this stage.
I would like to see us with 3 in the ff line, keep them in there and attack full throttle as well as not allowing Fermanagh an inch on their kickouts.
Andy freeman Regan in ff line. Diarmuid, aos and coc as half forwards.
Sos and Barry at midfield.
I’m confident we will see a performance to please both fans and the players themselves tomorrow
Ger you are at it again!
Ger
You are some bolix in the nicest possible way.
Sorry WJ!?
Don’t know how anyone could exclude Diarmuid O Connor from our starting team.Hes the best 12 in the country.He starts in place of Doherty.
You’re such a tease Ger!
I suspect there will be changes in goals, midfield obviously, but going with youth over height/size and in the forwards.
I have to admit that I am glad there has been little or no coverage and media reports in the build up to tomorrow. The only place to do your talking is on the field. End of. Personally, I believe the delay in naming the team means nothing because even if it was named on Monday evening, chances are, the team named would not play.
I hope there are 4 or 5 changes from the Galway game because if there isn’t, it means there are no fringe players pushing hard enough to force their way into the team. If that’s the case, particularly when you remember how poor we were v Galway, it would be very worrying. It’s time to let the young lads have their head and shove a few of the “settled” lads out of the way. The U21’s have a different mindset and play with the confidence of winners. If they are not given the chance to play now we are missing a golden opportunity. I’d have Coen at midfield, Loftus in the full forward line, O’Connor in the half forward line, Hall and O’Donoghue in the back six.
I also believe that choosing Cillian as captain was playing to the media and the crowd more so than selecting the best candidate for the job. You need your captain in the middle of the action, centrally on the field where he can influence the game, encourage his teammates and also fuck them out of it when they need it. Boyle should have the armband and no-one else. But, doctors differ and patients die.
Looking forward to tomorrow and I expect a solid improvement and a victory by 4 or 5 points.
I see they are talking about the draw for the next round as well. Monaghan/Longford, Cork/Limerick, Mayo/Fermanagh and Kildare/Offaly will be in the same pot. First out has home advantage.
Jaysus pebblesmeller, we’d be dumped out of the championship if we started Hall and O’Donoghue, Fermanagh are no mugs. No doubt them u21’s will go on to have stellar careers, but let them develop physically over the next year or so…MASSIVE jump from 21’s to senior.
The more “established” backs in the panel have earned the right to keep their place, and go out and put in a performance, which i fully expect them to do so.
Bestsince51 I agree that DOC shud start ahead of Doherty but I think Ciaran Kilkenny is every bit as good as DOC
I dont need me Cadburys bar or the programme. But it’s just habit at this stage.
Handy for the subs in fairness with numbering. Several players looking similar from distance.
Pebblesmeller, O’Donaghue is not on the panel
I believe you maybe incorrect there Mayomad. A recent addition I understand. I’m weary of the rumours charter, however with the team due to be announced imminently, WJ may let it slide on this occasion.
The Mayo team for Saturday’s qualifier game against Fermanagh in Elvery’s MacHale Park at 3.30pm is
1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
2. Brendan Harrison (Aghamore)
3. Kevin Keane (Westpory)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)
5. Lee Keegan (Westport)
6. Colm Boyle (Davitts)
7. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
8. Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy)
9. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore)
10. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
11. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
13. Evan Regan (Ballina Stephenites)
14. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
15. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber, captain).
Probably the strongest 15 available. I wonder will there be changes on the day?. I can see one or 2 in the forwards possibly.
Not bad in fairness. If they can’t beat Fermanagh we may give up all together
I’d be very happy if that’s the team to take to the field on Saturday. Although I would have liked to see freeman get in ahead of Doherty I would expect him and a few others to get their chance of lads arnt performance.
No let up tomorrow boys, 100% from the start!
Clarke in goal Hallelujah
Agree with previous posts. It’s a bloody good team. Now the players have to prove it tomorrow.
No complaints with that team, hope its the team that starts and in that formation. Delighted Higgins is back in the corner. Game on!
Mayomad, I know he’s not in the panel. I was just offering my opinion regarding who I’d like in. But, as I said Doctors differ and patients die!