The draw for Round 1 of the qualifiers is set to take place next Monday morning. The draw will be held on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland show at 8.35am and it’s an open draw among the eight teams involved, with the first team picked from each pairing having home advantage.
The draw features three teams from Ulster (Armagh, Monaghan and Tyrone), two each from Leinster (Louth and Meath) and Munster (Clare and Cork) as well as ourselves as the sole Connacht county. It’s a mixed bag in terms of how tough potential opponents might be and, depending how the draw goes, we could be faced with either a handy enough assignment or else an extremely tough proposition on the first weekend in June.
So, what do you reckon – which of the seven would you like us to pull from the hat on Monday morning?
Who would you like us to draw in Round 1 of the qualifiers?
- Louth (37%, 355 Votes)
- Tyrone (21%, 203 Votes)
- Meath (15%, 144 Votes)
- Clare (15%, 140 Votes)
- Cork (7%, 70 Votes)
- Armagh (4%, 39 Votes)
- Monaghan (1%, 12 Votes)
Total Voters: 963
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Can’t remember being less enthused about one of our qualifier draws. Used to be desperately moving the dial at 0830 to radio one a few years ago for the draws. To be honest, we’re better off going out next round rather than limp on to be beaten later on. Clear the decks and move on to next year, hopefully with a new head honcho.
Good man Tommy Joe, you are a big addition to this blog. Personally I don’t think we should be afraid of anyone in that draw. I would preferably like to get Meath or Cork.
Thank Deel River.
Id like to get Monaghan. I think they are as good if not better than anyone we would face in the following round and it would give a good indicator of where we are at.
A win against Monaghan would also give us the boost in the arm we need to kickstart our championship.
I voted for Louth. Easy as possible, but we’re good at revenge, like Donegal in 13. How many times have we beaten the AI champions the following year. Pity we’re always a year late with our revenge.
Either of the Leinster sides for me.
You’d imagine Meath will be a shadow of themselves without Morris up top assuming the bans stick. Not sure even at 100% they’d manage a result against any of the division 1 sides. From a point of having a young up and coming side a few years back they seem to have slid backwards instead of improving, not sure from the outside what’s going wrong there but it certainly doesn’t look positive.
Louth would give the lads the opportunity to work around an efficient tactic from Mickey but not performed at the highest levels of physicality, which might be helpful longer term. Louth still a few years development from being able to stick with top sides on S&C from all we’ve seen this year. Up and coming though, didn’t expect Harte to do this well fair play to them.
Priority is to avoid the 3 Northern teams.
After that a home draw against any ot the rest and I’d be happy out.
I vote for Clare. I’d expect we’d get a decent game against them and Ennis wouldn’t be a bad trip. Can’t understand the let’s get knocked out now mentality.
No doubt, I don’t think anyone understands that attitude, except for Tommy Joe of course!
I voted for Tyrone.
If we are going anywhere this year, we need to beat the Tyrone Blanket.
I said it before that the end of the season is the time for judgement day. I remember travelling from Cork in I think 2016 after getting well beaten by the home team in the league and Tommy carr making his judgement call on mayo said “mayo are a busted flush” and we all know how close they went to claiming the big prize the following September.
Agree no doubt. Voted Clare too. We’re not going to get our mojo back with the flick of some imaginary switch like some people think. A lot of our squad need championship experience so the more games the better.
Cork, naturally, in the concert venue!! I promise a huge welcome to all bloggers and I expect you’ll all be going home happy! Please let us have no more of this ‘ we’d be better off getting beaten in the first round ‘ mentality
Lancashire, Away
I think Tyrone would be the toughest possible draw for Mayo. . The All Ireland Champions were surprisingly poor versus a very good Derry team, and got a good hammering and a good lesson for themselves. Poor discipline cost the Red Hand, 2 Red Cards and a the concession of a penalty making the score line much worse than it would otherwise would have been… Regardless of the discipline issues Derry were far superior on the day, and deserved winner’s.. However since then, Tyrone have won the All Ireland Under 20 Championship again having too much for the favorites Kerry, who collectively must be sick of the sight of Tyrone by now, .. And at least 2 or 3 of their U20 players look up to the standard for Senior Football, so I expect joint Manager’s Logan and Dooher, to be strengthening their Squad with new blood… I prefer Mayo to draw one of the better team’s at this stage and see how we are going, at home preferably. Unless lessons are learned from our two most recent competitive games in big match’s, the Championship v Galway and the League Final v Kerry…The timing of changes made on the sideline left allot to be desired, the tactic (not tactics) and of course we are unfortunately hampered by an injury list that takes believing. Anyhow I am coming around to the belief that Dublin might just have enough to lift Sam once again in July. Or Kerry, or Tyrone, or Someone else ! And unfortunately I can’t see Mayo beating any of them at this point in time, Hope I’m wrong tough. .. One thing for sure is that the GAA would love Mayo to have a good run, it was interesting that Tyrone the All Ireland Champions playing Derry didn’t manage to sell out Healy Park, one of smaller County grounds!. Can you imagine if Mayo were in the same situation?, Croke Park wouldn’t be big enough to hold the expected crowd, such is life!.. I seen a few Championship football games from around the country on the Sunday Game and several had only a paltry attendance.
Cork
Louth are the easiest opponent so would pick them. Tyrone the one to avoid. Wouldn’t mind a trip to the new pairc uí chaoimh all the same.
Think I know the answer but are there any prohibited matchups? Can any 2 of the 3 Ulster teams be drawn against one another? Let’s have Monaghan v Tyrone pulled first!!
There aren’t any, Not Half Fast, it’s a straightforward open draw. I’m with you on that first pairing!
It’s been a very flat few weeks after week on week action in The league.I went for Louth…..reckon we have the advantage in the mind games dept having beaten them in 1950 and all!.
Have we played them since?
Any of the non Ulster teams. Get injured players back and build momentum. Galway or Roscommon in quarters would get the excitement going.
We’ve only played them in the League, 1989, and the most recent time we did so was back in 1998, when both James Horan and Ciaran Mac were in he team. The only time we’ve ever played them in the Championship was the 1950 final. These stats, as well as lots of other fun facts, are available to all in the results archive here on the blog. If you search by county and filter by competition, it’s all there.
I do remember being in Drogheda when Mayo beat Louth; sitting on an embankment watching events unfold in a leisurely fashion. Must have been ‘89.
Mayo v the easiest possible opponent, please. Daft to be looking for a top team. These backdoor games are about winning, getting thru with minimum fuss, no injuries and least amount of energy exerted, physical and mental.
It sounds like we need time to circle the wagons a bit and allow some of the half-injured players to get somewhat fit again. If we win our qualifier round one tie, when does the next round take place?
I voted for Louth, who got a good trimming by Kildare in the Leinster Championship and who might struggle against a Division One side for 70+ minutes, coming from Division Three. That said, given that we’re a bit weakened at the moment, I think any of the other teams in the draw could give us a proper rattle.
Tyrone is a bit surprising at 20 per cent of the vote, we have looked completely clueless the last three times we played them.
It doesn’t really matter who we meet, if we are good enough then bring on the best, The Management team as a huge part to play, as I believe we have enough of talented players to beat any of the teams in this draw, but the problem is it seems to field the right 15 on the day, Hon Mayo,
I voted for Meath, but after a quick glance through the picks we shouldn’t fear any of them. If we can avoid an away trip up north then that’s all that matters. Then Limerick in the next round would do nicely. We’re due some luck. God knows we’ve had none when it comes to injuries.
I voted for Louth but would take any one outside Ulster. We need a winnable match while we are still working back injured players.
Sometimes you can put the best musicians together and get a terrible racket because there is no chemistry or the conductor isn’t able to blend them together to make sweet music. Maybe we need our “musicians “ to gel together (an opportunity missed during the league” or we need a new conductor. Lets be honest here…we are still deeply angry at last years All Ireland. No matter who we get now will have confidence against us. We are so inconsistent that we could beat Tyrone and be turned over by Clare.
Given the huge amount of wides we kicked against Tyrone in th AI, and the fact that everything they tried came off for them, I can see why some people would want Tyrone in the draw.
Our AI performance left a few areas where we failed miserably.
Mainly.
1) Shot execution
2) Match ups
Another rattle at Tyrone would give the management a chance to prove whether they have the game and know how to get it right this time.
Sometimes I think this wishing for weaker teams in the draw is a reflection of the lack of faith in the manager to get the calls right.
Meath , love beating Meath , 96 never forgotten I’m afraid for me .
@Revellino, sometimes or for some people maybe.
Right now for me? It’s just being intelligent wanting a softer draw.
We’ve a lot of lads lacking match fitness, just recovered or still recovering from injuries and lads that haven’t played much ball at all for 12 months or so that would give a huge benefit from a few games under their belts before we face a tougher challenge than we need to. Robbie, David McBrien, Oisín, Eoghan, Paddy, Sam Callinan, Jordan, Diarmuid, Bryan Walsh, Darren McHale, Cillian and Jason (not including Ryan and James as I’ve no idea where they might be at, they could be at 100% right now or out for the year for all I know, though the rumours swirling around don’t sound great) will all be in a better place a week or 3 weeks after the qualifier than they are right now… barring any fresh injuries.
It isn’t just shaking off a defeat stuff or hoping the lads are a little more clinical next time out for this one, it’s time to get bodies right and match sharpness where it could be. No reflection on trust in a manager or trust in players wanting a timeline that allows the lads put their best foot forward.
Meath for me as well …
A draw against any of the 3 ulster teams (mon/tyr/armagh) would be a tough but winnable battle for sure but we would hockey any of the other teams left in the pot, regardless of injuries.
Meath in particular are a shambles
We won’t be able to field a team with the injuries we have.
No it’s getting worse all evening ? ?
@sean burke: I lived up there for a few years, believe me it’s likely that your feelings are reciprocated! It frankly amazed me that people were so bitter about it, given that they had won.
My God, how much damage has the Dubs reign done to football ( to quote a well known phrase ) “nobody shouted stop”.
Meath was a football stronghold from mid 1980’s till 2001, Galway’s great win in 2001 set Meath back for a few years, but since they beat Louth with that Try in 2010 or 11, they have gone almost completely.
Is it neutral venues for the qualifier games ?
@Sean, you may let go, 26 years ago almost since those two Meath games.
Mayo beat themselves on both days, back then it was kick in hope more or less into the forwards.
The memories I have from those games.
1, Meaths smallest defender, Mark O Reilly winning high ball played to his much taller direct opponent.
The Mayo centre forward played in a free role, ie around the centre back / midfield area, BUT only to kick a high ball straight to the unmarked Centre back, McManus I think, on many occasions.
The ball bouncing over the crossbar.
The RIOT in the replay.
Mayo free taker getting floored in an off the ball shoulder and did nothing about it.
The many pints on the night of the replay and going over and over the details of the game.
Lads some of ye must have broken a few mirrors repeatedly with all the injuries. At this stage the real Willie Joe might be togging.
@Mayo88, home and away in the current round. First team drawn gets home advantage on Monday morning.
Next round, the 4 winners of this round versus the provincial losers, is neutral venues.
A lot of apathy on my part also.
The road to the All-Ireland was there win Connacht and play Ulster winners in Semi-final, assuming we won a Q/Final. I feel there are way too many games to win against better or similar teams.
Fed up with our inability to adjust our tactics on any given day.
I have lost a lot if not all faith in James Horan to put our best 15 on the field and also to manage a game.
I have a problem forgetting about
Tyrone Sept 2021
Kerry April 2022
Galway April 2022
Yes we have injuries, but we apparently have a very strong panel.
our inability to kick scores from 30-35 yards out makes it so easy to defend against.
Would be delighted to be proved wrong.
Hope we get Clare. Hope we win . Hope some of our injuries heal up. Hope we are drawn away. Hope we get a handy draw in next round after beating Clare. Hope springs eternal
I hope we get Tyrone away its an ideal ground for James to finally put all these learnings into practice. Go hard or go home.
Time for the excuses to stop, if we cant beat watever team we draw from that bunch, then its time to bow out and start again with new management.
I really don’t get wanting the toughest possible draw whilst it sounds like we have the worst injury crisis since 2018. If current management need to be changed I’d want that to be based on them having the best options available, not a severely weakened team
Exile – I think there are a few people that want us to lose, just to force a change in management. A sad state of affairs.
A weaker opponent would give us the best chance of getting back on the horse and putting a run together. That’s what I want anyway!
@Exile.
That sounds like exactly what happened in 2018. Manager was changed despite having to play with a severely weakened team.
Clare is my choice too. They’re tough opponents and we’d need to be playing at a solid tilt to overcome them.
Frankly I’d like to see a good performance from us but I wouldn’t be keen on meeting Tyrone now.
The mass defence issue is one to be solved, I think, but it’s too big of a puzzle to be solving in our next game.
I think so far there’s a lot difference to 2018. Comments before we played Kildare was nearly all hope we’d get an easy draw. Kildare we’re a very poor team back in 17, 18, 19. Comments went really negative after we lost to them. Kildare didn’t beat a division 1 team in championship or league in those 3 years, except Mayo. In 2018 Carlow who played in division 4 beat Kildare in Leinster Championship
@Lucero.
Kerry beat us in the league final like we were a Div 2 or Div 3 team.
Alot of people said ” Don’t worry “, because the boss is concentrating on the Championship game against Galway.
I could be wrong, but I think the last time Galway played against Div 1 opposition, it was against us in last year’s championship.
Anyway. They were a Div 2 team this year.
We managed to keep the players most likely to win the game for us on the bench just long enough to allow Galway to squeeze out the win.
People can come down on the fence on whatever side they want.
However,
When Mayo were crippled with injuries in 2018, some people liked to blame the manager and he was deemed surplus to requirements.
Roll on 4 years and ” wouldn’t it be a shame to see a manager have to end his tenure with a depleted squad ” ?
Yes it would, but wasn’t it a shame 4 years ago, a manager had to end his tenure also with a depleted squad ?
Yes it was.
So what’ll we do now that we have injuries ?
Sure fuck it, let’s give him another twenty six years in charge.
He can squeeze the media out further and in time we won’t even know who plays for us.
Football, and management especially is a cruel game.
I just wonder, if two opposing managers, each had the exact same squads, how many times out of 10 would our manager get the tactics right and we come out on top ?
We got Monaghan! …Our least favourite choice on the poll.