Messages

Maurice Deegan.

No doubt he's smiling away.

Nice to steal a draw last night, makes up for pissing away the Galway game 2 weeks ago. Scoreline flattered us at half-time needless to say. Donegal were cleaning up around midfield, partly due to Clarke's kickouts but also Tom Parsons being off the pace of the game. Flynn looked lost in midfield too, was much more prominent in the 2nd half when he was moved to half forward.

2nd half was much more evenly matched. Aidan O'Shea made a big difference in midfield, always seems to play well against Donegal. Conroy and Durcan made a big impact off the bench while McLoughlin took his frees well (fair play to him for continuing to take them despite his history).

Of the new lads I thought Mullin was very good, he has blistering pace. You can tell he's going to be a player considering he's only 19. Padraig O'Hora can be very happy with his showing. Flynn and O'Donoghue mixed the good with the mediocre but they deserve another shot against Dublin. Bryan Walsh didn't really get into the game apart from his well taken point. We seemed to be slipping a lot on the surface for some reason.

Our efficiency in front of goal was the biggest positive though. Watched the game back this morning and I think we only had 4 wides in the whole game and no shots dropped short (unless Carr's goal counts as one?  ). We get plenty of stick when missing chances so might as well praise them this time.

Mayo starting 15 for Saturday...

The team named will see four players making their league debuts. They are Oisin Mullin, Jordan Flynn, Bryan Walsh & Ryan O'Donoghue.

1. David Clarke - Ballina Stepenites
2. Oisin Mullin - Kilmaine
3. Brendan Harrison - Aghamore
4. Colm Boyle - Davitts
5. Padraig O'Hora - Ballina Stephenites
6. Stephen Coen - Hollymount/Carramore
7. Patrick Durcan - Castlebar Mitchels(C)
8. Tom Parsons - Charlestown
9. Jordan Flynn - Crossmolina Deel Rovers
10. Bryan Walsh - Ballintubber
11. Diarmuid O'Connor - Ballintubber
12. Fergal Boland - Aghamore
13. Ryan O'Donoghue - Belmullet
14. Brian Reape - Bohola Moy Davitts
15. James Carr - Ardagh

Decent enough side although fairly inexperienced (7 starters from the Dublin game I think?)

Looking forward to it all starting again

6 by my count. Clarke didn't play that game while Parsons only came off the bench.

Mayo starting 15 for Saturday...

The team named will see four players making their league debuts. They are Oisin Mullin, Jordan Flynn, Bryan Walsh & Ryan O'Donoghue.

1. David Clarke - Ballina Stepenites
2. Oisin Mullin - Kilmaine
3. Brendan Harrison - Aghamore
4. Colm Boyle - Davitts
5. Padraig O'Hora - Ballina Stephenites
6. Stephen Coen - Hollymount/Carramore
7. Patrick Durcan - Castlebar Mitchels(C)
8. Tom Parsons - Charlestown
9. Jordan Flynn - Crossmolina Deel Rovers
10. Bryan Walsh - Ballintubber
11. Diarmuid O'Connor - Ballintubber
12. Fergal Boland - Aghamore
13. Ryan O'Donoghue - Belmullet
14. Brian Reape - Bohola Moy Davitts
15. James Carr - Ardagh

Game over now.  Why have tg4 the black card symbol on the screen still?

Because his 10 mins are not up yet.

It's the old black card rules for this game, so a substitution instead of a sin bin

Some amount of skelping going on

Personally I couldn't stand Brolly on the Sunday Game. He made it extremely difficult for other pundits to have their say, constantly cutting across them and interrupting the presenters as well. It made for very uncomfortable viewing. That's before you get into his bizarre spiteful rants against mcgeeney, Cavanagh, gough's red card decision and many others. RTE is better for his absence.

The likes of today's off the ball is fine where he can just talk away on his own without anyone challenging his nonsense.

REMINDER!!!

FBD FINAL Roscommon v Galway Sat 18/1/2020 I bPáirc de hÍde.

If you want to discuss the FBD final then belt away. Nobody is stopping you.

Much improved in the league certainly, went from just about staying up to winning the league. Championship from 3rd round exit to semi final appearance a improvement also but was some of performances a big improvement? For example at home to Armagh was not a lot different than the performance v kildare in 2018. Long stages of the Meath game in Croke Park wasn't great either. I'm thinking Mayo will need to win Connacht this summer to reach the semi final again as if they don't they could find themselves in the same super 8 group as Dublin, Kerry.

Mayo didn't play that well in every championship game last year but still beat 3 if this year's division 1 teams. That's no worse than 2016 and 2017 tbh (remember Fermanagh and Derry!), when they were supposedly in their prime.

Aside from Dublin, every team had 1 or 2 poor performances last year anyway.

I thought the FBD was between Ros and the Herrins as usual!!
Open a Rhubarbology thread if ye need to get things off th'oul chests.

Discussion about all Ireland semi-finals and finals certainly isn't relevant to Roscommon anyway.

Kerry were out of sight after about 15 mins against Mayo, Dublin had their game won in the 37th minute once O'Callaghan scored the goal. Roscommon put Mayo out of Connacht.

In 2018 Galway beat them in Connacht and then Kildare put them out in the qualifiers.

What exactly are people basing Mayo not regressing on? Beating an underperforming Donegal in poor weather at home?

Dublin also had the replayed all Ireland won after 35 minutes, once Murchan got the goal. Mayo were poor throughout 2018, no denying that, but were much improved in 2019 across league and championship. That doesn't signal regression IMO.

Donegal went 2 points up against Mayo after 2 minutes last year. That is hardly an underperforming team? They also came into the game in brilliant form after playing Kerry in Croke Park. That game was also played in poor weather although I'm not sure what significance that has?

Whatever about the other Ulster sides, the Donegal situation isn't comparable to Mayo and Galway who haven't played a game this year. Donegal just played mid week and probably don't want to flog those players again and risk injury.

This weekend is potentially the only competitive game for Mayo and Galway before the league so almost all non Sigerson players will want to be involved.

Donegal pull out of semi

If they are so short on numbers why didn't they do this again? https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/38497207

There is no U21 team now and the U20s are preparing for championship in a month's time. They probably don't want to be horsed around the place in a senior game and risk injury.

Ryan O'Donoghue and Tommy Conroy are playing Sigerson this weekend so won't be involved. Gary Boylan and Liam Irwin should start assuming both are fit. It will be interesting to see who Horan puts marking Paul Conroy in the Galway full forward line as there's no obvious candidate.

Have Gary O'Donnell and Heaney played much in those positions before?

[Deliberately body collide with an opponent]

Actual wording of black card offences.

1. Deliberately pull down an opponent.
2. Deliberately trip an opponent with the hand(s), arm, leg or foot.
3. Deliberately body collide with an opponent after he has played the ball away or for the purpose of taking him out of a movement of play.
4. Threaten or to use abusive or provocative language or gestures to an opponent or a teammate.
5. Remonstrate in an aggressive manner with a Match Official.

I assume that one covers pushing players over off the ball.