Mayo v Donegal Saturday August 8th, 2015 Páirc an Chrócaigh

[Rossfan]

At least we never inflicted a Cormac Reilly on Gaeldom

[Jinxy]

I agree that AOS should be moved out if he's struggling inside but not to start him in there would be ridiculous imo. We should play the game on our terms, not Donegal's. If 2-3 Donegal men are on him then there's less to keep an eye on COC, Andy and runners from deep

Equally, if Parsons and SOS aren't winning at mf, then bring aiden out to help pull Murphy away from goal (if that's where he plays)

Can't believe that more Mayo lads aren't saying this. Mayo are a team in flying form who ripped us apart last time out. Donegal are flakey this year and have some key men carrying injuries. The Mayo team will be focused on dictating the agenda for the game and on their own strategy.

Playing Aidan at ff is probably playing the game on Donegal's terms. They ll have him where they want him and can limit his influence most. They won t try to handle him like Sligo and Galway did.

I would like to see Aidan playing in between three positions; full forward, midfield and centre forward. It would make things interesting. I'm still fretting about our fullback line with regards this match to be honest.

Sure stick him in full back as well.

[larryin89]

Section of Mayo support showing a weak characteristic that has plagued Mayo football for decades.

Leave him on the square ye fools , Donegal what about them , we are Mayo .

[From the Bunker]

Section of Mayo support showing a weak characteristic that has plagued Mayo football for decades.

Leave him on the square ye fools , Donegal what about them , we are Mayo .

Leave him in the square. Let them spend their time trying to work out how to deal with him! Now as regards defence .......... well that's a different story!

[Syferus]

Section of Mayo support showing a weak characteristic that has plagued Mayo football for decades.

Leave him on the square ye fools , Donegal what about them , we are Mayo .

That's the problem Larryin.

[macdanger2]

I agree that AOS should be moved out if he's struggling inside but not to start him in there would be ridiculous imo. We should play the game on our terms, not Donegal's. If 2-3 Donegal men are on him then there's less to keep an eye on COC, Andy and runners from deep

Equally, if Parsons and SOS aren't winning at mf, then bring aiden out to help pull Murphy away from goal (if that's where he plays)

Can't believe that more Mayo lads aren't saying this. Mayo are a team in flying form who ripped us apart last time out. Donegal are flakey this year and have some key men carrying injuries. The Mayo team will be focused on dictating the agenda for the game and on their own strategy.

Playing Aidan at ff is probably playing the game on Donegal's terms. They ll have him where they want him and can limit his influence most. They won t try to handle him like Sligo and Galway did.

I would like to see Aidan playing in between three positions; full forward, midfield and centre forward. It would make things interesting. I'm still fretting about our fullback line with regards this match to be honest.

Same as, I'd start him at FF and move him around as needed, same with COC

[moysider]

Section of Mayo support showing a weak characteristic that has plagued Mayo football for decades.

Leave him on the square ye fools , Donegal what about them , we are Mayo .

So are you saying a section of Mayo support are responsible for some of the selections and tactics of the past?

Many's the Mayo support went to CP full of optimism/confidence and came home with its tail between it legs. 89, 96,97 and 2012 being good examples. Especially the first 3. By 2012 the fear had well and truly set in. In 13 final the Mayo support largely stayed silent waiting for the axe to fall. Yeah a lot of Mayo supporters wary about this. Mostly because this management have no pedigree of managing at this level. We ll know a lot more on Saturday night of course.

Myself I think the most likely outcomes is that we win with a bit to spare - say 5/6 points, or we lose a tighter game after chasing a good Donegal start.

[larryin89]

Probably a bit flippant of me but I do believe we should believe in our own ability more . I don't see what we lose by going with AOS at ff from the start, if it becomes obvious we can't win the middle sure we move him in there . If we are going to try to nullify murphys influence up front by thinking if Aido goes to the middle Murphy will follow , I believe that's showing weakness. Murphy has not been all that mighty imo, inconsistency in his match performances , it might be the making of Kevin Keane to mark him , an ironic sort of twist for the Westport man.

Mayo to win by a healthy margin, Donegal to fall asunder , lose discipline and end up with 13 in the field.

[Real Talk]

Section of Mayo support showing a weak characteristic that has plagued Mayo football for decades.

Leave him on the square ye fools , Donegal what about them , we are Mayo .

So are you saying a section of Mayo support are responsible for some of the selections and tactics of the past?

Many's the Mayo support went to CP full of optimism/confidence and came home with its tail between it legs. 89, 96,97 and 2012 being good examples. Especially the first 3. By 2012 the fear had well and truly set in. In 13 final the Mayo support largely stayed silent waiting for the axe to fall. Yeah a lot of Mayo supporters wary about this. Mostly because this management have no pedigree of managing at this level. We ll know a lot more on Saturday night of course.

Myself I think the most likely outcomes is that we win with a bit to spare - say 5/6 points, or we lose a tighter game after chasing a good Donegal start.

Wouldn't worry about that bit ..... worry more about Donegal making sure that the ball doesn't get into the full forward area, but they can't do that for the whole game. If Mayo keep a well organised/disciplined 12 players behind the half way line (from the start) then they have a selection of 3 quality forwards to win the game

[rrhf]

I agree that AOS should be moved out if he's struggling inside but not to start him in there would be ridiculous imo. We should play the game on our terms, not Donegal's. If 2-3 Donegal men are on him then there's less to keep an eye on COC, Andy and runners from deep

Equally, if Parsons and SOS aren't winning at mf, then bring aiden out to help pull Murphy away from goal (if that's where he plays)

Can't believe that more Mayo lads aren't saying this. Mayo are a team in flying form who ripped us apart last time out. Donegal are flakey this year and have some key men carrying injuries. The Mayo team will be focused on dictating the agenda for the game and on their own strategy.

Playing Aidan at ff is probably playing the game on Donegal's terms. They ll have him where they want him and can limit his influence most. They won t try to handle him like Sligo and Galway did.

I would like to see Aidan playing in between three positions; full forward, midfield and centre forward. It would make things interesting. I'm still fretting about our fullback line with regards this match to be honest.

Same as, I'd start him at FF and move him around as needed, same with COC

The key to the full forward is the quality of the playmaker outfield. It's as much about the when to go for the big guy and when not to.  Donegal's all Ireland final performance versus kerry.  Kerry could vary and play it away.  Donegal were only wired to play the game one way.  Kerry can get a reputation for the big man at 14 and route one and then slip the Gooch in there with similar results. Tyrone knew the value of having the smartest  footballers for 10 years.  Kerry will continue to dominate whilst the rest of us wonder is our big man big enough. 

[moysider]

Section of Mayo support showing a weak characteristic that has plagued Mayo football for decades.

Leave him on the square ye fools , Donegal what about them , we are Mayo .

So are you saying a section of Mayo support are responsible for some of the selections and tactics of the past?

Many's the Mayo support went to CP full of optimism/confidence and came home with its tail between it legs. 89, 96,97 and 2012 being good examples. Especially the first 3. By 2012 the fear had well and truly set in. In 13 final the Mayo support largely stayed silent waiting for the axe to fall. Yeah a lot of Mayo supporters wary about this. Mostly because this management have no pedigree of managing at this level. We ll know a lot more on Saturday night of course.

Myself I think the most likely outcomes is that we win with a bit to spare - say 5/6 points, or we lose a tighter game after chasing a good Donegal start.

Wouldn't worry about that bit ..... worry more about Donegal making sure that the ball doesn't get into the full forward area, but they can't do that for the whole game. If Mayo keep a well organised/disciplined 12 players behind the half way line (from the start) then they have a selection of 3 quality forwards to win the game

Sure they re the guys that decide our game plan. The players just won t go out and play 12 back by telepathy or something.
Look at the mess Kildare ended up in trying to play a defensive game - nobody knew what they were at.

[BluestackBoy]

Seems to be a bit of angst among Mayo folk as to what the best set up will be on Sunday

Fact is none of us knows how the match ups will pan out & that is where the sidelines will earn their corn.

Big test for two inexperienced management teams & the game may well be won by on field leadership with one or two players stepping up to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

In Murph we trust....

[macdanger2]

I think that's where COC comes in, he has by far the best vision and passing out of that Mayo team. I'd like to see himself and Aiden switching regularly between FF and CHF during the match

[From the Bunker]

In 13 final the Mayo support largely stayed silent waiting for the axe to fall.

The eeriest last 10 minutes of any match I've ever been at! We are still in the game chasing it. And the stands are dead! Hardly a sound. We get closer and closer on the scoreboard to the Dubs. But the cheers resemble consolation scores by team way behind. I have never ever seen a championship game involving Mayo where we were in it with minutes to go and the crowd did not get behind the team. That evening I realised it would take something special for Mayo to win an AI. We are frightened, more frightened of losing than of trying to win, trying to will our team over the line.

[Real Talk]

Well the Mayo management have to change the way that hasn't worked for them before and surely the 'football intelligence' is on the side line to get the best system on the field.  They have a brilliant squad of players and they must have known that when you reach this stage of the competition you have got to get your game management spot on.