Mayo Football and Hurling - Discussion pages

[the Deel Rover]

Whats the craic about ballina not selling the club mayo tickets ?

[prewtna]

they seem to have a gripe about not getting national league games / county finals anymore.

decision was made at county convention to have all these games in the county ground - McHale park - and i think that is proper order. whether we like mchale park or not (i dont agree with the design decisions taken in the stand but i wont get into that here), it is the premier ground in the county and as such i think all finals and county games should be there.

Also, there is a certain gravitas / significance for club players being able to tog out in the mayo dressing rooms and play on the county pitch for club games at the latter end of the respective championships. i know i get a kick out of it personally. i couldn't say the same about togging out in Ballina unfortunately.

but i do have fond memories of being at Mayo matches in the past there, there was a cracking atmosphere, but times have moved on.

[Syferus]

Yer in a for a Hyding, lads.

Even if next year looks a little murky in the medium term Mayo are in a good place with some good prospsects in the positions of need coming through. The AIF complex has grown into a monster at this stage and it will take an excellent man-manager to get the best out of Mayo when they do reach the third Sunday again.

What positions would they be Sy?
I honestly believe we need a tactician rather than a man-manager, whatever that is?

I think Adam Gallagher can become (in a relatively short time) the proper 11 Mayo have needed since Andy got moved toward goal, while Hanley and Loftus at minor have shown plenty at HF, and Conroy and Irwin in the FF have senior potential too. I think Doherty has lots of talent too but needs to look for the pass much more if he's going to make it at senior, you can get away with the Shane Walsh runs towards the posts at underage but not when you're going up against fully grown men.

Everyone isn't going to make it but if even two of those names make it Mayo won't be crying out for scorers in three or four years time when you add in how good COC was with a frigged shoulder this year. Mayo are solid at the back for a few years moving forward, unless multiple panellists take breaks and even then there's a few good prospects coming up there too.

In the shorter term I'd hope that Horan and Alan Freeman have made amends as Freeman showed real progression this season and deserves the chance in 2014 to develop into the undisputed 14.

[moysider]

they seem to have a gripe about not getting national league games / county finals anymore.

decision was made at county convention to have all these games in the county ground - McHale park - and i think that is proper order. whether we like mchale park or not (i dont agree with the design decisions taken in the stand but i wont get into that here), it is the premier ground in the county and as such i think all finals and county games should be there.

Also, there is a certain gravitas / significance for club players being able to tog out in the mayo dressing rooms and play on the county pitch for club games at the latter end of the respective championships. i know i get a kick out of it personally. i couldn't say the same about togging out in Ballina unfortunately.

but i do have fond memories of being at Mayo matches in the past there, there was a cracking atmosphere, but times have moved on.

I think the Ballina chairman made a good case for getting an odd game in the town. It s not just a club thing.

[the Deel Rover]

they seem to have a gripe about not getting national league games / county finals anymore.

decision was made at county convention to have all these games in the county ground - McHale park - and i think that is proper order. whether we like mchale park or not (i dont agree with the design decisions taken in the stand but i wont get into that here), it is the premier ground in the county and as such i think all finals and county games should be there.

Also, there is a certain gravitas / significance for club players being able to tog out in the mayo dressing rooms and play on the county pitch for club games at the latter end of the respective championships. i know i get a kick out of it personally. i couldn't say the same about togging out in Ballina unfortunately.

but i do have fond memories of being at Mayo matches in the past there, there was a cracking atmosphere, but times have moved on.

I think the Ballina chairman made a good case for getting an odd game in the town. It s not just a club thing.

Fair PLay to Ballina for Making a stand. I have been saying it for years but playing the club Quarter and Semi Finals in Castlebar in front of a empty stadium does nothing for the game in Mayo.

[moysider]

He was making the point as well that business in the area that put so much into the local clubs are getting nothing back. The club want nothing from the gate. They just want to bring a few bob into the area. Businesses are closing down in the area at an alarming rate so any event in the town would be something. These businesses are supportive of not just the GAA but every club and activity in the area. No harm to spread games about a bit.

[ballinaman]

He was making the point as well that business in the area that put so much into the local clubs are getting nothing back. The club want nothing from the gate. They just want to bring a few bob into the area. Businesses are closing down in the area at an alarming rate so any event in the town would be something. These businesses are supportive of not just the GAA but every club and activity in the area. No harm to spread games about a bit.

Fair play to John, he's spot on. Pitch and facilities are a very good standard now and a league game with Derry for example would be a welcome boost for the town.
Mentioned on 2FM news there.

[moysider]

I m hearing that Keith Higgins has transferred to the Mitchels. Can anybody confirm?

Some player to get if it s true.

I assume he wouldn t be available for the AI club semi in Feb?

[From the Bunker]

Goldigger! 

[Syferus]

I m hearing that Keith Higgins has transferred to the Mitchels. Can anybody confirm?

Some player to get if it s true.

I assume he wouldn t be available for the AI club semi in Feb?

To be totally fair to Keith, who is an incredible player, if true that'd be in the Seanie J bracket of transfers. What about hurling? He pretty much is Ballyhaunis hurling.

[ross4life]

I m hearing that Keith Higgins has transferred to the Mitchels. Can anybody confirm?

Some player to get if it s true.

I assume he wouldn t be available for the AI club semi in Feb?

He was working for years in the bank of Ireland in Castlerea & recently transferred to the Castlebar branch. Hmm he never looked for transfer to St Kevins.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

I m hearing that Keith Higgins has transferred to the Mitchels. Can anybody confirm?

Some player to get if it s true.

I assume he wouldn t be available for the AI club semi in Feb?

Feck that's great news.

[macdanger2]

Would be gutted if that true about Keith. Would expect better from him and from Mitchells

[stephenite]

Wouldn't begrudge the likes of Keith Higgins a club transfer anywhere, very few people have contributed as much to Mayo GAA in terms of time and effort. If a transfer to Castlebar eases some of the burden in terms of travel then good luck to him

[Syferus]

Wouldn't begrudge the likes of Keith Higgins a club transfer anywhere, very few people have contributed as much to Mayo GAA in terms of time and effort. If a transfer to Castlebar eases some of the burden in terms of travel then good luck to him

Oh come on, Stephenite. 'Eases the burden of travel' on him? Castlebar is hardly far from Ballhaunis and, as Ross4life said he wasn't working in Ballyhaunis before this so it's not a new occurrence. Other players travel the breadth of the country and you're willing to sweep this under the rug for him with such a flimsy excuse?

He's a great player but (if it's true) let's not dance around what this is - a callous attempt to win club silverware, something Ballyhaunis haven't been able to offer him. It has zero to do with distances.

It's one thing for a lad to move clubs because he's living far away but this is the sort of situation the GAA should have some sort of cast-iron rule in place to prevent happening. You strangle the small clubs by letting their few stars jump ship like this.