Mayo Football and Hurling - Discussion pages

[Tubberman]

MAYO will go into championship battle without two of their most experienced and decorated footballers this summer with the news that both David Brady (33) and Kevin O'Neill (34) have informed team management of their decision to retire.
John O'Mahony confirmed to The Mayo News last night that both players had been contacted prior to a trial game last weekend and that both had confirmed they would not be available for selection this season.
"I'd like to pay tribute to both lads," said O'Mahony. "They've both been great servants of Mayo football and they will be sorely missed. But, having said that, they are both always welcome in a Mayo dressing-room.
"Kevin is stepping away from county football I think because he's found it increasingly difficult to balance his work commitments with the huge demands that are on inter-county players now," he added. "He has a very busy schedule and there's a lot of travel involved with his job too.
"I know David has retired from inter-county football before but I get the feeling this might be the last time. I talked to him last October and he said he would wait and see how he felt after Ballina were out of the club championship. I spoke to him again last week and he said he felt he didn't have anything else to offer. I have to respect that decision.
"With Kevin and David opting out you're obviously going to lose a lot of experience, skill and talent and that will be missing now in the near future. But, on the other hand, there are opportunities there now for other players to step into the breach."
One player who did take part in the trial game last Saturday was James Nallen. However, there was no sign of his club-mate, Ciaran McDonald, despite his return to club training recently.
"James won't be part of our plans for the league but he has a huge amount of experience and we'll be keeping in contact with him," revealed the Mayo manager. "I've also spoken with Ciaran McDonald. He hasn't played inter-county football for eight months now but we'll be keeping in touch with him too."

So the end of the road for DB and Kevin O'Neill.
JOM sounds very noncommittal about McD and Nallen. Personally, I don't think Nallen has the legs for it any more, but McD still has a lot to offer if the back isn't giving him trouble. I know there's no need to play them in the league because everyone knows what they can do, but "we'll be keeping in touch" is a bit wishy washy. Would they not need to be rejoining the panel for training if they were part of the plans for the summer?

[the Deel Rover]

MAYO will go into championship battle without two of their most experienced and decorated footballers this summer with the news that both David Brady (33) and Kevin O’Neill (34) have informed team management of their decision to retire.
John O’Mahony confirmed to The Mayo News last night that both players had been contacted prior to a trial game last weekend and that both had confirmed they would not be available for selection this season.
“I’d like to pay tribute to both lads,” said O’Mahony. “They’ve both been great servants of Mayo football and they will be sorely missed. But, having said that, they are both always welcome in a Mayo dressing-room.
“Kevin is stepping away from county football I think because he’s found it increasingly difficult to balance his work commitments with the huge demands that are on inter-county players now,” he added. “He has a very busy schedule and there’s a lot of travel involved with his job too.
“I know David has retired from inter-county football before but I get the feeling this might be the last time. I talked to him last October and he said he would wait and see how he felt after Ballina were out of the club championship. I spoke to him again last week and he said he felt he didn’t have anything else to offer. I have to respect that decision.
“With Kevin and David opting out you’re obviously going to lose a lot of experience, skill and talent and that will be missing now in the near future. But, on the other hand, there are opportunities there now for other players to step into the breach.”
One player who did take part in the trial game last Saturday was James Nallen. However, there was no sign of his club-mate, Ciaran McDonald, despite his return to club training recently.
“James won’t be part of our plans for the league but he has a huge amount of experience and we’ll be keeping in contact with him,” revealed the Mayo manager. “I’ve also spoken with Ciaran McDonald. He hasn’t played inter-county football for eight months now but we’ll be keeping in touch with him too.”

So the end of the road for DB and Kevin O'Neill.
JOM sounds very noncommittal about McD and Nallen. Personally, I don't think Nallen has the legs for it any more, but McD still has a lot to offer if the back isn't giving him trouble. I know there's no need to play them in the league because everyone knows what they can do, but "we'll be keeping in touch" is a bit wishy washy. Would they not need to be rejoining the panel for training if they were part of the plans for the summer?

He hasn't even contacted him Tubberman to discuss whether he is in his plans or not

[Davitt Man]

One player who did take part in the trial game last Saturday was James Nallen. However, there was no sign of his club-mate, Ciaran McDonald, despite his return to club training recently.

Nalllen still knocking around?? He hasnt the legs anymore for county stuff.

[mannix]

The end for a few older faces is no surprise, macdonald is reportedly still flying around the field and would be a great addition but jom has other ideas, i hope his ideas are going to produce something better than what we are seeing so far this year and lasts years championship, his reputation counts for nothing unless he can get something out of his panel.
How would you lads feel with another dismal championship showing? would jom be as respected and God like then?

[dodo]

The end for a few older faces is no surprise, macdonald is reportedly still flying around the field and would be a great addition but jom has other ideas, i hope his ideas are going to produce something better than what we are seeing so far this year and lasts years championship, his reputation counts for nothing unless he can get something out of his panel.
How would you lads feel with another dismal championship showing? would jom be as respected and God like then?

Ah Mannix, that's awful rubbish to be coming out with at this stage of the year. Fair enough IMO to be questioning his decisions and so on but to start enquiring about how his stock will fall if things go badly at championship time is the sort of negativity that would sink us all. What Mayo need is for supporters to come in on the side of the team and not to so ready to be doom and gloom about things.

[the Deel Rover]

The end for a few older faces is no surprise, macdonald is reportedly still flying around the field and would be a great addition but jom has other ideas, i hope his ideas are going to produce something better than what we are seeing so far this year and lasts years championship, his reputation counts for nothing unless he can get something out of his panel.
How would you lads feel with another dismal championship showing? would jom be as respected and God like then?

Ah Mannix, that's awful rubbish to be coming out with at this stage of the year. Fair enough IMO to be questioning his decisions and so on but to start enquiring about how his stock will fall if things go badly at championship time is the sort of negativity that would sink us all. What Mayo need is for supporters to come in on the side of the team and not to so ready to be doom and gloom about things.

I understand what you are saying Dodo but i also see where mannix is coming from if you look at the competetive reults since the national league final last year we have lost to Donegal twice, Derry Twice, Beaten Cavan and drawn with Laois not pretty reading by any manner of means. Micky moran got us to the Ai in 2006 yet he was turfed out do you think that if he was still manager and getting those results that he wouldn't be under pressure? At the end of the day i think that the managers job is overrated anyway if you have the players you can have success if not you wont thats why i think Mayo have been fighting above their weight for the last few years . If you look at the galway team that won the All Irelands look at the forwards they had Donnellan, Fallon, Joyce, Savage, Finnegan to name but a few it was them that won the Ai not Jom yet he has made the name for himself. Like you said we don't want negativity but O'mahony has to prove to us that he is the man as of yet he hasn't and in fairness he wasn't slow in showing his own negativity when John Maughan was in charge with his Articles in the western people.

[rosnarun]

Fallon, Joyce, Savage, Finnegan

and not donnellan. tut tut tut iwould have expected better deel rover a bit like mentioning Austie and forgetting Ciaran Mcdonald.

[the Deel Rover]

Fallon, Joyce, Savage, Finnegan

and not donnellan. tut tut tut iwould have expected better deel rover a bit like mentioning Austie and forgetting Ciaran Mcdonald.

[Tubberman]

Micky moran got us to the Ai in 2006 yet he was turfed out

I really don't want to be raking over old coals, but I hate the example of Mickey Moran being brought up all the time. Moran said at the time of his appointment that he was only going to stay for 2 years. The commute from Derry was too much, he couldn't keep doing it.
So he had a great first year, got to an All-Ireland final but we were humiliated there. Now, seeing as he was only going to stay for another year what was the benefit of keeping him on?
It was obvious there was a serious rebuilding needed, and he wasn't going to be around to do it. So it was the right time to say "Thanks for everything Mickey" and bring in someone who could commit to longer and had a track record - JOM was the obvious and ideal candidate. 
They certainly could have handled it better when deciding to end Mickey Moran's stewardship, but the decision itself was correct in my opinion.

[the Deel Rover]

Micky moran got us to the Ai in 2006 yet he was turfed out

I really don't want to be raking over old coals, but I hate the example of Mickey Moran being brought up all the time. Moran said at the time of his appointment that he was only going to stay for 2 years. The commute from Derry was too much, he couldn't keep doing it.
So he had a great first year, got to an All-Ireland final but we were humiliated there. Now, seeing as he was only going to stay for another year what was the benefit of keeping him on?
It was obvious there was a serious rebuilding needed, and he wasn't going to be around to do it. So it was the right time to say "Thanks for everything Mickey" and bring in someone who could commit to longer and had a track record - JOM was the obvious and ideal candidate. 
They certainly could have handled it better when deciding to end Mickey Moran's stewardship, but the decision itself was correct in my opinion.

[/b]

Time will tell tubberman , how long do you think Jom will stay on as manager personally i think he will be gone next year can't see him staying on for 5 or 6 years

[mannix]

Deel rover is on the money in nearly every area.He omitted the fact that jom had a mediocre team in leitrim in 1994, yet they were able.
Dodo, i will agree to disagree with you.My view is that jom has a decent panel to work with in Mayo, if they are not a lot better this year and I hope they are then someone is going to be held responsible. If the young lads coming through are not bursting with self belief then they will win nothing.Kerry only win because they believe in their own abilities and know how to stay calm, the lack of goals shows the lack of confidence .I have watched a few games on video and our forwards are in good positions but panic, this is one of a lot of problems that need attention.
I think Mayo can beat most teams with their football but the big one or two are mentally beating us.

[rosnarun]

the coals are still the to be raked obviously.
for the 1000th time it is far more humilating to lose to derry in a qualifier than to lose to what is proving to be an all time great Kerry team in the final.
The only difference is there is more people watching.
so far O mahony has ballsed up and we have to give him a chance to prove that he wasn't  just a lucky manager ie taking on Galway at exactly the right time.

[rosnarun]

leitrim in 1994

now that was real humiliation.
but o mahony did nothing Maughan didnt do in clare

[AbbeySider]

leitrim in 1994

now that was real humiliation.
but o mahony did nothing Maughan didnt do in clare

Its not often I agree with you but that is a good point.

I think history will look kindly at Maughans managerial legacy.

[the Deel Rover]

leitrim in 1994

now that was real humiliation.
but o mahony did nothing Maughan didnt do in clare

Its not often I agree with you but that is a good point.

I think history will look kindly at Maughans managerial legacy.

Absolutely Abbeysider when you see where he brought us from to where we got to, just missing out on Sam .As i said i personally don't think he had the same pool of talent as say O 'mahony had with Galway or the likes of Kerry , or Tyrone however we were there or there abouts who knows what might have been if Colm Coyles kick didn't hop over the bar in 1996