Mayo Football and Hurling - Discussion pages

[StoneWall]

I recall some problem between Balla and Ballintubber a few years ago about underage players. Some lads playing for Ballintubber when they were in the parish of Balla. I think it involved some palyers and officials being suspended.

Also there was some issue about Alan and Gary Dillon and that they should have been playing for Breaffy based on where they lived?

[RedandGreenSniper]

Completely off subject but what the hey

I must be a gluton for punishment but I just sat through an hour of youtube clips of the 1996 season. Didn't know they were there but just discovered them on a pretty good link (one that has loads of Laochra Gael episodes up and plenty more GAA clips that's well worth checking out - http://www.youtube.com/user/gaabeo

I'd never seen any repeat of 1996 since the day itself (apart from the fight scene which is shown as often as Haughey's GUBU statement).

Christ watching the replay was tough, I was nearly more pissed off watching that than the first game. I was 14 at the time so my memory wasn't precise but I was sure we had a six point lead with ten minutes to go, it wasn't as bad then when I saw it was 22 minutes, but still. It amazes me how  much the replay isn't seen as an opportunity lost. We were level in injury time with possession when we gave it away!

Had to marvel at the size of players at the time - McHale, McManamon, Dempsey (a real battering ram!), Horan, Nallen, Cahill and Brady - all serious size of men - and another the clips refreshed in me was just how amazingly good Maurice Sheridan's free taking was. Granted, he was brilliant from open play but he wasn't as bad as made out either. Put it this way if there is a comparison in today's game it would be Brian Sheehan. I reckon Sheridan was better under pressure, had equally as good a range from distance and contributed MORE from general play. But not everyone will share that view.

I remain certain too that no blame can be attached to John Madden for Coyle's equaliser. It would have been suicide to come for that ball, it was never a keeper's ball, never.
But I had forgotten all about his howler against Kerry in the semi-final, my God what a blunder!

Horan's rise from nowhere was spectacular as well. Some of his points were absolutely savage and the goal against Kerry was class, if he meant it! A Ballintubber man would be cheeky enough to try it anyway
I'd be curious to hear from some of the slightly older lads that would have followed the football then a lot more forensically than I did at the time thought of Horan that year. Did he really come from nowhere or was he an obvious call-up? Did he impress straightaway or did Maughan show admirable patience? Because he would appear to be one of the few out of nowhere discoveries of the last fifteen years and I just wonder how much was that the case? It was probably easier to come from nowhere then than now because of extensive media coverage etc

Casey was class too against Kerry but ineffective in the final. Nallen's goal against Kerry too right out of the top drawer.

But the last few minutes of the replay was very tough to watch, especially the players after the final whistle, poor Madden sitting in the goal while the celebrations go on around him. An image that would stay with ya.
I said several times I'd never watch it but I spotted it this evening and put myself through it. Not easy, if you watch it make sure you don't have any remote controls nearby to throw or pets to kick because you'll be boiling up! Anyway I'll have to get to the pub next Friday to make sure the night isn't as depressing. Its a good job there's no spirits in the house or I'd be pouring myself a nice few house measures!

[rosnarun]

it depend on whether hes any good or not. if he isnt he can play for whoever he likes

[jodyb]

Lads, Any word on where the Derry NFL game is bein played

[mannix]

1996, a world away and we are still waiting.

[Lar Naparka]

Janey! R&GS, those videos bring back bittersweet memories for me!
I haven't attempted looking at any sort of recording of those games till now.
James Horan was one class act and that's for sure. I think he appeared in the National League, the 95/96 one, before the championship run of 96. In newspaper profiles, much that he was a native of New Zealand. I can't recall if he had only returned as an adult or had been brought back as a child but in any event he didn't play in under age grades.
He lit up the 96 championship season; at a time when Mayo forwards had great difficulty in hitting a barn door with a banjo, James seemed able to pop up and loft over points with little or no effort. Believe me; Mayo were famous in them days and indeed for years beforehand for making an art out of missing scores.  James was every bit as sharp as the first video in the series indicates.
The Mayo side of that time ws indeed made up of big men. I recall a journalist writing somewhere or other that every one of the lads stood over 6 feet tall and none of them was a slow coach. The problem back then was that while the backs and midfield were easily as good as one would find in the country, the forwards were not up to much, James Horan accepted.   No joking about it, the quality of the side steadily deteriorated as you moved from no.2 out to no.15.
Incidentally, the same could be said of all Mayo sides from the mid-80s to the present decade.
(Now of course, there is no variation in quality throughout the field but I won't dwell on that. Enough is enough!)
UP front, we did lack punch but this was overcome to a large degree by the fact that the backs and midfield won so much possession and Nallen and Noel Connelly were quite good at carrying ther ball into attack and both , Connelly especially, were handy enough at shooting.
Colm Mc Manamon was the fittest man I ever saw play football. He could keep running from start to finish but he just couldn't shoot straight if his life depended on it. He was a mighty man to clean up breaking ball and pass it on- trouble was a few others also had no confidence to shoot and once they got the ball they immediately looked for someone to take over. Maurice Sheridan was one of these.
Maurice was mighty for taking frees but he never got stuck in open play. I honestly think he was only on the side for his free taking.  Ray Dempsey had been a class player some years previously but he was only returning after a bad leg break at this time and was nowhere as sharp as he had been. Casey looked grand when Mayo were out in front and going well but he never could dig in when the going was tough. He certainly had skill okay but seemed to lack heart. Larry Finnerty and David Nestor had a few things in common; they both gave it their best shot but neither could ever nail down a permanent spot on the team and both were on the scene for a long number of years. PJ Loftus was fairly handy but seemed to be unable to play well consistently. Good one day and anonymous the next- kinda like Austie does today if you can follow me. How Maughan ever saw Tom Reilly as a better option than Kevin O'Neill still puzzles me and many other Mayo fans.
Honestly, Horan alone was of All-Ireland quality once you looked past midfield.
Three of the backs got All Stars that year as did Liam McHale at midfield. (Brady had been plagued throughout by injury; otherwise he could have won one also.) Horan was the only forward to get one. He also picked one up in '99.

[Zulu]

James Horan was one class act and that's for sure. I think he appeared in the National League, the 95/96 one, before the championship run of 96. In newspaper profiles, much that he was a native of New Zealand. I can't recall if he had only returned as an adult or had been brought back as a child but in any event he didn't play in under age grades.

You're not saying he only picked up football in his late teens or early 20's are you?

[StoneWall]

I recall some problem between Balla and Ballintubber a few years ago about underage players. Some lads playing for Ballintubber when they were in the parish of Balla. I think it involved some players and officials being suspended.

Also there was some issue about Alan and Gary Dillon and that they should have been playing for Breaffy based on where they lived?

The silence on this from the Ballintubber corner speaks volume's 

[Mayo4Sam]

Any word on todays result?

[MacDanger]

Beaten by the sheepstealers by a point - 1-6 to 1-7.

[moysider]

I remember James Horan s debut in a league match in Castlebar. It would have been Maughan s first competitive match in charge and I m sure Galway were the opposition. Mayo won and Horan was centre forward. The game was also notable for the return of Dermot Flanagan who gave an exhibition. Horan was new to me and most I think and not everybody was convinced about him all Winter,. He looked ungainly at times and was frequently blocked down.
Little did we know that we were on the verge of what was the closest we ve come to a golden age in this county for more than 50 years and may be the closest for some time to come if last 2 years anything to go by. I remember in May 96 saying to some lads that if we were to win Connacht we needed a big summer from likes of Horan. I got some raised eyebrows I can tell you. In fairness in the league q-final v Meath(a bit of a thriller in The Hyde) and semi defeat to Derry Horan was no better than reasonable. He grew into the Champ and reserved his best games ever for Croke Park.

[REDCOL]

Enda Varley scored 0-7 today for UL in semi-final. He has been outstanding for a number of years on a very average Garrymore Senior Team. Will Johnno ever give him  a run. He is a very natural forward who can kick off either foot. In fairness, their is a number of players playing in FBD league games who would not lace his boots.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Varley should definitely get a run. He's a player with potential but he needs to improve his decision making and his discipline if he's to step up to county standard. But considering our lack of genuine inside men, he's definitely one player that should be looked at

[RedandGreenSniper]

Lar, I certainly remember the shooting problems from that era! And it further underlines the lunacy of the Kevin O'Neill situation but sin sceal eile.
Horan was definitely born in New Zealand but I think his parents came back home while he was still a child. I doubt you'd see players like him coming on stream, out of nowhere, nowadays.

Moysider sounds like Maughan must take immense credit for spotting the ability in Horan because, as you say, it doesn't seem that it was initially obvious. I just always wondered what the nature of his arrival was, ie how out of left field was his selection

[moysider]

Lar, I certainly remember the shooting problems from that era! And it further underlines the lunacy of the Kevin O'Neill situation but sin sceal eile.
Horan was definitely born in New Zealand but I think his parents came back home while he was still a child. I doubt you'd see players like him coming on stream, out of nowhere, nowadays.

Moysider sounds like Maughan must take immense credit for spotting the ability in Horan because, as you say, it doesn't seem that it was initially obvious. I just always wondered what the nature of his arrival was, ie how out of left field was his selection

Well it looked like he came from nowhere. I d have been aware of most players but Ballintubber would not have been as strong then as now and I would nt have seen him play club and he would nt have figured in underage teams. Initially there was no indication that he would make the impact he did in Summer 96. Connelly was another that Maughan took from relative obsurity. He deserves great credit for going with these players and they nearly got us there. I have great regard for what Maughan did but I still cringe when I think of the difference players he did nt use might have made. I m thinking likes of Butler, Staunton, O Neill, Gary Ruane and Brian Heffernan.