Mayo Football and Hurling - Discussion pages

[AbbeySider]

It's gonna be very hard to pick the team for the Down game. I reckon James Burke, Cathal Hallinan and Cillian O'Connor have played themselves into contention. McGarrity will probably be there. Has anyone seen Tom Parsons? Then add in NUIG players Neil Douglas, Jason Doherty (both flying), Alan Dillon and Peadar Gardiner. DIT have Alan Freeman, Aidan O'Shea, Kevin McLoughlin and Tom Cunniffe. We've let to see Keith Higgins, or Seamus O'Shea, or Donal Vaughan. Think all three are injured. It is wide open now.

I think Parsons is injured, along with a couple of more guys like Higgins, Vaughan and Howley. The NUIG and DIT guys seem to be going well so they could be in contention with the guys we saw playing well against GMIT. The next few FBD games against Roscommon and Leitrim will tell us more as they are decent opposition.

I doubt anyone will be in contention for the Down game without having been either at trials and playing FBD with Mayo, or doing well with their respective colleges.

Its early to be guessing, as we have to see the likes of Jason Gibbons, McAndrew, Ian Rowland and a few more yet, but out of both teams that played against Longford and Sligo last year I would only pick 8-10 players only as probabilities to be considered, not definites.

The Down game will be a very hard team to pick, but I reckon Horan is more likely to play guys on form and doing well rather than base it on previous reputations.

[muppet]

OMalley,KHiggins,Killeen,Reilly,Howley,Keegan,OConnor,BMoran,Kilcullen,Rowland,Freeman,Farrell,Varley,Ronaldson,Benson.

From clubmayo on Twitter.

[AbbeySider]

OMalley,KHiggins,Killeen,Reilly,Howley,Keegan,OConnor,BMoran,Kilcullen,Rowland,Freeman,Farrell,Varley,Ronaldson,Benson.

From clubmayo on Twitter.

Thats a totally different team than what took the pitch last weekend.
I dont think I see a single player that started last week on that list which is incredible. 

All of these players being given a chance is great to see 

[muppet]

OMalley,KHiggins,Killeen,Reilly,Howley,Keegan,OConnor,BMoran,Kilcullen,Rowland,Freeman,Farrell,Varley,Ronaldson,Benson.

From clubmayo on Twitter.

Thats a totally different team than what took the pitch last weekend.
I dont think I see a single player that started last week on that list which is incredible. 

All of these players being given a chance is great to see

Can only be a good thing. Interesting midfield, personally I'd like to see Keith at 7 or 6 but definitely not 2, but I realise that he will hardly stay there.

[moysider]

What Freeman is that then? Cathal? As far as I know Alan in O Byrne Cup with DIT?

[RedandGreenSniper]

What Freeman is that then? Cathal? As far as I know Alan in O Byrne Cup with DIT?

It is Cathal. Great to have him back on board. Four senior debutants I think (10, 4, 11, 12) while 3 and 7 only made their debuts off the bench last week. Team in full as received from Mayo GAA is

1)   Kenneth O'Malley   Ballinrobe
2)   Keith Higgins   Ballyhaunis
3)   David Killeen   Ballinrobe
4)   Eoghan Reilly   Castlebar Mitchels
5)   Trevor Howley   Knockmore
6)   Lee Keegan   Westport
7)   Ruadiri O'Connor   Ballintubber
   Barry Moran   Castlebar Mitchels
9)   James Kilcullen   Ballaghadereen
10)   Ian Rowland   Crossmolina
11)   Cathal Freeman   Aghamore
12)   Andrew Farrell   Killalla
13)   Enda Varley   Garrymore
14)   Mark Ronaldson   Shrule-Glencorrib
15)   Brian Benson   Crossmolina

[moysider]

Yeah. Great to see Cathal Freeman back. Looked a real classy player before that injury. Clever and gave great craft and balance to a forward line. Hope he gets a good run of it. Deserves all the luck going after what he has been through.

[Tubberman]

Heading home this weekend, so looking forward to heading for Ballyhaunis to see this team with so many new players getting their chance.
Ruadhrí O'Connor seemed to do well when he came on last week, great to see him on from the start this week.
Looking forward to seeing James Kilcullen in midfield. I thought he did well when he played in 07, despite possibly being out of position. Good to see him back.
The entire half-forward is new - all making their senior debuts! So that will definitely be interesting, a big ask for Cathal Freeman at 11 but he looked a star of the future as minor. Great to see him back after that bad leg break.

[southsider]

Heading home this weekend, so looking forward to heading for Ballyhaunis to see this team with so many new players getting their chance.
Ruadhrí O'Connor seemed to do well when he came on last week, great to see him on from the start this week.
Looking forward to seeing James Kilcullen in midfield. I thought he did well when he played in 07, despite possibly being out of position. Good to see him back.
The entire half-forward is new - all making their senior debuts! So that will definitely be interesting, a big ask for Cathal Freeman at 11 but he looked a star of the future as minor. Great to see him back after that bad leg break.

Be good to see how killeen gets on at full back - need some solution htere

[AbbeySider]

Be good to see how killeen gets on at full back - need some solution htere

In my own opinion id say Ger Cafferkey is doing fine at full back, I dont think that was the problem, although Killeen did well the last day when he came in.

Id say that the problems were at corner back at centre back.

Previous managers were playing guys out of position and trying to turn natural wing backs into corner backs which wasnt working for us.

[southsider]

Be good to see how killeen gets on at full back - need some solution htere

In my own opinion id say Ger Cafferkey is doing fine at full back, I dont think that was the problem, although Killeen did well the last day when he came in.

Id say that the problems were at corner back at centre back.

Previous managers were playing guys out of position and trying to turn natural wing backs into corner backs which wasnt working for us.

ya totally agree with ya, meant to say option rather than solution at full back. See him as a stronger man should a beast arrive in on the edge of the square. they both have their strong suits.

hallinan may solve one of our corner back dilemas

[moysider]

Be good to see how killeen gets on at full back - need some solution htere

In my own opinion id say Ger Cafferkey is doing fine at full back, I dont think that was the problem, although Killeen did well the last day when he came in.

Id say that the problems were at corner back at centre back.

Previous managers were playing guys out of position and trying to turn natural wing backs into corner backs which wasnt working for us.

Of course I believe Ger Cafferkey is the best option to solve the 6 problem. That is the obvious solution. It is his best position by far and it could change the dynamic considerably if he was played there. I have never been able to understand the mission to play him at 3. Understandable at county underage maybe because of his athleticism, pace and the limited choice but senior!...... it was just lazy. I would n t fret about full-back now. Not if the other back positions are sorted with likes of McLoughlin, Keith Higgins (who, with Ger, I would consider our best defenders at this time) etc. Keane, McHale, Feeney could well be a better option for 3 and the whole thing could come together. I d like to see a back line of Hallihan, Richie Feeney, McLoughlin, Higgins, Cafferkey,Burke picked together for a serious game to see. Not saying they re going to be/should be the select 6 but I d like to see them together. I d like to see 2 smart pacey footballing ciotógs with fast hands at 4 and 7. I d like to see the shackles off Higgins and Caff and let them do what comes natural to them. Run, break tackles and set up attacks. Two players who have not been allowed to develop their strengths. Neither ever came to attention in the first place because they were thick markers.
The problem Horan has with so many options and players out, and with Colleges, that his preferred team might take months to get on the pitch together. It is possible that McLoughglin and Burke will not be selected on the same team this year. If so, I would be a bit pissed off.
I hope Cathal Freeman is back to his best and will do himself justice at 11. It s a great selection by Horan and even if it is not a roaring success at first I hope Horan goes with his instincts on this one. We badly need an 11. To our cost it has seldom been taken seriously in this county. To his credit Horan has picked one of probably only two players who could do a proper job there - and the other one is a bit young yet.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Very good points made their about the defence moysider. I'm not sure if Cafferkey would be the solution at 6 - merely because I have never seen him anywhere but 3. But it would make sense to try it. The options played thus far at 6 in the GMIT game and the selection for tomorrow are good players but I cannot see them at 6 come championship. Also re Keith Higgins, I'm just not sure about him on the wing. I mean he has shown the looks of a good wing-back from his corner-back raids but I think a good five needs to be a good distributor of the ball. Keith doesn't have that in his armoury. More of a ball carrier than a passer. I think it is interesting that Horan has picked him in the corner for his first game of the year. It shows a possible reluctance to move him from there.

Centre-half forward - I think we have a lot of options there. Alan Dillon, Aidan O'Shea would  be the two from last year I would have in mind. Cathal Freeman is a real option there too if he gets back to near his best - and we have to be patient in this regard. I'm guessing your other option for there is Micheál Forde?

I see Keith Higgins and Cathal Freeman were actually both in Ballyheane today with the Mayo hurlers. Keith played a half and Cathal was on the sideline. They will have a busy few months ahead, especially Cathal with U-21 as well and in college.

[AbbeySider]

Some good points made in the last two posts. I see where Moy is coming from regarding Cafferkey, and having him as a centre back may be an idea as he seems to have the makings. However Id also agree with R&GS as we have not seen enough of him so it could be best left alone.

I think our current strongest fullback line could look like this:
Hallinan - Cafferkey - Richie Feeney

However Richie is injured at the minute so I think that Keith Higgins could slot in there at corner back as he is proven and as was previously mentioned, I would also be unsure would he have the distribution and passing ability for wing back. All the previously mentioned players also have serious penetration and are all capable of bursting out of defence and working possession out.

As regards the half back line, its much harder to pick at the minute...

[southsider]

stand out players versus roscommon in backline were killeen & higgins. killen marking shine and totally negated nullified him in second half. forwards - freeman, ronaldson and varley did well. freeman very intelligent use of ball. varley did well on a serious roscommon corner back and ronaldson was his usual busy and productive self.