Ciaran McDonald not named in Mayo panel

[stephenite]

if you want to know that Pri*k  Rice's real views on mcdonald go back and read early 2004 articles in which he impuned bith his fotball ability and goodname . of course hea had to change his tune in ala dunphy so I reckon hes is now just sticking the knife in while he can

Yep - a great man for sticking the knife into players whenever the occasion arises. Did the same to Brady a few years back, after one of his false start retirements - pronounced that DB was never of the required standard for Inter County football. How in the name of God some poor soul is actually paying that man to write opinion pieces on Mayo football is beyond me - and the worst thing is some peole think he's some kind of all knowing oracle when he clearly hasn't got a notion of what he's on about.

Writing style is shite as well

[RedandGreenSniper]

Agree with you regarding Brady Stephenite - Rice certainly seems to have an issue with him there.
Think though that his pieces are worthwhile reading generally, not as insightful as McStay, but then McStay is capable of superb stuff altogether.
Thought his comments regarding McDonald were well made, even if I wouldn't agree with them all.

[stephenite]

It's the boring tone of his pieces that get to me

[Davitt Man]

McDonald was spoken to insists O'Mahony
BY ANTHONY HENNIGAN

MAYO manager John O'Mahony has refuted allegations made by former All-Star footballer Ciaran McDonald last week, that he or his management team did not contact the player regards any possible involvement with this year's county senior football team, stating that Ciaran, like many other players, was not alone spoken to but invited to participate in trial games arranged by the Mayo management.

Speaking in a national newspaper, McDonald said that it wasn't his choice that he was not named in Mayo's championship panel and that at no stage was there an invite for him to return to the panel. "I haven't retired, but nobody told me I wasn't wanted back either and that's what I find disappointing," said the Crossmolina forward, who performed impressively in his club's league defeat to Charlestown last Saturday evening.

"I would have loved to play with Mayo again this year, but obviously he doesn't want me. If John O'Mahony doesn't want me on the Mayo panel let him tell me to my face," he continued. However, speaking to the Western People, the Mayo boss has offered a different version of events, one at odds with the views expressed by McDonald, revealing that he and his management team spoke to anyone that might be involved or who might have wished to be involved with the county team.

"Once you go through that exhaustive process of selecting a panel, you've seen so many players, you offer invitations to others and they take them up or they don't, but you speak to everybody that you want involved and I spoke to Ciaran McDonald as I did to Kevin O'Neill, as I did to David Brady, as I did to Ger Brady, as I did earlier on to David Heaney and Trevor Mortimer who were late coming in (to the squad).We would have spoken with all of those players and invited the ones that hadn't been with us for the league to participate in games. "In the case of people like James Nallen and Ciaran McDonald, basically these trial games that have been talked about were not to put lads on trial that had been there before, it was to see first of all if they were interested in coming back.We based it on the response we got to those replies," explained John O'Mahony.



"The mechanisms here aren't any different to how they ever have been but I think you have to have structures. You can't have a situation where you don't have a structure. The only alternative to that is to watch the club games every week and call in different people every Tuesday night for that particular week. You need to have structures and you need for people to identify whether they're interested or not and that's what happened in this case.

"I'm not getting into any head to head with any individual, I just want to give the context of how the panel was picked. I'm not in the business of deciding who retires or anything else," said the manager, who took to the local airwaves last Wednesday morning when the story broke, in response to points raised by McDonald in the Irish Independent interview. O'Mahony would have preferred if any perceived fallout could have remained behind closed doors and have been sorted out privately by both parties involved. "That's always the way I would wish for but that's up to the participants and I would always be willing to speak and talk.

"I would have been surprised that if there were any concerns of anyone involved that were disappointed, that they mightn't have come to me, but that's there prerogative in many respects. "You'll always have opinions of panels and that's the way the world is, particularly in the GAA and particularly in Mayo, and I've no problem with that," he concluded.

[Mayo4Sam]

From AH's piece it sounds like McDanger took the hump by being asked to play a trial game, thinking it was a trial to get on the panel, whereas JOM thought it as a way of getting back into the fold, poor communication

[moysider]

John Maughan in this week's Mayo Advertiser


The only story in town
I am very conscious of the fact that the Ciaran McDonald story has been discussed at great length over the last ten days by everyone and anyone with an interest in Mayo football. I know, from my days in management, that one cannot believe every rumour that circulates when it involves inter-county footballers. Obviously I know Ciaran very well, having managed him at both club and county level for a number of years. Like most followers I have marvelled at his awesome skill and ability on the football field. I recall vividly the first time I saw him play underage football with my home club Crossmolina over 15 years ago. He stood head and shoulders above everyone on a brilliant club side that won a brace of minor A titles in 1992 and 1993. He made his senior debut for Mayo against Derry within a week of winning his second minor championship. Incidentally he was man of the match in both of those county finals.

He was a unique and awesome talent. In the intervening years he has amazed many with that left foot of his, often producing fantastic scores and executing laser-like passes when the pressure was really on in big games. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that he is the best footballer I have ever managed. He is a most likeable individual who lives and breathes football. His passion for winning has never been in doubt whether in the green and red of Mayo or in the maroon and white of his beloved Crossmolina club. He is idolised all over the country, with hundreds of school children playing in their school yards trying to mimic Ciaran McDonald and the way he might have taken a shot at goal. He has been one of the most recognised faces of Gaelic football over the last decade or more.

However, I also realise that with genius comes a complexity that can be challenging to anyone trying to harness a team ethic. Ciaran hasn't always conformed to authority and that undoubtedly is a challenge to any manager trying to get a group of players to abide by the same rules and guidelines. Ciaran is different in many ways to the "ordinary" footballer. For a start his work takes him all over the country and he has a reputation as being an awesome worker. As a result his fitness and strength conditioning is never in question. He spends an inordinate amount of time driving to and from work and this may have contributed to a lower back injury that troubled him for the past few seasons. Because of his unique situation I often took a liberal attitude to his participation in the early rounds of the National Football League, affording him some much needed rest whenever I could. However, once he committed himself to Mayo he rarely, if ever, missed a training session. I was quite often astonished to see him run onto the training field fully togged and ready for action with minutes to spare, having travelled from some far flung corner of Ireland. He might have spent three hours or more travelling to that training session but he would run himself into the ground cajoling and demanding better from those around him.


Last weekend's club action


I decided to travel to Charlestown last Saturday evening to watch Crossmolina play in the league. Naturally I had an interest in the game, but more importantly I wanted to see if Ciaran still has the ability to play at inter-county level. There is no doubt that he still possesses the talent. He played very well in that first half, kicking two points from play, and had a hand in practically every score for Cross'. His tackling and work rate around the field was excellent. The second half wasn't near as productive and with the Charlestown midfield completely dominating for the last 20 minutes, Ciaran didn't enjoy near as much possession. He had a penalty saved in that second half and missed a rather easy free which he would normally pop over with his eyes closed. There was no evidence of any back complaint during the game. The observations from those I spoke to after the game agreed that his performance the previous week against Ballaghaderreen was as near to perfection as you could get. He didn't play as well on this occasion, but those I spoke to after the game suggested that he is good enough to play inter-county football. As to whether he will play again in a Mayo shirt remains to be seen. I realise, having read his interview in the national press, that he would love one last opportunity to don the green and red of Mayo.

That club game was won by Charlestown with a winning margin of four points. They played with the breeze in the first half, but it was Crossmolina that played the better football of that half. Crossmolina went in at the break a single point in arrears and I felt they would win the game with the aid of a very stiff breeze in the second half. But with "Ginger" Tiernan rolling back the years with a vintage performance at midfield it was the Charlestown boys who played the better football. It was in this second half that I saw Tom Parsons produce the type of football that will surely see him play for Mayo in this year's championship. He has a problem, however, in that he goes missing in games and he would readily admit that he was nowhere to be found in the first half. But he was quite superb in the second, dominating in the air and displaying that subtle class that he possesses. Charlestown are a formidable outfit and they will prove a very difficult side to beat in the chase for the Moclair Cup.


A win or a draw


Mayo played Laois on Monday last at the official opening of new club facilities in Ballyhaunis. There remains some doubt as to the final score in the game. The referee suggested that Mayo had won the game by a point, but other wise GAA punters had the scores level at the end. This is one of many challenge games that will be played between now and the game against Sligo in McHale Park on the June 22 (assuming Sligo overcome London). I would never read too much into these challenge games. I recall my time playing for Mayo in the early 80s when we had the reputation of being an awesome team in challenge games, taking some of the biggest scalps around at the time. Sadly when it came to the championship we were a spent force and faltered when it mattered most.


Rembering a great talent


I was in Bofeenaun last Monday when a special Mass was celebrated to commemorate the memory of Padraig Garrett, who died suddenly 21 years ago while out training with Lahardane McHales. Padraig was an exceptionally talented footballer and was a substitute on the successful winning All-Ireland Mayo minor team of 1985. He loved his football and I recall the sadness at his passing as if it were yesterday. There was a fantastic turnout of friends and GAA players from Lahardane and Crossmolina at the Mass. Both teams then played a very keenly contested junior match for the Padraig Garrett perpetual trophy, with Crossmolina coming out narrowly on top. All in all a very appropriate way to commemorate the memory of one of our own.


Regrets for the U21s


If any of the Mayo under 21s watched the All Ireland final between Kerry and Kildare last weekend they will surely have a few regrets in not getting to that final. I am convinced that if Mayo had had Pearce Hanley lining out in this year's campaign we would have another under 21 title in the bag today. We were that close. Kerry won rather easily in the end and in so doing we learned that our under 21s were definitely the second best team in the country.

[rosnarun]

God the bit about padraig Garret bring its all back.A Giant in everyway, keeping it to even football he was a major loss to 1st to crossmolina and later after his 'Transfer' to Lahardane due to a boundary mixup . SO many of lads of his era passed on prematurely it  brings a lump to the throat. But its good to see him still remember like this I hope the adrain Garvey cup in the School is still played for too
God Bless both of them
RIP

[the Deel Rover]

God the bit about padraig Garret bring its all back.A Giant in everyway, keeping it to even football he was a major loss to 1st to crossmolina and later after his 'Transfer' to Lahardane due to a boundary mixup . SO many of lads of his era passed on prematurely it  brings a lump to the throat. But its good to see him still remember like this I hope the adrain Garvey cup in the School is still played for too
God Bless both of them
RIP

Ye padraig was a great lad  was lucky enough to be picked on his team in the school league used to really look up to him as a kid i remeber thinking how great he was been able to kick the ball over the bar from the kick outs but sure the pitch wasn't 50 metres still it was some belt of a ball for a young lad. They had a mass before the match last week Ros.I must check to see do they still play the Adian Garvey cup now that the two schools are amalgamated. Jesus when you think of it the number of players that came through the  nationalschool to play senior for mayo is inreal John Maughan, Jimmy Nallen, Ciaran Mc , Peadar Gardiner, Michael Moyles never mind those that played minor. Another great lad and footballer is dead 15 years in the next few weeks Ronan Maughan god be good to him puts football into perspective doesn't it.

[gaagaa]

From AH's piece it sounds like McDanger took the hump by being asked to play a trial game, thinking it was a trial to get on the panel, whereas JOM thought it as a way of getting back into the fold, poor communication

at the end of the day he didnt participate in any of the league
noones too good to go for a trial to see how fit etc tyhey are
fair play to JM - hes not a successful manager for nothing

[mayo51]

good article in the mayo advertiser this week from john maughan.he resists sticking the boot into j.o.m which i am sure he felt like doing.the bottom line is j.o.m did not want mcd on the panel and he can dress it up any way he wants.it is hard to believe that one of the best players ever to wear the green and red would have his inter county career end in this manner.its a bit rich of mcstay to be going on about team spirit and team bonding as when he was the manager of the mayo u 21s in 2001 he picked ger brady for the final against tyrone even tho he had not been on the panel up to that due to rugby commitments.this idea of inviting mcd to a trial game no matter what the reason,  is the biggest load of bollox i have ever heard in my life.he deserved more than that and i am sure j.o.m knew that he would never show up.i think this mess all stems from the qualifer v derry last year when mcd had to sit thro 60 min. of a poor mayo performance and then was only brought on when the game was gone from mayo.i saw the game myself and it was pretty obvious that he should have been brought on early in the 2ind half.this i think rankled mcd alot and he wasnt going to go begging to j.o.m this year.all in all another sorry episode in the history of mayo football as we are now back to 3 and 4 year plans to win the all ireland.

[Rossfan]

we are now back to 3 and 4 year plans to win the all ireland.

 

Surely you mean 60 or 70 year plans ? 

[KIDDO 4]

NEWS FROM LAST NIGHT\'S WELCOME INN SENIOR LEAGUE ACTION 
May 11 2008

In last night's action in the Welcome Inn Senior Football League in Division 1A there were wins for Moy Davitts over Westport, Knockmore over Burrishoole, Crossmolina over Breaffy and draws between Davitts and Belmullet and Ballaghadereen and Charlestown. In Division 1B there were wins for Ballina over Garrymore, Shrule/Glencorrib over Tourmakeady, Castlebar ovr Kilmeena and Claremorris over Ballintubber. In Division 1C wins for Aghamore over Mayo Gaels, Swinford over Kilcommon and Bonniconlon over Kilmaine. One game in Division 1C, with Ballyhaunis and Parke ending in a draw.

[rosnarun]

Another great lad and footballer is dead 15 years in the next few weeks Ronan Maughan god be good to him puts football into perspective doesn't it

jeez time flies cant believe its that long
wasnt there also a cup for me old mates kenneth mulkearns and sean O'malley may not have been foorball cup and of course in Keenagh we have the Mickey Lydon cup  for our lad that will be going 20 years next year.

[thejuice]

Meath 2-17
Mayo  0-16

A number of the new players brought onto the panel showed good form in Meath's challenge match win over Mayo at Dunderry.

Colm Coyle's options were limited by suspensions and injuries, but the side he put out had too much class for John O'Mahony's men.

Graham Geraghty was the best forward on view and he grabbed one of the Meath goals, while a number of additions to the panel came on over the course of the 70 plus minutes.

Brian Farrell made a comeback after his knee injury while Shane O'Rourke togged out but was an unused susbstitute.

Meath - P O'Rourke, C O'Connor, K Reilly, S Carr, T Skelly, E Harrington, C O Mealoid, M Ward, E Reilly, S Bray, B Meade, A Nestor, C Ward, J Sheridan, G Geraghty. Subs - B Sheridan, D Sheridan, B Farrell, B Ennis, H Finnegan.

Any word on the Mayo team that played on Sunday? Heard it was full strenght but I'd have my doubts.

[moysider]

Meath 2-17
Mayo  0-16

A number of the new players brought onto the panel showed good form in Meath's challenge match win over Mayo at Dunderry.

Colm Coyle's options were limited by suspensions and injuries, but the side he put out had too much class for John O'Mahony's men.

Graham Geraghty was the best forward on view and he grabbed one of the Meath goals, while a number of additions to the panel came on over the course of the 70 plus minutes.

Brian Farrell made a comeback after his knee injury while Shane O'Rourke togged out but was an unused susbstitute.

Meath - P O'Rourke, C O'Connor, K Reilly, S Carr, T Skelly, E Harrington, C O Mealoid, M Ward, E Reilly, S Bray, B Meade, A Nestor, C Ward, J Sheridan, G Geraghty. Subs - B Sheridan, D Sheridan, B Farrell, B Ennis, H Finnegan.

Any word on the Mayo team that played on Sunday? Heard it was full strenght but I'd have my doubts.

So we were outclassed by a weakened Meath team. Surely there was somebody there that could give us a brief report and team list. I know it was only a challenge but after last weeks awful second half against Laois and conceding 2 - 17 yesterday you d begin to worry.