Saturday July 22 Cork v Mayo, Gaelic Grounds, 5PM

[mrhardyannual]

In championship football, only the result counts. Mayo won and we move on. Expect a battle with the Rossies next Sunday but provided we have no injuries we have every chance of making the semi-final.

[blast05]

Jaysus Mayo are awful vulnerable when ran at through the middle. It was incredible how open they were towards the end of normal time.

Texted a friend 20 minutes into second half, asked him who the fff is center half back for Mayo and where is he.

Chris Barrett by jersey number. Colm Boyle more often than not. Both subbed off at that stage. Fair enough for Boyle. But a bad call ree Barrett

[maigheo]

Barret played the whole game including extra time.Not sure why you say he was subbed off.

[MayoBuck]

Barret played the whole game including extra time.Not sure why you say he was subbed off.

He was subbed off for Paddy Durcan in the second half but came back on for Jason Doc at the start of extra time.

[maigheo]

Yeah your right.Missed the first 20 min of the 2ind half and did not see the change with Durcan

[UlsterMan2]

Ciaran Branagan refereed that game well end off.

[ck]

Ciaran Branagan refereed that game well end off.

Yes wod agtee with that. Brannigan let it flow.

[omagh_gael]

Ciaran Branagan refereed that game well end off.

As a neutral I thought the same. Obviously blowing up early was a big error, though.

Btw, thought Cillian had a very good day yesterday. Six from play and give frees/45s is some return. Big Aiden is hard to stop when he gets a head of steam. If Rossies slow these two down I think they'll win.

[Il Bomber Destro]

What's your verdict on Rochford, lads?

They seem to be ambling along under him and while unquestionably they were unlucky against Dublin last year, they used up a fair amount of their lives against Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Cork as well as two exits in Connacht against Galway.

McLoughlin seemed to have developed into a very effective sweeper last year and in the big games against Tyrone and Dublin it seemed to add them with a bit of defensive structure and security which they always seemed to lack in the big games. This year he seems to have been completely abandoned it and the ease at which Cork cut right through the middle of Mayo yesterday is very worrying from their point of view. Mayo really are the own worst enemies at times.

I remember last year in injury time against Tyrone they hit a really loose free across their own goals which was intercepted and McCurry snatched at a great chance to draw us level. Yesterday you had an experienced player like Alan Dillon doing pretty much the exact same thing again. Mayo's ability to self destruct is unrivaled in the game and more that a porous defence, management and player discord or lack of a marquee forward, it is what has cost them an All Ireland.

My problem with what the players did with Holmes and Connelly in 2015 was that there seemed to be zero introspection on their own part in why they never won an All Ireland, 2 years on and the same sort of meltdowns are still happening with Mayo footballers in pressure cooker situations. They're good enough to win but they seem determined not to address their propensity to explode.

[manfromdelmonte]

What's your verdict on Rochford, lads?

They seem to be ambling along under him and while unquestionably they were unlucky against Dublin last year, they used up a fair amount of their lives against Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Cork as well as two exits in Connacht against Galway.

McLoughlin seemed to have developed into a very effective sweeper last year and in the big games against Tyrone and Dublin it seemed to add them with a bit of defensive structure and security which they always seemed to lack in the big games. This year he seems to have been completely abandoned it and the ease at which Cork cut right through the middle of Mayo yesterday is very worrying from their point of view. Mayo really are the own worst enemies at times.

I remember last year in injury time against Tyrone they hit a really loose free across their own goals which was intercepted and McCurry snatched at a great chance to draw us level. Yesterday you had an experienced player like Alan Dillon doing pretty much the exact same thing again. Mayo's ability to self destruct is unrivaled in the game and more that a porous defence, management and player discord or lack of a marquee forward, it is what has cost them an All Ireland.

My problem with what the players did with Holmes and Connelly in 2015 was that there seemed to be zero introspection on their own part in why they never won an All Ireland, 2 years on and the same sort of meltdowns are still happening with Mayo footballers in pressure cooker situations. They're good enough to win but they seem determined not to address their propensity to explode.

took off Andy way too early again, and they nearly paid the price
bench isn't good enough

[FL/MAYO]

What's your verdict on Rochford, lads?

They seem to be ambling along under him and while unquestionably they were unlucky against Dublin last year, they used up a fair amount of their lives against Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry and Cork as well as two exits in Connacht against Galway.

McLoughlin seemed to have developed into a very effective sweeper last year and in the big games against Tyrone and Dublin it seemed to add them with a bit of defensive structure and security which they always seemed to lack in the big games. This year he seems to have been completely abandoned it and the ease at which Cork cut right through the middle of Mayo yesterday is very worrying from their point of view. Mayo really are the own worst enemies at times.

I remember last year in injury time against Tyrone they hit a really loose free across their own goals which was intercepted and McCurry snatched at a great chance to draw us level. Yesterday you had an experienced player like Alan Dillon doing pretty much the exact same thing again. Mayo's ability to self destruct is unrivaled in the game and more that a porous defence, management and player discord or lack of a marquee forward, it is what has cost them an All Ireland.

My problem with what the players did with Holmes and Connelly in 2015 was that there seemed to be zero introspection on their own part in why they never won an All Ireland, 2 years on and the same sort of meltdowns are still happening with Mayo footballers in pressure cooker situations. They're good enough to win but they seem determined not to address their propensity to explode.

I can't get my head around abandoning the defensive structure they had last year.

[Ballaghman]

Absolutely mental game of football, all too Mayo-like unfortunately. Should have been out the gate when 7 up but we always seem to let teams back into games. The defensive problems are the biggest concern obviously. Caff has either lost a yard of pace permanently or he's working his way back to fitness, either way he's way off his own high standards. The other big issue is a lack a controlling ever-present centre back who holds the middle no matter what. If we have to bring McLoughlin back as sweeper to sort this out then so be it, something has to be done or this Mayo cat will run out of lives.
Despite losing to Galway twice and despite the own goals last year, I think Rochford is a relatively lucky general, things have definitely gone his way this year. I like him and rate him but he seems more muddled this year than last. He had a definite plan with the sweeper last year. Now he seems to think it robbed us of too much scoring power and seems willing to risk being more open at the back, that's very Horanesque and will catch us out in the end.
Higgins is actually doing quite well as a sweeper and in the first half we looked quite solid but once cork pushed a man up and we had 6 on 6 at the back, along with SOS going off, it was chaos back there and was a throwback to 2014.
Rochford has to decide what he's doing now, permanent sweeper or not, Higgins or McLoughlin. Maybe there's a master plan for Croke Park, if there is it better be a good one.
On the plus side AOS was unreal yesterday, again. Cillian and Andy were excellent inside, they're really clicking well right now. Loftus adds a lot as an impact sub and Diarmaid is starting to show signs of the footballer we know he is.
We're still in the hat, we're still alive, that's all that matters today. Ballagh will be some craic this week and I can't wait to have a rattle at the Rossies in Croke Park, could be a cracker........knowing us, it will be.

[Rossfan]

Sad to see a Roscommon man looking forward to having a 'rattle" at his own people

[Rudi]

Mayo are a dirty team. Higgins is pure town. Cork got a 14 yard free when 2 players should have walked. Dangerous foot trip and a neck high challenge. Hopefully the ref will be better next day.ì

[Tubberman]

Mayo are a dirty team. Higgins is pure town. Cork got a 14 yard free when 2 players should have walked. Dangerous foot trip and a neck high challenge. Hopefully the ref will be better next day.ì

Save it for the Ros V Mayo thread - you don't want to burn yourself out too early