Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, March 20 (or maybe the 18th, you wouldn't know).

IolarCoisCuain · March 14, 2011, 10:48:27 AM

I don't want the Gaeilge to spoil people's fun who aren't comfortable with it either. We can chat the game in English too.

Thoughts on this one boys? Dublin only have to turn up I feel. Sure aren't they the best team in Ireland?

Bensars · March 14, 2011, 10:54:26 AM

The thing about "Cute Hoorism" is knowing when to use it. Poor effort, even Heffo wouldnt take the bait on that one !

heffo · March 14, 2011, 12:08:05 PM

A Dublin team shorn of it's best forward over in the White House representing Ireland. One back from six available from the championship team. A rookie midfield.

Mayo scrapping for points. Dublin scraping a win in Clones.

Mayo by two for me.

liihb · March 14, 2011, 05:44:50 PM

Only 2 Heffo?

highorlow · March 14, 2011, 05:48:43 PM

QuoteOnly 2 Heffo?

Home advantage for us in Croker should help.

ross4life · March 14, 2011, 05:52:28 PM

The last three league games between the two sides have been very close, 2010 Mayo 1-8 Dublin 1-9, 2009 Mayo 0-9 Dublin 0-9 & 2007 Mayo 0-10 Dublin 0-9

It's far to say Dublin will get more than 12 scores this time round.

AbbeySider · March 18, 2011, 01:34:39 PM

7 Changes for Mayo

Quote
Wholesale changes for Mayo
Mayo's Keith Higgins
18 March 2011

Mayo manager James Horan has made seven changes to his side for Sunday's big Allianz National League Division 1 test against in-form Dublin.

Keith Higgins (pictured) comes straight into the side after returning from a spell in Australia, while Alan Freeman is back after missing three games with a hand injury and Ronan McGarrity and James Kilcullen return at midfield.

Richie Feeney is preferred to Peadar Gardiner in the half back line and the Breaffy pair of goalkeeper Rob Hennelly and forward Aidan O'Shea return to the side having been rested against Armagh last weekend due to county U21 duty.

The inclusion of Higgins at corner back sees Chris Barrett take over at the edge of the square and Cathal Hallinan make way, while others to miss out are goalkeeper Kenneth O'Malley, defender Ruaidhiri O'Connor, midfielders Tom Parsons and Jason Gibbons and forward Aidan Kilcoyne.

Kevin McLoughlin, who has started in the forward line in recent matches, reverts to the half back line on this occasion.

Mayo (SF v Dublin): Robert Hennelly; Tom Cunniffe, Chris Barrett, Keith Higgins; Richie Feeney, Ger Cafferkey, Kevin McLoughlin; Ronan McGarrity, James Killcullen; Aidan Campbell, Alan Dillon, Andy Moran; Aidan O'Shea, Alan Freeman, Jason Doherty.

Subs: David Clarke, Peadar Gardiner, Cathal Hallinan, James Burke, Jason Gibbons, Tom Parsons, Aidan Kilcoyne, Enda Varley, Neil Douglas, Cillian O'Connor, Eoghan O'Reilly.

AbbeySider · March 18, 2011, 01:44:46 PM

Hennelly;
Cunniffe, Barrett, Higgins;
R Feeney, Cafferkey, McLoughlin;
McGarrity, Killcullen;
Campbell, Dillon, Moran;
O'Shea, Freeman, Doherty

Its hard to know if thats the way Mayo will line out on the day, if it is then there will be a lot of big questions answered.

AbbeySider · March 18, 2011, 01:58:00 PM

Willie Joes take on things, a lot of which I would go along with

Quote

Team to play Dublin named

I had only just hit the 'Publish' button on the previous post when I saw that we have now, a bit earlier than expected, announced our line-up for the Dublin game on Sunday. Here are full details of the team and subs:

Mayo (NFL Division One v Dublin, 20/3/2011): Robert Hennelly (Breaffy); Tom Cunniffe (Castlebar Mitchels), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis); Richie Feeney (Castlebar Mitchels), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites), Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore); Ronan McGarrity (Ballina Stephenites), James Kilcullen (Ballaghaderreen); Aidan Campbell (Swinford), Alan Dillon (Ballintubber), Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen); Aidan O'Shea (Breaffy), Alan Freeman (Aghamore), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole). Subs: David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites), Peadar Gardiner (Crossmolina), Cathal Hallinan (Ballintubber), James Burke (Ballymun Kickhams, Dublin), Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber), Tom Parsons (Charlestown), Aidan Kilcoyne (Knockmore), Enda Varley (Garrymore), Neil Douglas (Castlebar Mitchels), Cillian O'Connor (Ballintubber), Eoghan Reilly (Castlebar Mitchels).

That's seven changes from the side that started against Armagh last weekend, with Robbie Hennelly, Keith Higgins, Richie Feeney, Ronan McGarrity, James Kilcullen, Aidan O'Shea and Alan Freeman coming in, while Kenneth O'Malley, Cathal Hallinan, Peadar Gardiner, Ruaidhri O'Connor, Tom Parsons, Jason Gibbons and Aidan Kilcoyne all lose out. There are also a number of positional switches from the starting team the last day, the net result of which is that only Tom Cunniffe, Ger Cafferkey, Aidan Campbell, Alan Dillon and Jason Doherty will have the same numbers on their jerseys that they had the last day.

While there are good reasons for many of the changes being made for Sunday, it means that, as has been the case for every other game so far this year, there's absolutely no continuity from one day to the next. I can understand why the likes of Gardiner, Parsons, Gibbons and Kilcoyne haven't made the cut this time (given that none of them by all accounts did that well the last day) but this logic surely doesn't apply in the cases of Cathal Hallinan and Ruaidhri O'Connor. Hallinan (or Alan Feeney – is he injured by the way?) is a potential championship full-back for us while Chris Barrett (who stands at 5'9" or thereabouts) most definitely isn't. So why name Barrett there when the Ballintubber man could gain valuable experience in the position at HQ on Sunday? Likewise, why reward O'Connor for repeatedly good showings with a place on the bench in the next game? It makes no sense to me, I have to say.

A more welcome development is James Kilcullen's return to midfield, where he'll provide a bit of heft (though maybe not too much in the way of pace) while Keith Higgins should add a bit of stability at the back (he'll have the legs on Mossy at any rate). Alan Freeman's return in the forwards will also add some potency there and, given his and Jason Doherty's keen eye for goal, Pat Gilroy may yet end up regrettting his decision to rest Stephen Cluxton for this one.

Farrandeelin · March 18, 2011, 05:51:27 PM

Interesting to see Chris Barrett picked at full-back against Dublin. Though Hallinan could start in his stead. It's a gamble all this chopping and changing even if it is to see who's right for certain positions come championship, but with this been only one of three games left in the league, you'd think he'd know his best 15 in their positions sooner rather than later.

moysider · March 18, 2011, 05:59:30 PM

Quote from: AbbeySider on March 18, 2011, 01:44:46 PM
Hennelly;
Cunniffe, Barrett, Higgins;
R Feeney, Cafferkey, McLoughlin;
McGarrity, Killcullen;
Campbell, Dillon, Moran;
O'Shea, Freeman, Doherty

Its hard to know if thats the way Mayo will line out on the day, if it is then there will be a lot of big questions answered.

Hmmmm. Is Caff going to end up at full back after all? McLoughlin moves back to 7 to accomodate Andy at 12.

rosnarun · March 18, 2011, 06:03:04 PM

all that team and last weeks one shows is Horan is willing to completely sacrifice the league. there does not seem to be any rhyme nor reason to his selections for the whole league .
all we can really have picked up is Aidan osé Alan dillion Ronan Mcgarrity and andy moran will probably start in thr championship if fit after that every place is up for grabs.
there are still about 6 or 7 probables that have not even togged for a league game
Barry moran, t mortimer, p harte, Trevor howley,donal vaughan and seamus osé and that before we start the 'is ciaran Mcdonald coming back' debate

rosnarun · March 18, 2011, 06:05:31 PM

Quote from: moysider on March 18, 2011, 05:59:30 PM
Quote from: AbbeySider on March 18, 2011, 01:44:46 PM
Hennelly;
Cunniffe, Barrett, Higgins;
R Feeney, Cafferkey, McLoughlin;
McGarrity, Killcullen;
Campbell, Dillon, Moran;
O'Shea, Freeman, Doherty

Its hard to know if thats the way Mayo will line out on the day, if it is then there will be a lot of big questions answered.

Hmmmm. Is Caff going to end up at full back after all? McLoughlin moves back to 7 to accomodate Andy at 12.

he was only keeping the jersey warm while andy was filling in around the pitch anoither example of the experimentsary nature of horan's selections
i just hope hes learning something and does not get bogged down in choices

Farrandeelin · March 18, 2011, 08:05:39 PM

T Mortimer??? Jesus I hope he's not allowed near the county panel again. Anyway as regards the team, C. Barrett and Kilkullen aside, it's a bloody good one!

ross4life · March 18, 2011, 08:14:20 PM

Good to see Horan is giving youth a chance in this Dublin/Croke park game though if i were a Mayo fan i wouldn't be happy with these 7/8 changes every game (2/3 more than enough)