Maigh Eo v Gaillimh

[mannix]

Listened on the radio and it sounded like a million miles an hour action. Hard luck to Mayo, they are becoming a pleasure to follow again because you cannot tell if the game is ever gone from them against anyone, they just keep going rather than give up and thats a sign of belief in themselves.Galway have some great talent and deserved the win, however its a blank sheet again if they meet in connaught(they will) so Mayo get another shot at them.
Very impressed with jom and co, they are getting the team into a decent shape.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Haven't seen the game yet - will have to rely on Setanta Oz later in the week - but it doesn't sound like the most painful Mayo defeat ever. Haven't heard any mention though of Trevor Howley - how did he get on? Was he left on Joyce?
How middling/poor was Austie? Good to see Pat Kelly getting a run too. Certainly there's more optimism now than there was at the start of the league, we won't be getting carried away with ourselves but good to see progress all the same (God I never thought I'd be saying that after a defeat to Galway 

[galwayman]

Does anyone know if this game is on Setanta or TG4 this week sometime?
Can't believe they didn't show any action from this game on Sunday Sport last night. They showed a bit of Fermanagh v Wexford for Gods sake!!

[Tubberman]

Sunday Sport is a joke! They show the same games that were on TG4 earlier in the day, and highlights from the game that was on Setanta the night before.

On the match yesterday, I think both Mayo and Galway can take a fair few positives from it. Mayo didn't score enough when they had the wind in the first half, but fought back brilliantly after Galway's second goal. I thought they'd at least get a draw after Conroy put us a point up, but Galway showed a lot of determination to come back and snatch it (although Clarke gifted Joyce the winner).
Still, it's our turn to lose in the league and win in the championship so everything is on course 

[GalwayBayBoy]

Joe Bergin did his achilles as per the GBFM this morning so its a long term injury in all likelihood.

That would be a real shame as he would probably have partnered Cullinane in midfield come the Summer. Joe missed the championship a couple of years ago too after he did his knee. A pity to lose a player of his quality when things seem to be heading in ther right direction.

[moysider]

Reasonably happy. Showed guts in the second half to stay in the game and could have got something out of it. The game was a scrap in the first 20 minutes and we got no rythm going with the wind. It looked like an eight point wind and going in only a point up looked ominous but we dominated possession in the second half. At this remove it looks like Galways championship to lose though. Fitzgerald easily snuffed out Austin as feared and Conor just about broke even with Burke. Only Andy consistently won ball and he took his goal brilliantly. Our half forward line was cleaned out and defensively all had their hands full. Parsons looked very comfortable in as close to championship pace as you will get at this time of year. The Barry Moran stuff was bizarre to say the least. The wind was practically gone and with Austin anonimous surely he should have been used as a targetman. the fullforward line as constructed looks easy meat for this Galway full back line later in Summer. A lot of our lads will be better in June/July. McGar Heaney Dillon and Harte come into this category. Hope I m wrong but Gill and Austin just don t have the pace in their game. Trevor s dash was badly missed yesterday in half forward line. We can inject serious pace into a game and that will be our best chance of turning tables in summer imo.

[Farrandeelin]

I thought that our fullback line were shaky. Gill was terrible, honest to God, I said that if he was going to do anything then this should be the game that brought any ability he had. Harte not much better. However, they showed some fight against the blizzard in the second half. To be honest, I have to say that the 1 point lead at half-time looked ominous and especially with the shakiness of the fullback line. I think that Mayo may learn lessons from this game, but we need to develop a more physical side. Galway really intimidated us in the physical stakes again yesterday and it seems that they have their homework done in that regard. Suppose Mayo can take heart from the fact they played good football against the snow in the second half, but will have to up the stakes when it comes to physicality come Summer.

[GY Joe]

I thought that our fullback line were shaky. Gill was terrible, honest to God, I said that if he was going to do anything then this should be the game that brought any ability he had. Harte not much better. However, they showed some fight against the blizzard in the second half. To be honest, I have to say that the 1 point lead at half-time looked ominous and especially with the shakiness of the fullback line. I think that Mayo may learn lessons from this game, but we need to develop a more physical side. Galway really intimidated us in the physical stakes again yesterday and it seems that they have their homework done in that regard. Suppose Mayo can take heart from the fact they played good football against the snow in the second half, but will have to up the stakes when it comes to physicality come Summer.

Oh FFS. Its always the same with you Mayo whingers..  'We have to up the physicality stakes' I dont think so. It cant get much more physical without sendings off. See EMcGee's piece in the indo if you are in doubt.

Try getting better footballers, or heres an original thought 'Upping the skill stakes in the summer'

[rosnarun]

well what did we learn yesterday . nothing  by any one who was watching mayos previous games this and the last few years.
Mayo need to Score big coz our back want to play football and while helping the attack other teams sometime score . which is why we need the master of this game back Peader Gardiner.
Austin o malley is a sub at best.
Liam o malley is a definete Starter maybe take a chance on either Cunniffe or Boy but to do both is Just daft.
Part hearte is James gill with a worse haircut and you cant play both of them and maybe either in the same game.
Andy Moran is now Mayo's best player.
Mayo have lost the winners edge since JOm came and arenot winning far too many tight games against equal or lower level opposition . think Donegal Laois in particular.
We are still well back on where we were this time last year but with barry moran on the way back Parsons looking a real find and didnt ronaldson impress with his 5 minutes  compared to Boyle whos neves refused yo let him stay on his feet towards the end,but hell get over than. there is some hope but 2009 looks a better bet right now

[MaroonAndWhite]

From a Galway perspective, we didnt learn too much from the game that we didnt know already.
I thought the one positive was that Damien Burke had an improved outing on previous games keeping "SuperMort" relatively quiet. Hanley and Fitz in good vein of form in full back line....got out first to alot of ball yesterday. Hanley in particular is turning into a very good spoiler in full back...getting a hand or a leg or whatever in to break ball away. Half back line going nicely.....Sice and Mullahy playing great stuff going forward. Mullahy bringing club form into inter-county is great to see and he seems to have gotten rid of his nasty habit of getting injured every ball he goes for! Coyne and Blake both injured but both would add a bit of physicality to central position.....you'd have to say Coyne is in pole position for no 6 jersey in the summer but he seems a bit injury prone which is a worry. Either would be decent option though.
Midfield were beaten yesterday....big Barry did enough but he was alone in his battles alot of the time. Still McGarrity is a class act and not many can manage him... Wish Barry would cool the jets and not get involved everytime he goes into contact. He'll see the line yet and is arguably lucky he hasnt walked yet. Unsure what the story is with Coleman after crying off yesterday.....
PJ as ever was a genius! Cute as a fox and strong as a horse.....and still as lethal as ever. Ya wouldnt have wanted that last chance falling to anyone else. Impressed enough with Damien Dunleavy yesterday....good ball-winner and willing worker. I think he added to that line. Mike Meehan was ok, Higgins again put the kibosh on her him when he moved in. I think Army/Nicky & Banjo will be sitting it out in the summer....serious strike power on the bench. Sammon seems to be sticking with Breathnach......he doesnt have a patch of the football skill Nicky Joyce has but if Nicky had even a fraction of the attitude and aptitude for work Breathnach has, he'd be a shoe in. Sends a message to the likes of him......if he's not doing the work, he wont get his place and its a healthy message to be putting out.
And Matt Clancy......jesus, they should be testing that lad for steroids the amount of work he does  Seems to have taken off the blinkers this year and runs into cul-de-sacs a bit less that he did previously and whatever Sammon is doing with him is working big time.
A bit surprised that Mayo didnt get stuck into Paul Conroy a bit given his lack of experience but he showed up well for his first game
Now if only we had a bit more luck with the injuries........Id say he's not had a full panel to pick from all year........
Only the small matter of Kerry now 

And Mayo in the long grass come July 

[GalwayBayBoy]

Unsure what the story is with Coleman after crying off yesterday

Chest infection apparently. We'll need him back anyway seeing as Bergin is unlikely to see any championship football unfortunately.

Sammon seems to be sticking with Breathnach......he doesnt have a patch of the football skill Nicky Joyce has but if Nicky had even a fraction of the attitude and aptitude for work Breathnach has, he'd be a shoe in. Sends a message to the likes of him......if he's not doing the work, he wont get his place and its a healthy message to be putting out.

I'm not a huge fan of Breathnach but I admit he has a relentless appetite for work which Sammon seems to like. Nicky and Army are much better footballers though and if we are planning to go on any extended run this Summer I think they'll have to be on the team somewhere. Shouldn't be forgotten that Nicky was our best player last year. I think he's just being eased back in after his injury but as you say no harm to have the lads thinking that they have to up their workrate if they want to get on the field.

[moysider]

QUOTE FROM ROSNARUN
'Liam o malley is a definete Starter maybe take a chance on either Cunniffe or Boy but to do both is Just daft'

Why is O Malley a definite starter? In this league he has struggled on Darren O Sullivan. He was taken off Mc Fadden after 15 minutes. Paddy Bradley killed him last summer in Celtic park. He is no recent form to suggest he would have done any better on say Clancy yesterday than Boyle did. Would nt take any chances with a fullback line. The Cunniffe experiment has clearly failed. Boyle might work out but i would nt bet on it either. They re half backs anyway and should be played there and if they cant get a place there then its the bench. I  would like to see Heaney, Conroy and Aiden Higgins played in the full back line against Tyrone.
  In the past Harte has been better than Gill but agree both should nt be played on same team and would nt be if Trevor was fit.
The three points dropped in McHale Park this spring were largely individual errors[ Kilcoyne and Clarke] rather than lack of winners edge. We re battling well at the present time and if anything punching above our weight. We are a division 1 team but we re doing well to stay there this year. Anybody would have been happy to stay up this spring and a few players are coming through while other fellas will be better in a few months time. It s not all doom but Galway look much further along the road right now. They were able to bully us in the first half again yesterday and not let us settle into our high tempo game with the wind. Still we have about 14 weeks to  get things right.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Unsure what the story is with Coleman after crying off yesterday

Chest infection apparently. We'll need him back anyway seeing as Bergin is unlikely to see any championship football unfortunately.

Sammon seems to be sticking with Breathnach......he doesnt have a patch of the football skill Nicky Joyce has but if Nicky had even a fraction of the attitude and aptitude for work Breathnach has, he'd be a shoe in. Sends a message to the likes of him......if he's not doing the work, he wont get his place and its a healthy message to be putting out.

I'm not a huge fan of Breathnach but I admit he has a relentless appetite for work which Sammon seems to like. Nicky and Army are much better footballers though and if we are planning to go on any extended run this Summer I think they'll have to be on the team somewhere. Shouldn't be forgotten that Nicky was our best player last year. I think he's just being eased back in after his injury but as you say no harm to have the lads thinking that they have to up their workrate if they want to get on the field.

No doubt, when Nicky's in the mood he can destroy any back.......its just that the hoor is a bit moody   Yeah, Id agree one of Armstrong/Joyce will be needed to up the fire-power in the inside line eventually but if they arent hitting form in the latter stages of the league, they will get it tough to get into the team come the first round -v- the Rossies

[ludermor]

its a bit much to put the loosing of 3 points down to 2 bad kicks, does what happen previous to this not matter at all?

[moysider]

 Posted by: ludermor
Insert Quote
'its a bit much to put the loosing of 3 points down to 2 bad kicks, does what happen previous to this not matter at all?'

Course it matters and if we were 5 points clear these errors would not have been punished. But we we re nt comfortably ahead and errors will be punished by good teams and players like PJ dont look a gift horse in the mouth. If individuals make errors in the last few minutes when the game is in the melting pot then its fatal. The lads can only hold their hands up and say 'Sorry, my mistake'. Nobody s effing them out of it. Players make mistakes but when it happens in the last minute of tight matches it can be costly. And those games were always likely to be tight. We lost a Connacht Final in 2001 to late goal after a Mayo forward[ no point mentioning his name now] flicked a  ball on he should have held onto and secured possession. And its not a case of being wise after the event its just good practice and good decision making. On such errors games and titles are won and lost. I think that is fairly clear. I dont think we ll see David Clarke repeat that kick out again.