Messages

Regardless of management's refusal to accept the inevitable surely a statement along the lines of 'we have decided not to avail of the 4th year of current management team but would like to thank etc etc etc' would be much more appropriate.  Whoever penned and gave go ahead of statement to go out need a course in cop on.

Everyone in Mayo knew McStay & Co were finished months ago. A good guy but it wasn't working out.

McStay should have done the decent thing and resigned.
No point in hanging around when you're not wanted .
Also he had a fair crack of the whip, after the loss to Cavan there was no way back for him.

McGuinness is a moaney aul bollix

Yes, he just made an idiot of himself.
What hardship , having to stay in the Hudson Bay , 29 minutes down the road from Hyde Park.
Other lies told by him as well. Hyde Park is 35 minutes from the Mayo training ground, he must have an airplane.

Maughan's overdue departure was 2008.
Pool incident 2002.
If you must post nonsense.....

Frankie thought he should be playing , that he was the man, couldn't accept not being called up, spit out his dummy at the time if I recall correctly.

I guess the secrets out on McEntee not being that good. 

McEntee had Carrabine and Murphy in their prime in Div4 and still struggled to get us out. Why because he mixed their talent with some very poor players. One of worst player evaluations I seen was David Phillips starting for us and then putting him on Cox in championship. I found it very hard to take this management seriously after that, then similar mistakes happened over and over even this year. I asked people on the county board face to face to how that can happen and was just advised he is a great lad. That's when I knew personality was way too important of a factor in the evaluation process. It was a free pass the first few years with McEntee according to them.

Keane the coach wasn't long putting our underage players in their place if they came into the set up with too much confidence and trying to put them down. I have been told they would find fault in them a lot quicker than older players.

It took them until this year to see Kilcoyne and McNamara weren't good enough to take us to next level. Only 4.5 years of developing low ceiling players whilst oddly not selecting younger ones which I knew and many others did were of more value to invest in.

The main reason some underage players are struggling to breakthrough is some of the them aren't big personalities. They need to be managed differently and this management failed badly in this regard especially with those more sensitive ones who left the panel.

McEntee has some good facets. He is very organised and structured and nice. But those are the easiest criteria for a manager and min expectation. His communication was poor and he comes across awful dour in his media interviews. Not inspiring at all. He looked lost on the line which is why he probably moved to the stands although that will be played as having a better view.

The county board batten down the hatches to protect McEntee or was it to protect criticism from themselves.

This management failed to inspire the Sligo public as shown in the lack of support in the seniors. We all saw our potential at the u20 final where a huge Sligo crowd showed up.

McEntee talked of how nice everyone in Sligo was to him and how well he was treated. Everyone should treat people with respect but we are far too nice in Sligo. Roscommon people were waiting for Maughan outside the dressing room in 06 comes to mind. They and many other successful counties would never have tolerated what this management achieved over 5 years. Keane in 7 years has only really brought back to where he started. No progress. Davy Burkes job is in jeopardy after getting Roscommon back to Division 1, that would never happen in Sligo where mediocrity is accepted. I wont miss McEntee or Keane but I will give him credit for resigning and saving us time.

The Fermanagh performance showcased where this management brought us, couldn't beat a team ranked around 21. Fermanagh a county who haven't had near the underage success we have had are beating us and spending way more time in Div2 last few years.

Going forward I don't want a nice manager who is just organised and gets on with County Board. The county board need to hold our managers more accountable. They ultimately work for us but it is a collaboration.

I want a winner, a manager with a Aura who exudes belief but backs it up with tactical knowledge. A manager that can see the patterns in the game. I always felt McEntee was blind to seeing the patterns of games which is why no matter what he made the same subs and the same time. Never knew how to change momentum or enhance it. A manager who can evaluate players on ability and potential and can develop them faster.

We need someone of substance who can inspire and bring the whole county with him. Has to carry the belief. This set of players, can they believe they will win Connacht in the last minute of game 1pt down to get the 2pter, that kinda of pressure when the opposition are pushing up on us. Can we hold on to the lead late on with a Connacht title on the line. This team haven't faced that kinda of pressure at senior in long time. In fairness in 07 we didn't handle it great but was just about enough.

3 year look ahead targets,

Division 2 and maintain
Beat 1 of the top 3 in Connacht and competitive against all of them - hammerings not accepted
Sam Maguire qualification and last 16
Lower age profile of team
Improve pace of team
Improve kickout %
Improve goal chance concession etc..

We have to find 4 players that can start and excel, Dillon Walsh, Tommy Ross and Ronan Niland are not projects and should be going straight into the squad next year if fit. Casserly and Conlon need to be given chances. Luke Marren needs to be brought and James Donlon. Both need county conditioning. Midfielders of size need to be targeted. Keaney and Banks brought in. Most importantly Keelan Harte in goals needs to approached. I'd like to see Sheridan and Byrne in. Carrabine comes back hopefully. You don't take a year out if you rate the management and our chances.

Lastly  - local candidates,

Gerry McGowan - waiting in the wings
Eamon O Hara - with Boyle
Kevin Johnstone - not sure, was with Corofin in 2024
Paul Henry - unattached

Hopefully we can poach Luke Bree back from Offaly

Outside of Sligo candidates

Mickey Harte- proven record of bringing through underage, we are closer than Offaly, he is working with Bree right now. Look what he started in Louth when he took over the same time as McEntee and how much quicker their progress was.

Very good post.
Having said that , I don't think that the Rossies had a lot to be proud of the way they treated John Maughan and as the players at the time  ? nude snooker playing, enough said !

Awful slow start by Roscommon, Mayo 1-7 Roscommon 0-1 after 18 minutes .

Rossies came to life after that. Half time Roscommon 3-4 Mayo 2-9.

Roscommon 4-8 Mayo: 2-17. Rossies had a 5th goal disallowed for a square ball to win it I'm not sure if the correct call. Mayo first U20 title since 2018.

disallowed goal was hardly to win it when mayo won by 3.
Looked a close call though. High ball caused mayhem in Mayo full back line

Aren't to know, that goal would have put them a point up into added time.  Mayo full back line for such high balls in needs work before the All Ireland series.

Your right there, Mayo full back line in trouble from early on in the first half , crying out for some changes to be made,

McGuinness had a great game for Roscommon .

Awful slow start by Roscommon, Mayo 1-7 Roscommon 0-1 after 18 minutes .

How do u move out of the way of someone charging into you from a couple yards? You'd automatically wrap him to stop falling over. Can't understand why forward didn't drop ball onto his foot and roll it in.. or maybe cute enough knew outcome of charging.

Maybe he was just 'breaking the tackle'.
Does anybody know the difference between 'charging' and 'breaking the tackle'?

Jesus that was never a penalty, drops the shoulder and runs straight into the man, not sure if he was supposed to magically disappear or just step aside or what.

Fair play to Loftus for even being there today, can't imagine what the lad has been through and fitting for him to score the winner. Ballinderry will be sick though.

Ah now ! Drop's the shoulder ? That definitely didn't happen.

Joe Sheridan 2011 all over again.Do you think Crossmalina might give the game to Ballinderry?

Certainly nothing l8ke the Joe Sheridan incident, I don't know where you are getting that from? I didn't see anyone throwing the ball into the net .

Any links to the podcast?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0iGx2kGcvVJV9s78v1LLVI?si=3O2aFuKtTr-0WCxkm16lrw

[His Character -]

My View:

Firstly it's complex, I don't think there is an simple way through it. But:

His Character -

• There are lots of people ready to comment that RG is unlikable
• Although you have to be cautious about bandwagon jumpers
• I have not heard a lot of people saying he's a lovey sweet guy
• So, I would conclude he may well not the nicest guy around
• But... is that critical?

The accusations -

• The accusations are horrible.
• Though just because they are made doesn't mean they are true
• These have been investigated by the Gardai, the PSNI, the courts (family), and the DRA
• No conviction or sanction was imposed by any of these bodies
• In fact no charge or even arrest was ever made
• The DRA said there was no case to answer
• The PPS said that there were no grounds for a prosecution
• However, on the other hand, RG has never denied the accusations publicly

The accuser -

• Nicola clearly has personal issues apart from this direct accusation.
• The marriage ended toxically.
• With reference to the family court above. These accusations were considered as part of the custody hearings and yet the court granted RG full custody of the children.
• I hardly need to point out that full custody to a father is relatively rare.
• But that would not give him an excuse, even given a toxic environment, for physically assaulting a woman
• It is wrong to victim blame and women speaking up should be given the benefit of the doubt.
• But with all the investigations reaching conclusions in RG's favour it can't be denied that some doubt has been created.
• The lack of action would make me wonder what corroboration there was, Nicola claimed people were present, surely if they could back up the accusation there would at least have been some action?
• Equally, in no way unless it is proven otherwise, should Nicola's claims be dismissed. Such claims should be taken seriously.
• None of us can know for sure if the accusations are fact, but we can be sure that a young lady is deeply unhappy in life and that she is suffering. We should all wish her the best.
• The single most important thing is that we don't know. We don't know if he subjected her to violence, and we don't know if he didn't.

Jarlath Burns -

• Jarlath Burns has ignored the findings of the DRA
• He has used his position to put pressure on Naas
• Given all the doubt above, how much is not fully known, that would appear an overreach to me
• Is it not hypocritical? he has not intervened against any other individual despite plenty of GAA managers and players actually being convicted of offences in court
• It is hard to see that Burns has made this decision on anything other than social media.
• If his argument is that he doesn't want specifically abusers of women to be in the GAA then I ask if he has written to the club of the Armagh player, that was arrested for indecent assault recently, to be dropped by his club and county?

Work as a manger? -

• Minor side comment here. In his statement Gallagher mentioned working as a manger. What is his tax return record on being employed as a manger? Isn't the GAA supposed to be volunteers? His admission of working should really be of interest to the Revenue Commissioners. (as i said complete side point)

Conclusions -

• We do not know if the accusations are fact
• We do know that Nicola is not in a good place and we should all be sympathetic to her
• We simply cannot state with certainty that RG has done anything to mean he does not deserve a coaching role in the GAA.
• But all investigations, including GAA, have cleared him and I don't think we have anything more to go on than to accept the findings of those with the detailed information.
• In my opinion he should not therefore be denied the opportunity to work unless other information can be proven
• This is the simplest one - In my opinion Jarlath Burns was out of order, going against his own DRA findings and singling out an individual. It was an abuse of his position and laced with hypocrisy

Finally, I do not think highly of him. I would tend to believe that there is at least some partial value in the accusations. I am drawn towards thinking that whatever happened, he was unlikely to have treated he kindly in their relationship. I don't think I would want to be associated with him. But I can't say there is any solid reason for preventing hm for taking a role he is offered.

Independent of all of that, with RG being cleared by the DRA, I think Jarlath Burns was very wrong.

If you don't mind me saying so, it's a bit bizarre bring up Rory's Tax Returns, surely that is nobody's business only his own and HMRC / RC .

This is getting messier by the week.

I can see both sides of the arguments. In general, Not convicted = not guilty = should be a free man. Meaning if a club/county thinks he comes with too much heat & don't want him that's OK, and their decision to make, but it shouldn't get to the stage of higher powers stepping in.

However Gallagher is a sc*mbag. Speak to ones that know him, grew up with him or even know him from over the years, you will hear the same. I would happily see him never get another coaching role. And I wouldn't say that about many coaches. Ask his own brother Ronan why they fell out for years, he's a bad person. I wouldn't want to see him rewarded. Again, that's my own view. And can understand others who think he hasn't been convicted so should be free to go to whatever club/county he wants.

Wow ! A lot of libellous stuff in that statement, you must have deep pockets .

Davy for the Dubs?! He can nip into RTÉ and all the other media outlets to "say nothing" as he often does...

Davy is heading for Antrim, nice round trip, only 8 hours.

One way traffic in the last of the four Quarter finals in Ennis.  Kerry 1-11 Roscommon 0-1.  A surprise as the young rossies was competitive against Mayo in Connacht final two weeks ago.   FT Kerry 2-18 to 2-3 winners.

Semi final line up

Armagh v Mayo
Kerry v Derry

There seems to be some confusion about who Mayo play next , is there anyplace that it can be checked ?

Red card for Fergal Boland, a joke of a decision.