Mayo v Kerry

[Farrandeelin]

The 'best county jersey' thread reminded me, will Mayo or Kerry change or stay the same regarding their jerseys?

[mannix]

Kerry are trying to find out if they have donaghy number 2, i think that trick will be figured out by a few teams this year.Mayo should be able for kerry if JOM has any input in their heads, they allowed kerry to walk on them in september and I bet kerry were wondering what was going on during that game, why were they given such freedom?
Jom will not stand around and watch lads not doing their jobs, off they come unless they are winning their position or at least showing guts.After september I would agree its the only way.How can a midfielder outplay a forward after he killed and buried full backs like heaney or bellew from armagh, answer could be "heart and determination and lack of fear".
Mayo to win by a few points
Dublin also by a few

[MacDanger]

I've only seen Quirke play once - in a league semi final against Limerick a few years ago - and he played at both full forward and midfield for a while but he was not impressive at all to say the least. Granted, Donaghy played in the league last year and was no great shakes either........I still expect Kilcullen to be able to handle him as he's not half as mobile as Donaghy. I'd expect L O'M to try to pick up the Gooch.

Looks like a strong Kerry line-up overall and around the middle of the park in particular, with two O'Ses, Donaghy, Brosnan, O'Sullivan and O'Mahony. Mayo will have their work cot out for them there in a big way especially if McG is carrying an injury. We need to at least break even to have a chance.

Up front I'd expect the Mayo forwards to give the Kerry backs a tough enough time if they can get a decent supply of ball. Only one of the same starters from last years final but I'd expect the new faces to show well and I'm expecting a big year from A O'M and A Moran in particular.

If we can break even at midfield I'd expect us to win with home advantage but I'm not sure we are strong enough to win the breaks. A draw mightn't be a bad bet either........

[Tatler Jack]

From Today's Examiner

Mayo chief demanding 'a performance' against Kerry

By Jim O'Sullivan
NEW Mayo boss John O'Mahony admits he is facing the biggest challenge in an illustrious managerial career.


During his time on the sideline he has seen Mayo narrowly lose in the All-Ireland final of 1989, Leitrim make a major breakthrough in Connacht and Galway bring Sam west twice.

Now back with his native Mayo and facing Kerry in Castlebar in Sunday's Allianz NFL opener, he points out he has never been one to shirk a challenge.

In the immediate term, he expects ''a performance'' this weekend. Looking further ahead, he hopes that they will retain their Division One status — in what he accepts is the strongest group in the competition.

The last few months have been ''enjoyable'', he says, even though he has to divide his time between training and campaigning for the General Election as a Fine Gael candidate.

"The response has been magnificent. In many ways the intensity of preparation now is more intense than it would be for the provincial and All-Ireland championship.

"Sunday's game will come almost as a relief for everybody, if just to get back out between the white lines.''

Of course, he acknowledges that questions are being asked about his ability to deliver an All-Ireland title, that the ''rehabilitation'' process will have to run its course if the humbling experience of losing to Kerry in last year's final is to consigned to history.

Politely, but very emphatically, he rejected a suggestion that Mayo possibly suffered from ''a losing mindset'' in big games.

"If there's a losing mindset in Mayo, there is an awful losing mindset in 28 counties that have not had the success Mayo have!

"They have no divine right to win every All-Ireland final and they do not have a divine right to lose every final either, but, talking about finals has no relevance to where we are today,'' he commented.

O'Mahony says that they haven't talked about what happened when the teams last met, saying: "you talk about situations like that when you get into that position — and we are far, far away from there. There is no point in talking about Mayo winning All-Irelands or anything else. It's like a race, there's no point in looking at the fifth jump ahead when you might trip at the first one — and that first one is Kerry on Sunday.

"What we will be trying to do is get a performance out of Mayo and in many respects Kerry were not mentioned at all this week.

''We have to produce a performance to become competitive and if we do that we'll see how close we can get to them.''

Understandably, he has looked at a wide circle of players over recent months, keen to run the rule over footballers who might have slipped through the net and just as anxious to integrate some more of the successful U21 of last year.

And, In that context, he is delighted that the 'veteran' players like last year's captain David Heaney and James Nallen remained onboard.

So has Ciaran McDonald, except that he won't be available for a while. "Ciaran has a disc problem in his back. The solution would be to have an operation, but that would rule him out for the year. He doesn't have that much time left, but he really wants to play this year.

"We're looking forward to gelling all that together and that's where we at. Okay, I know people are saying we are under pressure and success will only be an All-Ireland title. But, we are not even in that parish yet.

"There'll be no good talking about All-Irelands if we don't pick up points in the League and do well in the provincial championship.

"Let's take first things first.''

[Tubberman]

MAYO (SF v Kerry): D Clarke; D Heaney, L O'Malley, K Higgins, A Moran, BJ Padden, P Gardiner, D Brady, R McGarrity, P Harte, T Mortimer, A Dillon, C Mortimer, A O'Malley, K O'Neill (capt).


Strong team. Andy Moran in the half back line is a big surprise. Interesting to see how that goes. Very strong midfield and forward lines. It's the FB line I'm still not convinced about, it will be interesting.... 

[OirthearMhaigheo]

Don't know if I agree that's a strong team. Disappointed he isn't trying something new at full-back, we know all about Liam O'Malley, damn good player but in the corner, at 5'11 I fear for him against Quirke. After that it's pretty much the same old same old apart from experimenting with Andy at half back. Kerry will be feeling pretty confident looking at this team-sheet

[Tubberman]

I would have liked to have seen Kilcullen given a run, but maybe Johnno thought that would be a bit too much too soon.
This is a high profile game with a fair bit of pressure on the team already, so he prob wants to put out the tried and tested players for this one.
I'd imagine you'll see the likes of Kilcullen, Campbell, Mickey Mullins etc in lower profile games to ease them in that way. A bad start could knock their confidence

[rosnarun]

spot on tubberman, due to the some what manical view most mayo supporters take if Kilcullen &co were to have a 'mare against kerry that could finish their intercounty careers.
there would always be a doubt over them by the pub and discussion board managers and that seeps back to players. some on here has already stated her something along the lines of  'i  they can't do it against kerry in their first game they are not worth bothering it' 
a 20 21 year old guy has loads of time and a high profile game against the all-irland champions is not the place to start.

what the story on ger brady? is he injured or does JOm not fancy him?
wouldnt worry about any moran hes a real footballer though i alway thought of him as a CHF

[Tubberman]

RTE.ie's predictions are often way out and contain incorrect info (see Mayo injuries!), but out of interest, this is what they have to say about Mayo v Kerry:

Mayo v Kerry (Sunday)

It's an opening round that was picked to help preview writers ease into the Allianz NFL Division 1A as Mayo and Kerry meet in Castlebar in a repeat of the 2006 All-Ireland final, throw in 2.30pm.

Kerry's Pat O'Shea has selected ten of the team who ran out in Croke Park in September 2006, with debuts handed to Cillian Young and Brendan Guiney. Kieran Donaghy, last year's player of the championship, will be slotted into the midfield for the Kingdom alongside Darragh O Sé.

This fixture  certainly wasn't designed to help heal the fractured psyche of Mayo's footballers. On paper the men from the West are capable of beating Kerry. After all, though Kerry are the kings in the championship, the power relationship switches in the league, where Mayo have always dominated.

But unlike most league openers, the course of this game will depend on how Mayo have recovered from the All-Ireland final, which must still sting. Moreover, they're missing Ronan McGarrity, Pat Harte, Keith Higgins, Liam O'Malley and Ciaran McDonald.

The heart, once again, wants Mayo; but the head . well, you know.

Verdict: Kerry

[Lar Naparka]

A win is always welcome and Mayo fans won't quibble at the result yesterday. I know Kerry showed evidence of lack of preparation and rustiness throughout the game and will be a far different proposition for any opposition they face in the months ahead.
Still, it was obvious they wanted to win and Mayo had to show a great degree of determination and mental resolve to finish in front and will have benefited greatly form the exercise.
A win went some way to laying the ghosts of that debacle last September whereas a loss, especially a bad one, could well have had a catastrophic effect on team morale if we should face the Kingdom again at a later part of the season.
A satisfactory win and a good start to the competitive season and nothing more than that.
The referee struck me as a decent sort of chap who probably didn't enjoy his task any more than the players did but the new directives to referees about personal fouls are ludicrous in the extreme..
Common sense will have to prevail or the League will disintegrate into a meaningless shambles with a spate of yellow and red cards ruining the coming rounds. The Donegal vs. Cork game was also badly affected by the referring directives; I don't know enough about the other game played yesterday but it won't surprise me in the least if complaints surface about the referring directives applied to those other matches also.
I honestly feel that Donaghy was harshly treated yesterday and his dismissal could well have had a bearing on the end result, although I doubt it as Mayo were in the ascendancy at the time and it came at an advanced stage of the game.  Mortimer's red card was issued on slightly more solid grounds but I still think it was a harsh decision.

Let's hope the directives are reviewed quickly as it's crazy to see the result of important matches being decided at a referee's whim.

[Farrandeelin]

I thought the referee was disgraceful yesterday. If, as Larnaparka said these are the rules given to refs, then attendances will suffer for the rest of the year. I think Mayo deserved to win the game yesterday. I thought that especially after we scored 3 points on the bounce after the start of the second half. There was some evidence of overdoing the passing of the ball when the forwards got into good positions. Other forwards didn't make the runs necessary to make headway so that might be the cause of that. I thought Conor Mortimer was an absolute disgrace. Why does he have to turn away from the goal every time he gets the ball. I know it's only early in the season yet but he was no good yesterday. I think the forwards should use the ball better against Donegal next week. If they don't it could be troublesome. I was very impressed at Kilcullen at full-back and BJP at no 6. Maybe that's his best position in a Mayo jersey. He will no doubt be tried again next week against Donegal as he's not afraid to hit his man and isn't afraid to hoof the ball long out of the defence either. I have to say all the backs played very well yesterday so well done to them. But it's only one game, there will be many twists and turns for all teams before the season is over. Kerry will feel happy I suppose after they only lost by 3 points and were only training for a few days beforehand I suppose...

[highorlow]

Don't want to spoil any parties or be a damp sqib but I'm always a cynic when it comes to the league.

The win in 2007 over Kerry didn't do us much good!

[highorlow]

SF Team: Clarke, Keane, Cafferkey, Higgins, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, A.O'Shea, Gibbons, McLoughlin, A.Moran, Dillon, Mort, Doherty, Conroy

Subs: Hennelly, S.McHale, R.Feeney, P.Gardiner, D.Geraghty, B.Moran, P.Harte, A.Campbell, C.O'Connor, A.Freeman, E.Varley

The 2007 Team;
Clarke, Heaney, O'Malley, Higgins, J.Kilcullen, BJ Padden, Gardiner, D.Brady, P.Harte, A.Moran, T.Mortimer, A.Dillon, C.Mortimer, A.O'Malley, K.O'Neill

Subs: K.O'Malley, J.Nallen, A.Higgins, E.Devenney, G.Brady, M.Conroy, A.Kilcoyne, M.McNicholas, M.Mullins, A.Campbell.

9 of the 2007 squad are still in today's squad. I hope that Freeman and O'Connor get a run in the final, some of that '07 crew had plenty of championship chances and have failed in the past. Time now to kick on with the newer lads for the championship. No use kicking points for fun in Croker in April if we can't do it in September.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Don't want to spoil any parties or be a damp sqib but I'm always a cynic when it comes to the league.

The win in 2007 over Kerry didn't do us much good!

[ross4life]

Don't want to spoil any parties or be a damp sqib but I'm always a cynic when it comes to the league.

The win in 2007 over Kerry didn't do us much good!

So basically your telling us Sligo will win Connacht this summer?