Mayo-2011

[Peter Solan the Great]

i see Mayo will launch the campaign 2011. Is the issue with the fllodlights fixed? seeing as its down as a Saturday night game?

Mayo-Down clash to launch 2011 NFL
12 October 2010


Mayo and Down will have the honour of launching next year's National Football League.

The game was originally fixed for Sunday, February 6, but has now been brought forward to the Saturday night in Castlebar and is expected to be screened live on Setanta. Armagh and Dublin also clash on the opening night at the Gaelic Grounds and this game is also certain to feature in Setanta's coverage.

Most of the original dates and fixtures, which were released earlier this month, remain in place. However, some could yet be moved to accommodate live TV coverage. Down and Galway were fixed for Saturday, February 20, but that game could yet take place in Newry on Saturday, February 19.

Similarly, Down's All-Ireland final rematch with Cork in Cork on Sunday, March 13 could now be played on the Saturday evening.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Don't know if the floodlights issue is fixed, pretty sure its not.

Anyway for the sake of debate, I'm gonna have a stab at the fifteen that will be playing in that game.

Robert Hennelly

Cathal Hallinan  Ger Cafferkey  Keith Higgins

Trevor Howley  Ollie Feeney  Kevin McLoughlin

Jason Gibbons  Seamus O'Shea

Simon Cloherty  Aidan O'Shea  Alan Dillon

Brian Benson  Alan Freeman  Aidan Kilcoyne.

A lot of wild guesses there but I reckon a lot of those new names will get a run and may be close for the opening league game. Oldest player on that team would be Simon Cloherty at 28.

EDIT: A load of names came into my head since then but I'll stick with that team. Still the likes of Jason Doherty and James Moran from Burrishoole might be in. So too a few more

[AbbeySider]

Don't know if the floodlights issue is fixed, pretty sure its not.

Anyway for the sake of debate, I'm gonna have a stab at the fifteen that will be playing in that game.

Robert Hennelly

Cathal Hallinan  Ger Cafferkey  Keith Higgins

Trevor Howley  Ollie Feeney  Kevin McLoughlin

Jason Gibbons  Seamus O'Shea

Simon Cloherty  Aidan O'Shea  Alan Dillon

Brian Benson  Alan Freeman  Aidan Kilcoyne.

A lot of wild guesses there but I reckon a lot of those new names will get a run and may be close for the opening league game. Oldest player on that team would be Simon Cloherty at 28.

Not bad R&GS, but for the sake of the FBD and having a proper look at guys, I would include a couple more that could be on the radar.

Really a trail game in Nov/Dec/Jan wont tell you a lot, it will just show up guys who dont really look after themselves in the winter and it will give an indication of guys who are in Ok shape and appear to be going well for the time of year (when clubs are not collectively training).

You need to see guys in action in games and judge them on technical aspects of the game as conditioning and fitness and even speed can be worked on throughout the year. With that in mind, I think the FBD should be largely experimental. Some of the guys that could be on the radar:

1) Robert Hennelly / Ciarian Naughton
2) Cathal Hallinan / Joe Keane 
3) Alan Feeney / Ger Cafferkey
4) Keith Higgins / Ronan Walsh
5) Donal Vaughan / Richie Feeney
6) Ollie Feeney / James Kilcullen
7) Kevin McLaughlin / Ruaidhri O Connor

8/9) Jason Gibbons / James Moran / Seamus O Shea

10) Simon Cloherty / Aidan Kilcoyne
11) Aidan O'Shea / Alan Dillon 
12) James Killeen / Andy Moran / Aidan Campbell
13) Jason Doherty / Paul Mulligan
14) Alan Freeman / Barry Moran 
15) Cillian O Connor / Neil Douglas

[RedandGreenSniper]

Yeah the FBD might be instructive. There will have to be a certain amount of continuity - too many new players and they'll sink, but in time that can change. I had forgotten about Kilcullen and didn't mention the two Feeneys although I think both will go close. I'm not sure about playing Cillian O'Connor so early in the year either. Ronan Walsh is a good shout. Plenty to be looking at for Mr Horan anyway.

[AbbeySider]

Yeah the FBD might be instructive. There will have to be a certain amount of continuity - too many new players and they'll sink, but in time that can change. I had forgotten about Kilcullen and didn't mention the two Feeneys although I think both will go close. I'm not sure about playing Cillian O'Connor so early in the year either. Ronan Walsh is a good shout. Plenty to be looking at for Mr Horan anyway.

This may not be true but I did hear somewhere that there could be open trail blitzes, where you would have something like a 7 a side competition on a big pitch.

If true it would mean that players in that type of game would have nowhere to hide and you would quickly sort out who can work hard and get up to the pace, and who is lacking behind.

[mrhardyannual]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

[ballinaman]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

How about not reading it if it gets your back up so much?It's a discussion board ffs.

[RedandGreenSniper]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

Okay because a few nobodies on a discussion board is really going to affect management. Don't be ridiculous

[boosabum]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

Okay because a few nobodies on a discussion board is really going to affect management. Don't be ridiculous

All the nobodies managed to affect the selction of the new manager if you believe what you read.

[AbbeySider]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

Okay because a few nobodies on a discussion board is really going to affect management. Don't be ridiculous

All the nobodies managed to affect the selction of the new manager if you believe what you read.

Very, very interesting comment there boosabum

[AbbeySider]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

Seriously mrhardyannual? 
Mayo supporters have always and will always talk football, theorise and dream.... and talk shite 'till the cows come home.

We are not adding any pressure or heat by talking about team building or speculating about players that could be involved.

There is a hint of irony in you saying that people like the sound of their own voices and opinions on selection,
and then voicing the opinion that such things shouldnt be talked about.
Lighten up. 

[boosabum]

Well said Abbeysider.
Lets us offer conjecture and hear say on all things Mayo football related until such time as the new communist ruling party of Ireland close down the internet.

I'm sure that plenty of new players will be looked at over the coming months but i'd be surprised if more that half a dozen new souls were in situ for the summer time.
Sunday will tell alot about the standard we can expect from players on teams not playing senior football.
I fear it will not be pretty

[blast05]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

Okay because a few nobodies on a discussion board is really going to affect management. Don't be ridiculous

All the nobodies managed to affect the selction of the new manager if you believe what you read.

Very, very interesting comment there boosabum

Very interesting ?!! .........  not really.....
Do you really have such delusions of grandeur that you think the opinions espoused here over the last few months have influenced the pub talk, church gate talk, mart talk and cross-roads talk on Mayo GAA over the last few months ?

There is a bachelor farmer at home in my little corner of north Mayo who goes to a club match about once a decade, hasn't been at a Mayo match since 1985, who only ventures as far as the mart in Ballina a few times a year  ..... but if he stops you when you're walking by he will talk Mayo football until the cows have got mastitis and is every bit as informed on every aspect of Mayo GAA as the most informed voice here if not more...... and he expresses his opinions to soo many people that they filter around my parish far far more than this forum ever will. And i'm sure there are many many similar characters around every parish in the county.

This forum does not house the doyens of informed Mayo football opinion who are responsible for some sort of exclusive editorial dictat on all current affairs associated with Mayo football.

Mind you i somehow used to think that too when i was a more regular contruibutor many moons ago !

[AbbeySider]

its still only October. I know people like the sound of their own voices and rate themselves as managers/selectors but how about shutting this and all similar threads down for a few months and giving JH and his team time and space to put their panel together

Okay because a few nobodies on a discussion board is really going to affect management. Don't be ridiculous

All the nobodies managed to affect the selction of the new manager if you believe what you read.

Very, very interesting comment there boosabum

Very interesting ?!! .........  not really.....
Do you really have such delusions of grandeur that you think the opinions espoused here over the last few months have influenced the pub talk, church gate talk, mart talk and cross-roads talk on Mayo GAA over the last few months ?

There is a bachelor farmer at home in my little corner of north Mayo who goes to a club match about once a decade, hasn't been at a Mayo match since 1985, who only ventures as far as the mart in Ballina a few times a year  ..... but if he stops you when you're walking by he will talk Mayo football until the cows have got mastitis and is every bit as informed on every aspect of Mayo GAA as the most informed voice here if not more...... and he expresses his opinions to soo many people that they filter around my parish far far more than this forum ever will. And i'm sure there are many many similar characters around every parish in the county.

This forum does not house the doyens of informed Mayo football opinion who are responsible for some sort of exclusive editorial dictat on all current affairs associated with Mayo football.

Mind you i somehow used to think that too when i was a more regular contruibutor many moons ago !

Thats not at all why I said it was interesting Blast. But you make a fair point 

[Chimley]

Some interesting names there for the new man and I would like to add some others that I have hopes for in the long run:

Kevin Keane
Shane McHale
Shane Nally
Aidan Walsh
Caolan Crowe