Mayo Football and Hurling - Discussion pages

[Owenmoresider]

Its an awful poor reflection of a town the size of Sligo that they don't have an A colleges football team. Think close to a thousand go to Summerhill, making it the biggest population of boys in Connacht. I've seen them play at B level and they are frighteningly disorganised and indisciplined, whilst having a lot of ability if they got their act together.

You can edit that from 'Connacht' to 'the country'. At least it was at the start of the decade anyway. A disgrace that they can't put a good team together, they draw on the three town clubs and 3-4 other clubs in the hinterland, and yet can't get beyond B level. Attracta's put them to shame.

That said, the alternative school for boys in the town bans GAA altogether, it's rugby only in the Grammar (and then who gets all the derision about banning sports?). And then they had the neck to go cribbing in the local media about losing funding after the cutbacks, they being the lone fee-paying school in the area.

[REDCOL]

Colmans won very easily, Marys were shocking. Shane Nally totally dominated the Midfield, will be interesting to see him square up against Aidan O Shea. I think it is 12 years since a Mayo team won the colleges. Gerards won in 97. Will prob. be Saturday week in Ballinrobe. Sad to see young commins dislocating the collar bone.

[moysider]

Very enjoyable fare in Ballinrobe on Friday night. Gerard' s should have won by 10 but could have lost.
Jarlath s very sour at the end. Referee got a bit of a doin. They re obviously not used to losing but they might well remember benefiting from some questionable refereeing decisions that got them out of tight corners in the past.

Cant see past Gerards in the final. Colman s were on the weaker side of the draw and considering their numbers they re doing very well to maintain their high standards year in year out. Geralds are twice as big almost. It should be pointed out that Gerards have @200 more than Jarlath s also. Summerhill while not as big as they used to be are still bigger than any school in A and over twice as big as Colman s or Muredach s. Rice College is much bigger than likes of Colmans, Jarlath s and Muredach s but still play B.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Very enjoyable fare in Ballinrobe on Friday night. Gerard' s should have won by 10 but could have lost.
Jarlath s very sour at the end. Referee got a bit of a doin. They re obviously not used to losing but they might well remember benefiting from some questionable refereeing decisions that got them out of tight corners in the past.

Cant see past Gerards in the final. Colman s were on the weaker side of the draw and considering their numbers they re doing very well to maintain their high standards year in year out. Geralds are twice as big almost. It should be pointed out that Gerards have @200 more than Jarlath s also. Summerhill while not as big as they used to be are still bigger than any school in A and over twice as big as Colman s or Muredach s. Rice College is much bigger than likes of Colmans, Jarlath s and Muredach s but still play B.

I reckon it will be very close. But the Jarlath's game should bring Gerald's on.They looked very ragged at times and they were lucky Jarlath's were an average team this year. Gerald's will never have a better chance to win back the Aenghus Murphy Cup. But they will need to be a bit cuter and more fluid in their attacks. Decision making in attack needs to improve from the last night because some of the shot selection was very bad.

Cillian O'Connor is one to watch though, a class, class young player.

[Mayo4Sam]

Would i be shot if i said Nallen and/or heaney for corner backs?

If you put the rather large issue of their age to one side and just base it on their merits for this year.

Our problem in the full back line has been height, each of the top countys have a big FF line, so they tick those boxes. Both good at playing in front, no fear of been pickpocketed from behind. No fear of them going awol and leaving us exposed, excellent cover for HB to go forward and we can have 2 intelligent footballers minding the house.
Could be ideal behind a mobile HB unit of Higgins, Howley, A Moran, let the 2 half backs go forward, howley is a natural centre back with great skills at reading the game.


Also would benefit cafferkey greatly

[the Deel Rover]

Would i be shot if i said Nallen and/or heaney for corner backs?

Any last wishes mayo4sam

[moysider]

The following is the reaction of Johnno after Donegal game.



John O'Mahony stepped out into the Donegal air and gave his assessment.
"It was an incredible game," he began. "The first half performance wasn't acceptable from our point of view. Donegal played well but we didn't rise the rag at all and we couldn't stand over that at half-time. And, in fairness to the lads, they didn't stand over it.
"They had to show pride in the jersey in the second half and they did that in buckets in the second half. It was such a contrast. But we still have an awful lot of thinking to do after today's game. I think some people will have grown up and some people will have learned a few things. But it's great to have got a point after facing what we were at half-time. But it was a game of two halves in every sense."
So, what did Mayo do in the second half that they didn't do in the first?
"They showed pride in the jersey, simple as that," was the manager's instant reply. "National League in February is not about complicated tactics or set-pieces or set-plays. There is a little bit of that involved but it's mostly about attitude, getting the attitude right, and taking the game on. It's not about looking for somebody beside you to do it, but do what you can do yourself.
"We reshuffled it a bit at half-time and fellas found themselves in strange positions, but sometimes you get the best out of people when their backs are to the wall. And our backs were to the wall in that second half so the lads deserve a lot of credit for the way they answered the call in the second half."
Speaking of calls, Mayo's management made some tough ones on Saturday when the chips were down. They hauled off Pat Kelly at half-time, called in Billy Padden moments after kicking a point, and Tom Parsons was also called ashore early in the second half.
"Ronan McGarrity's yellow card meant that some of it was out of our hands, some of it was tactical, and we had to make some of the other calls," shrugged O'Mahony. "There's no point in having a panel of 24 unless you're going to use lads. Whatever calls we have to make, we'll make them. That's the kind of honesty that you have to face it with.
"At half-time everyone was accountable for that first half," he added. "The players had to face up to what they could do, we had to face up to what we could do, and had to do. You have to make the call instantly in many respects, and that's the cut and thrust of management. You're on a knife edge. If you win, you're right. If you lose, you're wrong. And if you draw, you're about half right," smiled the exhausted-looking manager.
So, with one point from a possible four, the visit of Westmeath to Charlestown on March 8 presents Mayo with an opportunity to register their first win of the new season. If nothing else, this was the first step towards Championship 2009.
"It's a starting point but we were lucky to get something out of this game, playing the way we played in the first half," admitted O'Mahony. "But we have to be honest because sometimes, when you get something out of a game like that, it covers up what you didn't do well. "We have three weeks now to analyse this. In many respects I am disappointed not to have won it but, at the same time, after being nine points down, you'll take when you can get."

I ve highlighted the bold parts myself because I believe they need to be highlighted. It s the usual insight we get from management, a bit of fat- chewing for the hacks and they probably try to reveal very little. But in fact they reveal a lot. Except usually people dont pay much attention because you have to cut through the bullshit, but if you do its worth it because these fellas do reveal things.  I just highlighted a couple of things. Analysis of that interview could take a lot more time than I ve time to give it. Just wonder what others think.

[AbbeySider]

John O'Mahony stepped out into the Donegal air and gave his assessment.
"It was an incredible game," he began. "The first half performance wasn't acceptable from our point of view. Donegal played well but we didn't rise the rag at all and we couldn't stand over that at half-time. And, in fairness to the lads, they didn't stand over it.
"They had to show pride in the jersey in the second half and they did that in buckets in the second half. It was such a contrast. But we still have an awful lot of thinking to do after today's game. I think some people will have grown up and some people will have learned a few things. But it's great to have got a point after facing what we were at half-time. But it was a game of two halves in every sense."
So, what did Mayo do in the second half that they didn't do in the first?
"They showed pride in the jersey, simple as that," was the manager's instant reply. "National League in February is not about complicated tactics or set-pieces or set-plays. There is a little bit of that involved but it's mostly about attitude, getting the attitude right, and taking the game on. It's not about looking for somebody beside you to do it, but do what you can do yourself.
"We reshuffled it a bit at half-time and fellas found themselves in strange positions, but sometimes you get the best out of people when their backs are to the wall. And our backs were to the wall in that second half so the lads deserve a lot of credit for the way they answered the call in the second half."
Speaking of calls, Mayo's management made some tough ones on Saturday when the chips were down. They hauled off Pat Kelly at half-time, called in Billy Padden moments after kicking a point, and Tom Parsons was also called ashore early in the second half.
"Ronan McGarrity's yellow card meant that some of it was out of our hands, some of it was tactical, and we had to make some of the other calls," shrugged O'Mahony. "There's no point in having a panel of 24 unless you're going to use lads. Whatever calls we have to make, we'll make them. That's the kind of honesty that you have to face it with.
"At half-time everyone was accountable for that first half," he added. "The players had to face up to what they could do, we had to face up to what we could do, and had to do. You have to make the call instantly in many respects, and that's the cut and thrust of management. You're on a knife edge. If you win, you're right. If you lose, you're wrong. And if you draw, you're about half right," smiled the exhausted-looking manager.
So, with one point from a possible four, the visit of Westmeath to Charlestown on March 8 presents Mayo with an opportunity to register their first win of the new season. If nothing else, this was the first step towards Championship 2009.
"It's a starting point but we were lucky to get something out of this game, playing the way we played in the first half," admitted O'Mahony. "But we have to be honest because sometimes, when you get something out of a game like that, it covers up what you didn't do well. "We have three weeks now to analyse this. In many respects I am disappointed not to have won it but, at the same time, after being nine points down, you'll take when you can get."

Some good insight there. Its refreshing compared to the stuff he normally comes out with.

It seems that he was caught on the hop a bit, and emotions were high as he was giving the interview, because he seems to have spoken more openly and honestly than usual.

You could analyse it to death but I wont, except to say that its good to see him talk a lot of sense instead of the rehearsed, sound byte type, after match clichés. Its nice to hear words like honesty, pride in the jersey, attitude, learning etc with regards to Mayo football.

[stephenite]

The obsession with analysing JOM's every public spake is becoming tiresome to be honest lads - whatever is said into a microphone in no way represents what is being said behind closed doors - I understand the frustration with the lack of progress all too well but let's not kid ourselves that we are party to what's really going on.

It'll either work this year or it won't - JOM will be for the high road if it doesn't.

[OirthearMhaigheo]

Would i be shot if i said Nallen and/or heaney for corner backs?

If you put the rather large issue of their age to one side and just base it on their merits for this year.

Our problem in the full back line has been height, each of the top countys have a big FF line, so they tick those boxes. Both good at playing in front, no fear of been pickpocketed from behind. No fear of them going awol and leaving us exposed, excellent cover for HB to go forward and we can have 2 intelligent footballers minding the house.
Could be ideal behind a mobile HB unit of Higgins, Howley, A Moran, let the 2 half backs go forward, howley is a natural centre back with great skills at reading the game.


Also would benefit cafferkey greatly

In relation to the bit in bold, I think Nallen ticks that box, but Heaney under a high ball? 2004 and 2006 should see that he is never let near a high fielding forward again!! Heaney is also an awful man for carrying the ball out loosely and losing possession as a result, I think half back is the only spot for him and the odd time at full back if he is playing against a smaller, mobile full-forward and only if Cafferky is injured. Cafferky is the future and I would think he has a bright one from what I have seen so far. Nallen still has alot to offer, he is good under a high ball, still has decent pace and he has a calming influence on the young lads. I'd expect he will have a part to play this summer, maybe not for 70 mins anymore but he will see action.

[IolarCoisCuain]

I'm with Stephenite on this one lads. Anything Johnno ever says after matches is invariably nonsense. And this is just more of that. It's just pointless obfuscation. It's Johnno's equivalent - and may God forgive me for referring to peil na nGall on a GAA Board! - of Eric Cantona's "when the seagulls follow the trawler" stuff.

One of the pieces that Moysider highlights, about it being not about set-plays but attitude, is true only in the context of this game against Donegal. In some other game, he'll come out talking tactics like Rommel in the desert. It's all just a lot of sh1te to feed to the media.

Which is about what the media deserve, I might add. One of the big GAA stories last week was about the GPA's refusal to grant membership to the current Cork hurling panel. At no stage, no stage, did anyone say that Cusack is second only to Dessie Farrell himself in the GPA, so they were hardly going offer the hand of friendship in the first place. And besides, don't those poor lads have more to worry about than those shysters in the GPA anyway?

Rant over. I'll go back to watching the news and wondering if we're about to have an election we can't afford on top of every other damn thing.

[Farrandeelin]

Well Iolar, he's a TD politician now and all they ever seem to do is play to the media any chance they get. I wonder if there's no election before he decides to leave Mayo's management will he get in again? (If no progress has been made)

[StoneWall]

Anyone know when or where the Connacht colleges A final is fixed for?

[RedandGreenSniper]

Not confirmed but looks like Saturday afternoon week in Ballinrobe

[AbbeySider]

Not confirmed but looks like Saturday afternoon week in Ballinrobe

Im guessing Sunday week. Just a hunch