AIF 2021 -- Maigh Eo vs Tír Eoghain

[Jayop]

Last few years of AI Final Refs:
2020: David Coldrick
2019: David Gough & Conor Lane
2018: Conor Lane
2017: Joe McQuillan
2016: Conor Lane & Maurice Deegan
2015: David Coldrick
2014: Eddie Kinsella
2013: Joe McQuillan
2012: Maurice Deegan
2011: Joe McQuillan
2010: David Coldrick

McQuillan - 3
Coldrick - 3
Lane - 3
Deegan - 2
Gough - 1
Eddie Kinsella - 1

I'd say Gough will be the man to take charge this time. Lane & Coldrick got the semi-finals - Gough wasn't involved (not on the line). Can't see the GAA dropping someone else in who hasn't been in charge of a previous final. And McQuillan already has 3 finals to his name.

That's probably right. Lane wont get it after the messing in the semi with no stopping the game more than anything I'd say.

I do think Gough is a very good ref but he tends to try to make it all about himself. If he'd relax a bit and stop trying to prove he's got eyes on the back of his head he'd be the best by a mile.

[hoynevalley]

What a final to look forward to now. I'm living on the Sligo Mayo border here and so many of my close mates being Mayo men as well as my boss and manager puts some spice on this for me. The final is being played on my birthday too!!

I think the bookies have this one right at the moment with Mayo being slight favourites but there's really very little in it. Mayo are 5/6 and Tyrone are 11/8 so not huge favourites. Probably about right


Two teak tough teams with no shortage of talent in defense and attack. I can't wait!

Has the ref been named yet? Can't see any other ref allowing as much to go in the next game. It'll be all on the day, Tyrone maybe slight underdogs, but a couple of goals and anything can happen. The game will be relentless, that's for sure. Up Mayo

Joe McQuillian favourite to referee.

Dublin Joe.

I think he lost that title in 2012 when James Horan called him out. Very generous to Mayo since.

[hoynevalley]

mayo are in a great position to win this

I would have Mayo as strong favourites.  Didn't play well against the dubs but got the result.  Sign of a good team.. The extra 2 week rest will benefit against a tired Tyrone team.

[Rudi]

The result all hinges on who Thomas O Se doesn't pick as winner. He reckons Kerry wont win an All Ireland with the current management team, Kerry county board should stick with them so

[WhoDat]

mayo are in a great position to win this

I would have Mayo as strong favourites.  Didn't play well against the dubs but got the result.  Sign of a good team.. The extra 2 week rest will benefit against a tired Tyrone team.

the 4 week break will have been a blessing in disguise for them. 2 weeks to get the bodies and minds back in order after the dublin game, and now 2 weeks to focus on opposition. normally i would say a 2 week turnaround between games is ideal, but both semifinals were physically and emotionally draining for the winners, and tyrone now only have the two weeks to rest the bodies and refocus the minds. now maybe they'll bounce on with the momentum, but i just feel it could come a little too quick for them and mayo are in a really good position now to get this right.

i also just feel mayo have the superior individuals in their squad and there is no baggage with those young lads. it'll be a close one but it's really mayo's best opportunity in years.

[Muck Savage]

2 weeks ago Tyrone were ravaged with Covid and only got the full squad together last Tuesday for the first time in 3-4 week. Based on performance the put out with 1 weeks work think of what they can do with 2 weeks work. Tyrones to lose

[Jayop]

I don't really buy the whole Mayo facing a tired Tyrone team thing. If Mayo win it won't be because Tyrone lacked fitness.

Both have had 4 games now, Tyrone had a handy day against Cavan but had it gradually more difficult since then with Donegal being close for good parts of it then Monaghan only winning by a point and Kerry going to extra time. They now have two weeks to prepare for the final. I'd say covid issues to one side that's pretty much exactly the kind of build up to a final you'd want to have.

Mayo pretty similar, 2 very easy games to Leitrim and Sligo, Galway had them under pressure for a half before they pulled away then a real battle with extra time against Dublin. Mayo have had 4 weeks to prepare so maybe might get one or two guys back from injury they wouldn't have otherwise had but really it's not a huge advantage to them over the two weeks Tyrone have.

[Captain Obvious]

mayo are in a great position to win this

I would have Mayo as strong favourites.  Didn't play well against the dubs but got the result.  Sign of a good team.. The extra 2 week rest will benefit against a tired Tyrone team.

Outscored Dublin 0-13 to 0-4 in the final 55 minutes of the game. The very definition of playing well and why they got the result.

[Jayop]

I'm fairly sure the analysis after the Dublin Vs Mayo game was that neither team played particularly well and that Kerry would have been well able to either of them. It would seem that a few weeks and the fact they're now facing Tyrone and not Kerry has seen that Mayo performance being retrospectively moved to a fantastic performance.

Don't get me wrong, they were good, you have to be to beat Dublin, but there was a load of errors in there too. 7 points down at half time, a retaken 45 to gain a draw, some of the easiest frees and marks missed you could ever see (given the stick Morgan is getting for missing a few 45's that would be a big surprise that Mayo's frailties there are not discussed more).

[Farrandeelin]

Nothing between them. They could play 100 times and win 50 each.
This will all come down to small things on the day, whoever gets the bit of luck.

This sums it up for me too. It's great for people who have no skin in the game, but it's heart-rivetting stuff for us who do!

[hoynevalley]

mayo are in a great position to win this

I would have Mayo as strong favourites.  Didn't play well against the dubs but got the result.  Sign of a good team.. The extra 2 week rest will benefit against a tired Tyrone team.

Outscored Dublin 0-13 to 0-4 in the final 55 minutes of the game. The very definition of playing well and why they got the result.

Sorry I meant Mayo forwards didnt play well in normal time. Only scores 0-4. They stepped up in extra time.  Tommy Conroy in particular stood up. Other years he would of been taken off early.  James Horan justified on keeping him on.

[hoynevalley]

David Brady reckons Cillian O'Connor could make appearance off the bench. Cillian deserves to be on pitch when Mayo win their All Ireland.

[WhoDat]

I'm fairly sure the analysis after the Dublin Vs Mayo game was that neither team played particularly well and that Kerry would have been well able to either of them. It would seem that a few weeks and the fact they're now facing Tyrone and not Kerry has seen that Mayo performance being retrospectively moved to a fantastic performance.

Don't get me wrong, they were good, you have to be to beat Dublin, but there was a load of errors in there too. 7 points down at half time, a retaken 45 to gain a draw, some of the easiest frees and marks missed you could ever see (given the stick Morgan is getting for missing a few 45's that would be a big surprise that Mayo's frailties there are not discussed more).

i think mayo showed huge bottle towards the end of the second half and the extra time against dublin. some of their subs were fantastic, the hession lad in particular. their conditioning, while always terrific for the last 10 years, was maybe the first time ever ahead of dublin's. i don't think kerry would have been able for them and if there's any retrospective going on since the tyrone game, it's that kerry were clearly immensely overrated from the off. one dimensional and too reliant on one or two players.

i think morgan's kickouts were very dodgy the last day and if i were a tyrone supporter i'd be worried about him under the mayo press.

that said, mayo took a while to get going against both galway and dublin, and if they fall behind like that again, tyrone could shut up shop. however, people said that would would happen to them against dublin - that they'd concede a big lead to dublin and then the dubs would just play keep ball and see out the game. didn't happen in the end, they clawed it back. they don't seem to panic very much in these seemingly crisis situations. kerry looked panicked and all over the shop the last day. i just don't see mayo getting caught in the headlights like that.

[Tubberman]

David Brady reckons Cillian O'Connor could make appearance off the bench. Cillian deserves to be on pitch when Mayo win their All Ireland.

Brady says a lot of things. It won't happen.

[SouthDublinBro]

Cillian O'Connor and Aidan O'Shea are the Mayo heroes. Sure they may as well have carried the team past Dublin by themselves.