AIF 2021 -- Maigh Eo vs Tír Eoghain

[Real Talk]

I think the the mid-field issue is over talked ... Tyrone won 3 All-Irelands and there wasn't any significant mid field displays in that period .. they always played a fifth man team game.  That had one chief driver and that Brian Dooher.  He is now bringing that effect from the sideline and has a unbelievable "never say die mentality" ,will to win and experience.  I'd say Tyrone will start McShane now that he has had enough game time under his belt. When given the correct type of ball he is actually unmarkable with his ability to score off either foot, they just can't wait until the second half to bring him on .... although you never know.  They may prefer to wait till the 3rd quarter when the will have assessed Mayo's strengths and weaknesses.

[Mayo4Sam14]

So I take it I shouldn't bother watching the final cause O'Shea has lost it for us again but this time he has given us a week's notice?
Also why can't the Knockmore lads let the rest of us in the county know earlier since their celebrity power couple always seem to know we are doomed before everyone else going by Brolly's articles in the paper??
Why can't O'Shea, now that he is Captain let Keegan, O'Donoghue and Conroy et all, explain to the lads that it might be easier on themselves and fans a like to bow out gracefully in a semi final and let us enjoy a final with two proper teams of down to earth, volunteer hero, fíor Gael laden with warriors battle it out on the hallowed ground and then we can enjoy the videos of them sweeping the dressing rooms and Irish dancing to Damien Dempsey after showing us all how real football is played??
I dunno at this stage I have lived through Liam McHale losing us All Ireland finals just to keep himself in hair gel to look good for his NBA moves on the court, Ciaran 'Barbie' McDonald more interested in tattoos than kicking points and now O'Shea burgeoning career as an extra on Baywatch losing us another decider!!
The biggest crime of all was the removal of two fíor Gael football men like Holmes and Connelly, who not only brought the highest degree of professionalism along with tactical acumen but they also held their silence after their tragic betrayal when they quite easily could have run to a journalist with an axe to grind against Mayo after any of the final loses and cashed in with a tell all type interview!! Mayo god help us indeed!!!
Congrats to Tyrone in advance on All Ireland title number 4 I just wish the next title comes against a more worthy opponent!!!

don't forget how people putting flags outside of their houses has cost us all Irelands in the past.

I thought it was people enjoying the build up and showing any signs of optimism!

[Lar Naparka]

Its on Brolly's twitter feed if anyone cares to look for a laugh

Christ on a bike. That's unbelievable. Playing up the Kerry connections before a potential final against the Kingdom. And his poor Kerry girlfriend not knowing who to support in the final! Funny how it was published the day after the final, but was obviously finalised before the Tyrone game. Is this attitude the norm in Mayo?

What attitude?

Doing the whole "up for the match" style piece, bigging up family links with the opposition County, before Kerry had even got to the final! If she was from Limerick or Donegal would he have said it?

that whole piece was done months ago. It's recency is down to the fact that Mayo are in the final and it was part of a promo for a company that released it as part of an 10th anniversary press release at the end of July.
Good chance this was all done long before the Connacht Final and only getting published now in that paper. Its been regurgitated a few times now by the same publishing stable. Slow news days etc, but the printers getting value for money from the same story.

Can never understand the rage people have on the rare occasion this lad's photo is in a paper. If we makes a few extra euro's off getting his photo taken, good luck to him. He'll be getting loads of abuse from certain quarters no matter what he does.

Months ago my bollix

Be careful Larry ;you could lose your town halls!
That appeared in the Mayo News at least two months ago. Mind you, no photos.
Some time ago Paul Flynn took part in some advertising campaign or other. Pint is that his likeness on was put on a billboard on the railway bridge in Ballybough. One of the highest profile spots in Dublin and I can't recall  Brolly or anyone else reacting.  Players, Dubs especially, have took part in promotional campaigns without a a squawk from Brolly.
The man's a wart on the arse of humanity.

[Crete Boom]

So I take it I shouldn't bother watching the final cause O'Shea has lost it for us again but this time he has given us a week's notice?
Also why can't the Knockmore lads let the rest of us in the county know earlier since their celebrity power couple always seem to know we are doomed before everyone else going by Brolly's articles in the paper??
Why can't O'Shea, now that he is Captain let Keegan, O'Donoghue and Conroy et all, explain to the lads that it might be easier on themselves and fans a like to bow out gracefully in a semi final and let us enjoy a final with two proper teams of down to earth, volunteer hero, fíor Gael laden with warriors battle it out on the hallowed ground and then we can enjoy the videos of them sweeping the dressing rooms and Irish dancing to Damien Dempsey after showing us all how real football is played??
I dunno at this stage I have lived through Liam McHale losing us All Ireland finals just to keep himself in hair gel to look good for his NBA moves on the court, Ciaran 'Barbie' McDonald more interested in tattoos than kicking points and now O'Shea burgeoning career as an extra on Baywatch losing us another decider!!
The biggest crime of all was the removal of two fíor Gael football men like Holmes and Connelly, who not only brought the highest degree of professionalism along with tactical acumen but they also held their silence after their tragic betrayal when they quite easily could have run to a journalist with an axe to grind against Mayo after any of the final loses and cashed in with a tell all type interview!! Mayo god help us indeed!!!
Congrats to Tyrone in advance on All Ireland title number 4 I just wish the next title comes against a more worthy opponent!!!

don't forget how people putting flags outside of their houses has cost us all Irelands in the past.

I thought it was people enjoying the build up and showing any signs of optimism!

Can we not just buy the process thing the GAA spent millions developing for Dublin, it should at least give us naive Mayo folk a few pointers on how many Ford Escorts and Opel Cadets we can paint green and red or how big a Mayo4Sam sign should be??

[Mayo4Sam14]

I see a good point made on the mayo blog comments

" 4/6 of the Tyrone backs scored from play. 3 in the 1st half alone. How did this happen? It stemmed from the total failure of the opposite Kerry players to track back. The 3 scores were very soft and uncontested. There is no way at all that the Mayo FF line or whomever is marking them will allow this to occur or repeat itself."

[trueblue1234]

I see a good point made on the mayo blog comments

" 4/6 of the Tyrone backs scored from play. 3 in the 1st half alone. How did this happen? It stemmed from the total failure of the opposite Kerry players to track back. The 3 scores were very soft and uncontested. There is no way at all that the Mayo FF line or whomever is marking them will allow this to occur or repeat itself."

Lookit, you could wrap yourself up in circles analysing things like that. The flip of that is that it'll be harder for the Mayo FF line to attack if they're being put on the back foot. You could literally take any point and prob argue both sides to it.
Just on Flag watch as well, there's a few Mayo flags seen in Omagh and surrounding areas. But Sally's have their banner up now so it's all good.

[Captain Obvious]

I see a good point made on the mayo blog comments

" 4/6 of the Tyrone backs scored from play. 3 in the 1st half alone. How did this happen? It stemmed from the total failure of the opposite Kerry players to track back. The 3 scores were very soft and uncontested. There is no way at all that the Mayo FF line or whomever is marking them will allow this to occur or repeat itself."

Does Mayo supporters see any possible way that Mayo could lose this All-Ireland final on Saturday?

[Mayo4Sam14]

I see a good point made on the mayo blog comments

" 4/6 of the Tyrone backs scored from play. 3 in the 1st half alone. How did this happen? It stemmed from the total failure of the opposite Kerry players to track back. The 3 scores were very soft and uncontested. There is no way at all that the Mayo FF line or whomever is marking them will allow this to occur or repeat itself."

Does Mayo supporters see any possible way that Mayo could lose this All-Ireland final on Saturday?

Plenty, and as a Mayo supporter I'm well aware of all the bizarre ways to lose we've demonstrated over the years. But what's the point dwelling on it? For the next few days at least we still have a chance, so might as well enjoy it

[Crete Boom]

I see a good point made on the mayo blog comments

" 4/6 of the Tyrone backs scored from play. 3 in the 1st half alone. How did this happen? It stemmed from the total failure of the opposite Kerry players to track back. The 3 scores were very soft and uncontested. There is no way at all that the Mayo FF line or whomever is marking them will allow this to occur or repeat itself."

Does Mayo supporters see any possible way that Mayo could lose this All-Ireland final on Saturday?

We never think we are going to lose any final, sure why would we. We always have everything covered, interviews in papers, cars, sheep even ducks painted green and red, houses decked in flags, Mayo4Sam written everywhere from the south of France to Belmullet. When we win on Saturday (hard luck Tyrone by the way) it will be the start of seven in a row!!
If getting ahead of ourselves was a problem for Mayo sure surely other counties would let us know or a journalist or two at least would write an informative article about it??

[WT4E]

I think the the mid-field issue is over talked ... Tyrone won 3 All-Irelands and there wasn't any significant mid field displays in that period .. they always played a fifth man team game.  That had one chief driver and that Brian Dooher.  He is now bringing that effect from the sideline and has a unbelievable "never say die mentality" ,will to win and experience.  I'd say Tyrone will start McShane now that he has had enough game time under his belt. When given the correct type of ball he is actually unmarkable with his ability to score off either foot, they just can't wait until the second half to bring him on .... although you never know.  They may prefer to wait till the 3rd quarter when the will have assessed Mayo's strengths and weaknesses.

Was big Hub not MOTM in 03 final?

And Cavanagh was always a big performer in 03 and 05 throughout the champo???

[FearAnFhírinne]

I see a good point made on the mayo blog comments

" 4/6 of the Tyrone backs scored from play. 3 in the 1st half alone. How did this happen? It stemmed from the total failure of the opposite Kerry players to track back. The 3 scores were very soft and uncontested. There is no way at all that the Mayo FF line or whomever is marking them will allow this to occur or repeat itself."

Does Mayo supporters see any possible way that Mayo could lose this All-Ireland final on Saturday?

Plenty, and as a Mayo supporter I'm well aware of all the bizarre ways to lose we've demonstrated over the years. But what's the point dwelling on it? For the next few days at least we still have a chance, so might as well enjoy it

Indeed - sure look, I've seen it written that someone had flags and stuff up outside their house in Ballsbridge or Blackrock or somewhere. According to some thats enough for the team to lose the run of themselves. Has cost us the All Ireland already.

In all seriousness - it's a 50 50 game, the bookies have the odds a little skewed in my view, and Mayo need to play to the very best of their abilities and hope for a slice of luck which seems to have eluded us in too many finals before now.

[thewobbler]

That's some serious under-assessment of the roles Hughes, Cavanagh and mcGinley played in AI Finals.

There's forgetfulness in many internet comments. There's revisionism everywhere and it's frustrating. And then there's the "are you f**king mental?" contributions. That's where this one belongs.

[rrhf]

Perhaps the O Shea factor could bea feature. Mayo's captain and talisman has already had his annual stinker out of the way before the final.. Assuming he has got his head in the right place in the last couple of weeks, he is on his day a potential matchwinner for Mayo.  All the talk is that Mayo wont start him and watch how the game is going.  Big call to drop him when he could have a key role to play, and can finally get the monkey of his back in an all Ireland final. If Aidan O Shea plays he could well have a big influence on proceedings either in midfield, tracking Donnelly or indeed bolstering the inside threat of the Mayo ff line.  I have a half feeling he will be timed to come in when Mc Shane comes in.     

[Mayo4Sam14]

Perhaps the O Shea factor could bea feature. Mayo's captain and talisman has already had his annual stinker out of the way before the final.. Assuming he has got his head in the right place in the last couple of weeks, he is on his day a potential matchwinner for Mayo.  All the talk is that Mayo wont start him and watch how the game is going.  Big call to drop him when he could have a key role to play, and can finally get the monkey of his back in an all Ireland final. If Aidan O Shea plays he could well have a big influence on proceedings either in midfield, tracking Donnelly or indeed bolstering the inside threat of the Mayo ff line.  I have a half feeling he will be timed to come in when Mc Shane comes in.     

I think id start him around the middle and then float him further forward later on depending on how the game is going

[Blowitupref]

Perhaps the O Shea factor could bea feature. Mayo's captain and talisman has already had his annual stinker out of the way before the final.. Assuming he has got his head in the right place in the last couple of weeks, he is on his day a potential matchwinner for Mayo.  All the talk is that Mayo wont start him and watch how the game is going.  Big call to drop him when he could have a key role to play, and can finally get the monkey of his back in an all Ireland final. If Aidan O Shea plays he could well have a big influence on proceedings either in midfield, tracking Donnelly or indeed bolstering the inside threat of the Mayo ff line.  I have a half feeling he will be timed to come in when Mc Shane comes in.     

If I recall right AOS nearly always performed well against Tyrone while he's struggled to deliver any impact v Dublin.