Mayo v Galway 26.6.11

[Zulu]

Jaysus lads, the Zulu hasn't been this thick since Rorke's Drift in 1879!

[Farrandeelin]

tonto Mayo v Galway on tv at 2.00pm Sunday.

PS, if Hanley and Bergin (who I think has more average games than good ones) for Galway start and if AOS and if McGarrity's fit enough start I don't see why Mayo should lose the midfield battle on Sunday.

A lot of ifs in there I know but frigging hell I'm beginning to think a bit of positive for once about this game.

[Barney]

I would have to agree with Zulu. Most of our current players have not achieved their potential. Whether it is a case that they have not nurtured the talent we though they had at underage level because of either bad management or lack of determination to be the best they can, or whether it is just a general "it'll be alright" attitude from the County Board and those in charge of Mayo GAA teams I do not know.

I think Alan Dillon is our exceptional player and has been. Andy Moran has a determination about him seldom seen on the field in Mayo players and I think he is another that some other counties would look at. Neither are the top class exceptional player though that is needed to compliment other good players to win an All Ireland.

Keith Higgins has had good games and has been our best defender but you do feel that he could have been better and his speed has saved him. But he can still have another good 3/4 seasons.

Aidan O'Se, Alan Freeman, Cillian O'Connor and Jason Doherty all have the chance to be very good, but probably will not be brilliant.

And part of our big problem is that we have so many players at a similar good level that will not improve from that whether due to the fact that they are playing to the best of their ability, or whether they go off the boil.

The Review of Mayo Football by Liam Horan could have been the first step towards a more determined effort to bring Mayo football at least on an equal footing to other counties (our facilities and support structures have fallen behind in my view). That was rejected and I don't think we are going to be moving forward any time soon without somebody making a radical call.

[moysider]

tonto Mayo v Galway on tv at 2.00pm Sunday.

PS, if Hanley and Bergin (who I think has more average games than good ones) for Galway start and if AOS and if McGarrity's fit enough start I don't see why Mayo should lose the midfield battle on Sunday.

A lot of ifs in there I know but frigging hell I'm beginning to think a bit of positive for once about this game.

McGarrity wont be fit enough to start. But if the two O Sheas start in midfield I would be confident enough about doin well around the middle in this one - or against anybody for that matter. If Ronan can come in at some stage it would be a bonus.

[Blowitupref]

Oh I agree Tubberman, most lads don't think you have superstars (Rosnarun excepted!) but I don't think you realise how average some of your players are. I don't want to go listing lads out but I think you don't demand enough of your players or look at why you produces oceans of decent footballers but few, if any, exceptional ones. Brick Walsh, the Waterford hurler, is a better footballer than all bar Dillon in Mayo, Ian Ryan from Limerick is a far better forward than most in Mayo, Limerick have also had two midfielders (Quane and Galvin) far better than anything Mayo have had in my memory. Carlow have a better midfield, Westmeath have produce a couple of top class players in the past 10 or so years, I could go on. Outside of McDonald have Mayo produced anyone that might be called the best footballer in Ireland during their playing days in living memory? When was the last top midfielder yev had, and don't say Brady because he wasn't, and have Mayo ever produced a gooch, bernard brogan, Stevie o'neill type scoring forward? Now maybe Mayo have and I just font remember them but for yer size and football playing population I think you have an extremely poor record of turning out real high level IC footballers.

Zulu I take it living memory for you began in 1998. 

I also take it Zulu is a Limerick man?

[Zulu]

Nope. My actual had little to do with the Limerick players, they were just an example to illustrate the point.

[rosnarun]

all this talk about whether mayo players would get a game else where is a bit mad we have the answer . BJP Alan costello and God help us Austin o malley.

[macdanger2]

Fair point and all three have actually played fairly well but who are they playing for??

Wicklow & Sligo beaten first day out by Kildare & Leitrim. And despite a good win over Down, Armagh were easily beaten by Derry last weekend.

[Tubberman]

Can we try and get the thread back on track and talk about the Galway game.
I, for one, am not starting a review of 2011 before we've even played a Championship game on Irish soil!
I'm sure we'll have one of these post-mortem threads after our run in the Championship has come to an end...

[Barney]

I'm sure we'll have one of these post-mortem threads after our run in the Championship has come to an end...

With Sam in City West - this is the year 

[ross4life]

Oh I agree Tubberman, most lads don't think you have superstars (Rosnarun excepted!) but I don't think you realise how average some of your players are. I don't want to go listing lads out but I think you don't demand enough of your players or look at why you produces oceans of decent footballers but few, if any, exceptional ones. Brick Walsh, the Waterford hurler, is a better footballer than all bar Dillon in Mayo, Ian Ryan from Limerick is a far better forward than most in Mayo, Limerick have also had two midfielders (Quane and Galvin) far better than anything Mayo have had in my memory. Carlow have a better midfield, Westmeath have produce a couple of top class players in the past 10 or so years, I could go on. Outside of McDonald have Mayo produced anyone that might be called the best footballer in Ireland during their playing days in living memory? When was the last top midfielder yev had, and don't say Brady because he wasn't, and have Mayo ever produced a gooch, bernard brogan, Stevie o'neill type scoring forward? Now maybe Mayo have and I just font remember them but for yer size and football playing population I think you have an extremely poor record of turning out real high level IC footballers.

Yes there not Superstars but not half bad all the same, the like's of Dillon,McGarrity,Higgins,Clarke,Moran,Trevor Mortimer etc were part of the Mayo team that got to the All Ireland final 5 years ago & these guys didn't become poor footballers all of a sudden i can imagine they along with the younger players will have a point to prove on Sunday.

[kevmy]

1. Hennelly
2. Cunniffe
3. A.Feeney
4. Higgins
5. R. Feeney
6. Vaughan
7. T. Mortimer
8. S o Shea
9. A. o Shea
10. K. McLoughlin
11. A. Dillon
12. A. Moran
13. J. Doherty
14. A . Freeman
15. C o Connor

This is the Mayo team being speculated upon over on Green and Red. Not confirmed as of yet.

It looks a little better than the team against London. Howley, Geraghty and Barret gone, McLoughlin, Higgins, two O'Sheas and O'Connor in along with T Mort.

[Tubberman]

It's confirmed now - it's on www.mayogaa.com

1)  Robert Hennelly - Breaffy
2)  Tom Cunniffe - Castlebar Mitchels
3)  Alan Feeney - Castlebar Mitchels
4)  Keith Higgins - Ballyhaunis
5)  Richie Feeney - Castlebar Mitchels
6)  Donal Vaughan - Ballinrobe
7)  Trevor Mortimer - Shrule-Glencorrib
  Seamus O'Shea - Breaffy
9)  Aidan O'Shea - Breaffy
10) Kevin McLoughlin - Knockmore
11) Alan Dillon - Ballintubber
12) Andy Moran - Ballaghaderreen
13) Cillian O'Connor - Ballintubber
14) Alan Freeman - Aghamore
15) Jason Doherty - Burrishoole

16) David Clarke - Ballina Stephenites
17) Ger Cafferkey - Ballina Stephenites
18) Chris Barrett - Belmullet
19) Lee Keegan - Westport
20) James Kilcullen - Ballaghaderreen
21) Ronan McGarrity - Ballina Stephenites
22) Peadar Gardiner - Crossmolina
23) Aidan Campbell - Swinford
24) Enda Varley - Garrymore
25) Neil Douglas - Castlebar Mitchels
26) Mark Ronaldson - Shrule-Glencorrib


Dillon  and Moran will have to show real leadership because the rest of the forwards have very little championship experience between them.
I hope Seamie O'Shea can stay fit for a while - he seems to pick up injuries in almost every game for Mayo.
Even in defence we have 3 newbies in Hennelly and the two Feeneys.
Having said that, I think it's a pretty strong team. I just hope at least one of Kilcullen and MGarritty is fit to come on at some stage if needed - and I think they will be needed.

[REDCOL]

Yeah, that team is confirmed. I hope Galway are as bad as they were in the league or we are in trouble.

[Farrandeelin]

I remain unconvinced with regards to Vaughan at no 6. Also why play Cillian O'Connor, who hasn't been spectacular this year so far putting him under more pressure.