Kildare v Mayo AI Qualifier Round 3

[Itchy]

Current mayo management in job 3 years I believe and have no silverware. Will they be allowed continue?

[From the Bunker]

Current mayo management in job 3 years I believe and have no silverware. Will they be allowed continue?

Don't think they will want to. Nobody in Mayo cared about Connacht title other than it being an easier route to an AI final

[Hound]

Unbelievable scenes on the pitch afterwards with players management and fans unified as one, I doubt if we will see scenes like it for the rest of the year even on AI final day.

Kildare deserved it in what was a physically bruising encounter, they played like savages at times and particularly in the last 10-15 minutes when the game was in the melting pot.

You would have to have sympathy for a great Mayo side and Diarmuid O'Connor (MOTM I thought) and Paddy Durcan did not deserve to be on a losing side tonight

Agree 100% with this. Bizarre as it sounds, these are my two favourite teams to watch, outside of my own.

Diarmuid O'Connor was an absolute trojan and did not deserve to lose. Definitely the best player on the pitch. Himself and Parsons next year at midfield with Seamie to come in for the last 20.

Paddy Durcan is now there/thereabouts the best wing back in the country. Has it all, plus an abundance of bottle.

I think Keith Higgins is the best Mayo player of this generation and most likely to retire. Hopefully he doesn't.
Probably there's a good reason it didnt happen, but would have liked to see him have a consistent run of games closer to the opposition goal (I know he had a short run at half forward, but his primary job always seemed to be defence).

I thought "home advantage" was going to screw things up for Kildare. With Mayo having a good majority of fans in attendance there were 2 clearly wrong decisions (IMO!) in the latter part of the first half, crowd influenced I believe, that brought momentum to Mayo that helped bring them from 5 points down to level, despite Kildare being the better team.

But what a second half performance from Kildare. When the shit hit the fan, they all stood up. STOOD UP. That's the huge benefit of this week. These lads are far better than they've been playing. They were superb. The number 2 epitomised the workrate and ability of the team. Bench played its part as well, so have to give credit to O'Neill. But above all, it was the players themselves that brought it home. Well done and congrats Kildare.

It's the end of Mayo for 2018, but it's not the end of Mayo as AI contenders in future years.

[Cunny Funt]

Congrats Kildare found their 2nd wind when they looked gassed after 20 minutes. They were the best team on the day no doubt.

Good game and would have been an even better second half if Mayo had a kick in them for the last ten minutes but they had nothing really which is very surprising. The Parsons and S O Shea injuries was a big hit for Mayo although I think and D O Connor and A O Shea played really well filling in.  C O Connor seemed to disappear from play today? I know Kildare are fit but the Mayo legs were shot last 10 minutes and lack of game changers on the bench didn't help either. 

Cian O Neill gets a lot of criticism but this week for first getting that game in Newbridge and then pulling off the win will now have hero status.  Kildare nearly should have won pulling up in the end.  Mayo players looked shell shocked by the intensity of some Kildare players. Only one Mayo point (Andy Moran Free) in the last 10 minutes I was disappointed with that Mayo capitulation at the end so unusual for this group of players maybe just maybe it is an end of era and the mileage on the clock has caught up with them against a younger and fresher team.

[inthrough]

If Kildare draw Cork next weekend & beat them they will play Donegal in the Super 8's in......Newbridge

[Rossfan]

Donegal are away to Ros/R4 winner.
Cork/R4 winner home to Dublin.

[Syferus]

I couldn't believe the number of people who bought into the idea that Kildare were in a worse spot by going to bat for the home game. A team in horrid form joining together for a shared cause must have been mana from heaven for O'Neill, win or lose.

[spuds]

Congrats Kildare. Deserved their win and hope you push on from here, celebrations at final whistle will live long with me. Feels like the end of something our side.

[thebuzz]

Unbelievable scenes on the pitch afterwards with players management and fans unified as one, I doubt if we will see scenes like it for the rest of the year even on AI final day.

Kildare deserved it in what was a physically bruising encounter, they played like savages at times and particularly in the last 10-15 minutes when the game was in the melting pot.

You would have to have sympathy for a great Mayo side and Diarmuid O'Connor (MOTM I thought) and Paddy Durcan did not deserve to be on a losing side tonight

Agree 100% with this. Bizarre as it sounds, these are my two favourite teams to watch, outside of my own.

Diarmuid O'Connor was an absolute trojan and did not deserve to lose. Definitely the best player on the pitch. Himself and Parsons next year at midfield with Seamie to come in for the last 20.

Paddy Durcan is now there/thereabouts the best wing back in the country. Has it all, plus an abundance of bottle.

I think Keith Higgins is the best Mayo player of this generation and most likely to retire. Hopefully he doesn't.
Probably there's a good reason it didnt happen, but would have liked to see him have a consistent run of games closer to the opposition goal (I know he had a short run at half forward, but his primary job always seemed to be defence).

I thought "home advantage" was going to screw things up for Kildare. With Mayo having a good majority of fans in attendance there were 2 clearly wrong decisions (IMO!) in the latter part of the first half, crowd influenced I believe, that brought momentum to Mayo that helped bring them from 5 points down to level, despite Kildare being the better team.

But what a second half performance from Kildare. When the shit hit the fan, they all stood up. STOOD UP. That's the huge benefit of this week. These lads are far better than they've been playing. They were superb. The number 2 epitomised the workrate and ability of the team. Bench played its part as well, so have to give credit to O'Neill. But above all, it was the players themselves that brought it home. Well done and congrats Kildare.

It's the end of Mayo for 2018, but it's not the end of Mayo as AI contenders in future years.

I always said that about Kildare this year. They lost a few close games in Division One and then got shocked by Carlow. When they went up to Owenbeg they got their mojo back and have been on an upward trajectory ever since. The whole location thing seemed to galvanise them even further but I think they would still have beat Mayo in Croke Park.

[Syferus]

Unbelievable scenes on the pitch afterwards with players management and fans unified as one, I doubt if we will see scenes like it for the rest of the year even on AI final day.

Kildare deserved it in what was a physically bruising encounter, they played like savages at times and particularly in the last 10-15 minutes when the game was in the melting pot.

You would have to have sympathy for a great Mayo side and Diarmuid O'Connor (MOTM I thought) and Paddy Durcan did not deserve to be on a losing side tonight

Agree 100% with this. Bizarre as it sounds, these are my two favourite teams to watch, outside of my own.

Diarmuid O'Connor was an absolute trojan and did not deserve to lose. Definitely the best player on the pitch. Himself and Parsons next year at midfield with Seamie to come in for the last 20.

Paddy Durcan is now there/thereabouts the best wing back in the country. Has it all, plus an abundance of bottle.

I think Keith Higgins is the best Mayo player of this generation and most likely to retire. Hopefully he doesn't.
Probably there's a good reason it didnt happen, but would have liked to see him have a consistent run of games closer to the opposition goal (I know he had a short run at half forward, but his primary job always seemed to be defence).

I thought "home advantage" was going to screw things up for Kildare. With Mayo having a good majority of fans in attendance there were 2 clearly wrong decisions (IMO!) in the latter part of the first half, crowd influenced I believe, that brought momentum to Mayo that helped bring them from 5 points down to level, despite Kildare being the better team.

But what a second half performance from Kildare. When the shit hit the fan, they all stood up. STOOD UP. That's the huge benefit of this week. These lads are far better than they've been playing. They were superb. The number 2 epitomised the workrate and ability of the team. Bench played its part as well, so have to give credit to O'Neill. But above all, it was the players themselves that brought it home. Well done and congrats Kildare.

It's the end of Mayo for 2018, but it's not the end of Mayo as AI contenders in future years.

I always said that about Kildare this year. They lost a few close games in Division One and then got shocked by Carlow. When they went up to Owenbeg they got their mojo back and have been on an upward trajectory ever since. The whole location thing seemed to galvanise them even further but I think they would still have beat Mayo in Croke Park.

Let's get real, Kildare could very easily be out themselves in six days time. Mayo have been waiting for a team to beat them in the Quailifiers for three years now so it didn't need to be the highest level performance to beat them, just a team with the nerve to follow through.

[Dougal Maguire]

Are you a Parish Priest by any chance?

[Syferus]

In fairness I can understand why the Kildare County Board and its patrons think GAA HQ is shite. After all you just have to look at the mess of the GAA in general, compared with the beacon of excellence that Kildare is, to realise where they're coming from. What they've got is a pyrrhic victory and the sad thing is they don't even realise it. But hopefully they'll have the rest of the summer to reflect on a season the high point of which was when they denied  thousands of their supporters the opportunity to watch them play a qualifier against the second best team in the country and I'm sure this will more than erase the memories of O'Connor park on 27 May

Lol.

[WT4E]

Glad the Lads will get a well earned break this year. Super 8 would have been a disaster physically on this group after coming in the back door. the financial demand on Mayo supporters will get a badly needed rest as well. Let there not be a bad word about the Mayo players, they owe nothing to anybody.

They owe Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes an apology.

Agreed - aidan o'sheas revolt has lead them to nothing and i have no sympathy for this lot after that whole thing. Congrats kildare!

[Dougal Maguire]

In fairness I can understand why the Kildare County Board and its patrons think GAA HQ is shite. After all you just have to look at the mess of the GAA in general, compared with the beacon of excellence that Kildare is, to realise where they're coming from. What they've got is a pyrrhic victory and the sad thing is they don't even realise it. But hopefully they'll have the rest of the summer to reflect on a season the high point of which was when they denied  thousands of their supporters the opportunity to watch them play a qualifier against the second best team in the country and I'm sure this will more than erase the memories of O'Connor park on 27 May

You didn't answer my question

Lol.

[seafoid]

Great result for the people of Kildare after the board, players and management showed courage all week Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) June 30, 2018

The trick is to play for something bigger than yourself and Kildare found that place todayJoe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) June 30, 2018

Kildare. Justified. Took on the establishment & won. Full of respect for them. Deserve their success Thomas Niblock (@thomasniblock) June 30, 2018

Some win for Kildare. Fully deserved. They're a very good footballing team. Home advantage counts, imagine administrators tried to take that off themColm Parkinson (@Woolberto) June 30, 2018

Kildare's greatest win since 2000. Amazing, and it proves why democracy matters. Incredible performance from a team that deserves endless respect. WOO HOO Ger Gilroy (@gergilroy) June 30, 2018

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. Feargal McGill. Alan Milton. Nickey Brennan. Tom Ryan. Neddy Quinn. Neddy Quinn. You boys took one hell of a beatingd— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) June 30, 2018

Another point, hope this isn't end of great Mayo side. Break might help them. But this was about more than Kildare or them. About disgraceful week. Home advantage worth four in football statistically so venue a form of fixing. Needs to be start, not end of GAA being taken back.end— Ewan MacKenna (@EwanMacKenna) June 30, 2018