Mayo-2011

[Peter Solan the Great]

Why wasnt there any Islandeady players at these trials, more shite acting led by the Castlebar cronies in Mayo GAA

[moysider]

Bonniconlon s Conor Cawley. I don't think so.

Just to clarify.

I know Conor is a very good defender and hopefully will make the U21 shake up but he isn't from Bonny. Slack of them not to get the lad's club right.

As regards the senior XV, It s good to see Campbell, Conroy and Burke back in the picture.

[AbbeySider]

Mayo News report on last weekends trial game:

Mayo manager runs the rule over 'possibles'
Tuesday, 23 November 2010 10:48

Mike Finnerty

THE close season officially began for the Mayo senior football squad at the beginning of the month but James Horan concluded the first phase of his preparations last Saturday morning with a second, and final, trial match in Clogher.
None of the 29 club players who lined out was part of Mayo's senior championship squad last season but all concerned will be hoping that they did enough to force their way into Horan's plans for at least the FBD Connacht League in the New Year.
Under the watchful eyes of the new manager, and his selectors James Nallen and Paul Jordan, a Mayo 'whites' selection beat a 'greens' outfit by 2-14 to 0-11 after a match of four fifteen-minute quarters.
Among those who accepted the invitation to 'try out' were former Mayo defender, David Kilcullen, from Ballaghaderreen. He played most of the game at full-back before moving to centre-back during the third quarter.
Shrule/Glencorrib corner-back Dermot Geraghty, who played in the 2004 All-Ireland final, also lined out as did Swinford's Aidan Campbell, who last played for the county in the 2008 All-Ireland Qualifier against Tyrone.
Before the game the new Mayo manager told the assembled players he was looking for qualities like 'work-rate', 'technical ability', 'desire' and the ability to 'play as part of a team'.
There was no shortage of honest endeavour and industry from all those involved but it remains to be seen who did enough to earn a Mayo strength and conditioning programme for the months ahead.
Crossmolina's Brian Benson and Tourmakeady's Kevin Dolan scored the goals for the winners while Burrishoole's Jason Doherty landed five points and looked sharp at corner-forward.
Former Louisburgh forward, Austin O'Malley, was the pick of the 'greens' attacking unit and posted six points from centre-forward. Knockmore's Damien Munnelly and Peter Cosgrave from The Neale also had their moments.
James Horan and his players won't be seen together on the playing fields of the county again until January 1, while their first Connacht League match is pencilled in for Sunday, January 9 against Leitrim in Ballinamore.

Mayo whites
Robert Hennelly (Breaffy); Ronan Rochford (Crossmolina), Dermot Geraghty (Shrule/Glencorrib); Donal Newcombe (Castlebar Mitchels), Eoin Reilly (Castlebar), James Burke (Ballymun Kickhams); Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber), Dermot O'Connor (Westport); Aidan Campbell (Swinford), Sean Kelly (Crossmolina), Simon Cloherty (Parke); Kevin Dolan (Tourmakeady), Brian Benson (Crossmolina), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole).

Mayo Greens
Alvin McCallig (Claremorris); Richie Feeney (Castlebar), David Kilcullen (Ballaghaderreen), Colm English (Achill); Alan Egan (Bonniconlon), Michael Nestor (Ballintubber), Ruaidhrí O'Connor (Ballintubber); James Moran (Burrishoole), Ray McGreal (Ballinrobe); Jimmy Killeen (Garrymore), Austin O'Malley (St Vincent's), Peter Cosgrave (The Neale); Damien Munnelly (Knockmore), Lewis Cawley (Westport).
Subs used: David Killeen (Ballinrobe) for Feeney (inj).

Referee: D Harrington (Tourmakeady)

[AbbeySider]

More in depth report on that trial game from the Connacht Telegraph:

Horan continues to check new talent

The Mayo management held their second senior trial game in Clogher on Saturday when a Mayo Whites selection took on a Mayo Reds team. There were a number of new faces on view again and if these two trial games are anything to go by, there is going to be some scrapping for places on James Horan's panel for the national league, which starts in early February.
I am sure plenty of the 2010 senior panel will be looking over their shoulders at some of the new talent coming behind them.
For the Whites, who won the game easily, those who impressed included Robert Hennelly, Donal Newcombe, Jason Burke, Jason Gibbons, Aidan Campbell (maybe not as much as in the first trial), Simon Cloherty, Brian Benson, Jason Doherty and Kevin Dolan.
For the Reds side, David Killeen, Michael Nestor, James Moran, Austin O'Malley and Peter Cosgrove were the pick.
One of the interesting battles was in the middle of the field between Jason Gibbons and Dermot O'Connor for the Whites and James Moran and Ray McGreal for the Reds. Gibbons and Moran, who had a great battle, took the honours, but Gibbons, who never allowed Moran to catch the ball cleanly, shaded this dual.
Dermot O'Connor started brightly and was involved in many exchanges. However, he took one or two big hits late in the first half, which curtailed his earlier influence.
Most of the players will be expecting to get more chances in the FBD league games and a number of challenge games pencilled in for January.
Unlike the previous week's game, this trial took a long time to get motoring. However, despite the lack of good, flowing football there were plenty of hard hits as the players on both sides were all geared up to impress the management team on the sideline.
Each side scored three points in the first quarter, two from Jason Doherty and one from Brian Benson for the Whites, while Jimmy Killeen, Peter Cosgrove and Damien Munnelly were the Red scorers.
However, the main score of this first period was a goal for the Whites by Benson. It came when the Crossmolina man won a long ball into the goal area from midfielder Dermot O'Connor before sending a fine shot past the helpless goalkeeper, Alvin McCallig.
In the second quarter things didn't improve a huge amount. However, the Whites increased their lead to six points after Benson (two), Jason Gibbons and Jason Doherty waved white flags.
What did emerge from a dull half was some fine defending by a number of players. On the Reds team, David Killeen, who had replaced the injured Richie Feeney a few minutes after the start, looked really impressive. While on the Whites team, Jason Burke really caught the eye, as he did the previous Saturday in the first trial. Both these players continued to impress in the second half.
After the half-time break where the Mayo manager called on the players to start making things happen instead of waiting for them to happen, the second half was a lot livelier.
It was the Whites who continued to show the way scoring wise as they out-pointed the Reds by six points to four. Jason Doherty, who was making the most of his opportunity to impress, scored two, while Jason Gibbons, Sean Kelly, Aidan Campbell and Kevin Dolan all picked off points.
For the Reds, it was Austin O'Malley who was the main threat. Indeed, the St. Vincent's player looked sharp and eager for the ball. He accounted for three of his team's points in this third quarter with Damien Munnelly getting the fourth.
At the three-quarters mark the score was 1-13 to 0-8 in favour of the Whites.
In the final quarter it was evident the heavy hits dished out up to that stage were beginning to tell on the players' stamina, but there was no let up in effort. Austin O'Malley had two more points for the Reds along with one from Munnelly.
However, the Whites got a second goal after Doherty and Simon Cloherty combined to set up Kevin Dolan, who made the most of his chance by firing past McCallig.
They almost had a third when a great fisted effort by Cloherty came crashing back off the post. The only other score of the game, a point, came from Donal Newcombe - a brilliant individual effort which left his side the easy winners in the end.

Mayo Whites 2-14
Mayo Reds    0-11

Scorers for Mayo Whites: J. Doherty 0-6, B. Benson 1-3, K. Dolan 1-1, D. Newcombe, J. Gibbons, A. Campbell and S. Kelly 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mayo Reds: A. O'Malley 0-5, D. Munnelly 0-3, J. Killeen 0-2, P. Cosgrove 0-1.
Mayo Whites: Robert Hennelly (Breaffy), Ronan Rochford (Crossmolina), Dermot Geraghty (Shrule/Glencorrib), Donal Newcombe (Castlebar), Eoin O'Reilly (Castlebar), Jason Burke (Ballymun Kickhams/Ardnaree), Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber), Dermot O'Connor (Westport), Aidan Campbell (Swinford), Sean Kelly (Crossmolina), Simon Cloherty (Parke), Kevin Dolan (Tourmakeady), Brian Benson (Crossmolina), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole).


Mayo Reds: Alvin McCallig (Claremorris), Richie Feeney (Castlebar), David Kilcullen (Ballaghaderreen), Colm English (Achill), Alan Egan (Bonniconlon), Michael Nestor (Ballintubber), Ruari O'Connor (Ballintubber), James Moran (Burrishoole), Ray McGreal (Ballinrobe), Jimmy Killeen (Garrymore), Austin O'Malley (St. Vincent's, Dublin/Louisburgh), Peter Cosgrove (The Neale), Damien Munnelly (Knockmore), Lewis Cawley (Westport).
Sub used: David Killeen (Ballinrobe).
Referee: D. Harrington.

[mannix]

Did Ronan Doherty from the ardnaree club get a chance?

[RedandGreenSniper]

I can only count three players in those two teams who I think don't deserve a look or aren't up to a requisite standard for trials so James Horan and Co have obviously cast a good net. How many of them actually have something to offer time will tell but some players can develop very quickly in such surroundings and few lads can complain they haven't been given the chance.
Out of curiosity, I see David Kilcullen's name. Has James Kilcullen been given a run yet? Definitely has something to offer imo.

[AbbeySider]

Another good in-depth report from the Western People;

GAA: Doherty displays trial style
Anthony Hennigan at Ray Prendergast Memorial Park

County Trial No. 2
MAYO WHITES 2-14 MAYO GREENS 0-11

LATE withdrawals forced Saturday's county senior football trial - the second in the space of one week - to be played in a 14-aside format, but that didn't stop those players present from providing a full-blooded contest as they sought to impress new Mayo boss James Horan.

For some it was a second opportunity to display their ability to the new management team in a trial game environment, for 14 other players it was their first chance. And with Mayo Whites provided the advantage to play with six forwards compared to the five of the Greens, it was perhaps no surprise that the former carved out a quite comfortable victory.

Claremorris goalkeeper Alvin McCallig, who produced two excellent saves, Ballaghaderreen's David Kilcullen, Parke attacker Simon Cloherty, Sean Kelly of Crossmolina, Burrishoole midfielder James Moran and his club-mate Jason Doherty were just some of the new additions to the Trials series. And it was perhaps the latter who did most to catch the eye, scoring five points from play for the Whites and providing the telling touches for Crossmolina's Brian Benson and Tourmakeady's Kevin Dolan to score both their side's goals.

Between them, Doherty and Benson scored all but one point of the 1-7 the Whites had amassed by half-time in a game of four 15 minute quarters. Indeed there was a far greater impact about Brian Benson's performance than when held scoreless the previous Saturday and he ended the game with a goal and three points to his credit.

It was by a goal and three points to three points that the winners led at the end of the first quarter, despite the Greens scoring first through Jimmy Killeen, after the assistance of Austin O'Malley and Damien Munnelly.

A Brian Benson converted free and Jason Doherty point preceded Benson's well-finished ninth minute major and although the Greens reduced their arrears to two points thanks to singles from Peter Cosgrove and Damien Munnelly, Jason Doherty closed out the period by blasting just over Alvin McCallig's crossbar.

Clever combination play, especially between Kevin Dolan and Sean Kelly, and Benson and Doherty, was already causing the Greens defence major difficulties, due also to the fact that the Greens had lost corner-back Richie Feeney to a lower injury after just three minutes. The dependable Castlebar man's absence became even more noticeable during the second quarter as David Kilcullen, Colm English and Feeney's replacement, David Killeen, struggled to keep the Whites at bay.

Benson, twice, once from a free, and Doherty fired over further points, so too Jason Gibbons, when set-up by his centre-back Eoghan O'Reilly. Only Jimmy Killeen, after a clever palm off by Damien Munnelly, struck a point in response for the Greens during the same time.

The six points lead of the Whites - 1-7 to 0-4 - became nine within five minutes of the third quarter's start, as O'Reilly again turned provider, this time for both Jason Doherty and Jason Gibbons whose points were followed by one from Kelly. There was a strong retaliation from the Greens however, and with James Moran and Ray McGreal beginning to distribute better from midfield, Austin O'Malley scored once from a free and twice from play, and Damien Munnelly also rose the white flag. The quarter concluded though, with singles from Aidan Campbell, Kevin Dolan and Jason Doherty as the Whites carried a 1-13 to 0-8 lead into the final period.

The surprisingly hard-hitting, high-tempo nature of the contest (it's exactly what manager James Horan had asked of the recruits) began to take a toll on some players and injuries and fatigue actually caused the fourth quarter to be cut-short, but not before a flurry of goal chances at either end.

Kevin Dolan, denied by Alvin McCallig in the opening quarter, was again frustrated by the Greens 'keeper from point-blank range, and when McCallig did eventually err by spilling in front of his goal, Dolan also fisted just wide of the left upright. Simon Cloherty went even closer for the Whites, but he too was denied a fisted goal, this time by the post.

Consequently, the Greens nudged their way back to within five points of their opponents. Austin O'Malley scored another brace and Munnelly added a single before having an opportunity to really put the cat among the pigeons, however, his goal attempt, made possible by O'Malley and Westport youngster Lewis Cawley's buildup, was brilliantly thwarted by Robert Hennelly.

A Donal Newcombe point steadied the Whites who restored their nine points lead with the last kick of the game, as Kevin Dolan finally scored the goal his performance deserved having raced onto a Doherty pass.

Playing behind a full-forward line that scored 2-7 from play, others to impress for the Whites included Jason Gibbons and James Burke, whose tenacity and flare at wing-back was complemented by fellow halfbacks Donal Newcombe and Eoghan O'Reilly. The latter, however, oft times saw his positive work going forward negated by the space it afforded his opponent Austin O'Malley, whose scoring of five points marked him out as one of the Greens' more effective players.

Ruaidhri O'Connor, playing on home turf, James Moran, Ray McGreal, Jimmy Killeen and Damien Munnelly are just some of the others who might hope for further contact from the manager who intends to hold more trial matches during January.

SCORERS - Mayo Whites: Brian Benson 1-3 (0-2f), Jason Doherty 0-5, Kevin Dolan 1-1, Jason Gibbons 0-2, Sean Kelly, Aidan Campbell and Donal Newcombe 0-1 each.

Mayo Greens: Austin O'Malley 0-5 (1f), Damien Munnelly 0-3, Jimmy Killeen 0-2, Peter Cosgrove 0-1.

MAYO WHITES: Robert Hennelly (Breaffy); Ronan Rochford (Crossmolina), Dermot Geraghty (Shrule-Glencorrib); Donal Newcombe (Castlebar), Eoghan O'Reilly (Castlebar), James Burke (Ardnaree/ Ballymun); Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber), Dermot O'Connor (Westport); Aidan Campbell (Swinford), Sean Kelly (Crossmolina), Simon Cloherty (Parke); Kevin Dolan (Tourmakeady), Brian Benson (Crossmolina), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole).

MAYO GREENS: Alvin McCallig (Claremorris); Richie Feeney (Castlebar), David Kilcullen (Ballaghaderreen), Colm English (Achill); Alan Egan (Bonniconlon), Michael Nestor (Ballintubber), Ruaidhri O'Connor (Ballintubber); James Moran (Burrishoole), Ray McGreal (Ballinrobe); Jimmy Killeen (Garrymore), Austin O'Malley (Louisburgh/St Vincent's), Peter Cosgrove (The Neale); Damien Munnelly (Knockmore), Lewis Cawley (Westport).Sub: David Killeen (Ballinrobe) for Feeney 3-inj.

REF: Denis Harrington (Tourmakeady)

Some of the scoring and performances by the forwards in the last few trials seems to be impressive.

You would wonder is it good forward play, or piss poor defending that lead to some of the higher individual scorelines in the last two trials

Both games seemed fairly open anyway