Mayo v Donegal Saturday August 8th, 2015 Páirc an Chrócaigh

[twohands!!!]

First of all, if there's any Mayo ST holders here, let me apologise for shouting like a lunatic yesterday. Wasn't confident beforehand, nor throughout the first half until Aidan O'Shea got the goal. I felt more relaxed then. Wish I relaxed on the shouting though! Voice not back to normal yet

A common GAA affliction - the post match sore throat.
Breakouts also tends to occur after close club championship games especially if they are local derbies.
Recommended solution is to drink copious pints of porter.

[Captain Obvious]

Murphy was poor today, McManus was very good.

Murphy rarely scores heavily from play, and gets away with an awful lot of nasty fouling and mouthing off.

Complete and utter nonsense. Murphy hit three superb scores from play and was the only Donegal forward to consistently win any ball going in.

Nail on head. After watching the dross served up by Tyrone and Monaghan it was a pleasure to watch Murphy (and the O'Se/McGee first half battle). First time I have seen him live in a few years; his work rate is outrageous (tv doesn't do him enough credit) and his ability at full forward to win low ball, high ball, dirty ball and bad ball is different class.

The only pity is how little we see of the man at full forward.

Irrespective of the last ten mins in the tyrone monaghan gam it was hardly dross. Some fantastic scores hit by both teams.

Dross being an exaggeration but for an All Ireland quarter final, the athmosphere was terrible and regardless of the high quality scores, I personally thought it was a poor game even before the crap in last 10 mins started. With 10/15 mins to go and 5 points down Monaghan continued to retreat 14 men into their own half. Hard to believe.

Out of the 4 quarter finals, only the first 40/45 minutes of Donegal Mayo had anything to savour.

Tyrone v Monaghan was best and most competitive of the four quarter finals and even then it was far from a classic. The two Mayo goals killed the game dead it was almost as Donegal said to themselves eight down we don't have the energy left for a fightback.

Hopefully from a neutral stand point the two semi finals and final are good viewing, to be honest the lack of quality games is disappointing and it was same last year.

[highorlow]

Great win on Saturday night. Fair play to the lads for coming back again this year, that takes some belief and mental strength which is unimaginable.

We are looking a nice bit better this year than last both in condition and tactically and hopefully the improvement will continue. Poor 2nd half but I'd prefer a 2nd half like that then one where we are leaking goals.

Again the lads on the line got their tactics spot on. Very surprised with Donegals kick out tactics. I don't think Durcan has recovered from last years blunder.

In fairness the whole system is poor / unfair when you see the route Donegal had to take and the teams they have met so far, we looked far fresher then them.

The first match was very poor and the flock of pigeons in the Jones road corner were a gauge of this.

[macdanger2]

Great to get the win, the goals we got came at crucial stages and really killed the game. Delighted not to concede a goal, from what I remember, Donegal only had two chances for a goal - one saved by Clarke and the other blocked by Barry.

I thought all the backs including Barry played well. Keane was stupid to get sent off even if it was only for the lightest of slaps. Keegan was motm for me. Actually, who won motm on Sky?

Midfield were very good – why did SOS come off?? Just cos he was knackered?

I thought the forwards generally did ok. AOS, Doc and McLoughlin were very good. The two O'Connors were only so-do. Great point from Andy when he came on but he fluffed a goal chance by not passing it. Good point from Freeman as well although I'm not convinced by him

Overall, a very good performance and H&C will be happy with it. I have to admit I was fairly sceptical when they were appointed but they've done very well so far. Dublin will be big step up in class though

Maigh Eo abú

[AZOffaly]

I have a feeling Mayo may just do it this year. That's an impressive win, and they will not fear the Dubs. If they get to an All Ireland Final, even against possibly Kerry, I think they'll do it this time. I hope they do.

[grounded]

Couldn't understand why donegal wouldnt push up on the mayo kickouts. Mayo did push up and forced durkan to go long. Mayo utterly dominant in midfield. I thought parsons was excellent along with Barry o  se. Mayo look the part. Dublin will be a more difficult encounter but you would have to fancy mayo.

[doodaa]

I have a feeling Mayo may just do it this year. That's an impressive win, and they will not fear the Dubs. If they get to an All Ireland Final, even against possibly Kerry, I think they'll do it this time. I hope they do.

So do I cos ive money riding on them!

[muppet]

Couldn't understand why donegal wouldnt push up on the mayo kickouts. Mayo did push up and forced durkan to go long. Mayo utterly dominant in midfield. I thought parsons was excellent along with Barry o  se. Mayo look the part. Dublin will be a more difficult encounter but you would have to fancy mayo.

Crazy in my opinion. Their one goal chance in the first half came from about the only kickout they won cleanly and our lads were all caught on the front foot.

I hope the Dubs do the same, but I doubt they will.

[screenexile]

Couldn't understand why donegal wouldnt push up on the mayo kickouts. Mayo did push up and forced durkan to go long. Mayo utterly dominant in midfield. I thought parsons was excellent along with Barry o  se. Mayo look the part. Dublin will be a more difficult encounter but you would have to fancy mayo.

Crazy in my opinion. Their one goal chance in the first half came from about the only kickout they won cleanly and our lads were all caught on the front foot.

I hope the Dubs do the same, but I doubt they will.

I was constantly asking that... were they worried about Mayo dominating the air maybe and thought they had a batter chance of turning them over in defence?

Either way what they did didn't work. Yeah freshness was maybe a problem with the age profile of Donegal higher than Mayo's but them's the breaks and Donegal knew the size of the challenge facing them.

You'd have to say Mayo and Kerry are the form teams at the minute having had at least 1 tough game each at this stage compared to Dublin's none. Both strong tactically with exceptional midfields and a proper target man up front (although Donaghy would want to start showing some form). Should they meet it would be a great occasion so long as Mayo don't get caught in the headlights again but I think this team are too seasoned for that now and will give it a proper go.

[highorlow]

With Mayo slight favourites for the game at 8/11, most onlookers find it hard to separate the two teams, Mortimer is no different, "It's a very tough one to call. We haven't seen enough of Mayo to say that they'll win it one way or another. If they can get two goals I'd fancy Mayo to do it, if they don't it will be a lot more difficult for them. - See more at: https://beanbagsports.com/blog/2015/08/05/conor-mortimer-there-is-a-big-issue-in-the-gaa/#sthash.sTDfftsK.dpuf

[StephenC]

A belated congratulations to Mayo and the best of luck to them against Dublin.

Nowhere I'd really point to for us ... Mayo were a bit better than us at pretty much every single aspect of the game.

[muppet]

With Mayo slight favourites for the game at 8/11, most onlookers find it hard to separate the two teams, Mortimer is no different, "It's a very tough one to call. We haven't seen enough of Mayo to say that they'll win it one way or another. If they can get two goals I'd fancy Mayo to do it, if they don't it will be a lot more difficult for them. - See more at: https://beanbagsports.com/blog/2015/08/05/conor-mortimer-there-is-a-big-issue-in-the-gaa/#sthash.sTDfftsK.dpuf

A genius.

Any word on what he thinks the weather will be like this winter?

[J70]

A belated congratulations to Mayo and the best of luck to them against Dublin.

Nowhere I'd really point to for us ... Mayo were a bit better than us at pretty much every single aspect of the game.

Yep. Where now for us I wonder?

Even if all the lads stay, we are hardly going to win Ulster, never mind compete for an AI, next year with Monaghan and what looks like a resurgent Tyrone about.

[StephenC]

A belated congratulations to Mayo and the best of luck to them against Dublin.

Nowhere I'd really point to for us ... Mayo were a bit better than us at pretty much every single aspect of the game.

Yep. Where now for us I wonder?

Even if all the lads stay, we are hardly going to win Ulster, never mind compete for an AI, next year with Monaghan and what looks like a resurgent Tyrone about.

It's a big question all right. A lot of lads are at that point where they'll be thinking of hanging up the boots. Some of them have already made the decision and I wouldn't be surprised if they all go together. Pappa, Eamonn, Neil, Colm, Christy. I wouldn't be surprised if they all pack it in.
In one way, that could be the best thing for us - enter "rebuilding" mode, lower expectations, bring though some more U21s and minors and look to build over the next 3-4 years.
No matter what, something needs to change - the core playing group, the tactics, the management ...

[J70]

McFadden and Toye have been there since 2002. Lacey, Durcan and Eamon McGee since 2004/5. Neil Gallagher must be the same. Is there another team with that many first choice that long around?

Even Neil McGee and Thompson made their debuts a decade ago, with McGlynn and Murphy close behind.