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[Donaghy comes out the field a lot nowadays can be seen in midfield and helping out in the full back line.]

Kerry can win without Donaghy playing well, Mayo have absolutely no chance if Lee Keegan doesn't contribute to the attack.

Agree. However if Keegan is put on Donaghy I assume he will follow him out to midfield or wherever he goes. Thus giving him an opportunity or two to go forward.

If Lee Keegan is put man marking Donaghy, then Stephen Rochford needs his head examined.

If he is marking Donaghy, and Fitzmaurice allows Donaghy come out the field, then Fitzmaurice needs his head examined.

Keegan is always put on the opposition best player i don't think a mid 30 year old Donaghy is Kerrys best, also Donaghy comes out the field a lot nowadays can be seen in midfield and helping out in the full back line.

Paul Geaney and James O'Donoghue are key for Kerry. If those two are held to low scores then Mayo will be getting that long awaited championship win against Kerry.

I understand all that. What I am saying is that Rochford would be mad to sacrifice Keegan to try and keep Donaghy quiet. However if he DOES do that, then Fitzmaurice would be even madder to allow Donaghy do his usual roaming when he gets bored.

If Lee Keegan is put in on Donaghy, I think that is manna from heaven for Kerry, and Fitzmaurice will tell Donaghy to stay in on the edge of the square all day.

However, in reality, I doubt Rochford will make the same mistake he made in the second half of the first day v Rossies, when Keegan followed Smith in there, and took himself out of the game.

Totally agree AZ. I think Keegan would be wasted at FB and it would definitely be a mismatch height wise anyway. If he was on Donaghy there isn't a a chance Fitzmaurice would allow Donaghy to pass the 13. Rochford usually gets his match ups pretty spot on, whatever he comes up with will probably work defensively. The key is that it is not done at the expense of blunting our attack. If we take Doherty out and play an extra defender there will be a huge onus on the backs to get forward and make up for this. The midfielders (sometimes a half forward) will then have to sit and cover for them while they're away from home. That's the balance Horan never quite mastered. Rochford has to or we're toast.

Vaughan is tough as nails

He tried to rough up Ciaran Kilkenny in the 2015 semi-final before throw-in and bounced off him and had to go off injured from it.

I'm not sure he's really that tough. Kilkenny isn't exactly Eamonn Heery either.

Vaughan is a beast. He lined up Jack McCaffrey (I think it was, not Kilkenny) but he met him all wrong and had to go off with a stinger of a shoulder injury. Pound for pound he's much stronger and would physically dominate either McCaffrey or Kilkenny but anyone that has played the game knows that a badly timed shoulder can be worse for the hitter than the hittee.

If it was up to me, I wouldn't let Vaughan anywhere near the team. He's an eejit and Kerry love putting eejits to the sword. Especially don't put him anywhere near Donaghy, as Star loves nothing more than a rash tackler hanging off him.

Parsons has to play as put simply, Mayo always play better when he's on the field.

JOD isn't worth all the worry lads. Injuries mean he's really not the player he was, not even close. If Kerry's management are taking this seriously, he won't be involved.

Extremely harsh and untrue comment about Vaughan. Vaughan should start every game in Croke Park in my opinion such is his engine and the power he brings. He should not start at full back though. He's not a man marker and because of a horses for courses situation he may indeed lose out but I'd be trying to find a place for him.
It would melt your head thinking of the match ups. Someone mentioned Durcan against Cork and how poor he was. That was a blip imo. The job he did on McManaman and Andrews last year is the real Durcan and he could do a job on O'Donoghue. He would be a loss from an attacking point of view but these lads bomb forward anyway and he should do that whoever he's marking.
Kerry will be bringing on Barry John Keane, Stephen O'Brien and Darren O'Sullivan so we'll need to bring in some fresh legs anyway. If Boyle, Vaughan or Durcan don't start then they will come in to counteract this. Keegan to midfield isn't a bad call either. The freedom he would have would be good for us and he would destroy Moran on the ground. Don't envy Rochford this week, he has some job to get these match ups right. In fairness he usually does.
With all that said, I actually have a feeling we have a sweeper plan not mentioned yet and I'm not going to say it as I wouldn't want to give any Kerry bucks the slightest bit of an advantage. Fitzmaurice is known to be an avid follower on here!

Mayo would love Tyrone in a final.

Just like they loved Donegal in 2012? Mayo are clearly 4th best out of the 4 teams left standing.

Clearly. With analysis like that I think I'll head straight down to the bookies when they open.

That Roscommon man has it bad.
Imagine a football team not being able to win the All Ireland because I use nicknames on an Internet forum!!
I will continue to use the geographically correct term for the area covered by the Mayo GAA board and the team they pick and fail to see how that could impact on the Roscommon (minus-Ballagh) team.
Ballagh was moved to Ros long before you were born.
Thank God for lads like "weareros" and Ballagh Rossie and all those from that town who support the County they come from.
Sin é.

Il! Thank God I'm a Mayo man!

What part if Mayo are you from?

Ballagh, the clue is in the name. Just like my Tyrone and Armagh brethren are Irish, we know who and what we really are. British land re-zoning doesn't change that.
Anyway, best of luck to you, see you in the FBD next year.

That Roscommon man has it bad.
Imagine a football team not being able to win the All Ireland because I use nicknames on an Internet forum!!
I will continue to use the geographically correct term for the area covered by the Mayo GAA board and the team they pick and fail to see how that could impact on the Roscommon (minus-Ballagh) team.
Ballagh was moved to Ros long before you were born.
Thank God for lads like "weareros" and Ballagh Rossie and all those from that town who support the County they come from.
Sin é.

Inferiority complex in a nutshell! Thank God I'm a Mayo man!

Can't wait.
We started yet off on the road in the 2011 CF so would be nice if we ended ye're team next Sunday.
One part of me fears we had ONE BIG GAME in us and 9 months to hone in on it.
Hope we avoid a tanking anyway and that our young ladeens run the legs if the oul worn out Rhubarbs.

So ye did have one big game in ye

And 12 glorious minutes in Croke Park too.
After that it was Mayowestros 5-30 MostofRos 0-16.
Sobering reality as a big boy cut loose on us in the big boys'  playground.
Still can't understand what management was at dropping Fintan and Ciaráin and giving a man his first senior game in an AI QF.
A man who was spirited into the panel only a few weeks beforehand.
We had a great day in Salthill and are Connacht Champions but certainly aren't the best team in Connacht.

Hope the Rhubarbs can keep this new found level up till 5 o'clock on 17th September or it will be like our CF win.

Until you lose the inferiority complex and stop using language like mayowestros, herring chokers, wind tunnel, rhubarbs etc you're never fully going to move on and focus on your own county. I know some of it is said in jest and as a bit of a wind up but it speaks volumes for your state of mind.
Mayo and Galway fans don't use that language. Yes Ballagh Mayo's are annoyed that our town was moved out of our county but we get on with it and refer to ye as Ros or Rossies. No big deal there, we're secure enough in ourselves and worry about bigger things like winning that elusive prize I suppose.
For yours and your county men's sake it would be better if you just focus on yourselves and try not to big up your two bigger neighbours further by giving them new titles. Nicknames is one thing, we do it ourselves but never, ever referring to a county by its correct name just reinforces the belief that we're on your minds an unhealthy amount. Look I know you'll keep doing it but it's sad to watch my neighbours feel they have to do this.
On a football note, hard luck yesterday, it was actually cruel to watch by the finish. We were very good, Ros never got to the pitch of it. Any further analysis is pointless. Kerry will bring an intensity we haven't faced yet this year. It will be a different sport in less than two weeks time.

I hope that they don't just turn up to have their tummies tickled again by Kerry in a big game.

Maybe you're just winding up the Mayo lads, but the tummy ticklers are from a previous age!

People just use the lazy sterotypical clichés that have been around for years e.g. Mayo are bottlers, Galway are a Croke Park team etc.

Throw in the old classics 'Meath are never beaten ' and 'Kerry are the purest, least cynical team' and you've got a full house!

P.S. Almost forgot, Billy Sheehan is two ends of a bollox. He spent more time on the pitch on Saturday than he did when he played for Laois!

Is that who he was? Unbelievable that the ref never dealt with him. He was some mouthpiece the last day

Good man larryin. You have them hopping up and down like mad. On a more football related note what's the genuine feeling in Roscommon? Is there a bullish mood brewing thinking that the team will give Mayo the knockout blow; or do you think that there's still a possibility that Mayo might do the business once again, despite the tired legs and high mileage?

Are you asking them are they feeling bullish or sheepish?

Yeah, we'll shear them hoors alright.
If any of them pesky Rossies are entertaining grand notions they should remember that they were feeling the same way about Galway in last year's Connacht Final and look what happened to them?
I can't see them beating Mayo because of the Croke Park factor.
Mayo play well at Headquarters. They always have since Horan arrived on the scene and even when beaten, they fought to the very end. Croke Park holds no fear for them and they always rise to the occasion while the sheepophiles know sweet feck all about what lies ahead.
Mayo by at least five!

Most of this team have played at Croker multiple times at underage, league finals and semi finals, and the league itself. Some of them even won AI senior titles there and did what terrifies Mayo lads and walked up the Hogan Stand, Lar. I think people overstate what is a bit of grass means to the end result. Any footballer would their boots is going to relish playing at Croker.

Played multiple. i.e. a few, times and generally lost, often getting a hosing in the process

Our record at senior in Croker over the last three or four years is 2-2. But don't let facts get in the way of your self-loathing attack on your own county.

That's an excellent sample size Syf, quite the researcher you are. What happened against Kerry and Dublin again? Absolute hosings!
I do think the pitch will suit your style of play though but it is a second home to our lads, 3 of which climbed the Hogan stand to collect a minor all-Ireland in 2013.

Good man larryin. You have them hopping up and down like mad. On a more football related note what's the genuine feeling in Roscommon? Is there a bullish mood brewing thinking that the team will give Mayo the knockout blow; or do you think that there's still a possibility that Mayo might do the business once again, despite the tired legs and high mileage?

Are you asking them are they feeling bullish or sheepish?

Yeah, we'll shear them hoors alright.
If any of them pesky Rossies are entertaining grand notions they should remember that they were feeling the same way about Galway in last year's Connacht Final and look what happened to them?
I can't see them beating Mayo because of the Croke Park factor.
Mayo play well at Headquarters. They always have since Horan arrived on the scene and even when beaten, they fought to the very end. Croke Park holds no fear for them and they always rise to the occasion while the sheepophiles know sweet feck all about what lies ahead.
Mayo by at least five!

Most of this team have played at Croker multiple times at underage, league finals and semi finals, and the league itself. Some of them even won AI senior titles there and did what terrifies Mayo lads and walked up the Hogan Stand, Lar. I think people overstate what is a bit of grass means to the end result. Any footballer would their boots is going to relish playing at Croker.

Played multiple. i.e. a few, times and generally lost, often getting a hosing in the process

Good man larryin. You have them hopping up and down like mad. On a more football related note what's the genuine feeling in Roscommon? Is there a bullish mood brewing thinking that the team will give Mayo the knockout blow; or do you think that there's still a possibility that Mayo might do the business once again, despite the tired legs and high mileage?

My Ros buddies feel they have a great chance. We're tired and on the slide and they are on the up with nothing to lose is the general feeling they have from talking to them. One or two I've spoken to feel we'll have too much power and experience for them but generally there is a confidence among the Rossies.

AZ, you sound like me after watching a game live in that you missed a whole lot of things. I thought Petey Harte didn't have a good Ulster final but when i watched it again on TV I completely changed my mind.
It's good to be at games cos you see things that you miss on TV but you get a better all round view of the game from tv coverage I feel.

I agree with mrhardyannual and Tomás O'Se on TSG in that Rochford nearly cost Mayo that game with his crazy changes in the second half. I don't know what to make of him as a manager as in one way I thought he got his tactics right against Tyrone and Dublin last year but then he tends to make some very rash decisions. I think maybe he thought Cork will play a very open game and so they were happy enough to do the same and for the neutral it was a very entertaining game of football.

I thought CoC had an excellent game and really looks a top notch all star forward these days. He looks to already have top scorer for the season wrapped up with 2.40 after 5 games and I'd say he fancies his chances getting to an AI semifinal. Conor McManus is the next player still in the championship with 2.17.

Aidan O'Shea looks to have reacted to his criticism and has upped his game this year and is playing much better as a team player.
Mayo have got back to the quarterfinal stage again, the long way and I think they are actually benefitting from getting momentum from the qualifiers. I think Roscommon will suffer from their lack of matches as they've only really had one decent game all season going into a big game in Croker. When was the last time they won a quarterfinal in Croker?

Fair play to Connacht for getting 3 of their teams into the quarterfinals though it looks like Mayo will have to beat Roscommon and Galway again to get to the final. 

I'm not sure Rochford can take all the blame on the subs, it's not like he was throwing on complete mugs. The game was as good as won so if you can't give players game time in that situation, how can you be expected to rely on them in the dying minutes against Dublin.

You'd think he'd brought on average players with some of what I've heard in the media. Durcan & Vaughan were the first 2 subs to come on in that half back line and I don't need to tell any of the Mayo lot that both started in the AI finals last year. The rot had already set in well before Keegan received his black card.

Did Corks comeback coincide with SOS substitution? He came off after 50 minutes when I think Mayo were 7 points clear.  I heard James Horan mention on one of the podcasts about SOS coming off and how it affected the half back line. Given what we've seen this summer SOS would do well to last more than an hour and as its his 4th game in 5 weeks this will only exacerbate the issue.

Have been thinking the same thing myself regards the subs. He brought on quality players who I feel let him down and didn't do their jobs. Maybe he made too many in a short space of time and this may have unsettled the rhythm of the team but some lads simply didn't track runners and do the basics.
I didn't think SOS was having a great game but maybe it's his unseen work that needs to be appreciated more when you see the collapse after he went off. Still, one man can't explain it all away and I think quite a few players need to look at their defensive performances from the last day, namely Coen and Durkin.

To be fair the whole Ballagh thing is a snooze fest at this stage especially from those outside the area. We ain't gonna agree on it anytime soon so may as well comment on the football and support our respective counties.
I personally think if we play anything close to how we can and the lads don't take their eye off the ball like last Saturday then we'll win and possibly win quite comfortably. Like some have already mentioned I'd genuinely be concerned by the effects of two extra time games in 4 weeks. I don't think it will be enough for us to lose but some S&C experts on here may have a better view of what they think it could have taken out of the Mayo lads.
Key players have hit form again and Rochford won't casually call players ashore on Sunday to rest them. Sorting out FB is the biggest issue but I still think Caff will start.
Assuming they'll rest and recover well, I see us winning, not sure by how much since we are so unpredictable but scraping through again would do just fine.

Mayo will not bring 20 k to a qf, nearer 13-15k.

There'll be 40K Rossies to see their hero 

Two lads in that picture from Ballagh families. One is able to represent native county due to living in next parish.

i.e. he's not Ballagh, the clue is in the different parish bit.....that you just said