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Donnellan was described as the best minor in the country by the late Jack Mahon in 1995

A title which always guarantees success!!

You seem to be lauding JM for bringing in new players which brought us to losing AIFs in 96/97 yet lambasting JOM for being little more than a spectator when Galway won the '98 and '01 finals.

Didn't realise KO'M was Ballinrobe.

Reasonably strong team.

Would have liked to see B Kelly in MF rather than McG. Also though we could have played someone else at wing back rather than Pat Kelly, not a bad player but I just think we have better options on the wing.

Who would have been the last Ballinrobe and Kiltane players to start for Mayo in a meaningful game? Prob one of the Careys from Kiltane?

I think we despise our own neighbours, esp in North Mayo more than we do Galway, we'd sooner see our team beat Cross/Ballina/K'more than see Mayo beat Galway.

I was just saying something similar the other night. We always complain about Mayo players not being physical enough, too easily bundled off the ball, soft etc but you can go to a club game and see the very same county players hammering lumps out of each other.

Just reading some of the comments earlier, I thought it was interesting that Maughan was considered by some to have "brought on" new players like Horan/Nallen whereas Joyce and Donnellan were apparently ready-made for JOM to slot into the team!

The fact of the matter is that any manager will play players who look like they are good enough but whether they actually make the grade or not is largely up to themselves. Kilcoyne, AOM and  Devenney are good examples, anybody here would have expected them to make a big impact yet under two management teams, none have really made the grade when it counts.

Any word on the starting team yet?

I'd go for Mayo by two points simply based on home advantage although the rte.ie game preview may have already put the hex on us.....

On the club scene I see Maughan reckons Crossmolina are only the seventh or eighth best team in the county! The mind games have begun!

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5786&Itemid=39

I'd have to disagree with Maughan there, I would rate Ballina above Crossmolina!!!

Beaten by the sheepstealers by a point - 1-6 to 1-7.

Reports in the paper that Cork hurlers (not the ones that are "unavailable" but the "development" squad!) are training.

What a joke

Mayo CB are fairly crap

Just look at the disgraceful treatment of M&M; not to mention Frank Browne when he managed the hurling team and indeed generally the treatment of hurling in Mayo.

Read this in the indo yesterday alright.

would have been a huge loss to Mayo football.

Apparently D Moran and T Walsh are going down under for trials.

Anyone else put a lot of this blame on N Brennan?

I ll tell ya I d swap our management team for yours in a shot but I d doubt you d want to swap. At least Walsh and co have potential unlike ours who have a great future behind them. I think Walsh will do well for Sligo.

FFS Moysider, did JOM steal your pint some night or what??

Delighted that JOM has been given another two years. For a start I believe it shows he's committed to the cause and sees potential in the younger players coming through.

Interesting that Barry Moran was played at FF for the two challenge matches last week - an experiment not seen since it was tried relatively successfully against Derry.

A lot of new faces played in those games too. I'd fancy young McLoughlin for a corner back spot for next year, he's a proper sticky defender rather than just a ball player from what I've seen of him.

Need to find a reliable freetaker off the ground and to take 45s, its embarrasing a county team doesnt have a quality freetaker off the floor, look at galway and kerry last week sheehan stuck 5 frees and meehan the same including a massive 45 from his wrong side. A good free taker is a serious weapon

Good point, we badly need a top quality free taker so that when we get a free within the 45m line it's more or less a guaranteed point; we haven't had this since Maurice Sheridan.

Actually only Kerry have a really reliable free taker at the moment, all the others have a tendency to have off days.

bit of a balls that not a lot more we can say untill the team is picked what ever happened to the good auld A.N. Other

Duine Eile, old stock, Duine Eile. 

Exactly, What are we suppose to gib about in the pub tonight, if there is no team that we can tear apart.

I think Johnno should go for this, what exactly does he expect us to shite on about tonight over pints?? A complete fiasco

Hard to know what'll happen on Saturday. At this stage neither team look like they can win an AI but that could all change for the winners if it's a good quality tight game.

For Mayo, we'll need to tighten up big time at the back, it's hard to see us winning if we concede more than one goal - unfortunately I'm not sure we'll be able to do this. It'll be a huge challenge for the younger players like Parsons, Howley, Cunniffe, Kilcoyne and any other younger lads that might be played at some stage.

Howley will start at CHB and is best when he holds the centre so we could see problems if BMcG goes roving (if he stays at CHF then Saturday could well signal the arrival of Nallens replacement for the next 10 years) maybe Heaney will get that job with Howley moving further back. Gardiner will probably pick up Dooher and A Higgins on TMcG. That leaves a FB line of Nallen, K Higgins and Howley/Heaney which should be tight enough. If Cavanagh plays FF, Nallen should be able for him, but if he moves out, Nallen won't have the pace for him. The Tyrone forwards currently have no top-class scorer a la SO'N or PC but TMcG might change all that yet. I can see Mayo limiting Tyrone to 1-11 or 1-12 but whether we can get enough at the other end remains to be seen.

At midfield we might have a slight edge (which unfortunately may force SC out to MF where he tends to be much more effective) and I'm hoping for another big game from Parsons who I reckon has the quality at this level. Having McG back would be a big boost although I still have huge doubts about his appetite for winning dirty ball. Would like to see SO'S in if McG doesn't start but I'd say Harte will be moved in there.

The HF line will prob be PH, BJP and AD. BJP could sweep back if we're struggling there and Harte will essentially be a 3rd midfielder which potentially really leaves only Dillon to contribute to the scoreboard, if DH is playing as badly as the Tyronies make out then Dillon would run riot on him. That leaves our FF line needing to score at least 8 or so points between them to win it. Mort was quiet against Galway and will be up against it against RMcM. Depending on how strict/lenient the ref is here could well be a deciding factor - guaranteed to be complaints from the losing side on this duel. If Austie starts, he has to prove himself in the first half really or Kilcoyne/AN Other will be on - I would like to see him staying within the 21yd line at all times instead of straying out further. Moran could be moved back as he was against Galway but the deeper we play, the more we'll be drawing Tyrone on to us.

Hard to call with the teams not yet named....heart says Mayo but head is leaning slightly to Tyrone as they have more leaders.

rte.ie are tipping Galway, that surely guarantees victory for us!!!!!