Messages

It will be interesting to see which defence comes out on top. Mayo have far more experience but Galway put a bit of smacht on in the league and were very mean with goals.

True. Yer man Paddy Tally seems to have done a good job on Galway's backs. The improvement in Galway's defensive structure has me worried about the next day.

Definitely. God knows we struggled for scores against them the last two years in Connacht, and now they're even more defensively structured since. I hope also McHale Park dries up between now and then, when the pitch is anyway wet or heavy we really seem to struggle with our game especially against packed defence. I've got a feeling though that Rochford could be putting far more focus on this match than he has in previous years. Another trip on the qualifier road could be a step too far for the squad this year especially with the Super 8s, and regaining the Nestor cup might be a good fillup psychologically for management and the squad.

[The injury Keegan got is more long term.]

I wouldn't believe a solitary thing coming out from the Mayo camp with regards to injuries and possible absentees, Cillian O'Connor could well be lining the frees up against Galway yet. I'm half expecting Keegan to run out of the tunnel on the 13th.

Grade 2 hamstring Cillian O Connor apparently got v Tyrone which is a normally 4 to 6 weeks recovery time so educated guess would say he will be back for the Galway game.  The injury Keegan got is more long term.

Robbie Henshaw is back in contention for Leinster's champions cup match on Saturday day. Given that he suffered a similar injury to Keegan on the 10th of February it's fair to say that we won't be seeing Lee back in action until after the end of May, at the very earliest.

Mayo team

1. Rob Hennelly - Breaffy
2. Caolan Crowe - Garrymore
3. Ger Cafferkey - Ballina Stephenites
4. Eoin O'Donoghue - Belmullet
5. Colm Boyle - Davitts
6. Lee Keegan - Westport
7. Michael Hall - Breaffy
8. Stephen Coen - Hollymount/Carramore
9. Seamus O'Shea - Breaffy
10. Kevin McLoughlin - Knockmore
11. Aidan O'Shea - Breaffy
12. Diarmuid O'Connor - Ballintubber
13. Jason Doherty - Burrishoole
14. Andy Moran - Ballaghaderreen
15. Adam Gallagher - Mayo Gaels

Team Manager: Stephen Rochford
Selectors: Donie Buckley, Peter Burke, Joe Keane & Tony McEntee.

The odds on P Durcan,T Parsons and C O Connor to start now after that dummy team is published?

O'Connor probably for Gallagher. I'd say if fit Parsons and Durcan will be held in reserve.

Seen there today about Cian Hanley being released from contract by Brisbane. Could be worth a run next year in the league if he decides to come home?

If it could be proven, a year would be extremely harsh. What Keegan (allegedly) did was cynical, but no more so than other cynical play that was going on after Rock's point. The sanction should be no more or no less. It's not up there with actions that could potentially injure a player where such a long ban would be seen as appropriate.  I do agree with you though that there is not enough deterrent under the rules as they stand to prevent this sort of behaviour being the norm. Nor is there the appetite within the higher ups to adopt a zero tolerance attitude to cynical play and give the backing and powers to officials to enforce it.

It's a pity Mayo fans can't accept they were beaten by the better team. Far easier to blame the ref rather than blame David Clarke not being able to keep his head and find the extra man with his kick out.
Always with the excuses never the answers

Ah yes. The better team. So much better that they felt they had to cynically hold, pull down and drag their opposite numbers to prevent possession from a quick kick out. But I don't see that as the reason that we lost, nor do I blame Joe either, tho he was poor enough on the day but really didn't give either side an advantage. There were enough things directly within our own control that we didn't do well enough. Wides, kicks dropped short short, saved goal chance, Vaughan's rush of blood and yes, Clarke's last kick out. All of which if they'd been done better, or with a bit more composure we'd have won, by 2-3 points. But there's the difference. Dublin were more composed, we weren't. But the actions of the Dublin forwards at the end cancels out the positivity of that coolness and ability and shows they can just as cynical if not more so as any team out there. BTW I don't condone what Keegan did either.

Small should have went off in last years aif as well. 
Small margins.

The man with the flying elbows should've been sent off lots of times too.

How long do we continue this?

Michael Dara MacAuley???

Getting fed up of all this shite. Thrown GPS trackers, thrown tees, all the off the ball holding, head locking, pull downs etc. No length of debate is going to change the result, all it does is further emphasise the amount of cynicism that exists in the game right now, the utter failure of the black card to deter it, and that the standards of refereeing at intercounty level are miles behind the effort and preparation being put in by the players who play it, when they have to put up with the officiating of clowns like MacQuillan or Deegan. 3 officials and 4 umpires directly involved in officiating the game, with a fourth official on the line and they still can't get it right. Until officials start applying the rules not interpreting them, until refereeing comes up to a more professional and consistent standard, until the GAA start to enforce a zero tolerance on cynical play then it's going to be the same crap going on game in game out for years to come.
Looked at the match, just reinforced my view lack of composure at crucial moments cost us. In any game the only factors you can directly influence are what you have control over. It's amazing the difference one second can make. Donie pauses for one second, realises we have the handy free and the extra man, doesn't retaliate on Small. One more second, Jason Doc takes it in closer and forces Cluxton to commit instead of trying to burst the net from a good distance out. Clarke takes one more second on our last kickout to look up and around and see a better option instead of rushing it and driving it out over the sideline. Small margins.

Congrats to Dublin on the win, three in a row is some achievement, no doubt about it. As for ourselves, deep disappointment on another opportunity gone. Probably more so than other years, sure as hell it doesn't get easier. Especially when we seemed to get so much right on the day yet couldn't see it over the line. For me the one crucial difference between the teams on the day was composure, we had three moments in that game were if the head had been kept we'd be champions today. Vaughan's rush of blood to the head is the obvious one, a gimme free in front of the posts and an extra man advantage blown in a moment of madness. O'Connor hitting the upright which would have put us into a one point lead coming into injury time was the other obvious moment. The third was Chris Barrett's wild leap at a long ball that he missed and ended up sprawled on the turf while Dean Rock raced away in on goal which, luckily for us he chose to fist over. Just three moments which in tight game like yesterday where a bit of composure can make a massive difference, Dean Rock's winning free being a prime example. Limitations of our bench exposed yesterday also, DOC the only one who made any notable contribution and I am at the point of tearing my hair out seeing David Drake come on as I just do not see what he offers. As things look outside of our first 16 we don't appear to have many options up to the standard required, which makes coming back again next year harder and doesn't bode well in the longer term either.

Here it is. All form and logic says a Dublin win, but the heart really railing against this, more so than other years. We really have to get it all right, on the sideline and the pitch, no room for errors or for non performers. Do all that and get a little bit of luck, after a tight match with hunger to decide it, Mayo by two. Safe travels to all supporters.

How many peilople have been injured in a pitch invasion. Ever.

Probably fewer than the number of GAA players who have been paralysed after drinking  .

You arr missing the point.
Corporate GAA decided to ban pitch invasions because of the fear of litigation if someone sustained injuries while running onto the pitch and/or acting the buck eejit while on it. The hike in insurance premiums had to be taken into account also.
As I see it, you may sue or be sued in the event of injuries sustained during an invasion but the GAA can't be held responsible for whatever transpires if you lep the fence.

Name one, just one, incident of a GAA person suing after invading the pitch at an AI final. Maybe there were a series of litigious claims that I'm not aware of but I severely doubt it, it's just pc nonsense. The reality is it's a shift further away from the ideals of the association and just imitates big business professional sport.

Not in Croker or an all Ireland final but it has happened.
https://www.google.ie/amp/amp.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/personal-injury-claims-after-limerick-pitch-invasion-253261.html

[Firstly is Kildare's performance in the Leinster fina]

it is hard to argue against Dublin being favourites. Undefeated in championship football since 2014, their form, their standard of play and that they appear to be playing better at this stage compared to this time last year all stacks in their our favour. Our form from losing to Galway to the draw against Roscommon could best be described as schizophrenic and in no way looking like we'd get to a final. However the performances since have been impressive, essentially we got three consistent 70 minute performances playing to a high standard. Credit has to go to the management and players for finding and sustaining that momentum.
While all the focus has been on Dublin's kick outs, their options all over the pitch and off the bench which they definitely have an edge on us, what stands out for me is their execution of basic skills. There's a lot of moaning out there about Dublin' s possession game, Killkenny's lateral movement and passing etc but you have to admire the slickness of Dublin's handpassing, the quick hands, the weight, pace and accuracy of the pass. The receiver is always able to to come onto it at full tilt, rarely if ever having to adjust his run or body to take it. On the other hand, on more than one occasion in every match this year we've played passes that put pressure on the receiver, forcing the receiver to check his run, to stretch over his head, reach behind him or take the ball off his bootlaces. It's kills momuntum from the attack and it's a missed opportunity, worst case it's a turnover and we're on the back foot. It's something we seem to do every game and is a definite weakness.
I'd still see two reasons to give some hope. Firstly is Kildare's performance in the Leinster final. While it seems I might be grabbing at straws, the fact is that Kildare did not set up defensively, played football moving the ball at pace, created opportunities and put up a decent score. Second is the fact that Dublin have played their last two matches against northern teams who went completely defensive and stood off Dublin, allowing them time and space on the ball a lot of the time. Both matches were won a long way out and while that reflects on the quality of this Dublin team, the question can still be asked are Dublin coming into this final untested now? I know Dublin supporters who, while confident, would've preferred a tougher semi final than what they got.  Mayo will play completely differently to both Monaghan and Tyrone, while Dublin are justified favourites it's fair to say they won't have it as comfortable as they had in their last two matches.

No disrespect to Kildare but I dont think you can take anything from that game. Dublin seem to have timed their run this year and they were barely up to speed that day. They got a couple of early goals and the game was effectively over. They had no intensity in defence and that allowed Kildare to run up a score. Kildare's subsequent defeat to Armagh and their hammering by tyrone backs this up. Dublin upped it against Monaghan and then again against Tyrone. You can say that they would have liked a tougher match up to now but I simply think that they so far ahead the moment that this isn't possible (unless Dublin have a off day). Mayo will approach it differently but I can't see any other outcome than a 5 plus point victory for Dublin. That is not dissing Mayo bur rather simply recognising that this is a seriously good Dublin team.

Kildare had a good spell early in the second half of that match with a saved goal chance that would've made it a three point game. I'm not saying Kildare could've have gone on and won it but on the day Dublin's back six didn't look impenetrable when being played by a more attack minded game. I'd agree about Dublin not being at full tilt that day, but in late July they're not going to be that far off it either. The main point is that the Dublin defence have played a lot of football over the last two games on the front foot, they may well have to adapt to something different Sunday week.

it is hard to argue against Dublin being favourites. Undefeated in championship football since 2014, their form, their standard of play and that they appear to be playing better at this stage compared to this time last year all stacks in their our favour. Our form from losing to Galway to the draw against Roscommon could best be described as schizophrenic and in no way looking like we'd get to a final. However the performances since have been impressive, essentially we got three consistent 70 minute performances playing to a high standard. Credit has to go to the management and players for finding and sustaining that momentum.
While all the focus has been on Dublin's kick outs, their options all over the pitch and off the bench which they definitely have an edge on us, what stands out for me is their execution of basic skills. There's a lot of moaning out there about Dublin' s possession game, Killkenny's lateral movement and passing etc but you have to admire the slickness of Dublin's handpassing, the quick hands, the weight, pace and accuracy of the pass. The receiver is always able to to come onto it at full tilt, rarely if ever having to adjust his run or body to take it. On the other hand, on more than one occasion in every match this year we've played passes that put pressure on the receiver, forcing the receiver to check his run, to stretch over his head, reach behind him or take the ball off his bootlaces. It's kills momuntum from the attack and it's a missed opportunity, worst case it's a turnover and we're on the back foot. It's something we seem to do every game and is a definite weakness.
I'd still see two reasons to give some hope. Firstly is Kildare's performance in the Leinster final. While it seems I might be grabbing at straws, the fact is that Kildare did not set up defensively, played football moving the ball at pace, created opportunities and put up a decent score. Second is the fact that Dublin have played their last two matches against northern teams who went completely defensive and stood off Dublin, allowing them time and space on the ball a lot of the time. Both matches were won a long way out and while that reflects on the quality of this Dublin team, the question can still be asked are Dublin coming into this final untested now? I know Dublin supporters who, while confident, would've preferred a tougher semi final than what they got.  Mayo will play completely differently to both Monaghan and Tyrone, while Dublin are justified favourites it's fair to say they won't have it as comfortable as they had in their last two matches.

I suppose it'll come down to the old cliche who improves the most from last Sunday will win it. Question is who has more to improve on? I reckon if we can get some better return from our own kickouts and pressure Kerry's a bit more we'll be a good way there. That alone would impact Donaghy's influence just by depriving possession. We lost over 50% of our own kickouts in the first half while Kerry got a 75% plus return on theirs. Also if we if we can cut out the stupid costly errors/turnovers we'll be in a good position, 2-1 of Kerry's scores originated from poor passes on our behalf. These are things well within managements and players' control, I'd be hoping for an improvement on both. The other question is can Kerry shore up their defence from the last day without taking away from their resources further out the field. Given that defence seems to have been a problem all season for Kerry and that Fitzmaurice seems to have done little about it so far it's looking like a big problem to sort out in a week. Expecting another tight one tomorrow.

Score a goal???

Only if.youre from mead lol

That wasn't a goal, it was a try.