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I listened to a bit of the Mayo news podcast, I've heard it before and always found Rob Murphy to be very fair and impartial. In fairness the lads on this weeks were good and it was Martin Carney who was the only one talking a bit of nonsense.

Derry are really going to have to produce a performance out of nowhere to give Mayo a game, throughout the league and the game against Tyrone they've shown nothing to suggest their capable of putting a performance together. They did well in the qualifiers last year beating Louth, Meath & Cavan along the way but Mayo would have to be extremely complacent for Derry to have any chance.

There was no comparison in Mayo's lacklustre display against Galway from last year to this years, Mayo's biggest concern is 4 games over 5 weekends with a potential for the 4th game to be against Kerry.

fairly crap analysis. even with out Willie joe or what ever he calls himself. Very much 'last game' analysts memories like goldfish. I thought it was hilarious when they were describing that mayo had not played well for 2 year . except for the allIreland final and the replay and none of them saw the Irony

What did you think about the discussion on kickouts and the goalies? I have a feeling we'll be chatting about it again before the summer is out. We need to change what we're doing and go longer. AOS at 11 would be a great option for giving a 3rd option but is Clarke able to do it is the question. I rate Clarke highly as a keeper but good teams are going to target his kickouts more and more. We're absolutely snookered though because Hennelly won't be trusted again.  So the way I see it it's a case of hoping Clarke improves and keeps working on the kickouts and try and get our best ball winners into the middle 8.

The groin is a funny one. I had it myself.

The medics are doing right by O'Shea and building up his intensity levels slowly. 20 mins again the next day is all we will see of him then. Hard to understand though that he'd be played in CF the last day. With a groin injury he should be in a position where he has to kick less.

But why did he play the whole match for his club at the weekend? Sounds like the injury hindered his performance.

That's the bit I find strange/worrying.  If he only had 20 minutes in him against Galway then how did he play 60 mins the next week if his groin is at him. Still you'd have to assume he had the green light from the county to play the club game. Maybe as Highorlow said, they're keen to build up the intensity now and the groin is on the mend.

Is it not the county board and backroom teams concern to smooth out logistics.  it's the managers job to focus on the game.

Mayo still had the winning of the game against Galway but Rochford doesn't seem to have found a settled 15 - with O'Shea in and out of the team.

The O'Shea bit can't be helped for the moment anyway. Apparently he's struggling with a groin injury. We need him to get that sorted if we're to have any hope this summer. If that means resting him then that's what should be done.

does anyone really believe that . Ive no Idea whats really going on but its one thing to be able to play 20 minute with a groin injury one day but to be in the same position 3 weeks later means one of 2 things a. a more serious   injury or a smoke screen

I'm not 100% Ros but that's the word. If it's a smokescreen then the local papers are in on it too. Apparently he wasn't moving well at all for Breaffy on Saturday. If that's the case then the last thing he needed was 60 mins of club action but at the same time he needs to keep his fitness up. It's a tough one to manage. Does anyone have any insight as to whether it's a groin injury or not? I suppose I'm taking it at face value that's all.

Is it not the county board and backroom teams concern to smooth out logistics.  it's the managers job to focus on the game.

Mayo still had the winning of the game against Galway but Rochford doesn't seem to have found a settled 15 - with O'Shea in and out of the team.

The O'Shea bit can't be helped for the moment anyway. Apparently he's struggling with a groin injury. We need him to get that sorted if we're to have any hope this summer. If that means resting him then that's what should be done.

We've had plenty of defeats before and I was able to take them at face value. Even last year's AIF.

It's the nature of this one point defeat that's harrowing.

We beat Tyrone last year in a game I'd say they definitely felt they left behind. Watch and see how they will have learned from that in this year's championship.

I hope this "loon" is proven wrong and all the "supporters" on here that view the opposite and that this is a minor blip are in fact right. Time will tell, I'll keep following the team anyways, they need our support more than ever.

Fogra: any lads that keep calling it a "team" should remember it's a "panel" game these days. But then again that could be another problem with us.

I agree 100% Highorlow that we rode our luck last year but that's what Tyrone do, they.waste chances. Look at the league game again this year. You can't have it both ways and just pick out the bad things Rochford did and ignore the good.  He absolutely got the better of Harte tactically last year.  Playing Dillon was a masterstroke. He also got the better of Gavin in the drawn game. We were.a.good deal better than Dublin that day but we found another way to mess it up. Gavin.got the better of him the next day, largely because he was trying to be 'too smart' with the keeper change and it backfired badly.
We got a seriously lucky draw last year but you can't ignore the good things he did. He set us up in a way to play Dublin that was much more controlled. The year before under H and C it was all gung ho stuff and we ran out of steam and ideas .  Last year with McLoughlin sweeping and our backs more disciplined in when they'd attack and when they'd stay we looked much more assured against what is ultimately a stronger panel.
We're up against it big time this year but I still fancy us to make the quarters. Then we'll run into Kerry most likeky and we'll see what they're made of then, SR included.

wont had the ref spotted basticks pick up

You have been going on about that too long. Get over it. There is enough footage around to show it was legal. Rochford rode his luck last year to get us to the Final and when we got their he ballsed that up. FFS Maughan was a better decision maker than him at this stage. I gave him the benefit of the doubt last year but after this debacle I've lost faith in him.

Its an absolute disgrace losing to Galway. Their full backline and goalkeeper are cat and we failed to outscore them with a gale. Our midfielders are so manipulated this year to off load that they are afraid to shoot. Parsons and Seamie were always good for a long range point or so but I don't even recall a shot from them.

If one of the 5 or 6 bad decisions made on the line was corrected we would have won, i.e. playing Lee Keegan in his correct position.

You're argument loses all credibility when you start laying all the blame at Rochford's door. He made some poor calls the last day without a doubt, none of the substitutions worked apart from an unfit AOS to a certain extent.
McLoughlin was one of our best forwards the last day, knock or no knock against Sligo he was clearly fit and played well. Maybe he ran out of steam and that's why he was taken off. I'd have left Andy on but it's the norm now to call him ashore after 60/65 mins. Don't agree with it because he had more in the tank the last day but a call we've seen plenty others make before.
If you can't see the single biggest reason we lost the last day was being down to 14 men then you are letting your dislike of Rochford colour your vision imo. Yes we overcame it in 2014 but that was a freaky performance. It is absolutely exhausting to play a man down for 50 minutes against a limited but more than decent Galway team. If we had 15 men I think we'd have won by a few points, that's the height of it. To be down a man against a good team was a lot to ask. Still we nearly did it because of the attitude and fight those boys have.
Galway were worth their win the last day, they used the extra men well, eventually. They hit better scores against the breeze and they managed to rile enough of our lads and put them off their game. Crucially they clearly got to Higgins. He's normally a lot cuter than that and I don't know what got into him to do that in front of the ref. I doubt he knows himself.
I'm feeling more optimistic a couple of days on. I think we're in better shape than we were this time last year and I fancy us to go on a good run yet. Unfortunately in terms of going all the way, little has changed and it will be by perspiration rather than inspiration if we do it this year. Very hard to see them doing it after Sunday I know but get on a run and anything is possible.

I don't agree Bomber. I was at it & thought McCarron was Tyrone's best player. He was right with Moran every time & turned him over in the tackle 3 or 4 times.

Anyway, it's the other end of the field that's the problem. Would be nice to say that today's shooting was a one-off but it's happening too often now. Even if we had COC for frees alone we'd have won today. Same old shite on frees today - Morgan, Harte, McCurry all missing from easier positions than COC was scoring from.

So bloody frustrating

Look at the goal, McCarron is about 4 yards off him, this was the case time and time again particularly in the first half.

Yes I remember that, but Andy Moran is one of the better forwards in the game. Look at the space that was in front of him. I don't recall Andy winning a ball of him the second half? I think at least 4 or 5 went in and McCarron got in front or broke the ball away. All in all Tyrone kicked themselves out of it. Plenty to work on before Ulster

Have to agree with seanmc here. It was one of Andy's poorer games. He was out in front and was full of running and I'd say he was a nightmare for McCarron to mark. In the first half he got the better of of the battle but his own handling and decision making let him down. In the second half McCarron did much better and definitely won a lot of ball off Andy.
Overall we were much better today than last week but we still weren't amazing. Tyrones shooting let us off the hook big time but it was great to see the fight and effort we have come to expect from this group is still there in spades.

Stories flying around Mayo today, if one cares to listen to them.
Like goalies only became aware of the switch the morning of the game.

Clarke isn't going back.

Rochford is considering his position.

Sigh. Disappointment with ensuing bullshit. Standard Autumn in County Mayo.

+1 to that. We love to find a scapegoat or some other reason for a loss.
The rumour was going round the morning of the game, Clarke knew at the latest on Thursday, possibly even Wednesday, I have that on decent authority. It was obviously on their mind towards the end of the drawn game even.
As for Rochford stepping down. I've heard the opposite and while that decision will haunt him for a while he'll do everything he can to make amends next year. It was a ballsy call, it looks stupid in hindsight and it completely backfired but Clarke was dicey in the first game so I can see the logic. I still wouldn't have changed keeper though but that's just a fans opinion. Rochford will bring them on again next year, he looks top class. The perennial problem of finding scorers is still there and needs to be sorted if we're to cross the line next year.

I think the Ros thing is more begrudgery/Schadenfreude/small man syndrome than hatred.
Ros have been away from the top table for so long.  A lot of it has to do with economics.

There was an article about occupied Ballaghaderreen in the IT a few weeks ago. Small towns have been hammered and Ros didn't have a big population to start off with . Boyle and Castlerea would have a similar story

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/another-ireland-ballaghaderreen-struggles-to-restore-fortunes-1.2787507


They won all Irelands when there was money in those towns

I get your greater point but incorrect on the last line. Ballagh's decline has hurt Mayo football not Ross. We just have more big towns and a bigger population to take the hit I guess.

Anyway, as someone said this is the AIF thread so back to the real issue in hand. Off I go to do a rain dance and then on to Knock to pray for more 'intinsity'

A Rossie here, I would always have shouted for Mayo once they got out of Connacht. I admire the teams they have produced pretty much since they beat us in 1985. Their supporters always passionate and not sunshine like the Galway ones. However they really do tend to be the first and last to step on our necks any time we shoot ourselves in the feet, which sadly is far too often in our case. Bad experience with a considerable portion of their supporters at the recent Connacht U21 as well. They really do seem to be preoccupied with us, which is difficult to understand as they have regularly kicked our holes at almost every level for the past 30 years. I ain't proud of it but for the reasons mentioned above I could no longer wish them well, even when they are playing a super power like Dublin.

Ah the classic 'I used to support you but now I don't' line. Rudi, for starters you have your chain of events backwards. From my experience, for most Mayo people Roscommon are an absolute irrelevance. Saying that Mayo are preoccupied with Ross is bordering on delusion. On the border yes it's true but elsewhere it isn't.
Having said that, considering Roscommon's lack of success it's amazing how many Galway and Sligo people I know that despise the football team. It's really us they should hate but ourselves and Galway have a healthy 'respect' for each other and as someone said Sligo are probably better at hiding their hatred for us. You lads are genuinely obsessed with Mayo and give us every reason to dish it back to you, I know that better than most. However, at the risk of sounding like a 12 year old 'you started it'!
One thing I know, these last few weeks Roscommon hasn't been on Mayo's radar too much, can Ross say the same about us!

I would add that Mayo need to plan for Barry Moran's introduction to the FF line, whenever it happens the next day.
There should be a raised level of awareness out the field that a tactical shift is required in terms of the delivery into the inside line.
Moran came on the last day and Mayo kept playing the same way bar one aimless hoof in the general direction of the square by AOS from a sideline ball (why was he even taking it?).
If you bring Moran on, use him properly, he's 7 foot tall ffs.

AOS reminds me of the lad we all knew growing up. The bigget f*cker on the team who demands the ball at every break in play even though he couldn't hit a barn door with a shovel and nobody is able to stand up to him. He nearly cost us in the Tyrone match with the free to David Clarke that was very nearly intercepted. He should be banned from taking any free or sideline.

Couldn't agree more with the last line!

O'Connor is most certainly a coward. As mentioned previously, he's a bad f**ker for sneaky hits off the ball. While he was hit a nasty wraparound by McAuley, it a only came after he tried to throw the shoulder in. He's a nasty little bollocks.

Says the keyboard warrior. You wouldn't have the balls to say that to his face. He's a class act but if only he was half as brave as you in your dark room calling him out in such manly style

We don't have some unreal jinky 0-9 from play corner forward (well we do in Conor Loftus but he may not play the next day, then again it wouldn't surprise me at all if Rochford did a Cody and threw him in from the start)

2013 with the minors in 6 games Conor Loftus scored 3-7 (1f)
This year with the U21s in 4 games Conor Loftus scored 2-13 (10fs)

A forward with a keen eye for goal than jinky 0-9 from play type of forward.

He played half forward in both those teams as, unusual for Mayo, we had plenty of good inside forwards. If he was to play in the corner his scoring rate would be higher but I still think he's best used in the half forward line where he can dictate things more. Either way, I don't see him starting Sunday, it would be some bolt from the blue if he does.

It isn't a stereotype and you may not like hearing it but Doherty, Regan, Freeman, COC, O'Loughlin and AOS are not proven scorers from play at the top level and Higgins certainly isn't. They are all good players and the likes of O'Loughlin, Higgins and AOS don't need to be scoring forwards to play well as that isn't really their game. The point I'm making is that for Mayo to win a player or two who isn't a proven scorer needs to have a good day in front of the posts. I expect DOC and AM to get 3 or 4 points between them, COC to get 3 or 4 from frees and the half back line/back line to get 2 or 3 from play. That's around 11 points from the usual sources but I doubt that's enough. If one or two others could come up big it might be enough to get over the line as I think Mayo can limit Dublin more than any other team. You can agree or disagree with that if you like. I've made my point.

Jees lads ye have gone round in so many circles my head is spinning! I get what you're saying though Zulu, some Mayo lads have to play like they haven't in recent memory and increase their scoring rate (I'm ignoring Kerry because they are irrelevant at this stage). I'd disagree with you on COC though, he has a strong record of scoring from play in big games. The 2 games against Kerry in 2014, the Dublin games last year when he wasn't supposed to be in great form for example. Even against your beloved lads, he scored 3 from play. I expect he'll have a big say on Sunday but he has to stay nearer to goal. For me, the biggest issue with Cillian is he has spent too much time away from goal. This is possibly because Andy is the focus of the attack now, but when he's closer to goal he's lethal.

We have more to be discussing than bad spelling and grammar on this thread.

Have we though? I'm down home and there's hardly a word about it, never mind a flag or a sign by the side of the road.
Foregone conclusion, or just "been here before" fatigue?

Maybe a bit of both.

Probably a lot of both.

Never seen so much realism/negativity/calmness before a final. Most people (Mayo and neutral) you talk to seem to think it's the dub's to lose but we have an outside chance if lots of things click on the day. For a change its not the usual Irish cute hoorism. As fans we seem to know our lads have a chance if they play really well but if the dubs play better we'll lose. It ain't rocket science I suppose!