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Apparently (according to Joe Brolly), the great Willie Joe Padden was invited to open a club's new facilities up in Derry a few years ago. After the ceremony, meal, etc., and they had taken to the bar, a crowd of the local players had congregated around Willie Joe and one asked him for the best advice he could give. Expecting a nugget of football wisdom, the lads listened intently. Willie Joe replied 'when you are downing a pint of Guinness, don't forget that creamy bit left at the bottom, that's the best bit!' Good advice indeed!

Think its nearly all been said already on this thread.

You can talk about quality, officials decisions, etc. which were factors the last day. But I firmly believe the weight of expectation and the pressure that it brings really is the over-ridding factor with Mayo. I honestly believe that, alongside Kerry, we have the largest pressures of any footballing county to succeed. This by virtue that football dominates the sporting life of the county, we are largely a rural county (gaa less influential in urban centres) and we are one of the largest counties (plus one of the largest football population). Expectations are high alright in Dublin, however I think it is purely media driven – I don't think it is near as much on the ground as it is in Mayo. Even the Tyrone's and Armagh's, with smaller populations and half the people have no association with Gaelic games. Point is really that I don't think other counties just realise how high the expectations are in Mayo. We talk about the players being affected, but if we are honest, the fans are just as bad. The slightest thing that goes against us in games, my god you can feel the hope draining from the fans in the stands and the anguish setting in! To be honest I think the same happens with the players. We have some quality issues in parts of the team, but doesn't every team (maybe Kerry have a bit less than most!). But Tyrone have deficiencies, Cork have, etc. But collectively they make it work. In a funny way, Sunday was a classic study of what is wrong with Mayo – twice with a commanding lead given the tightness of the game, however did not have the self-belief to push on, not just on the scoreboard but by attitude and resolve by the players. On the other hand you have Meath (the original Tyrone in my opinion), with no burden, expectation or care in the world other than to give their current task their very best shot. I firmly believe you make your own luck and Mayo were not putting enough pressure on the ball at critical stages the last day to make that luck. In the end players appeared to be playing as individuals and all game plans, etc go out the window.

I'm always conscious of sitting behind a computer commenting on games, and it's a long long time since I did 20 laps! But I really think Mayo have to get someone that can master the mayo physe and cut to the chase about winning matches that are ours to win. And I don't think it's a backroom of physiologists that will do it either. I think it will also take each and every player, manager, coach and fan to loose this 'physiological burden' and realise that we DO have the ability to match the big teams, we just need to forget the past, deal with the now, deal with the task in hand which is to win the game. Unfortunately it sometimes appears that the players are not giving it 100% - I believe they always are, just that this expectation drains the confidence out of them. Believe me, we are a lot closer to winning an all Ireland than people think, all it needs is a seismic change in mindset. We are actually one of the very few lucky counties in that, because of the dominance of football within the county, we will always be able to put a team out that will be there or thereabouts.

Finally, I think this is now a critical time for the short / medium term future of Mayo football – the last thing we need now is a blame game or to be feeling sorry for ourselves – whet we need to do is REALLY learn from this season, zone in forensically in on what the core issues are and work, work, work at solving those core issues.
Keep the faith!

I dont think there is anyone outside the panel who is good enough to be brought in......... there is more than footballing ability needed to make it in a county set-up. Its all right playing well at club level but at senior inter county level its a different ballgame. All the players around the fringes of the panel have at some stage been given a run out and for whatever reasons they didn't tick the right boxes. We have a county panel at the moment that has a great mix of youth and experience, good cover for almost all positions and good competition for starting places. There isn't one lad outside looking in who should be included, except the man in Australia.

Well said An Gaeilgoir, couldnt agree more. Amazing how these sort of queries / comments are constantly being brought up - is it to undermine the present set-up. we havent won Conn for 3 years and be in this position (those were long, long years), so get behind the team and management with 100% support

one good game in leinster, one good game in connaught, dont see your point.

Typical, the west isnt even considered

Andy Moran, McGarrity, T Mortimer and A O'shea have performed as well as most mentioned here, but never mind us!

I think the draw is seriously flawed if now Cork cant get Meath or Roscommon because they havent already played Limerick. For the life of me I cant understand how one draw has totally messed up subsequent games and made the quarter final draw flawed. Given the massive gaps between games in the provincial series, this should not be happening.  Plus this on-going craic that they cant committ when the quarter finals will be on because they have to wait to see who Dublin draws - its a joke and shows serious lack of respect for fans. Many of us want to follow our team but cant plan weekends away / holidays / etc. beacuse of this craic.

On Man of The Match - Nicky Joyce deserved it given his haul from play. However on the Mayo side, there should have been no doubt that it was Andy Moran - played a smart game from start to finish, best delivery into forwards, won tackles and breaks through out. Not to mention the quick thinking at the and, plus he actually engineered the free in the first place by inviting the tackle from Bergin. Was not always his biggest fan (particularly when playing in the forwards), but credit where its due, he was outstanding the last day. A leader and deff the next Mayo captain

In fairness lads, time to move on.
I have always been one of his biggest fans, but to be honest I felt more cheated when MCD was not available in his prime (and in fairness to all, that was not always down to management / others).
he will be a classy player when he is 40....but we really need to be moving on and bringing through the new generation. I believe its becomming more and more a young mans game. McDonald fans - do ye really want to see him brought back as some sort of saviour only to get proof that the years have really caught up and the legacy of magic point V Dublin is replaced by a failure to keep the pace in a connaught championship match.

Whats all this about Parsons not up to midfield? Give the lad a chance, he is still U21!

Simple, play Harte at 11 - performed v well there last year, one of our successes (+ Parsons)

In my opinion, AO'S should never be considered for CHF. Could become an all time great at FF, but not CHF or MF

[Maybe get conor to wait for you and kick it back.]

it amazes me how trevor mort's poor kick passing is tolerated. How any county player in this day and age be could be so poor at kick passing is beyond me. Where is the coaching. He would want to stay behind every night at training and kick 100 kick passes from different distances to someone. Maybe get conor to wait for you and kick it back.

...only thet he wouldnt get it back from Conor!!

two quick points - everyone entitled to opinions, but Rosnarun on Harte - well its ridiculous, and I agree, he must have done something really bad to you. Just wish people were a bit fairer. Harte would be No.1 on my team sheet - exactly the type of player we need more of - good hands, speed and athletic, can take a good score from distance. Big flaw is that he overplays the ball too much. Can't understand people mentioning Seamus O'shea as a potential starter - to me he is lucky to be in the panel. Has shown some potential, but has loads to prove at this level.

My championship team at this stsge would be:

Clarke
O'Malley Cafferkey McLoughlin
Gardiner Heaney K Higgins
Parsons McGarrity
Ronaldson Harte Dillion
C Mortimet A O'Shea T Mortimer

Key Points:
Cunniffe does not convince me, fairly rookie FB line so thinh we need the added experience of Heaney in the backs and added leadership. Tough call on Andy Moran who I think has done fairly well at 7. T Howley not enough game time to date / inexperienced compared to Heaney or Higgins.

T Mort - gets so much ball, but wasts too much of it. But v hard to leave him off the team given his agression which we lack. Always thought he is more effective in the FF line where he can win his own ball - further out he plays too deep and when in posession tries to do a McDonald buy ends up with garryowens! I know he has only had a few outings and he would have been one that I would have discounted based on his size, but Ronaldson has greatly impressed me and can really hoover up a lot of loose ball around midfield and to be honest makes better use of it that T Mort.
Its a big call, but A O'Shea is the man in posession of the FF position at the moment. B Moran has done ok there to date, but O'Shea brings much more agression again which we lack, however may be better to go with the bit of experience of Moran come championship.
Harte has to be CHF come championship - he did brilliantly there last year in my opinion and brings much needed physicality and direct play to that area.

if John O Mahoney came to him and said last October that he had to prove himself on and off the field if he wants to play Inter County for Mayo then im sure he would have copped on.

and how do you know JOM / Management didnt say that to him previously?
Its mad the way people assume things that happen / dont happen within the squad, and just use it to back an agenda - sure none of us know what goes on, what is said, how lads are performing. Most managers will make decisions in the best interests on the squad / county and the most important thing is that a manager makes decisions.
Now its fair enough to debate / be critical based on what we see on the pitch as that is clear evidence - not guessing / assuming what goes on behind closed doors

Conroy is in Australia. Always thought he got a fairly raw deal.
O Mahoney told Campbell last October that he wouldnt need his services this year.
JOM simply couldnt handle him, another example of bad man management.

thats a bit unfair. If a young fella is causing issue while being given ample OPPORTUNITY to play for his county, then he shouldnt be there.

totally ridicilous to be carrying on the Parsons issue. Look, its one of those things in life - Belaghy is officially across the border, but for all intents and purposes it is part of Charlestown and Parsons would have had a lot more connection to things Charlestown/Mayo than things Sligo.
And with all due respect, its a no brainer that Parsons would choose to play for Mayo. he would probably be largely unknown / not have progressed near as much if he had chose Sligo - after all he has played in an AI Minor final, AI U21 semis with Mayo. I doubt anyone forced his hand.
If I'm not mistaken Dermot Earley and Pat Lyndesey (Ross 70's) were born in Mayo, Colm O'Rourke born in Leitrim - these things happen, move on

AFFS Lads, can ye pander any more to Kerry? Fair play to them, unbelievable record, but why do ye give a f#ck?
Yes we got hammered 04 & 06 - I for one would like to put that behind me, not drag it up and ask kerry lads what it was like for them
I have no major gra for Tyrone, but fair play to them, they sorted their own house out and didnt do the inferior thing with Kerry like we do. I greatly admire them for what they have done. And make no mistake, Kerry lads are too proud to admit it, but they have not beaten tyrone in the last 3 major games they played against each other, tow of them AI finals, and believe me that hurts them as much as our defeats in 04 & 06 hurts us.
So stop the pandering and lets sort ourselves out. We have a manager spouting 'we are up against it' this weekend. Well maybe we are, but shut up and put it right.
Thats what is wrong with us
Rant over

Not predicting a win or anything but I d be confident of a decent showing against Kerry at the weekend. We ll learn a bit more at any rate. It would be nice to have Caff. Harte, Dillon and Moran available for this one.

Can we take it at this stage that there will be no return of the old guard this spring? I m talking about Jimmy N, Aidan H and David Heaney. I know they have still something to offer but if they re going to be involved surely they should be there by now?  Look at PJ always involved in early games. AFAIK Heaney is not even training with the club yet. Jimmy N pushing 35/36 now, still a class act but he has to suspect he s not needed/wanted anymore. Aidan young and athletic enough if he s interested and management interested. Personally I think management are as well now to get on with what they have and that is a situation they are content with. It looks like they re finally getting comfortable with the personnel they have. They seemed ill at ease with the left-overs from the Maughan/Moran era.

Re the old guard - Heaney will deff be back, and Higgins I'm sure will be available - he got marries recently, so that could be the reason that he is not there at present. Nallen - sure he will have to be killed off at this stage!!! With K Higgins also due back, I think they all will be a very welcome addition. Team at the minute are looking very very fresh and inexperienced - ok against WMeath in the league, but we will need all the resources we can muster come championship.