Connacht senior football championship 2025

[Blowitupref]

I'd say it's a long time since odds was like this for MacHale Park Connacht final between Galway and Mayo. What must be Taking into account is that Galway have already beaten Mayo by 10 points in MacHale Park this year and Mayo less than convincing in win against Sligo and Leitrim. 

Mayo 11/4   Galway 1/5


Kevin McStay as manager has won a Connacht title before with similar odds with Roscommon in 2017.

[joemamas]

Very hard to just accept you're not good enough anymore , walking out of carrick yesterday it hit me at last (about three yrs behind normal people ) , we just don't have the players . I'm sure they are all trying their best though . Whoever wins the Galway / ros game today should go on to lift the Nestor cup in castlebar in two weeks time .

Mayo management not covering themselves in glory either , their total lack of enthusiasm to adopt to the new rules like every other football team in the country is bizarre . They point blank refuse to attack at speed or let the ball do the work by kicking long , of course there will be some plays where the old style of lateral ponderous boring dross is neeeded but our bucks are being coached to do it as often as was in the old rules which is completely futile to making gains or taking advantage

I was there as well. Not enough players are good enough but when they were, we managed to fcku it up anyway. Poor coaching/ management has always been issue with us and still is.
The poor attendance yesterday and for some time now is a reflection on how we have lost our way. Rochfordball is redundant and never really was relevant. It didn't work in the old rules and can't work in the new rules. But they persist.
Younger players are going backwards.
No younger player has come on this year. Some have a few nice cameos and then go into their shell.
We look like we are over coached in a shtie game plan. It's unwatchable.
The attendances don't lie.

Nice to hear from some legacy Mayo bloggers, as this site which was always a go one on a Monday following a game about five years ago, unfortunately it has been polluted by WUM and is now one that I avoid for the most part.
I began the year a bit more hopeful than most, especially after 2024, when we "lost/got robbed" V Galway, drew with Dublin and lost to Derry on penalties. Very small margins.
I respect Kevin McStay, he is a genuine Mayo man at heart, who knows what would have happened if he had got the job seven or eight years ago.
The reality is that this is a very different team, every county (other than Dublin or Maybe Kerry) have to go through the transition stage, the Mayo county boards pathetic efforts, to put in place inept underage managers over the past ten years, has left us in a deep hole talent wise.
Kevin McStay really has no option but to attempt to try new players, however having said that some of the selections seem puzzling at best. Totally agree with Rochfords imprint on it, hold on to possession for as long as possible, and dont kick it, because if you do you will be replaced, simple as. Go back and look a the contrasting styles of Mayo and Kerry attacking in the league final, clear as day. As for the cameos going back into their shell, they are promptly put into said shell. I wan to try to avoid using names as I genuinely believe that the effort these lads are putting in is incredible, but there are at least one or two constant starters that IMO are just not up to county standards, particularly in todays game. One sub that came on and scored two points V leitrim and was involved in a few more scores, did not even figure V Sligo (last three minutes), it is the same for every game, play twenty minutes, how can you have a settled strategy, when you dont have any remotely like a settled selection.
I will also be in Castlebar, in two weeks, God willing. If Mayo don't pull a performance out of their arse, they could easily be beaten by six or more. Make no mistake PJ and co screwed up royally in last years final, picking two if not three half fit players. Fast forward to 2025, they just seem to have a far stronger and more physical panel.
Maybe they might return the favor of yesteryear and have a player sent off.

[Cunny Funt]

We'll do well to make the Sam cut in 2027 as there will be no Smiths, Murtaghs or Dalys by then.
We'll make it next year as we'll be in D1.
The above mentioned lads were in their youthful prime when we won Connachts in 2017 and 2019. Even then we couldn't compete at National level shipping some awful Quarter Final hammerings.

The 2020s have in the main been disappointing at Senior while remaining between 9th and 12th in the unofficial pecking order.

No Daly's yesterday and were missed.  Enda Smith and Diarmuid Murtagh just turned 30 are you expecting both to have retired by age 32?  Paul Conroy footballer of the year and one of the stand out players yesterday will turn 36 next month.

The odds on Mayo for the final are very much ambush territory.

[Rossfan]

If you're in your early 30s on a team with no obvious game plan and "ad hocing" from game to game and you've 10 years service......

[galwayman]

I genuinely can't see on what planet Mayo are 11/4 odds at home to Galway.
Struggling to see the basis for those odds. What's the basis for it? Mayo being unconvincing against Leitrim (no win situation) and us being clinical against a very poor Roscommon team?
Bizarre. Walsh isn't fit. Comer isn't properly fit either and likely to be on the bench. Which means in theory we should struggle for scores.
Completely 50-50 game for me

[Cyril Farrell fan]

When Galway footballers start believing the hype, they get picked off.
There's a lot of overconfidence there at the moment I think.

[galwayman]

When Galway footballers start believing the hype, they get picked off.
There's a lot of overconfidence there at the moment I think.

Overconfidence from who?
Zero evidence of any over confidence in that camp.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

When Galway footballers start believing the hype, they get picked off.
There's a lot of overconfidence there at the moment I think.

Are you South Galway men begrudging your fellow County men?

[Manning18]

I genuinely can't see on what planet Mayo are 11/4 odds at home to Galway.
Struggling to see the basis for those odds. What's the basis for it? Mayo being unconvincing against Leitrim (no win situation) and us being clinical against a very poor Roscommon team?
Bizarre. Walsh isn't fit. Comer isn't properly fit either and likely to be on the bench. Which means in theory we should struggle for scores.
Completely 50-50 game for me

People are getting way overexcited about a throwaway outright market that was probably revised in error. They haven't even the match itself priced up yet

Boylesports have the game at 1/2 Galway and 2/1 Mayo which is about correct. GAA is a priority for boyles. In about 20000 priorities for $40bn company Flutter (Paddy power) it's about 19900 on the list

[stephenite]

Very hard to just accept you're not good enough anymore , walking out of carrick yesterday it hit me at last (about three yrs behind normal people ) , we just don't have the players . I'm sure they are all trying their best though . Whoever wins the Galway / ros game today should go on to lift the Nestor cup in castlebar in two weeks time .

Mayo management not covering themselves in glory either , their total lack of enthusiasm to adopt to the new rules like every other football team in the country is bizarre . They point blank refuse to attack at speed or let the ball do the work by kicking long , of course there will be some plays where the old style of lateral ponderous boring dross is neeeded but our bucks are being coached to do it as often as was in the old rules which is completely futile to making gains or taking advantage

I was there as well. Not enough players are good enough but when they were, we managed to fcku it up anyway. Poor coaching/ management has always been issue with us and still is.
The poor attendance yesterday and for some time now is a reflection on how we have lost our way. Rochfordball is redundant and never really was relevant. It didn't work in the old rules and can't work in the new rules. But they persist.
Younger players are going backwards.
No younger player has come on this year. Some have a few nice cameos and then go into their shell.
We look like we are over coached in a shtie game plan. It's unwatchable.
The attendances don't lie.

Nice to hear from some legacy Mayo bloggers, as this site which was always a go one on a Monday following a game about five years ago, unfortunately it has been polluted by WUM and is now one that I avoid for the most part.
I began the year a bit more hopeful than most, especially after 2024, when we "lost/got robbed" V Galway, drew with Dublin and lost to Derry on penalties. Very small margins.
I respect Kevin McStay, he is a genuine Mayo man at heart, who knows what would have happened if he had got the job seven or eight years ago.
The reality is that this is a very different team, every county (other than Dublin or Maybe Kerry) have to go through the transition stage, the Mayo county boards pathetic efforts, to put in place inept underage managers over the past ten years, has left us in a deep hole talent wise.
Kevin McStay really has no option but to attempt to try new players, however having said that some of the selections seem puzzling at best. Totally agree with Rochfords imprint on it, hold on to possession for as long as possible, and dont kick it, because if you do you will be replaced, simple as. Go back and look a the contrasting styles of Mayo and Kerry attacking in the league final, clear as day. As for the cameos going back into their shell, they are promptly put into said shell. I wan to try to avoid using names as I genuinely believe that the effort these lads are putting in is incredible, but there are at least one or two constant starters that IMO are just not up to county standards, particularly in todays game. One sub that came on and scored two points V leitrim and was involved in a few more scores, did not even figure V Sligo (last three minutes), it is the same for every game, play twenty minutes, how can you have a settled strategy, when you dont have any remotely like a settled selection.
I will also be in Castlebar, in two weeks, God willing. If Mayo don't pull a performance out of their arse, they could easily be beaten by six or more. Make no mistake PJ and co screwed up royally in last years final, picking two if not three half fit players. Fast forward to 2025, they just seem to have a far stronger and more physical panel.
Maybe they might return the favor of yesteryear and have a player sent off.

Nice to see 2 of the old school legends are still with us

[Cyril Farrell fan]

When Galway footballers start believing the hype, they get picked off.
There's a lot of overconfidence there at the moment I think.

Are you South Galway men begrudging your fellow County men?

I'm not begrudging anyone. I'm from a hurling area, but would always back the footballers.
There is a pattern over the years. Once lads start to enjoy the trappings of being a Galway footballer, strutting around like posers, enjoying the attention, then it's a sign there's trouble on the way.

That's as much a problem in Galway hurling too. A whiff of stardom and the foot is off the gas.
If only we had a bunch of dull and boring lads like Kilkenny.

[Wildweasel74]

Not buying it, Galway got a very strong team. Mayo make it close as its in Castlebar but they haven't got the forwards. I take them to beat Donegal ,Kerry or Armagh. Dublin even though nobody gives them a chance,still Dublin and could clip them in Croke park if they met.

[Captain Scarlet]

The lads on the Football Pod were rightly praising all the weapons and styles of play Galway can use. As they said too, of course Joyce will say they can't rely on two men (ie Walsh & Comer) but down the line no team can do without lads like that.

But, in the meantime if they can win and other lads are stepping up that's a huge boost. Castlebar is a factor but Mayo are just not at Galway's level yet.

IF they do get the two lads fit and firing they will take some stopping.

[joemamas]

When Galway footballers start believing the hype, they get picked off.
There's a lot of overconfidence there at the moment I think.

Are you South Galway men begrudging your fellow County men?

I'm not begrudging anyone. I'm from a hurling area, but would always back the footballers.
There is a pattern over the years. Once lads start to enjoy the trappings of being a Galway footballer, strutting around like posers, enjoying the attention, then it's a sign there's trouble on the way.

That's as much a problem in Galway hurling too. A whiff of stardom and the foot is off the gas.
If only we had a bunch of dull and boring lads like Kilkenny.

Please please go away you two, I mean you idiot.
you are not fooling anybody except yourself.
Grow up and stop trying to ruin a thread.
Once again Mods, congrats

[Rossfan]

Ros made Galway favourites for the AI in 2012 by an inept display, lack of game plan, lack of fitness etc.
We did the same last Sunday.