Maigh Eo -v- Doire, Ballina, 01.02.2009

[Bogball XV]

Barry Moran seems to have started at full-forward in all the challenge games. He's college tied for the FBD but I reckon JOM is going to give him his head there for the league. A few of the Mitchels lads are adamant that's his best position too.

Is that the big lad who played against Derry in the qualifier up in celtic park 2 years ago?  He caused panic every time the ball came in (against that year's Allstar full back too).

[dodo]

That is him alright, scored 1-2 that day. Goal coming off the Derry keper spilling a soft ball for a tap in.

[RedandGreenSniper]

we have to think of sunday as a new beginning for a lot of the younger player as they have had a year to develop . i was very much against playing cunniffe and boyle last year as i didnt think they were ready. but this year will be the real test for them.
If the like of Vaughan. o loughlin  and sweeney show promise then they should be used carefully and not exposed like cunniffe and boyle were last year . we have to accept that our plaer are not coming into the team ready made but they should be coming into a squad atmosphere where they can take their game to another level.  we must be patient
Except with AOM hes rubbish

Jeez Ros I thought you were becoming very mild mannered there, then ya come out with that classic last line 
I don't think Cunniffe was exposed badly last year. He was decent, no worse, no better. Boyle was exposed badly BECAUSE he was played in the wrong position. Same with Kieran Conroy. Vaughan, McLoughlin and Sweeney all have the ability and, you''re right, we shouldn't expect the sun, moon and stars from them. But give them a few runs in the league, if they play well, leave them there and see if they can establish themselves for championship

[Tubberman]

I think everyone will welcome the fact that JOM is playing Ger Cafferkey at FB and Barry Moran at FF.
FB has been a problem position for years - Heaney was the most consistent and even he was uncomfortable playing there. Injuries have delayed Cafferkey's arrival into the team but he'll surely be given a run at FB for the league, and hopefully that will be one position we can say is sorted. 

Barry Moran showed great promise at FF when he played there against Derry a couple of years, so hopefully he'll claim that position for himself - we need some sort of target man in there. You'd imagine that the likes of Conor Mort would thrive off a big target man laying off the ball, and Moran is well able to take a score himself.
As others have said, Austie has been given his chance and is not going to make it as the main man in the full forward line.

I have always though Aidan Higgins is an excellent corner back or half back. He brings a bit of strength that Mayo are often lacking and I could never understand why he wasn't a regular starter. He's in his 30s now, but I'd say he has another couple of years to give yet. He's definitely worth his place while the likes of Vaughan and McLoughlin are bedding in. 

From reading the posts, it seems people are becoming more enthusiastic and optomistic as the match draws nearer 
There are a lot of individual performances that people will be keeping an eye out for on Sunday. Hopefully the collective performance will be something to whet the appetite for the year ahead as well, but I'd settle for a solid looking FB line for now!

[the Deel Rover]

I From reading the posts, it seems people are becoming more enthusiastic and optomistic as the match draws nearer 

Will we book the hotels for september Tubberman 

[RedandGreenSniper]

I From reading the posts, it seems people are becoming more enthusiastic and optomistic as the match draws nearer 

Will we book the hotels for september Tubberman 

Get the reservation in early and stay in the same place as the team

http://www.citywesthotel.com/

[AbbeySider]

Finally O Mahoney is speaking with Optimism...


O'Mahony relishing Derry clash
Mayo manager John O'Mahony
29 January 2009

Mayo boss John O'Mahony has admitted he is looking forward to welcoming Derry to Ballina this Sunday for the first round of this year's National Football League.

The Ballaghaderren clubman says that his side will be approaching each game with a winning mentality, which he hopes can bring them back to the competition's decider, as it did in 2007.

"We'll be doing our utmost to win every game and see where that takes us," said O'Mahony. "Two years ago that approach took us all the way to the final, last season it delivered a relegation battle, but we'd hope to avoid that this time out."

O'Mahony has rated ace attacker Conor Mortimer as "extremely doubtful" for Sunday's meeting with the Oak Leafers, after undergoing facial surgery on a broken nose sustained while playing for DCU in the O'Byrne Cup. The Shrule/Glencorrib forward's brother, Trevor, is included in the panel along with several others who missed out in the FBD Leagu due to involvement with their colleges.

"Derry are a fine team and we only got together properly last weekend when we had the chance to look at the lads who were involved with their colleges in the various competitions. It's very hard to prepare for a competition in such circumstances, but we're looking forward to Sunday," added O'Mahony.

The two sides meet this Sunday, February 1, in the first round of the National Football League at Ballina, where throw-in is scheduled for 2.30pm.

[blast05]

Anyone know where the Donegal-Mayo match is being played ?

[m@yoman]

ballybofey as far as I know....on Valentines night!!!

[stephenite]

ballybofey as far as I know....on Valentines night!!!

Donegal is a great spot for a romantic weekend; just tell her you need 70 minutes to take care of some business

[rosnarun]

Injuries have delayed Cafferkey's arrival into the team but he'll surely be given a run at FB for the league, and hopefully that will be one position we can say is sorted.

thats the sort of thing im on about.  before he has played one serious match at intercounty level . you rate hime as having one of the most difficult positions in football  sorted. poor lad in on a hiding to nothing. and when he has a nbad game the usual suspect will be swift to condem with magical phrases such as ' not inter county level' 'short a yard of pace' 'needs to bulk up' or later in the same conversation 'has become mustle bound'
all complete ballix

[RedandGreenSniper]

I think the word 'hopefully' is key to Tubberman's argument there ros. But you're right, we do need to be patient. There's no guarantee of instant success, let him bed himself in over a few games and then assess

[Tubberman]

Injuries have delayed Cafferkey's arrival into the team but he'll surely be given a run at FB for the league, and hopefully that will be one position we can say is sorted.

thats the sort of thing im on about.  before he has played one serious match at intercounty level . you rate hime as having one of the most difficult positions in football  sorted. poor lad in on a hiding to nothing. and when he has a nbad game the usual suspect will be swift to condem with magical phrases such as ' not inter county level' 'short a yard of pace' 'needs to bulk up' or later in the same conversation 'has become mustle bound'
all complete ballix

As RedandGreenSniper pointed out, what I was actually saying is that after a run at FB in the league, hopefully he can sort out out our full back problems. I think that's fairly reasonable. Is that not the hope with any new player that is brought in - that they can find a settled position on the team?
I'm not trying to put any pressure on Cafferkey, nor am I assuming that he'll slot in to FB seamlessly. I haven't seen him play enough to make any judgements on whether he's the answer, and I know a lot of people think he's more suited to the half backs. All I'm saying is I hope that he turns out to be a solid full back, which we badly need. 

As for the rest of your post, I'm a bit lost. Who is the 'usual suspect'? Is it aimed at someone in particular or were you just having a bit of a rant?

[Tubberman]

Will Joe over on www.mayogaablog.com has posted up the team that will apparently start on Sunday against Derry. He in turn got it from the mid-west website. There is no team named on mayogaa.com but there hasn't been any updates to that site in a long time (due to our lack of a PRO I suppose!)

MAYO (v Derry, NFL, 1/2/2009): David Clarke; Liam O'Malley, Ger Cafferkey, Donal Vaughan; Peadar Gardiner, Tom Cunniffe, Pat Kelly; Ronan McGarritty, Tom Parsons; BJ Padden, Trevor Mortimer, Alan Dillon; Andy Moran, Barry Moran, Mikey Sweeney.

So if this is the team that lines out, it's pretty much as expected. I'll be particularly interested in seeing the new lads Cafferkey, Vaughan and Mikey Sweeney. It will also be interesting to see if Barry Moran can have a similar impact to the day in Celtic Park.
I would have liked to see McLoughlin instead of Liam O'Malley maybe, but it might be asking too much from 3 debutants in the FB line.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Just on Mid West now, Mayo team named, along expected lines, Mort obviously injured, could play yet though I'd reckon

1, David Clarke (Ballina)
2, Liam O'Malley (Burrishoole)
3, Ger Cafferkey (Ballina)
4, Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe)
5, Peadar Gardiner (Crossmolina)
6, Tom Cunniffe (Castlebar)
7, Pat Kelly (Kilmaine)
8, Ronan McGarrity (Ballina)
9, Tom Parsons (Charlestown)
10, Billy Joe Padden (Belmullet)
11, Trevor Mortimer (Shrule/Glencorrib)
12, Alan Dillon (Ballintubber)
13, Andy Moran (Ballaghaderreen)
14, Barry Moran (Castlebar)
15, Mikey Sweeney (Kiltane).