Galway v Mayo, Tuam NFL Round VI 29 March 2009

[moysider]

thats all very well R&GS but

And yes we do have good runners from the half-back line in the form of Gardiner, Tom Cunniffe and Andy (at present). Problem is, with the exception of Andy, the other two lads can't kick the ball to save their lives

isn't someone owed an apology?
I can't understand all the speculation about Gardiner's place he is one of the very few  fixtures on the team and will be for the championship just as he has been for years . there are very few other players id put money on for an exact position. Clarke ,L o'malley Mcgarrity. other than that the number on the back even on the certain starters is up for grabs
My  derided  Optimism last week isn't looking quit so foolish today  .
While most of the problem are still there I loved the fact that they won such a narrrow game and are building that bot of character they seemed to Lack under JOM up to this. even when it was going shite in the 1st half they were working there arses off , ther only reason they didn't go in down by 13 or 14 points
. down sides of today . while meehan was getting a service Cafferkey looked way out of his depth . Clarke Kick outs poor again. AOM looked like one of our better forwards. sweeney completely at sea and never got a sniff.
Was on the pitch after it was very very soft could well explain the high error count on both sides and austins good form. though it does not excuse the number of times yet again Mayo were caught picking the ball of the ground . this is like a virus with them.

Have to disagree about Cafferkey. No way out of his depth. His first experience of Meehan and he improved as he adjusted to Meehans moves. When Meehan gets quality ball nobody snuffs him out. If Caff. keeps him to four points from play if we meet in Championship Mayo will win. If he took Caff. for four today imagine what he would have done to anybody else we put up against him. Cafferkey is a major plus this spring. Your right. Clarke needs to wise up on the kick- outs, thats true. Thats a coaching thing as well. Into a wind our light midfielders cant attack a hanging ball. Advantage bigger slower players. But Clarke s foul for the penalty was a marker. yeah he should have been sent -off and he probably knows it and would have accepted it. But it put down a marker and the next man that goes 50/50 with him will know he risks a 'Tony Schumacher' as well. Time we got that into our team.

AOM combined the good and the choke in the same game, I ll take more convincing.

As for the pick -ups. Joyce picked the ball up before the goal chance. But that s besides the point. 1 a year is too much is too much to give those away.

Ref brutal today. Same fella we were laughing about in the U21 final a couple of years ago. Galway benefited more over the hour. 2 handy scores in first half came as a a direct result of fouls on Mayo backs. The peno was awarded after PJ feinted a mock 'toe under the ball' and should have been free out( it s his speciality and gives him a five yard start). He continually pulled up play for petty reasons in second half and killed any momentum we had. Also gave them 2 awful watery frees to settle them when they were swamped. He should have sent off Clarke and McGarrity. Overall though he was a 3/4 point swing to Galway. If they got him every day they could win ......

[Barney]

I wouldn't get too carried away with this result if I was from Mayo, the fact of the matter is that Mayo should have been dead and buried at half time, if the penalty had gone in a 9 point lead wouldn't have flattered Galway at all really, as there was some bad wides from the almost total Galway domination of the first 35 minutes. A game of two halves I'm sure will be the Mayo lads response!!!

I don't think we'll get carried away - read the pages of doom and gloom that have been written here the past few months. What I liked about yesterday was that the pressure on Galway started from the corner backs, we hit hard, fairly and when it didn't work followed up. It is that kind of attitude that supporters want to see. We don't have the best footballers in the country but as I said before if the effort is there you can forgive an awful lot.

It is the break that JOM needed. I'm as guilty as many others of being on his back but until our Championship exit my resolution is to be full square behind efforts and judge things then.

[An Fhairche Abu]

I wouldn't get too carried away with this result if I was from Mayo, the fact of the matter is that Mayo should have been dead and buried at half time, if the penalty had gone in a 9 point lead wouldn't have flattered Galway at all really, as there was some bad wides from the almost total Galway domination of the first 35 minutes. A game of two halves I'm sure will be the Mayo lads response!!!

I don't think we'll get carried away - read the pages of doom and gloom that have been written here the past few months. What I liked about yesterday was that the pressure on Galway started from the corner backs, we hit hard, fairly and when it didn't work followed up. It is that kind of attitude that supporters want to see. We don't have the best footballers in the country but as I said before if the effort is there you can forgive an awful lot.

It is the break that JOM needed. I'm as guilty as many others of being on his back but until our Championship exit my resolution is to be full square behind efforts and judge things then.

I'd say Sean Armstrong wouldn't have agreed with that a few times yesterday!

It was interesting to see a much more intense approach from Mayo in the physical stakes than previously against Galway - which as you've said is the attitude that will make supporters get fully behind a team, more than once even the diminutive Ronaldson fired himself in the path of an emerging Galway player to try and stop his progress by any means.

Hopefully the two teams will make it as far as July 19th this year, if both could apply the same level of performance over the entire match as each did during periods yesterday you'd have a cracker altogether.

[OirthearMhaigheo]

well while Ros stated last week he was glad to see Johnno's supporters dropping like flies, I'm equally glad to see some people now deciding to cut him a little bit of slack. I agree Barney, this may be the break he needed to get people off his back until the real stuff starts. Crucifying a manager in spring is always a bit harsh, even if the performances at times were shocking, which is exactly what the 'performance' against Dublin was.
To be honest, just like I wouldn't criticise them too much after a brutal league performance I wouldn't praise them too much for this win either. They were 2 badly needed points and that was the main thing. With Dublin surprisingly drawing with Kerry and Donegal winning we would have been up the creek without a paddle if we lost yesterday.
The game itself was a strange one. Why we can't start the way we finish is the most annoying thing about this team, they seem to need a half time bollicking every game now to get them going. Is it the training or is it that lads are taking too long to settle into games. That HAS to be looked at for the summer or there will be no coming back in second halfs. Meehan sticks that penalty away and it's game over most likely, although we did come back from 9 down against Donegal.
The positive has to be the heart the lads are showing and they are obviously playing for the jersey (and dare I say the management team!). Any critcism of Cafferky is harsh in my opinion, he was marking one of the best forwards out there and on top of that a forward in form. Caff got a hand in most times and stuck to his task, he has a great knack of reading his man and gradually easing him out of games.
The big man at FF was a big plus too and he will have alot to offer in the summer, he's a great plan B to Barry Moran (if he gets fit again). He'll prob play the Tyrone game and then we shouldn't see the lad again until he has his leaving done!!
Fair play to Gardiner, he has his critics but he showed good leadership yesterday. I think he will play in the summer too, Johnno is a fan of his. I would think Cunniffe and Andy will be under more pressure, although Cunniffe did quite well yesterday. Andy is the only lad capable of passing the ball in the half back line but has to get tighter.
What happened Galway in the second half? We upped our workrate alright but they did collapse to a large extent. Maybe it was a fitness thing and the heavy training might be taking it out of them. I'm sure the Galway boys would know more about this (not that ye'd tell us  ).
A good marker has been laid down for the summer though, we needed that win to have any belief of winning a Connacht. If we get over Ros then we would go to Salthill with a bit more belief. Once all the U-21s are fully available and everyone is back from travelling/injury/semi retirement then we have as good a panel as most bar Kerry and possibly Tyrone.

[AbbeySider]

Im not getting too carried away with yesterdays win.
If it was a closer game at half time we could have gotten well beaten in the end.
Galway went in at half time thinking they had done enough, its hard for a team to go out and do the same thing again in the second half when they have the game won in their heads after being so convincing in the first. There is a lot of positives to be taken from Mayos win but I have a feeling the Galway were too confident going in at half time and they will have learned their lesson for next time.

Changing the subject slightly, someone was still mentioning the likes of Heaney and Nallen earlier in the thread. People are dreaming if they think that Heaney and Nallen can get up to Senior Inter County fitness in the space of a few weeks. Its time to get real, it is way to late for those guys to come back. Even if Nallen and Heaney do come back, at this late stage they are only keeping someone else out and preventing someone from developing.
I would also worry about Higgins if/when he comes back from Oz. I cant see him getting into the kind of shape you need to be in after missing all the pre-season and all the hard training during the league. That kind of fitness doesnt fall out of the sky, regardless of natural ability. We should be sticking and concentrating on what we have which is developing along nicely.

[GaillimhIarthair]

Got what we deserved out of yesterdays game based on our attitude for the first 10 mins of the second half.  A lot of our lads obviously thought we had had the game won at half time and played accordingly thereafter and Mayo to their credit upped the ante and deserved the win.  Hopefully this lesson will be taken on board for later in the year.  In fairness we should have been home and hosed by HT and probaly should have had another 1-03 on the board such was our dominance all over the field. 

A league final spot is very much in our own hands and nothing better to focus the minds after this defeat than a trip to Kerry's backyard.  It will give a lot of lads the opportunity to atone for yesterdays second half "performance" and test themselves against the form side in the country.  I think we have a +5 advantage over Derry in the scoring stakes so every point garnered in Killarney will be vital to maintain a push towards a final berth.

[The flame still burns]

It will be interesting to see how Nallen, Heaney and Higgins x 2 fit into the equation. Four defenders even though things have been going okay in defence. I believe the three older lads are due back training this week. Keith Higgins is naturally fit but it will be difficult for him to adjust quickly and there still doesn't appear to be word on when he will be back. But JOhn O'Mahony does have a lot of difficult selections for defence ahead of him.

[DJGaliv]

Not a bad result for Galway in the grand scheme of things. Kick up the backside that they needed.
Fair play to Mayo, they showed more hunger in the second half then I've seen from them in a long time. Makes for an interesting Connacht championship.
For all my talk about Sunday game analysts afraid of offending anyone with bland opinions I may as well say that I don't think Mayo will make a Connacht final. I think Roscommon will catch them on the hop.

[An Fhairche Abu]

For all my talk about Sunday game analysts afraid of offending anyone with bland opinions I may as well say that I don't think Mayo will make a Connacht final. I think Roscommon will catch them on the hop.

You'd better stick about to back that opinion against the Mayo lads who'll disagree, or are you just going to throw that hand grenade into the thread and run for cover? 

[Farrandeelin]

Not a bad result for Galway in the grand scheme of things. Kick up the backside that they needed.
Fair play to Mayo, they showed more hunger in the second half then I've seen from them in a long time. Makes for an interesting Connacht championship.
For all my talk about Sunday game analysts afraid of offending anyone with bland opinions I may as well say that I don't think Mayo will make a Connacht final. I think Roscommon will catch them on the hop.

No, he could well be right there. Ros were doing just fine up until a while ago and maybe they're just saving their performance levels for the Connacht semi-final though . Still though it's nice to beat Galway. I have to say Billy Fitzpatrick's analysis on the radio is really annoying. Every foul that resulted in a freee for Galway, he agreed with while if a Mayoman got the benefit of the doubt he'd be saying that it was a bit harsh on the Galway lad. Anyone else get this from listening to MWR games or is it just me??

[Lar Naparka]

Not a bad result for Galway in the grand scheme of things. Kick up the backside that they needed.
Fair play to Mayo, they showed more hunger in the second half then I've seen from them in a long time. Makes for an interesting Connacht championship.
For all my talk about Sunday game analysts afraid of offending anyone with bland opinions I may as well say that I don't think Mayo will make a Connacht final. I think Roscommon will catch them on the hop.

No, he could well be right there. Ros were doing just fine up until a while ago and maybe they're just saving their performance levels for the Connacht semi-final though . Still though it's nice to beat Galway. I have to say Billy Fitzpatrick's analysis on the radio is really annoying. Every foul that resulted in a freee for Galway, he agreed with while if a Mayoman got the benefit of the doubt he'd be saying that it was a bit harsh on the Galway lad. Anyone else get this from listening to MWR games or is it just me??

Yep. It's just you! 

[kevmy]

Well I thought we were pretty shocking in the first half only our decent defending keeping us in it. However Johnno made the changes (including the enforced one for Harte) and we started the team in the second half that should have started the game.

Overall I thought the backs done very well O'Malley back towards his best form Cafferkey done v. well on Meehan. We said at the start of the league to give him time to settle into that FB role and despite his injury he has improved all the while. Sunday was the first day that I came out saying I have seen the future for Mayo at FB, he's not the finished article but the best option I've seen there for us in 5 yrs.

Half backs done well in general - special mention going to Cunniffe for keeping Joyce quite. Conroy done nothing wrong before being taken off but I think McLoughlin is a certain starter for Championship.

Midfield was shocking and didn't improve until Parsons came on - I've a lot of time for Harte but not as an IC midfielder. McGarrity needs to find form for the summer he has the potential to be a big player for us but was asleep for 45 mins yesterday.

Ronaldson done well when moved to half forward instead of the sweeping role. Definitely has a chance to start come summer. Austie continue to confound, frustrate, amaze and befuddle all in the one game scored a great point while falling on his hole out the field but can't hold on to a simple ball played into him. A O'Sé done well 1-1 is a decent score considering the service he got - another option for summer.

I have to say there is definite potential from this team but they are young and the older players aren't provided the level of leadership required. Trevor apart none of the veterans played well all day yesterday, Gardiner isn't sure of his spot (again not much against him but he has been caught out defensively a couple of times over the last couple of years), McGarrity's seriously off form, Conor isn't what I'd call leadership material and Dillon is a bit sporadic of late.

My team for championship based on league so far

Clarke

O'Malley   Caff    McLoughlin

Gardiner/Cunniffe/Howley    K.Higgins

Parsons     McGarrity

Harte    Trev     Dillon

Conor   Moran/O'Sé    Ronaldson

[Barney]

I don't think Roscommon would be an easy prospect. Neither would Leitrim.

The one thing about the Rossies is that their illegal pre-January training gave them a head start and may account for their good start.

Remember they are not being beaten by good teams, and even if they were keeping their powder dry for a Summer suprise they should be doing better.

It will be a helluva game in Carrick and it will stand to whoever we play. Once it is in Castlebar we would have to be favourites though.

[moysider]

Not a bad result for Galway in the grand scheme of things. Kick up the backside that they needed.
Fair play to Mayo, they showed more hunger in the second half then I've seen from them in a long time. Makes for an interesting Connacht championship.
For all my talk about Sunday game analysts afraid of offending anyone with bland opinions I may as well say that I don't think Mayo will make a Connacht final. I think Roscommon will catch them on the hop.

No, he could well be right there. Ros were doing just fine up until a while ago and maybe they're just saving their performance levels for the Connacht semi-final though . Still though it's nice to beat Galway. I have to say Billy Fitzpatrick's analysis on the radio is really annoying. Every foul that resulted in a freee for Galway, he agreed with while if a Mayoman got the benefit of the doubt he'd be saying that it was a bit harsh on the Galway lad. Anyone else get this from listening to MWR games or is it just me??

 You should avoid listening to the radio commentary if you can at all. Talk bout 'ochón is ochón ó' football. I m a realist( bordering on a pessimist, from years of bitter setbacks in the game) and Billy would have me clinically depressed in 5 minutes. When I could nt make the Kerry match I listened on Kerry radio. If their football team is light years ahead of us you could say the same about their match coverage. Each player was evaluated, selections analysed and recommendations suggested. Proper player evaluation too, not just ' ara yeah Mike, Austy looked very sharp today'

people would be better off going for a nice walk in Enniscrone or a long cycle or run or fishing if they cant make a game. Pick up the result later.

As soon as I got into work today people asked me if I was in Tuam. I confirmed I was. I was then lectured at length about who played well and who did nt - by people who were nt there. Apparently it was flat calm, Galway switched off, Trevor gave an exhibition worthy of Purcell at chf, Cafferkey was roasted, Harte forgot to tog, Conor turned the game and Austin easily a 10 second 100 metre man. And dont get me started about Man of the Match. People believe this stuff and form a mental picture and dont even bother trying to put them straight. You ll get that knowing look. 'well Billy Fitz said X,Y or Z'   After a recent U21 match which Billy gave mom to Tom Parsons( a debatable decision) I got a text telling me that Tom won it on his tobler from somebody listening in. Now it s not Billy s fault if somebody makes a mountain out of his molehill. Point is there are a lot of experts on Mayo football out there who never go to a game and form concrete opinions based on what they hear and see in local media. Not suggesting for a second that you re one Farrandeelin. You were probably busy rollin the silage field, puttin out bag manure or with your hand up a cows arse turning a calf.

[Foreverhopeful]

Ger Cafferkey doing ok at the mo, don't think he is a full back however. Seems to lost a bit of pace from his teenage years. Think the injuries have lost him that crucial yard because he needs it to make up for his lack of physicality.. He lacks the presence of a kevin cahill figure. He not played much club football at no. 3 and don't think he will either. Think he is rated more by the county then his club. But he is worthy of his place at the moment and here's hoping he grows into the no.3 jersey. I suppose what he needs is a long run in the jersey.