Mayo v Roscommon - Connacht SFC Semi-Final, June 20, Venue TBC

[spectator]

Roll on Saturday

[neilthemac]

they'll probably paint all the seats on Saturday morning

[dodo]

From the lightnevergoes out or something like that mayo website,

THE day I get sick of Mayo beating Roscommon is the day I lose my lust for life. You cannot beat them enough! And by the same token there's no one more insufferable to lose to either.

We probably should hate Galway more than we hate the Rossies but there's an acknowledgement of Galway's pedigree and a cursory nod to their footballing principles. But Roscommon bring out a different animal in us altogether.

We are regarded as good losers (no spot prizes for the first wag to say we get enough practice) but Roscommon is the exception. We cannot abide it. Even in the FBD league, there is never a good time to lose to the Rossies.

Why is this? Its not as if Roscommon have visited despair on us all the time – we certainly have the upper hand on them. And its not as we're driven by jealousy at their success – again Galway would be the target here.

No I think the hatred we reserve for the Rossies is for one very simple reason – their supporters. At the risk of being racist I don't know of any more obnoxious or ignorant group of GAA people in the country than Rossie supporters! I know not of any other county whose supporters so personally abuse opposition players.

I don't know any other county supporters who so vigoursly fling insults at opposition supporters. Not witty remarks mind, but highly personal and rude stuff.

I've seen it time and time again at Mayo Roscommon matches for it not to be a few isolated incidents. But I recall especially one incident that sums up a lot of it. It was at the infamous (for Mayo) 2001 Connacht final when Eddie Lohan scored that late, late goal after David Nestor looked to have stolen success for us with a goal a minute before.

Our group had been jubilant when that Nestor goal went in. Not gloating, just cheering. Then Lohan hit the killer goal and a family of a wife and husband and a son and daughter, neither of whom were even teenagers, turned around and used what should have been their own time for celebration to hurl insults at us.

'Take that ye c****' and 'shove that up your h***' and 'go home to f*** now ye boggers with yer tails between yer legs'. We were stupified.

And, let's be fair, its not every Rossie who acts like this. And every county has a few clowns or yahoos who engage in this behaviour. But, per capita, Roscommon certainly have more of this ilk of 'supporter' than anywhere else. Customers, as Johnny Maughan would call them.

Certaily publicans in Castlebar this weekend will welcome the custom that Saturday's game will bring but they'd much rather to be hosting Galway supporters than Rossies because the Rossies have been known to create more trouble than any other supporters.

And then there's  Ballaghaderreen, which the Rossie supporters spend all day and night moaning about. A town historically in Mayo and moved into Roscommon for reasons of rates cuts and the people of Ballaghaderreen's insistance on remaining in Mayo GAA since is something the Rossies cannot understand. I wouldn't blame the Ballaghs for waiting in Mayo GAA either!

I'm sure to the untrained eye this looks like a crazy, paranoid rant. But it is not something only I feel. Ask any Mayo supporter of their thoughts on Rossies and most will concur with me.

All that being said life would be dull without them. Intense rivalry is a great part of sport. The Rossies would, grudingly, say the same about us. I wonder why they hate us. And I wonder is it just for us that such scorn is reserved? Come what may there's no doubting that Mayo Roscommon clashes evoke the best and worst of both counties.

All of which makes defeat on Saturday unthinkable. Unfortunately though, impossible it is not.

We plan to disect most angles possible about Saturday during the week. We just said we'd start with the most stand-out – both counties sheer hatred of each other!



Thats a disgraceful article, considering the abuse ive seen mayofans give mort over the yrs (yer best forward) , and ive been on the receiving end myself and remember mcdonald family stopped going to games becuase of the abuse he got. there some joke if they cant see it themselves. They some cheek going on ballaghdereen when you see whats going in bellaghy which was never in mayo and still isnt but ive accepted whats happened there because i know it will stop soon.

Hopefully this will get back to FOD and the players. Stupid article, and will definitly rile Roscommon. Let the battle commence .

That article reflects the reality of having to deal with the Roscommoners......cannot beat them often enough and by enough.

[stephenite]

That stand is f**king awful

[The flame still burns]

From the lightnevergoes out or something like that mayo website,

THE day I get sick of Mayo beating Roscommon is the day I lose my lust for life. You cannot beat them enough! And by the same token there's no one more insufferable to lose to either.

We probably should hate Galway more than we hate the Rossies but there's an acknowledgement of Galway's pedigree and a cursory nod to their footballing principles. But Roscommon bring out a different animal in us altogether.

We are regarded as good losers (no spot prizes for the first wag to say we get enough practice) but Roscommon is the exception. We cannot abide it. Even in the FBD league, there is never a good time to lose to the Rossies.

Why is this? Its not as if Roscommon have visited despair on us all the time – we certainly have the upper hand on them. And its not as we're driven by jealousy at their success – again Galway would be the target here.

No I think the hatred we reserve for the Rossies is for one very simple reason – their supporters. At the risk of being racist I don't know of any more obnoxious or ignorant group of GAA people in the country than Rossie supporters! I know not of any other county whose supporters so personally abuse opposition players.

I don't know any other county supporters who so vigoursly fling insults at opposition supporters. Not witty remarks mind, but highly personal and rude stuff.

I've seen it time and time again at Mayo Roscommon matches for it not to be a few isolated incidents. But I recall especially one incident that sums up a lot of it. It was at the infamous (for Mayo) 2001 Connacht final when Eddie Lohan scored that late, late goal after David Nestor looked to have stolen success for us with a goal a minute before.

Our group had been jubilant when that Nestor goal went in. Not gloating, just cheering. Then Lohan hit the killer goal and a family of a wife and husband and a son and daughter, neither of whom were even teenagers, turned around and used what should have been their own time for celebration to hurl insults at us.

'Take that ye c****' and 'shove that up your h***' and 'go home to f*** now ye boggers with yer tails between yer legs'. We were stupified.

And, let's be fair, its not every Rossie who acts like this. And every county has a few clowns or yahoos who engage in this behaviour. But, per capita, Roscommon certainly have more of this ilk of 'supporter' than anywhere else. Customers, as Johnny Maughan would call them.

Certaily publicans in Castlebar this weekend will welcome the custom that Saturday's game will bring but they'd much rather to be hosting Galway supporters than Rossies because the Rossies have been known to create more trouble than any other supporters.

And then there's  Ballaghaderreen, which the Rossie supporters spend all day and night moaning about. A town historically in Mayo and moved into Roscommon for reasons of rates cuts and the people of Ballaghaderreen's insistance on remaining in Mayo GAA since is something the Rossies cannot understand. I wouldn't blame the Ballaghs for waiting in Mayo GAA either!

I'm sure to the untrained eye this looks like a crazy, paranoid rant. But it is not something only I feel. Ask any Mayo supporter of their thoughts on Rossies and most will concur with me.

All that being said life would be dull without them. Intense rivalry is a great part of sport. The Rossies would, grudingly, say the same about us. I wonder why they hate us. And I wonder is it just for us that such scorn is reserved? Come what may there's no doubting that Mayo Roscommon clashes evoke the best and worst of both counties.

All of which makes defeat on Saturday unthinkable. Unfortunately though, impossible it is not.

We plan to disect most angles possible about Saturday during the week. We just said we'd start with the most stand-out – both counties sheer hatred of each other!



Thats a disgraceful article, considering the abuse ive seen mayofans give mort over the yrs (yer best forward) , and ive been on the receiving end myself and remember mcdonald family stopped going to games becuase of the abuse he got. there some joke if they cant see it themselves. They some cheek going on ballaghdereen when you see whats going in bellaghy which was never in mayo and still isnt but ive accepted whats happened there because i know it will stop soon.

Hopefully this will get back to FOD and the players. Stupid article, and will definitly rile Roscommon. Let the battle commence .

I take this as the highest form of praise possible 

Anyway a lot of responses to my piece so I've created a new piece to respond here - http://thereisalightthatnevergoesout.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/responses-to-rossie-article/

[Beard]

This debate seems to be covering the following issues:

1. Rossie supporters are a bit rough round the edges in comparison to the gentlemen following Mayo - nothing new or startling about this.
2.Who will be picked for Mayo - grand
3. Will the architectureal masterpeice behind the goals collapse in a bit of wind - maybe.

I know it is easy to slag off Roscommon for being s**t but, and JOM wil be aware of this more than anyone, a good test from Ros could do Mayo the world of good in the long run. Bragging rights around Castlerea and Ballaghadereen don't count for much in the national sense and Connecht teams have never been successful in recent times when the province has been a two horse race so hopefully the Rossies can put in a decent performance at the weekend.

[moysider]

Agree about the stand. Could nt believe they put pillars in and the blue seats with yellow[primrose] leads me to suspect somebody has been messing about with photoshop.

Anyway to this Mayo/Roscommon bitterness. For 2 counties that have come up short over last nearly 60 years it takes some working out why such dislike exists between us. Personally I dont believe Ballagh to be a big factor.

Anybody interested enough to examine Mayo football championship results since we last won AI is bound to come away with a heavy heart. Those that think Mayo football began in, say, 85 or 96, might console themselves that we were unlucky or whatever. From 51 to 67 was a wasteland as were the 70 s. In fact the last 50 years of Mayo in AI championship reads like a series of car crashes.

In that time we ve lost to Sligo and Leitrim at least twice each and our toe to toe with Galway is so lopsided it hardly makes for a proper rivalry. This is where Roscommon comes in - because Mayo s nemisis in modern times has been Roscommon. We ve met 27 times in Championship in last 50 years. 2 draws. Ros won 10. Mayo won 15.

Mayo only won 1 from 6 meetings in the 70 s and a lot of our bitterness comes from there. I remember as a kid standing  through the 4 consecutive defeats 1977- 1980.
A lot of crowing. A fearure of the Ros support was gangs of young fellas singing songs and stuff. There were a lot of Rossies havin a laugh around Castlebar and in Ros town in those years. And we were a disgrace to be honest. Spineless.

Most of Mayo s success v Ros has come in last 25 years.  Duggans free taken 5 yards closer in( no free in first place) in 91 resulted in a rare Ros win after a replay and the gift in 01 still beggars belief.  In fact since the crowing reached a cresendo in 1980 Ros has only won 3 of the subsequent 17 meetings( 2 draws). And those 3 wins were more to do with Mayo bottling it than anything Roscommon did. Recent results cant sit easily on Rossies that were used to being c**k- a- hoop back in the 70s as young fellas. Recent Ros managers have come to learn this.

The meeting 10 years ago also was a bitter blow to Roscommon. Unlike 01 when we handed it over in 99 they were bullish coming into Castlebar. Paul Early on the telly( still have the recording) said the curves had crossed with Mayo on the downward. Mayo destroyed Ros and management  legends Sheeerin and Tony Mac looking on fumin. We scored something like 20 points with Ros supporters getting the cheerio with ten minutes to go.

Anyway what this amounts to is for Roscommon to win the next day Mayo have to f**k up to an extent. End of. But we ve f**ked up often enough to give Ros a glimmer this Saturday.

[SLIGONIAN]

From the lightnevergoes out or something like that mayo website,

THE day I get sick of Mayo beating Roscommon is the day I lose my lust for life. You cannot beat them enough! And by the same token there's no one more insufferable to lose to either.

We probably should hate Galway more than we hate the Rossies but there's an acknowledgement of Galway's pedigree and a cursory nod to their footballing principles. But Roscommon bring out a different animal in us altogether.

We are regarded as good losers (no spot prizes for the first wag to say we get enough practice) but Roscommon is the exception. We cannot abide it. Even in the FBD league, there is never a good time to lose to the Rossies.

Why is this? Its not as if Roscommon have visited despair on us all the time – we certainly have the upper hand on them. And its not as we're driven by jealousy at their success – again Galway would be the target here.

No I think the hatred we reserve for the Rossies is for one very simple reason – their supporters. At the risk of being racist I don't know of any more obnoxious or ignorant group of GAA people in the country than Rossie supporters! I know not of any other county whose supporters so personally abuse opposition players.

I don't know any other county supporters who so vigoursly fling insults at opposition supporters. Not witty remarks mind, but highly personal and rude stuff.

I've seen it time and time again at Mayo Roscommon matches for it not to be a few isolated incidents. But I recall especially one incident that sums up a lot of it. It was at the infamous (for Mayo) 2001 Connacht final when Eddie Lohan scored that late, late goal after David Nestor looked to have stolen success for us with a goal a minute before.

Our group had been jubilant when that Nestor goal went in. Not gloating, just cheering. Then Lohan hit the killer goal and a family of a wife and husband and a son and daughter, neither of whom were even teenagers, turned around and used what should have been their own time for celebration to hurl insults at us.

'Take that ye c****' and 'shove that up your h***' and 'go home to f*** now ye boggers with yer tails between yer legs'. We were stupified.

And, let's be fair, its not every Rossie who acts like this. And every county has a few clowns or yahoos who engage in this behaviour. But, per capita, Roscommon certainly have more of this ilk of 'supporter' than anywhere else. Customers, as Johnny Maughan would call them.

Certaily publicans in Castlebar this weekend will welcome the custom that Saturday's game will bring but they'd much rather to be hosting Galway supporters than Rossies because the Rossies have been known to create more trouble than any other supporters.

And then there's  Ballaghaderreen, which the Rossie supporters spend all day and night moaning about. A town historically in Mayo and moved into Roscommon for reasons of rates cuts and the people of Ballaghaderreen's insistance on remaining in Mayo GAA since is something the Rossies cannot understand. I wouldn't blame the Ballaghs for waiting in Mayo GAA either!

I'm sure to the untrained eye this looks like a crazy, paranoid rant. But it is not something only I feel. Ask any Mayo supporter of their thoughts on Rossies and most will concur with me.

All that being said life would be dull without them. Intense rivalry is a great part of sport. The Rossies would, grudingly, say the same about us. I wonder why they hate us. And I wonder is it just for us that such scorn is reserved? Come what may there's no doubting that Mayo Roscommon clashes evoke the best and worst of both counties.

All of which makes defeat on Saturday unthinkable. Unfortunately though, impossible it is not.

We plan to disect most angles possible about Saturday during the week. We just said we'd start with the most stand-out – both counties sheer hatred of each other!



Thats a disgraceful article, considering the abuse ive seen mayofans give mort over the yrs (yer best forward) , and ive been on the receiving end myself and remember mcdonald family stopped going to games becuase of the abuse he got. there some joke if they cant see it themselves. They some cheek going on ballaghdereen when you see whats going in bellaghy which was never in mayo and still isnt but ive accepted whats happened there because i know it will stop soon.

Hopefully this will get back to FOD and the players. Stupid article, and will definitly rile Roscommon. Let the battle commence .

I take this as the highest form of praise possible 

Anyway a lot of responses to my piece so I've created a new piece to respond here - http://thereisalightthatnevergoesout.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/responses-to-rossie-article/

What about the 1000s of rossie fans getting behind mayo in AI in 06 not that there was much to get behind . Does that not contradict your argument about the majority. Its just an attention seeking article that has no basis on the majority argument you came to.

In fairness moysider wrote a good piece although the singing and crowing I dont do etc.. i would find it more cringeworthy than spineless.

Oh and by the way reference to my comment about FOD, JOM has been known to use motivation for AI final using the opinion of journos and what not, (What extra incentive do you need for AI final) it all helps galway won and also remember how McEniff motivated molloy in 92, it all helps fuel and focus the hatred. Id be shocked if JOM didnt use OHaras comment in the SINDO last yr, I would of.

[prewtna]

sorry this post is a bit late, but im in oz and its the first time ive seen the new stand and i have to say that stand is brutal.

penny pinching is all it is to be putting in those pillars, in this day and age there is no need for them at all and i wouldnt think its an architectural nod to the previous one either, columns are cheaper than cantilevers simple as.

cant for the life of me understand why the seats are blue either - i mean seriously - blue, where the hell did that come out of? whatever company was responsible for the design and whoever approved that design within the county board shouldnt be let near a big infrastructure job like that again.

no doubt a new stand was needed but in essence all they have done is narrowed the colums that were there and spent 15million in the process. ah i dont know.

anyway as regards the match, there can surely be only one winner in this?

does anyone know if the match is on tv in sydney? if its live itll be a hoor of a time to have to watch it. but what can ya do!

[Bod Mor]

does anyone know if the match is on tv in sydney? if its live itll be a hoor of a time to have to watch it. but what can ya do!

Yeah it's live on Setanta sports Oz. 2AM throw in. I'm sure it'll be on in cheers, Paddy McGuires and Scruffy's.

[ludermor]

Agree about the stand. Could nt believe they put pillars in and the blue seats with yellow[primrose] leads me to suspect somebody has been messing about with photoshop.

Whateve about the seats the columns are there to stay, from an earlier photo below they are supporting the truss running along the lenght. What is supposed to be the budget for the redevelopment? They should be getting real value over the last 18 months unless htey had contracts signed up way in advance and couldnt take advantage of the drop in prices over the last 18months

http://mayogaablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/mchale-park-new-stand___.jpg

[Barney]

These are the facts delivered by the County Board at the launch of seat sales and reported in the Western:

Failure not an option warns County Board
By Michael Gallagher

THE recession may be biting hard across the globe but as the Mayo County Board set about financing the construction of the new stand and extra facilities at McHale Park, club delegates have been told that failure to raise the necessary capital is not an option.

In a presentation delivered to county board members in Castlebar last week, the five-year finance plan to fund the redevelopment of the county ground was unveiled.


The objective of the plan is an obvious one - to raise enough capital to pay the interest and commence repayments on the McHale Park Development loan, while trying not to interfere with existing County Board and Club fundraising activities.


An expanded Finance Committee is being put in place which, it's hoped, will include representatives from the clubs in the county, the business community, Mayo supporters clubs, Mayo Associations throughout the world and the media.


It is envisaged that this committe will co-ordinate and implement the task of raising the neccessary funding to pay for the impressive new development, both at home and abroad.


The urgency of this situation was explained to the delegates and they were told that this fundraising drive would initially take place over two or three months and would be constantly under review.


The bare bones of the situation is that •800,000 is required annually to meet the requirements of the development loan with capital repayments costing •500,000 and interest requiring an annual payment of


•300,000.


In the presentation to delegates, the plans to raise the annual financial requirements were revealed. The County Board Development Draw will bring in •300,000, the Supporters Club will come up with


•50,000 while advertising (Croke Park) will bring in a further


•140,000. The other •310,000 required will be raised from advertising and seat sales in McHale Park itself.


Those elements of the fundraising plan include the naming of McHale Park/ stand, advertising on the TV tower, floodlights, netting poles and hoarding around the stadium. The other main constituent of the fundraising drive is the sale of seats and seat packages to divisional boards, clubs, businesses and the public.


The responsibility for selling these various advertising slots and seat packages will be divided up between the County Board officers and the Finance Committee, with the latter having sole charge of the sale of seats.


Initial targets suggest that almost 1,100 seats need to be sold and this would bring in more than •450,000. Of course, to achieve this success-fully will require a huge amount of effort and goodwill but the new Finance Committee are determined to leave no stone unturned in their quest.


In general discussion at the meeting it was hoped that there will be a strong and enthusiastic uptake on the various packages and while delegates were conscious of the general economic situation they were also aware that the neccessary finances have to be raised.


As one line on the presentation slideshow explained "Failure is not an option."



A NUMBER of different packages are available to supporters wishing to purchase season tickets for McHale Park's new stand, designed specifically to suit the needs of Limited companies, large and small businesses, and individuals.


GOLD STAR MEMBERS:


€3,000 per year for minimum of a five year period (limited to 30 companies) offering (a) Each company six seats in the new stand for all National League, senior inter-county championship matches involving Mayo and all Mayo Club Championship matches, (b) Four metre advertising board in front of new stand or behind both goals at pitch level for all National League and Club Championship matches fixed in McHale Park for five years, (c) Free membership for six guests to Corporate Area for a period of two hours before and after all big matches, (d) Opportunity to purchase six All-Ireland Senior Football Final tickets when Mayo are competing.



SILVER STAR MEMBERS:


€2,000 per year for minimum of a five year period (limited to 30 companies) offering (a) Each company four seats in the new stand for all National League, senior inter-county championship matches involving Mayo and all Mayo Club Championship matches, (b) Four metre advertising board at pitch level on sideline opposite new stand for all National League and Club Championship matches fixed in McHale Park for five years, (c) Free membership for four guests to Corporate Area for a period of two hours before and after all big matches, (d) Opportunity to purchase four All-Ireland Senior Football Final tickets when Mayo are competing.


BRONZE STAR MEMBERS:


€1,000 per year for minimum of a five year period (limited to 100 businesses) offering (a) Each business two seats in the new stand for all National League, senior inter-county championship matches involving Mayo and all Mayo Club Championship matches, (b) 3.5 metre advertising board at high level behind both goals and both sides of camera tower on McHale Road side of the pitch for all National League and Club Championship matches fixed in McHale Park for five years, (c) Free membership for two guests to Corporate Area for a period of two hours before and after all big matches, (d) Opportunity to purchase two All-Ireland Senior Football Final tickets when Mayo are competing.


BUSINESS MEMBER:


€2,000 per year for clubs, associations or business, offering six seats in the new stand for all National League and senior inter-county championship matches involving Mayo and for all Mayo Club Championship matches in McHale Park.


FAMILY MEMBER:


•1,000 per year for clubs, family or business, offering three seats in the new stand for all National League and senior inter-county championship matches involving Mayo and for all Mayo Club Championship matches in McHale Park.


GREEN AND RED MEMBERS:


€400 per year (limited to 1,000 seats) offering (a) A seat in the new stand for all National League, senior inter-county championship matches involving Mayo and all Mayo Club Championship matches, (b) Opportunity to purchase one All-Ireland senior football final ticket when Mayo are competing.


For season ticket or details of the various advertising opportunities that exist in McHale Park, contact any member of the McHale Park Development Committee: James Waldron (087-2855744), Sean Feeney (087-6838484), JP Lambe (087-2333392), Tommy Goonan (087-2624388), Michael Diskin (087-6680115), Brendan Byrne (087-2613030), Paddy McNicholas (085-1744117), Donal McEllin, Mick Byrne (087-2894277), John Surdival (087-2587828), Jack King (087-2595573), Eddie Cuffe (087-2459104), Eamonn Clarke (087-2666059), Peter McLoughlin (087-2801941).

It really id scary to think that the future of Mayo football has been mortgaged to pay for this half-job.

[Tubberman]

I was told that the decision to go for the blue seats was taken because they don't fade as fast as green or red seats.
Seems a pretty poor reason to me. The green in O'Connor Park in Tullamore or in Carrick, and the red in Derry and Tyrone (although they're still new) show no signs of fading.
Anyway, whatever about the stand, I hope the Mayo performance generates more positive reviews 

I think we might see:

            O'Malley
Vaughan  Cafferkey   McLoughlin
Gardiner  Howley     Heaney
   Parsons   McGarrity
Harte  T Mort   Dillon
C Mort  A O Se  A Moran

[kevmy]

Kenneth O'Malley
Liam O'Malley David heaney ,James nallen
Peadar Gardiner Trevor Howley  K higgins
Ronan McGarrity Tom Parsons
andy moran Aidan O'Shea ,Aidan Kilcoyne
CMort  Barry MOran, AOM

Spot on ros but throw in Dermot Geraghty in place of Liam O'Malley and I reckon that's the team.

What have you heard?

Cafferkey will be at the edge of the square and he will have his hands full with Kilbride. Can't see Nallen stating but we'll probably see him at some stage.

Unlikely dermot will feature - not playing for club due to injury so parachuting him back into the county team would be more than a surprise

[kevmy]

If O'malley I'd prefer Higgins to go back into the corner.

We have better cover at half back than starting young Vaughan in a rookie FB line. You could play Vaughan, A Moran or Heaney at wing back with Higgins in the corner.