Longford v Mayo 26th June

[Shamrock Shore]

This game clashes with the minor championship match v Roscommon afaik

Fcuk all chance then that the Longford v Mayo game will be on Shannonside so (or Shiteside or Roscommonside as it it known in Longford) 

[Blue and Navy]

IolarCoisCuain, add the minor defeat to  Tyrone to that list in the replay. I honestly think this could be a major problem for Mayo. If the players aren't up for it, if its a wet miserable day like when Longford scared the life out of Kerry, then i honestly foresee Mayo wilting. If that is the case though, then they are better out of it altogether.

[moysider]

This game clashes with the minor championship match v Roscommon afaik.

Yep it does but i guess the Connacht gaa will switch that game to Sunday if they have common sense 

Yeah, but Galway and Sligo are playing on the Sunday.

[moysider]

IolarCoisCuain, add the minor defeat to  Tyrone to that list in the replay. I honestly think this could be a major problem for Mayo. If the players aren't up for it, if its a wet miserable day like when Longford scared the life out of Kerry, then i honestly foresee Mayo wilting. If that is the case though, then they are better out of it altogether.

Better Pearse Park than McHale Park. Mayo running out there with the place empty would definitely finish us. Players in the county hate the place to a man as it is anyway. No atmosphere for league or club games nothing.

Mayo s major problem - and they have many- is morale. That will not be cured easily. Even a win in Longford wont help much. It wont even register back home where the team has become a joke. Supporters who do go will keep it to themselves if they don't want to be laughed about. I dont envy these players. Last week one of them at least was seriously verbally abused at his place of work.

Oscar Wilde's last words, supposedly, were 'either I go or the wallpaper goes' Johnno should have gone but unfortunately he choose not to. Now if he has no choice but to change the wallpaper ie. the team, big time. I always hoped he chance chance on a good team and in spring it looked like he might. It s very unlikely he will now and I m not sure he knows how to try. We ll know more  when we see the team but if there aren't several changes he s resigned to going down with the ship. The changes should be at 6 and from 8 onwards. Harte injured is a limitation but even with a bar groin tear would be an improvement for a bit of urgency/devil alone. I agree with the poster that identified a linking/grafting role for Howley. Thats a must - not a choice. Forget about corner back. The only forward that should be sure from the last day is Freeman. The way things have turned out players that we would be expecting to be game winners are looking at their shoe laces and begging to be substituted with 20 to go. Maybe if a few newbies performed a few of the others would get some kind of grá back. But we have all the appearances of a bunch of players that have shot their bolt. I hope I m f**king wrong but..... For what it s worth I would go with Howley, Moran, Dillon, O Sé, Moran, Freeman in the forwards and a half fit Harte and O Sé at midfield. For this one. It should be obvious that some of our lads need something of a gee-up because not only are they not performing - they look depressed on the pitch and need to be eased back into it if we get a run going.

[Farrandeelin]

I agree with Foreverhopeful as regards Trevor Howley, that is where he has been doing a lot of damage for Knockmore from the no 10, Paul Galvin type of role. He is well capable of winning breaking ball. The only thing is, will O'Mahony start chopping and changing the whole team around once again or will he persist with the tried and tested. I think the latter.

[Billys Boots]

I'm beginning to get a good feeling about this game - the omens are good;  the opposition are in crisis, the dumbasses reckon it'll be plain sailing, and the usually sensible ones are hand-wringing.

Reminds me of the lead-up to Down in 2002 or Derry in 2005.

[Shamrock Shore]

Down in 2002 or Derry in 2005

Aye - good days indeed Billy.

Yes - the sense of doom prior to the Louth match is not there for this one and I am now quietly confident of a win here. I dunno if Brian Kavanagh will be back but surely without any games under his belt then he wouldn't feature unless as an impact sub.

[Lar Naparka]

IolarCoisCuain, add the minor defeat to  Tyrone to that list in the replay. I honestly think this could be a major problem for Mayo. If the players aren't up for it, if its a wet miserable day like when Longford scared the life out of Kerry, then i honestly foresee Mayo wilting. If that is the case though, then they are better out of it altogether.

Better Pearse Park than McHale Park. Mayo running out there with the place empty would definitely finish us. Players in the county hate the place to a man as it is anyway. No atmosphere for league or club games nothing.

Mayo s major problem - and they have many- is morale. That will not be cured easily. Even a win in Longford wont help much. It wont even register back home where the team has become a joke. Supporters who do go will keep it to themselves if they don't want to be laughed about. I dont envy these players. Last week one of them at least was seriously verbally abused at his place of work.

Oscar Wilde's last words, supposedly, were 'either I go or the wallpaper goes' Johnno should have gone but unfortunately he choose not to. Now if he has no choice but to change the wallpaper ie. the team, big time. I always hoped he chance chance on a good team and in spring it looked like he might. It s very unlikely he will now and I m not sure he knows how to try. We ll know more  when we see the team but if there aren't several changes he s resigned to going down with the ship. The changes should be at 6 and from 8 onwards. Harte injured is a limitation but even with a bar groin tear would be an improvement for a bit of urgency/devil alone. I agree with the poster that identified a linking/grafting role for Howley. Thats a must - not a choice. Forget about corner back. The only forward that should be sure from the last day is Freeman. The way things have turned out players that we would be expecting to be game winners are looking at their shoe laces and begging to be substituted with 20 to go. Maybe if a few newbies performed a few of the others would get some kind of grá back. But we have all the appearances of a bunch of players that have shot their bolt. I hope I m f**king wrong but..... For what it s worth I would go with Howley, Moran, Dillon, O Sé, Moran, Freeman in the forwards and a half fit Harte and O Sé at midfield. For this one. It should be obvious that some of our lads need something of a gee-up because not only are they not performing - they look depressed on the pitch and need to be eased back into it if we get a run going.

In all your long years of devotion to the cause, I bet you never before came across one as unreal as this one. I haven't anyway and I can go back a long, long way. For the first time ever, I feel that I will be going to a wake instead of a football game when I stick the jersey on and head for Longford.
I too never experienced such a lack of enthusiasm and confidence amongst the Mayo faithful everywhere. One way or another, there will be a wake in a real sense, whatever the outcome of this game.
Something will be laid to rest when that game is over.
We could be bidding farewell to the IC careers of John O'Mahony and most, if not all, of the senior players. If they persist in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and serve up another display like the ones against Cork and Sligo, they will have to realise that their collective race is run. They can't be asked to keep on putting themselves through the torture mill every time they represent their county.
Whatever the reasons for their recent displays, I have no doubt that they can't be enjoying life at the moment. Jeez, the fans may be feeling the pain but, for Johnno and his team, the going must be ten times harder.
If they find there really is nothing left in their tanks, they might as well leave the stage with whatever dignity they can muster. There is no disgrace in coming up short- if they can't get their acts together, then so be it.
Mayo football is a hardy perennial; we all might feel dejected and disheartened when the ref blows his whistle but cows will still need milking and children will still need their baths and life will still continue on.
On the other hand, they can lay recent ghosts to rest and show they take pride in representing their county; the result is not what concerns me but their approach to the task in hand certainly does. If they lose, I'll be as dejected as any other Mayo follower but if they, Johnno included, perform to the limits of their abilities, I'll accept the result. No more should be expected from any man.
A lot may be riding on the outcome of political developments today as Enda and Richard Bruton meet head on but other than that, I have no comments to pass.
It's up to those in the red and green corner to provide answers on the day. There is nowhere left to hide now.
The Slashers may not be the pushovers many Mayo followers expect them to be; they put it up to Kerry twice in recent years and, with due respects to all concerned, Mayo is no Kerry.

Without doubt, they'll not turn up just to make up the numbers.
I can only hope Mayo will do the same.

[Shamrock Shore]

The Slashers

Please desist from referring to us Longfordians as Slashers. Longford Slashers are the town club.

We are The Larries.......a name bestowed on us by Hardy and one which we all decided to unite behind.

[Billys Boots]

Yeah cut it out, yis shower of Godhelpusheens!  Larries go deo!!

[Hardy]

I cannot describe the feeling of pride and I have appointed myself an honorary Larry, having waited long enough for it to be offered.

I agree with everyone here. This game is set up for either us or Mayo to win it. Failing that, a draw is a good bet.

Talking about kicking wides, while Dublin still only had two points well into the second half on Sunday, one of their shots nearly hit the big screen scoreboard at the Hill end and a fella in front of me shouts "they'll make an impact on that scoreboard yet".

[Blue and Navy]

I agree about Harte coming into offer a bit of life to the midfield, i watched him when he came in against Kildare recently and he wrecked the heads of the Kildare midfield, gave Mayo a bit of impetus and helped them get back into the game.
Any chance of handing Andy Moran the captaincy by the way?

[Billys Boots]

I cannot describe the feeling of pride and I have appointed myself an honorary Larry, having waited long enough for it to be offered.

I agree with everyone here. This game is set up for either us or Mayo to win it. Failing that, a draw is a good bet.

Talking about kicking wides, while Dublin still only had two points well into the second half on Sunday, one of their shots nearly hit the big screen scoreboard at the Hill end and a fella in front of me shouts "they'll make an impact on that scoreboard yet".

Sorry Hardy, it would never have occurred to us that Royalty would seek Larry status.  Fáilte romhat isteach.

[Shamrock Shore]

Tis a brave move Hardy. Another Meath man causing stirrings.

I hope you are prepared for the heartbreaks, the pain, the O'Byrne Cup optomism, to be replaced the O'Byrne Shield meh, to be replaced by The League Misery then finally by The Leinster Clusterfuck.

It's like celebacy without the sex.

[Hardy]

It's like celebacy without the sex.

As long as the dual mandate is allowed, I'l be a loyal Larry. That's me and GG now. This could get bigger.