Connacht U21 Football Championship 2011

[Tatler Jack]

A sizeable shift in the power base or just a blip?

When Mao was asked about the impact of the French Revolution on the world he said it was too early to say!!  I think the same applies to any talk about changing power bases in Connacht.

[saffronandblue]

I am afraid we are just not good enough.  Only O' Shea and O' Connor from midfield up, were and are any good going forward.  O' Connor missed far too much today and I would be worried that he is starting to catch the Mayo forward disease.  He missed a few easy ones, dropped others in the goalies hands and then scuffed his goal chance.  As one of his biggest fans, it was the first time that I was worried about him.

Talk of Freeman as a center forward for the seniors is way off the mark, he is far too slow and showed up very poorly today in terms of winning the breaks etc.  8,9,10,11,12,13 were hopeless today, in fact I reckon I could run as fast as 8 or 9 myself and that's not fast.  Our senior manager who happened to be sitting beside me did not seem too bothered...........Mayo have no hope of winning a senior all Ireland in the next few years.....I am sad to say.

On a brighter note.....fair play to Aiden O' Shea, after all of the negative comments, he was head and shoulders above the others today.  Fair play to him, if only the others tried as hard.  Well done To Ross, all you can say it that they give it their all.

While I am on a rant:

15 euro in was a disgrace and the ref was no better.

[RedandGreenSniper]

I am afraid we are just not good enough.  Only O' Shea and O' Connor from midfield up, were and are any good going forward.  O' Connor missed far too much today and I would be worried that he is starting to catch the Mayo forward disease.  He missed a few easy ones, dropped others in the goalies hands and then scuffed his goal chance.  As one of his biggest fans, it was the first time that I was worried about him.

Talk of Freeman as a center forward for the seniors is way off the mark, he is far too slow and showed up very poorly today in terms of winning the breaks etc.  8,9,10,11,12,13 were hopeless today, in fact I reckon I could run as fast as 8 or 9 myself and that's not fast.  Our senior manager who happened to be sitting beside me did not seem too bothered...........Mayo have no hope of winning a senior all Ireland in the next few years.....I am sad to say.

On a brighter note.....fair play to Aiden O' Shea, after all of the negative comments, he was head and shoulders above the others today.  Fair play to him, if only the others tried as hard.  Well done To Ross, all you can say it that they give it their all.

While I am on a rant:

15 euro in was a disgrace and the ref was no better.

Cathal Freeman was very disappointing for forty minutes today, didn't get into it at all. But then he set up Mayo's equaliser and lead score with a couple of decent plays and management take him off straightaway. Shane Nally was lucky to remain on but it is hard to be hard on him because he was played out of position. Defence was solid, Hennelly good in goal and Forde was okay when moved back. I questioned why Darren Coen wasn't started earlier. I didn't get an answer today. He came on in the first half and was better than five of the six defenders who started ahead of him. The concern for me was that too much would be expected of Cillian. It was the case. It didn't have to be. Echoes of Dermot Flanagan in 1997 with the substitution and positional changes for Kevin Keane. Every single line on the field was affected.

[Tubberman]

That was very frustrating and dis-spiritng to watch.
Mayo had a great panel of players, but that was a poor display, along with poor selection and some poor switches. It's always going to be tough when it's straight knock-out, but Dempsey will have to ship a lot of criticism.
We lost far too many breaks around midfield - particularly the first half, and the last 10 mins of the second half.
As R&GS said, there were an unnecessary amount of changes made when Keane went off injured.
There didn't seem to be any sort of cohesive plan for the players to follow. A lot of anonymus dispays, plus Cillian missed a couple of frees that he would usually nail - why was he taking them all from the hand, was the state of the pitch the main reason?

And to finish my negativity - the couple of Rossies directly in front of me where some of the thickest, most ignorant fellas I've had the misfortune to be near.  Roaring for frees every time a Ros fella hit the ground and cheering Mayo wides was bad enough.
But at the final whistle, the fella (with a child in his arms) turned around to me, shaking his fist and roaring in my face - classy.....

[Farrandeelin]

I am afraid we are just not good enough.  Only O' Shea and O' Connor from midfield up, were and are any good going forward.  O' Connor missed far too much today and I would be worried that he is starting to catch the Mayo forward disease.  He missed a few easy ones, dropped others in the goalies hands and then scuffed his goal chance.  As one of his biggest fans, it was the first time that I was worried about him.

Talk of Freeman as a center forward for the seniors is way off the mark, he is far too slow and showed up very poorly today in terms of winning the breaks etc.  8,9,10,11,12,13 were hopeless today, in fact I reckon I could run as fast as 8 or 9 myself and that's not fast.  Our senior manager who happened to be sitting beside me did not seem too bothered...........Mayo have no hope of winning a senior all Ireland in the next few years.....I am sad to say.

On a brighter note.....fair play to Aiden O' Shea, after all of the negative comments, he was head and shoulders above the others today.  Fair play to him, if only the others tried as hard.  Well done To Ross, all you can say it that they give it their all.

While I am on a rant:

15 euro in was a disgrace and the ref was no better.

Cathal Freeman was very disappointing for forty minutes today, didn't get into it at all. But then he set up Mayo's equaliser and lead score with a couple of decent plays and management take him off straightaway. Shane Nally was lucky to remain on but it is hard to be hard on him because he was played out of position. Defence was solid, Hennelly good in goal and Forde was okay when moved back. I questioned why Darren Coen wasn't started earlier. I didn't get an answer today. He came on in the first half and was better than five of the six defenders who started ahead of him. The concern for me was that too much would be expected of Cillian. It was the case. It didn't have to be. Echoes of Dermot Flanagan in 1997 with the substitution and positional changes for Kevin Keane. Every single line on the field was affected.

My thoughts exactly, too much chopping and changing. But fair duues to Ros, they were up for it and didn't let go of their Connacht title this year either (just like I said). I reckon they could go and win Connacht and maybe even the whole thing out. And that could be two AIs for them in the spring!!!

[RedandGreenSniper]

plus Cillian missed a couple of frees that he would usually nail - why was he taking them all from the hand, was the state of the pitch the main reason?

And to finish my negativity - the couple of Rossies directly in front of me where some of the thickest, most ignorant fellas I've had the misfortune to be near.  Roaring for frees every time a Ros fella hit the ground and cheering Mayo wides was bad enough.
But at the final whistle, the fella (with a child in his arms) turned around to me, shaking his fist and roaring in my face - classy.....

Pitch was bad but Cillian normally takes them from the hand anyway. There was no bounce in the pitch at all though, very poor. Re the Rossies there were a few ignorant ones near where I was too. Others were fine. I better tread carefully but some Rossies can really be testy. Most are fine but those that aren't appear especially ignorant in comparison to other counties.

[ross4life]

plus Cillian missed a couple of frees that he would usually nail - why was he taking them all from the hand, was the state of the pitch the main reason?

And to finish my negativity - the couple of Rossies directly in front of me where some of the thickest, most ignorant fellas I've had the misfortune to be near.  Roaring for frees every time a Ros fella hit the ground and cheering Mayo wides was bad enough.
But at the final whistle, the fella (with a child in his arms) turned around to me, shaking his fist and roaring in my face - classy.....

Pitch was bad but Cillian normally takes them from the hand anyway. There was no bounce in the pitch at all though, very poor. Re the Rossies there were a few ignorant ones near where I was too. Others were fine. I better tread carefully but some Rossies can really be testy. Most are fine but those that aren't appear especially ignorant in comparison to other counties.

Yes every county as bad egg supporters & i could talk about my bad experience with Mayo Fans but i know most are not like that.

On the sudject of Cillian O'Connor i also seen him kick bad wides/into keeper hands during this years club campaign

I don't think free taking is his strongest point though is amazing talent that needs to be nurtured by Mayo

[saffronandblue]

Like all teams that lose, you can blaim the manager.  O' Sheas two best games by some distance have been the two under 21 games against Ross.  He seems to be able to play for Dempsey and no one else.  Others are the opposite.

Kerry have had plenty of average managers over the years but still win......I have been involved with teams for about 15 years now and the good players WANT to win.  As manager you could read a newspaper on the sideline if you had the right type of player.  Too many of our boys are yellow to the core and will never ever ever ever be any  different.  You just cannot train guts into lads.  If Ross had lost today people would have been on here saying that they were not fit enough.  Jesus, the lad they had in mid field must eat a fair few spuds for the dinner

I believe our seniors will go the very same way before the year is over.....will that be the managers fault.....no...........we have overrated our players for far too long.  Give me some Michael Collins, Lacken type of players anyday, or a few of the Knockmore/Hollymount boys from the 80's.

Alan Dillion is the only honest player we have around the middle.  As slight an all as he is, he will put his body on the line and will win more breaking ball than all of our other playes in the middle third put together.    Training has very little to do with it........its inbuilt in the very nature of the man.

[mannix]

Disappointed in the result. I too know a lot of Roscommon yobs, they just have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. Best of luck all the same to the team and I hope they win it all.

[neilthemac]

Disappointed in the result. I too know a lot of Roscommon yobs, they just have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. Best of luck all the same to the team and I hope they win it all.

too many beatings from Mayo down the years.
Roscommon people were generally fed up of the green and red jersey. and the fact ye drive through Ros every time on yer way out of the province makes it all the worse when ye beat us.

but yes, some people don't know how to be humble in victory

[Rudi]

Disappointed in the result. I too know a lot of Roscommon yobs, they just have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. Best of luck all the same to the team and I hope they win it all.

too many beatings from Mayo down the years.
Roscommon people were generally fed up of the green and red jersey. and the fact ye drive through Ros every time on yer way out of the province makes it all the worse when ye beat us.

but yes, some people don't know how to be humble in victory

or be gracious in defeat.

[stephenite]

You say that Rudi
despite the fact he wished them well and hoped they go onto win

[neilthemac]

I was talking generally

I would always give my support to any team from Connacht that plays against anyone outside

[stephenite]

Apologies Neil, had read the post incorrectly, it was Rudi who alluded that he wasn't gracious in defeat.
I'd know more decent Rossies than yobbos, but the yobbos are the same as the few Mayo yobbos

[baoithe]

Disappointed in the result. I too know a lot of Roscommon yobs, they just have a chip on their shoulders for some reason. Best of luck all the same to the team and I hope they win it all.

too many beatings from Mayo down the years.
Roscommon people were generally fed up of the green and red jersey. and the fact ye drive through Ros every time on yer way out of the province makes it all the worse when ye beat us.

but yes, some people don't know how to be humble in victory

I've had this sort of nonsense from Ros fans at Sligo/Roscommon games. That's hardly down to taking beatings from Sligo teams down through the years (I wish!). Its an element of Roscommon fans that fans of every county in Connacht has come across and its inexplicable.