Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, March 20 (or maybe the 18th, you wouldn't know).

[mannix]

Indiana,
Let's hope that the 6/7 players are defenders, because giving up a lead like that is not a sign of a champion elect. Mayo were poor starting and poor finishing the game and still clawed you back and with more composure would have totally demoralized dublin like 2006.

[Jinxy]

Dublin were missing 5 first choice defenders from what I can see so it's a bit odd to have people saying they'll win nothing defending like that.

[ross4life]

Dublin were missing 5 first choice defenders from what I can see so it's a bit odd to have people saying they'll win nothing defending like that.

That's true & to score 4-15 without some of their best forwards is some going.

[Jinxy]

I'm still not sure about Connolly.
He just seems to jog around the place and when he comes up against tight defenders and gets frustrated I don't think he'll contribute a lot.
Well able to kick a score but just doesn't seem to have any intensity about him.

[heffo]

Happy with the win.

But that wasnt real Gaelic Football. Utterly highlighted  why neither side has won All-Irelands recently.

Good to watch but zero defending at either end.

How many players that started against Cork in the All-Ireland semi started today?

Three

[heffo]

Dublin were missing 5 first choice defenders from what I can see so it's a bit odd to have people saying they'll win nothing defending like that.

Five first choice defenders plus Cluxton

[Farrandeelin]

Mayo can forget about being back in Croke Park this year if we keep starting games slowly. Also we need to find proper full and centre-backs if we want to do anything any time soon.

[INDIANA]

Happy with the win.

But that wasnt real Gaelic Football. Utterly highlighted  why neither side has won All-Irelands recently.

Good to watch but zero defending at either end.

How many players that started against Cork in the All-Ireland semi started today?

Three

True Heffo but its largely going to be the same 15 that played against Cork based on today. Not sure thats a good thing. Connolly and Quinn are pushing hard up front but bar that not sure anyone else really is.

[Jinxy]

I think Quinn is well worth his place in the championship 15.

[Cosmo Kramer]

Mayo can forget about being back in Croke Park this year if we keep starting games slowly. Also we need to find proper full and centre-backs if we want to do anything any time soon.

According to Mid West this evening Alan Feeney and Donal Vaughan are nearly ready to go (feeney made the subs today). If available I would put them both in against Cork in place of Barrett and Cafferkey. If Clarke is fit I would put him back in goal because I think he'll still end up being our No. 1. Cunniffe Higgins McLoughlin and Feeney as the rest of the defence - I think that line up would shore us up...but its as much about the gameplan as anything, if we let the full back line get isolated like we did in the first half today we'll get beat every day we go out. If our defence plays as a unit we're a match for anyone going forward.

Unless McGarrity gets injured - then we're fucked.

[Chimley]

From a Mayo perspective it's hard to know where to begin.

Negatives:

The full back line must be the smallest to tog out at inter-county level in living memory. Dublin high ball in resulted in goal chances every time.
Peadar Gardiner as an extra defender/sweeper was a disaster. For all his service to the county, he will not be remembered as an outstanding defender.
The physicality of the Dubs was on a higher plane than we could handle. Even when we started motoring at the start of the second half we were only making inroads by putting everything on the line. This took a toll on our smalller team and the Dubs took over again once they weathered the storm.
We need to find some freetakers. This problem has haunted us since Maurice Sheridan retired and looks no closer to being solved. Is there no-one of any ability in the county who can kick a placed ball 50 yrds? Cora Staunton would put the lot of them to shame.

Positives:

We have genuine goal threat in our full-forward line.
McGarrity looks to be back to his very best and gives us a chance to get a foothold at midfield in any game.
We didn't fold up our tents and give up when things went against us early on. We battled to the end and that's the main thing you like to see of your county team, no matter what. There are days when you come up against better teams.

The Dubs look to have a great chance of silverware this year. I fear that they may be a step ahead of other counties on fitness at the minute but they are building a nice head of steam all the same.

[heffo]

Happy with the win.

But that wasnt real Gaelic Football. Utterly highlighted  why neither side has won All-Irelands recently.

Good to watch but zero defending at either end.

How many players that started against Cork in the All-Ireland semi started today?

Three

True Heffo but its largely going to be the same 15 that played against Cork based on today. Not sure thats a good thing. Connolly and Quinn are pushing hard up front but bar that not sure anyone else really is.

That's not the feedback I'm getting Indiana.

Don't think too many of those lads (some of which aren't even third choice as lined out today) will see much championship football.

[moysider]

Mayo can forget about being back in Croke Park this year if we keep starting games slowly. Also we need to find proper full and centre-backs if we want to do anything any time soon.

According to Mid West this evening Alan Feeney and Donal Vaughan are nearly ready to go (feeney made the subs today). If available I would put them both in against Cork in place of Barrett and Cafferkey. If Clarke is fit I would put him back in goal because I think he'll still end up being our No. 1. Cunniffe Higgins McLoughlin and Feeney as the rest of the defence - I think that line up would shore us up...but its as much about the gameplan as anything, if we let the full back line get isolated like we did in the first half today we'll get beat every day we go out. If our defence plays as a unit we're a match for anyone going forward.

Unless McGarrity gets injured - then we're fucked.

I think we ll find that this is as much a problem of attitude/ethos/ coaching as it is of personnel. I m not sure why people are picking on Cafferkey in particular as I could point the finger at another 3 defenders plus the keeper that were found wanting at some time. Caff has been a success until today anyway and if the first 20 minutes are what we are going on quite a few would be getting stood down. There is no guarantee that the likes of Vaughan and Alan Feeney would have done any better in the circumstances. Chances are that they would not as the whole team started flat anyway. Just goes to show - in case anybody was under any illusion - just how far we have to go. So far Horan has had a look at lots of players, as he promised to do, but we have hardly budged as regards putting out a realistic performance against any serious opposition. There have been some good individual performances and some nice attacking football in games but there has been little to suggest that we have the shape, tactical nous or toughness for summer football to date.

[Chimley]

That's not the feedback I'm getting Indiana.

Don't think too many of those lads (some of which aren't even third choice as lined out today) will see much championship football.

Bloody hell. It's bad enough to see that we conceded 4-4 in 15 minutes but against the Dubs 4th string to add insult to injury. Bernard Brogan would have caused mayhem today.

[INDIANA]

Happy with the win.

But that wasnt real Gaelic Football. Utterly highlighted  why neither side has won All-Irelands recently.

Good to watch but zero defending at either end.

How many players that started against Cork in the All-Ireland semi started today?

Three

True Heffo but its largely going to be the same 15 that played against Cork based on today. Not sure thats a good thing. Connolly and Quinn are pushing hard up front but bar that not sure anyone else really is.

That's not the feedback I'm getting Indiana.

Don't think too many of those lads (some of which aren't even third choice as lined out today) will see much championship football.

I meant from the Cork game last year Smokey. I think Nelson has an outside chance in the backs. But we need all of Fitzsimons, O Carroll jnr fit for championship.

Would be great to win the league.