Monaghan v Mayo - Inniskeen, 10th April 2011

[Lar Naparka]

From reading JH's comments in the Mayo Advertiser, it seems he was less than impressed with the effort being expended by some of the lads yesterday. Good to see he cares, even though it was a meaningless game.

I would have thought that most of the players would be looking over their shoulders at least, and not happy to coast through a game....

http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/38595/mayo-fail-to-pass-monaghan-exam-

I'm in total agreement with you on the first count but I'd qualify the second one.. I realised in the second half that I wasn't the only unhappy bunny in the place as James started to make changes all around the place.
Little things can certainly mean a lot—for me at any rate. I copped early on that the use of the vernacular out on the pitch was confined almost exclusively to the Monaghan lads. We have plenty of good footballers  but James still has lots of work to do.
In academic terms, we had nothing to lose yesterday but we stood to gain a lot. We didn't have the luxury yesterday of taking it easy as it was our last competitive game before the championships begin.
I thought Monaghan earned some dignity. I always felt they had a good game in them and they chose to come up with it yesterday. No offence intended for Monaghan people but they don't appear to have the finished article for the championships either. Still, their team came out fighting and deserved the win.
Arrah, I didn't expect anyone to bust a gut out there and I realise full well that a young team in the early stages of development can't play flat out in every game they play.
But I feel the old Mayo mindset is still there. Poor James still has a lot to do if he can knock a sense of urgency into their heads. (I hope he began with a good bollicking as that's always the best way to start.)
I thought many who might feel confident of their places in the summer were content to drift along. Fancy flashes at times alright but there isn't a David Brady amongst them and that's for sure.
Monaghan had Finlay and Freeman to show leadership and keep their team together whereas Mayo were depending on their younger players to display some urgency and commitment.
We were out of it throughout the game at midfield and as a result the half backs and forwards were always under pressure. I did like James Burke but we can't be depending on the likes of him, Freeman and Doherty to take the load in tougher games to come.
Ah, feck it; it was a most enjoyable day out. I liked the home supporters I met and I loved the way the announcer called out the community news at half time. It was community service at its best. The GAA is still in great shape.
I even met a sound Roscommon guard and we had the best of craic for a few minutes until he got called away. After all, there wasn't too much to get worked up about at the time.
Although a sound Roscomon anything is a bit of an oxymoron isn't it?

[highorlow]

Good prospects for the championship with some proper stylish footballers coming through;

With the likes of Feeney, Doherty, Kilcullen, coming through and McLoughlin and Gardiner back on form it bodes well for the championship.

We are 11/8 in the betting for Connaught which is generous odds. Based on what was on show for the last few months I would say we are 5 points a better team then the challengers Galway, Sligo or Roscommon.

[Tubberman]

Good prospects for the championship with some proper stylish footballers coming through;

With the likes of Feeney, Doherty, Kilcullen, coming through and McLoughlin and Gardiner back on form it bodes well for the championship.

We are 11/8 in the betting for Connaught which is generous odds. Based on what was on show for the last few months I would say we are 5 points a better team then the challengers Galway, Sligo or Roscommon.

Not meaning to single out any player, but what performance of Gardiner's has convinced you he is back non form?

And you write off Galway at your peril! They beat Armagh comfortably, and drew with Dublin in their last two league games.
It would be far more worrying from their point of view if they were winning the early league matches and losing the latter ones. 
They have P Joyce back and Meehan (and maybe Nicky Joyce) yet to make their returns.
They will be gunning for us in June, I wouldn't be particularly confident about that one at all.

[GrandMasterFlash]

I copped early on that the use of the vernacular out on the pitch was confined almost exclusively to the Monaghan lads.

I'm confused, how would you like the Monaghan lads to communicate with each other on their home turf, in French or in code?

Arrah, I didn't expect anyone to bust a gut out there and I realise full well that a young team in the early stages of development can't play flat out in every game they play.

And that is exactly the definition of where Monaghan football is right now.. (excluding a few players)

[Main Street]

I think Lar was referring to that the Monaghan team was the only team out there, communicating with each other.

[Lar Naparka]

I think Lar was referring to that the Monaghan team was the only team out there, communicating with each other.

I was indeed and I was impressed by the way they 'communicated' with each other. "Will you get back to f**k outa that and mark yer bloody man?" and the likes were all coming from the Monaghan players. It showed they had a greater sense of urgency and displayed more passion and commitment than our lads did.
I'd also say that I know Monaghan are in the same stage of development as Mayo are. But I feel McEneaney has more reasoned to feel satisfied with his side's development this morning than James Horan has. I thought Finlay, Freeman and the other senior lads kept a shape on the team throughout and there was little or no wild shooting or pointless hoofing. Mac still has a way to go but he is getting there I'd say.
Having said that, I'm not unduly depressed about Mayo. James Horan isn't either by the looks of it but I'm confident that he knows what has to be done. I'm just a bit disappointed that a lot of players didn't use the opportunity to put down their marker for the championships.

[GrandMasterFlash]

Sure, apologies..

[AbbeySider]

Good prospects for the championship with some proper stylish footballers coming through;

With the likes of Feeney, Doherty, Kilcullen, coming through and McLoughlin and Gardiner back on form it bodes well for the championship.

We are 11/8 in the betting for Connaught which is generous odds. Based on what was on show for the last few months I would say we are 5 points a better team then the challengers Galway, Sligo or Roscommon.

Not meaning to single out any player, but what performance of Gardiner's has convinced you he is back non form?

You could be wasting your breath asking that question.

Im still waiting on an answer from highorlow to which Mayo midfielders he was referring to that are are not "footballers".

He said in a previous thread that Mayo beat Cork thanks to it being the:

1st time we have 2 footballers in midfield we get a result.

indicating that McGarrity, Gibbons and Parsons are not footballers
Crazy statements... pinch of salt and all that

[Main Street]

I was indeed and I was impressed by the way they 'communicated' with each other. "Will you get back to f**k outa that and mark yer bloody man?" and the likes were all coming from the Monaghan players. It showed they had a greater sense of urgency and displayed more passion and commitment than our lads did.

Might have confused the Mayo lads that everybody was called Shirley.

"Will you get back to f**k outa that and mark yer bloody man?"
"Aye Surely".

[GrandMasterFlash]

I was indeed and I was impressed by the way they 'communicated' with each other. "Will you get back to f**k outa that and mark yer bloody man?" and the likes were all coming from the Monaghan players. It showed they had a greater sense of urgency and displayed more passion and commitment than our lads did.

Might have confused the Mayo lads that everybody was called Shirley.

"Will you get back to f**k outa that and mark yer bloody man?"
"Aye Surely".

Shirley you can't be serious Main?

[ross4life]

Lar Naparka, plenty of "sound" Roscommon guards Derek Duggan, Fergal O'Donnell to name a few..

[mannix]

Good prospects for the championship with some proper stylish footballers coming through;

With the likes of Feeney, Doherty, Kilcullen, coming through and McLoughlin and Gardiner back on form it bodes well for the championship.

We are 11/8 in the betting for Connaught which is generous odds. Based on what was on show for the last few months I would say we are 5 points a better team then the challengers Galway, Sligo or Roscommon.

Not meaning to single out any player, but what performance of Gardiner's has convinced you he is back non form?

You could be wasting your breath asking that question.

Im still waiting on an answer from highorlow to which Mayo midfielders he was referring to that are are not "footballers".

He said in a previous thread that Mayo beat Cork thanks to it being the:

1st time we have 2 footballers in midfield we get a result.

indicating that McGarrity, Gibbons and Parsons are not footballers
Crazy statements... pinch of salt and all that

well you must admit that yesterday Mayo had a washout in midfield. i am not going to run down any lad that is out there but some of them are kidding themselves by training and travelling to these games if they do not bust their asses to hold onto the jersey. freeman,doherty and andy moran have the mentality needed to win, now all we have to do is get the surgeons in castlebar general to use the brain machine on the rest of them. easy peasy.

[Onlooker]

Overall i believe it was a better performance than last week.Darren Hughes had a good game.Owen Lennon did well in Midlfield aswell.Nice goal by Tommy Freeman.Conor McManus ok of a game.Dick Clerkon i think had an ok of a game aswell.Referee missed alot of frees.Sad though as i think it will be a long time before we get back up to Div 1 again there is alot of difficult teams in Div2 .This is how Div2 is next year:Monaghan,Galway,Derry,Tyrone,Kildare,Meath,Westmeath and Louth.So there shall be some tough games.

That is a very tight looking Div. 2 for next year all right.  I know it is a long way off, but I would not be a bit surprised if Westmeath and Louth went straight back down to Div. 3. the way that Antrim and Sligo did this year.

[babarino]

Hard luck to Monaghan. Mad to think that if Galway scored another point against Dublin, it would be Armagh and not Monaghan relegated along with Galway

Monaghan blew it that day in Armagh. It was a game we should have won with 5 points to spare. Monaghan were far from the finished article in Division 1, but we were better than Armagh and Galway.

It's by no means a disaster to go down to Division 2 and many good players have come through. There's very little in terms of quality between 1 and 2. Divsion 3 - that would be a serious setback. But attention now shifts to Round 1 in Omagh.

[Lar Naparka]

Lar Naparka, plenty of "sound" Roscommon guards Derek Duggan, Fergal O'Donnell to name a few..

Yeehaw! You're forgetting about the one I met in Inishkeen yesterday. That makes three so there is another two at most to go.