Mayo V Dublin - Castlebar - 11/02/12

Jinxy · April 01, 2012, 07:26:41 PM

Quote from: Hill16 Blues on April 01, 2012, 03:40:19 PM
Losing/winning of game was nothing to do with Connolly and Kevin Mc being kept quiet. Dublin were cleaned out in midfield. Mayo targeted Cluxtons kickouts and won 90% of posession without any fight from dublin at all. Our half backs and half forwards were way off the pace and we made countless unforced errors. That aside Mayo played well and punished Dublin throughout the game. Dublin however had no intensity to their game.

Also bear in mind Dublin team missing the two Brogans, Eoin O'Gara, Denis Bastick, Barry Cahill, Philly McMahon and Mick Fitzsimons - all are first choice players when fit/available. Our strength in depth nowhere as strong as we thought. Good win for Mayo but I wouldn't be booking the hotel in dublin for September just yet

'Strength in depth' is one of the most misused terms in sport.
Strength in depth means that if a player or two gets injured, there's a perfectly adequate replacement available.
It doesn't mean that if half of your first team are missing you can just replace them and carry on as normal.

Sam2011 · April 02, 2012, 12:50:23 AM

Well I wasn't expecting that result especially after I seen the team that was announced but I was gladly proven wrong. It was just one of those games were everything goes your way. Fair play to management for making some brave choices. I'm delighted for the team and management to have proven their critics (including myself) wrong and showing they are capable of competing with the best.
Thought everyone from 1 to 15 was outstanding and tried their best.
David Clarke done all you could ask him to do and still has a clean sheet so far in the league.
The full back line had the better of their men all the time. Also nice to see the young lads Keane and McHale standing up and being counted besides relying on Higgins all of the time.
The half back line were immense. Donie was at his best, Keegan is growing in every game and Boyle seems really hungry and very brave. Would like to see them three around championship time.
Midfield we won easily. O'Shea was mighty and seemed to have a point to prove. Hopefully hes learnt his lesson. Also got a nice point from distance.
Half forward line were great and looked as if they knew what they were doing. I think Dillon deserves a special mention. He got four lovely points from play and I was delighted for him as many had been questioning him recently (including myself). Really hopes he comes back to himself.
The full forward line was lively enough. Again I think Mort deserves a special mention for being the new top scorer in Mayo football and also got few nice points from play. Also glad to see Conroy at his best.
Nice to see us scoring mostly from play in the last two games which is something that was missing in recent times.
Overall the work rate was impressive and I hope it continues.
But in saying all of that I won't be getting to excited as Dublin were never in the game and they were missing a lot of important players. I wouldn't like to meet them in the championship though as I'm sure they'll be hell bent for revenge.
The key now is consistency which is something we've been lacking. We have a bit of confidence now so its up to the lads to drive on.
Any way time to move on to Kerry and I just hope the lads put in a good honest performance and if we end up in a semi-final good and well.
P.S I like the new Jersey.

emmetryan · April 02, 2012, 08:53:38 AM

I've put together a tactics piece on this game for anyone interested
http://action81.com/blog/?p=5670

Hound · April 02, 2012, 01:15:04 PM

Quote from: Hill16 Blues on April 01, 2012, 03:40:19 PM
Losing/winning of game was nothing to do with Connolly and Kevin Mc being kept quiet. Dublin were cleaned out in midfield. Mayo targeted Cluxtons kickouts and won 90% of posession without any fight from dublin at all.

If you don't allow Cluxton to make easy (for him) kickouts, its not difficult to clean Dublin out in midfield (though its easier said than done to remove the "easy" options).

By a distance our biggest weakness is lack of top class high fielder around the middle of the field.

mannix · April 02, 2012, 01:20:19 PM

great, all we have to do now is target kerrys kickouts and we have it all sewn up. why did we not think of this before?

HiMucker · April 02, 2012, 01:21:53 PM

Quote from: Hound on April 02, 2012, 01:15:04 PM
Quote from: Hill16 Blues on April 01, 2012, 03:40:19 PM
Losing/winning of game was nothing to do with Connolly and Kevin Mc being kept quiet. Dublin were cleaned out in midfield. Mayo targeted Cluxtons kickouts and won 90% of posession without any fight from dublin at all.

If you don't allow Cluxton to make easy (for him) kickouts, its not difficult to clean Dublin out in midfield (though its easier said than done to remove the "easy" options).

By a distance our biggest weakness is lack of top class high fielder around the middle of the field.

You could argue, most teams weakness. Few and far between in Gaelic football these days. Breakball is king. Cross dont have the sterotypical feilders around the middle either.

squire_in_navy_slacks · April 02, 2012, 03:21:57 PM

Mayo have also developed the cynicism needed to win the big games too................................. not a swipe at mayo lads, but the odd one or two went over awful easy the other eve

ballinaman · April 02, 2012, 03:28:54 PM

Quote from: squire_in_navy_slacks on April 02, 2012, 03:21:57 PM
Mayo have also developed the cynicism needed to win the big games too................................. not a swipe at mayo lads, but the odd one or two went over awful easy the other eve

And the Dublin lads found it awfully easy to throw clips when it wasn't going their way, was surprised to see it. I'd agree with you regards a few reactions of our lads though.

moysider · April 02, 2012, 03:56:05 PM

Quote from: squire_in_navy_slacks on April 02, 2012, 03:21:57 PM
Mayo have also developed the cynicism needed to win the big games too................................. not a swipe at mayo lads, but the odd one or two went over awful easy the other eve

A welcome development too to go along with a general copping on last few weeks.

PAULD123 · April 03, 2012, 01:07:21 PM

Quote from: squire_in_navy_slacks on April 02, 2012, 03:21:57 PM
Mayo have also developed the cynicism needed to win the big games too................................. not a swipe at mayo lads, but the odd one or two went over awful easy the other eve

This is a repeated theme of sideline observers. It implies that unless a player is completely upended that he should tolerate being fouled and just get on with it. It suggests people think that fouling is fine so long as it isn't "a big one".

Diving is wrong and feigning a foul is unsporting. But I have rarely seen where a player goes down without being touched??? In all cases where a player has gone down "awful easy" he has always been technically fouled, even if it wasn't with the force his fall implies. If he has been fouled then that is the story over, no "Ach, it was only a wee nudge ref", or "I only tapped his ankle" - If it's a foul it's a foul and you deserve a free given against you.

If you don't want a free given away then don't throw a thump at an opposition player, or tug his shirt, or tap his ankle...etc. There is no such thing as an easy free. It is either a free or it isn't. The solution is simple, just stop fouling!

It is a pity that players actually have to exaggerate the impact of a foul to get a referee's attention. It would be much better if the referee properly administered the rules correctly from the start and gave a free for a foul regardless of how forcefully the foul was committed. There is no allowance in the rules for such a distinction. If they did then there would be less exaggeration and certainly we would see a lot less sly little clips.