Mayo V Down- All Ireland Quarter Final

[Syferus]

If Donegal beat the Dheras would it increase Mayo's chances of going all the way or is it still too early for Mayo to win an all Ireland and if so what else is required?

As long as we can score just one single, measly little  point more than the opposition in  our next three games, we'll have Sam in the trailer and as go bráth linn ar muin na muice. (or something like that.)
Believe it or not, that's all that is required! 

I can only imagine the state Ballagh will be left in if ye win.

[From the Bunker]

5 pts is hardly a hammering. Monaghan played well in that game, and the scoreline was a bit harsh, as Monaghan  created a lot of chances but didn't finish them. At least they put up a fight unlike Sligo.

I think you will find it was six! And unless your standards have got really low, that is a hammering. My point is this is not about Monaghan, Sligo, Kildare or Laois. We don't give a fiddlers f* who beat who by what! This is about Mayo and Down!

[seanog]

If Donegal beat the Dheras would it increase Mayo's chances of going all the way or is it still too early for Mayo to win an all Ireland and if so what else is required?

As long as we can score just one single, measly little  point more than the opposition in  our next three games, we'll have Sam in the trailer and as go bráth linn ar muin na muice. (or something like that.)
Believe it or not, that's all that is required! 

I can only imagine the state Ballagh will be left in if ye win.

Yeah the non natives would surely be in up arms.

[Syferus]

If Donegal beat the Dheras would it increase Mayo's chances of going all the way or is it still too early for Mayo to win an all Ireland and if so what else is required?

As long as we can score just one single, measly little  point more than the opposition in  our next three games, we'll have Sam in the trailer and as go bráth linn ar muin na muice. (or something like that.)
Believe it or not, that's all that is required! 

I can only imagine the state Ballagh will be left in if ye win.

Yeah the non natives would surely be in up arms.

Don't be so politically incorrect to the Mayo Óg's in town!

Better hope we make the minor final or we'll have roadblocks set up by the time the party wagon rolls into town.

[rodney trotter]

5 pts is hardly a hammering. Monaghan played well in that game, and the scoreline was a bit harsh, as Monaghan  created a lot of chances but didn't finish them. At least they put up a fight unlike Sligo.

I think you will find it was six! And unless your standards have got really low, that is a hammering. My point is this is not about Monaghan, Sligo, Kildare or Laois. We don't give a fiddlers f* who beat who by what! This is about Mayo and Down!

Yeah it is about Down-Mayo, I used the Sligo game as thats who Mayo played last. And unless they have improved alot by Saturday they won't beat Down. But we shall see..

[From the Bunker]

5 pts is hardly a hammering. Monaghan played well in that game, and the scoreline was a bit harsh, as Monaghan  created a lot of chances but didn't finish them. At least they put up a fight unlike Sligo.

I think you will find it was six! And unless your standards have got really low, that is a hammering. My point is this is not about Monaghan, Sligo, Kildare or Laois. We don't give a fiddlers f* who beat who by what! This is about Mayo and Down!

Yeah it is about Down-Mayo, I used the Sligo game as thats who Mayo played last. And unless they have improved alot by Saturday they won't beat Down. But we shall see..

I was thinking the exactly the same thing about Downs last outing! Looks like we are stuck with two average teams heading to Croker!

[kevmy]

In terms of the Sligo game. We absolutely dominated the game from number 1 to 9. Our problem was we didn't take our chances efficiently enough.

It wasn't even the old (and at this stage it is old) Mayo failing of passing the buck and shooting terrible wides. It was trying to engineer goal chances when points were on. Add in the disallowed goal early on. If that had been allowed I think we would have kicked on and defeated Sligo easily enough.

And I think that Sligo backs unit gave us a much tougher day than the Down one will. The problem is the Down midfield is miles better than Sligo's and they also have a couple more handy forwards.

[DuffleKing]

The downside of anyone drawing mayo is that the game and particularly where mayo go afterwards will be analysed to death for weeks!

[Farrandeelin]

The downside of anyone drawing mayo is that the game and particularly where mayo go afterwards will be analysed to death for weeks!

We talk a good game anyway.

[seafoid]

Fingers crossed for Mayo. The championship really starts here. Horan will have been priming the team for this match and beyond. 

[Rossfan]

The championship really starts here.

Correct Seafóid.
What went before is mainly irrelevant and is a bit was  the early counts in an election - preliminary tidying up by eliminating all the no hopers.
This game will be all about that old championship cliche "on the day" .

[criostlinn]

This is it lads this is what its all about. Knock out champioship football. No second chances.

8 teams left and 7 of then from division 1. The only team from outside division 1 are the division 2 champions. I dont think you could script an end to the championship as good as this.

This is what James Horan has been building for since the exit to Kerry in last years championship. He could see what was missing and brought in the personel in an attempt to address it. Has this worked. Well know we are gonna see.

Mayo are playing a far cuter game this year. The tackling is far more intense and the midfield third are getting into better positions for breaks. They seem to be playing with more of a plan. I remember the London game last year and the experiment of Howley playing as an extra defender. This was a disaster. It was to obvious and to easy to counteract. Far play to Horan he abandoned it straight away but I felt they played the rest of the year without a proper defensive plan. The league this year was used to try something different and Sunday will be the first right test of this.

The team picks itself from 1-9 but I am a little concerned about Vaughan's performance so far. He's still gonna be centre back but I think he needs to up things a bit. Colm Boyle will and should start but I wish James Horan would use Richie Feeney a bit more. He is a great man to throw in when under pressure but I feel Horan has an issue with him and seems very reluctant to use him.

As for the forward line. 4 places are obvious, Moran, O'Connor, McLoughlin and Dillon. So its two from Freeman, Doherty or Conroy. I cannot decide between the 3 so we'll have to trust Horan from what he sees at training. If pushed Id go with Freeman and Doherty but to be honset thats based on a couple of good performances from the past and the hope that they'll come good some day. My patience is wearing thin on this thou.  If Seamus O Shea was fully fit Id probably put him in centre forward and move O'Connor inside. But I dont think he is.

[seafoid]

Hopefully the bit of stability in the setup  will stand to Mayo. If they can kick on from last year it will be very interesting. 

[sans pessimism]

5 pts is hardly a hammering. Monaghan played well in that game, and the scoreline was a bit harsh, as Monaghan  created a lot of chances but didn't finish them. At least they put up a fight unlike Sligo.

Quit while your behind Rod

[rosnarun]

As for the forward line. 4 places are obvious, Moran, O'Connor, McLoughlin and Dillon

has o connor  really done enough this year to Justify being included with the other 3 . I really dont think he has .  hes had two stinkers so far and his place must seriously be in doubt . If his frees were going well he may have been worth keeping for that but  some of his efforts were poor the last day and not what is required from a 1st choice Free taker.
Maybe its the  difficult second album and he need to spend a little longer in the studio bu the ised of swaping him around he place untill he look good is just silly .