All Ireland senior football final 2012 Donegal v Mayo

[J70]

Mayo have a Connacht draw full of opportunities for the train to derail and teams more than capable on their days to do just that. It's a no win situation for Mayo next year in those games while for everyone else it's a chance to beat the AI finalists. Mayo have been impressive but history says only the very best teams from the west emerge as Connacht three years running - the last time Mayo did it was in 1950 as part of a four-in-a-row from '48-51 - and Mayo's record in the qualifers is poor. I think

Mayo reaching the AIQF stage by either door will be a statement that should worry whoever their opponent are.

reckon this mayo team don't pay much mind to history.

here's me thinking this  donegal team haven't beaten dublin yet.

thats right they haven't.

got confused for a moment,

we'd have done you, even the dogs in the street know that.

But when you had your chance to beat us in 2011 you couldn't

In Fact I reckon Sir Jimmy said a few Ava Maria's when Mayo fell over the line. We'd have gone in as reigning All-Ireland champions as underdogs into a final.

Really Donegal for me have to beat us in the championship to claim being the best in the country.

Sure youse didn't beat Cork last year. What would you have said to a Cork man who said Dublin couldn't claim to be the best team in the country last year (leaving Kerry out of it for the sake of argument)?

The 2011 Donegal performances are irrelevant. Donegal were a much more formidable team this year and easily the best in the country by any normal barometer. Of course, their appetite has now been at least partially sated, and other teams may find that extra bit of determination and leadership that can make the difference, so whether or not Donegal will be the best team in 2013 obviously remains to be seen.

[Declan]

Good interview with Horan here:

Horan blasts RTÉ All-Ireland 'bias'
By Terry Reilly
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Mayo manager James Horan has accused RTÉ of influencing officials ahead of the All-Ireland final with a "biased" build-up in favour of Donegal.
The former All Star hit out at the national broadcaster before travelling with the team for a holiday in Miami and vowed that his side's potential would eventually prove Mayo's doubters wrong.

"There was a lot of commentary from some media sources that was factually incorrect and, quite frankly, idiotic stuff," he said.

"In a two-horse race, if you have the national broadcaster proclaiming about one team and one team only, that's going to influence officials and various things around the game.

"There should be no place for that type of biased discussion. It was completely unwarranted and incorrect. We'll eventually be proven right. Did it impact the game? It's hard to say."

Horan also believes the national media in general constantly talks down Mayo's chances and cited the analysis ahead of their game against Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.

"It didn't particularly annoy me but of course we notice that," he said in an interview with the Western People.

"Pretty much any big game we play is always about the other team in the media. If you were paranoid, you might think that the representation we get from the national media isn't fair or reflective, but you'd waste your time if you went down that road.

"It's pretty much all about how strong the opposition are and how are Mayo going to stop them rather than talking about what we can do, but as time passes, we're changing minds and changing attitudes, I think."

One thing he can't change, though, is the result from the final. He dismissed the notion he got his match-ups wrong against Donegal and put the loss down to basic mistakes made by Mayo players.

"I've heard a lot of discussion about match-ups in the All-Ireland final, but in a way that misses the point. We had as much possession in that game as we had against Down in the quarter-final but used it poorly at times.

"We had a lot of possession in the first 10 minutes. A lot of ball went into the full-forward line in the opening minutes that we didn't hold. If we had held that ball, we'd be having a different conversation. There's a range of things apart from the match-ups that, to me, are more important.

"I hear a lot about Michael Murphy winning that early ball but if you go back and ask why was that ball kicked in, why did Karl Lacey get the space to deliver such a fine pass? We had Barry [Moran], Aidan [O'Shea], Alan [Dillon], Jason [Doherty] out there and go back further than that — where did Donegal win the ball?

"Scores don't just come from the things that stick in people's minds, there much more to it than that. We always go back and look at why and where such things happened and that's the way we improve," he continued.

"Before Lacey kicked the ball in, there were guys who could have got tackles in and could have stopped it in the half-back line. There are always moments like that where we can improve, and we will.

"Michael Murphy got a great goal and fair play to him, but we were in a lot more control of the game than that early scoreline indicated and we didn't do our stuff. We made mistakes and gave Donegal the opportunities. That's where I focus my attention rather than just on obvious match-ups. The reasons behind the construction of the attack were much more important."

The experience of competing in the final, a game he believes Mayo should have won, will stand to his team though, and the biggest problem he has had since the game is resting players ahead of the season.

"We had to cool guys down in the weeks after the All-Ireland final because they wanted to get back to it again. They couldn't wait to start again, but we had to say 'hold on there'. It needed to be done in a controlled, scientific way, and that's what we have done.

"People are very keen and there's a great team spirit, a great sense of unity among the players. We've already some strong additions to the group and we're not finished yet, so fellas just can't wait to get back on the field again.

"We eradicated the seven-point deficit fairly quickly and 10 minutes into the second half we had opportunities we didn't take. It was the mistakes we made that ultimately cost us.

"The exciting thing is that we didn't play like we can, yet should have won the All-Ireland and that gives us huge scope in which to develop. That's what we're looking forward to and that's what we're working so hard on already to bring out in 2013.

"We had lost the All-Ireland final, but within 10 minutes I knew people would use the experience in the right way. From talking to the players, I knew that an even greater level of determination was building as we spoke.

"We were all disappointed and emotional and it was hard, but we sat down and analysed the game and said 'This is why we lost and this is what we must do to improve in those areas'. It was very practical and logical and everyone realised that a few little things cost us. So we went through that process before we left the dressing room and even later that night in the hotel there was a sense of 'onwards and upwards'.

"We're back in action next weekend and we can't wait to get started. We did okay in 2012, but compared to what this team is capable of, we didn't perform to 60% of our true potential.

"We got to two national finals last year, but didn't come anywhere what we are capable of. So the challenge for us now is to play to our potential. The team has huge skill levels and we're looking all the time to improve and drive on. We're working hard and we know that when we get things right, great things are possible."

Mayo boss reveals huge sacrifices of coaching role

Life as an inter-county manager requires huge sacrifices according to Mayo's James Horan.

Having led his county to the All-Ireland final against Donegal last year in just his second season with the team, he admitted the limited time he can devote to his wife and four children shows why so few managers stay in the job for long.

"I'm enjoying it, but it's very, very tough and extremely time-consuming," he said.

"Today, I've competed a day's work, got home and had dinner with the family before having six meetings between half seven and this interview at 11pm. Maybe that's why the life of a top-five inter-county manager is a short one because it's so high octane; but don't get me wrong, it's extremely enjoyable.

"You just have to try and make up for it in different ways.

"I try to minimise the time I'm away from home and try spend as much time as I can with Siobhán and the girls. Undoubtedly, some things do suffer because of the time required to do this job."

[heffo]

It's annoying when the media and figures within the GAA try to influence a referee ahead of a big game alright. Some might say he's talking out of both sides of his mouth though.

[stephenite]

Mayo will always be talked down in big games until we go and win the thing, no point in wasting time complaining about it.

[highorlow]

It's not exactly onwards and upwards if he is still harping on about last years final.

[From the Bunker]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

[muppet]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

[From the Bunker]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

Sorry Muppet, i was writing a bit tongue in cheek about Brolly and the Referee. I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff.  Brolly had put the Pressure on on Wednesday, Thursday was a time to put the pressure on the referee that he was really being told what to do by Brolly and not his own man. Speaking about it now is a waste of time. 

[heffo]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff. 

Would've looked a bit silly & hypocritical after what was said before the semi-final.

[cadence]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

Sorry Muppet, i was writing a bit tongue in cheek about Brolly and the Referee. I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff.  Brolly had put the Pressure on on Wednesday, Thursday was a time to put the pressure on the referee that he was really being told what to do by Brolly and not his own man. Speaking about it now is a waste of time.

totally agree with you on this one. mayo should have issued a statement.

the problem with all the hype about defining what refereeing issues certain competing teams may pose, is that the hype exists. it's hype that's impossible not to notice given the hunger the media has in the build up to big games, and whoever reads it has to make a call on its relevance or not. like it or not, referees are swayed by managers and influential journos in the press. it's been happening in soccer for years and it happens in football too. internet forums are a bit of a battle ground too in this regard... i wouldn't be surprised if some officials read forums to take stock of the ideological positions against certain teams tactics if nothing else. i know i do.

it's seems to be part of the game. for better or worse, these days hype/briefing in the press is seen as a battleground for those who want to defend how certain teams play.

for what it's worth, mayo should've let fly themselves. it would've done them no harm making a nice balanced statement about brolly's. i thought brolly wanted us to win and was afraid we'd be damaged by an overly punitive ref who may have been swayed by general chatter about donegal fouling tactics slowing up the flow of the game to organise our defence.*






* this post in no way suggests that mayo have ever been guilty of using fouls to delay play in order to organise their defence.

     

[Canalman]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff. 

Would've looked a bit silly & hypocritical after what was said before the semi-final.

Heffo, think the Mayo posters here honestly don't know or have conveniently forgotten what you are referring to. Can they see the irony of it all?

[From the Bunker]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff. 

Would've looked a bit silly & hypocritical after what was said before the semi-final.

Heffo, think the Mayo posters here honestly don't know or have conveniently forgotten what you are referring to. Can they see the irony of it all?

I Know what you are talking about, the GAA made a mess of the semi-final choice for referee (No fault of Dublin). I suppose it's Goose and Gander stuff really. 

[muppet]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff. 

Would've looked a bit silly & hypocritical after what was said before the semi-final.

It is one thing expressing concern regarding the appointment of a referee with a history of controversy involving your team, e.g. this goes on all the time in soccer, it is a different thing for a supposedly neutral pundit to stick his oar completely in on one side. I understand the Dubs being a bit sensitive on this but it wasn't an action against them, it was a genuine problem with a particular ref.

Brolly's was an attack on one of the teams, it didn't matter who the ref was, his agenda was against Mayo.

[Lar Naparka]

I think it's a pity that James had to say anything about the final now that the new season is about to commence. Time to forget Brolly; learn from previous mistakes and move on. The pity is that he said a lot in that interview that was meaningful and focussed and that showed he and his team mean to take up where they left off last year but the interview wouldn't be remembered for any of it.
And they should be in upbeat mood; they have plenty to feel satisfied about. Stuff Brolly!
I'm afraid that I think all that those who are aware of the interview will only recall the fact that Horan is still sore about Brolly and, by implication, is a poor loser.
I don't disagree with anything he had to say about the little f**ker but I don't think I'd have said it in public - not now anyway. Let the results this year do the talking for Horan and Mayo football.

[heffo]

Personally, i don't think Brolly's comments had anything to do with the two Mayo players getting booked in the first couple of minutes, Referees are never influenced by the Media. And besides the comments were made on a Wednesday afternoon, not enough time for the referee do dwell on or eek into the subconscious. The same comments were made by McGuinness about Kildare in the AI QF in 2011, so i don't see the big deal. It's just idle comment!

I think Brolly knew exactly what he was doing.

However I also agree with Stephenite, Horan should say nothing until he has won Sam. Until then we are the easy target for the likes of Brolly.

I believe a back room coach from Mayo should have came out publicly on the Thursday and upped the anti on Brolly statement saying he was influencing the refereeing and call the referees bluff. 

Would've looked a bit silly & hypocritical after what was said before the semi-final.

It is one thing expressing concern regarding the appointment of a referee with a history of controversy involving your team, e.g. this goes on all the time in soccer, it is a different thing for a supposedly neutral pundit to stick his oar completely in on one side. I understand the Dubs being a bit sensitive on this but it wasn't an action against them, it was a genuine problem with a particular ref.

Brolly's was an attack on one of the teams, it didn't matter who the ref was, his agenda was against Mayo.

Pundits on TSG aren't neutral though - neither are commentators.

E.g - Colm O'Rourke - Dublin will be beaten and their fans will be in the pub in time to watch their second favourite team play Ecquador

E.g - Kevin McStay - 'Oh no, no, no, he can't, I can't believe he's doing this, he's given Dublin a free

I can give a thousand more example too to bias from pundits and commentators.

The end result is the same - putting pressure on a referee ahead of a game to acheive a particular result. You can't have it both ways.

I don't believe Dubs are the least bit sensitive on the issue - Mayo won fair and square. Just pointing out the hypocricy.