Mayo v Dublin

[Gnevin]

Think Magee has a valid shout for midfield alongside Whelan, has been ever present (I think) and steadily improving.

Still not cleanly catching enough ball for my liking but still 2 more games to see if he finally claims his spot

[tayto]

he does have a tendancy to field ball really well and then lose it somehow on the way back down ... or is that my imagination?

[Tubberman]

From hoganstand:

Dublin midfielder Ciaran Whelan is hoping to be fit for Sunday's crucial NFL Division 1A clash with Mayo in Castlebar.

The Raheny man was forced to sit out last Saturday's emphatic win over Fermanagh because of a leg injury he sustained in an accidental clash with team-mate Stephen O'Shaughnessy last week.

"I tried to pull on a loose ball that O'Shaughnessy was competing for and I came out worse. I wasn't right for last weekend's game," he explained.

"The lads did well without me but I am hoping to be back this weekend."

Dublin's last trip to Castlebar in February 2004 resulted in a humiliating 0-3 to 1-10 loss, and they will also be keen to atone for last year's heartbreaking All-Ireland semi-final defeat to the Westerners.

It will be nice to see Ciaran down in Castlebar. He can be sure of a very warm Mayo welcome 

[Gnevin]

he does have a tendancy to field ball really well and then lose it somehow on the way back down ... or is that my imagination?

No that's what i was thinking . He does that an awful lot

[Redgreenery]

Looking forward to this match alright!! Great that it'll be in Castlebar. I'm sure this match will be nothing like the hammering we got in Parnell Park last year. I think Mayo have a good chance of winning this game but I wouldnt be overconfident, the injuries are a big blow to our team but I hear D Brady may be returning for it which would be a boost! Should be a very entertaining game and I am looking forward to it!

Mayo cant really afford to lose this game as a loss would slot Dublin straight into second place in the table as they have a huge points difference over Mayo.

Will be a close game no doubt but with home advantage I'm saying a Mayo win.

[Redgreenery]

Stats of Div 1A from gaa.ie:

TIGHT FINISH IN ALL FOOTBALL GROUPS     

           
DIV 1A: DONEGAL NEED A POINT FOR SEMI-FINAL PLACE


Saturday: Kerry v Tyrone, Tralee (7.30)

Sunday: Mayo v Dublin, Castlebar (3.30); Fermanagh v Cork, Clones (3.30), Limerick v Donegal, Gaelic Grounds, (1.45).

Donegal, the only county in Division One with a 100 per cent record after five games, need just one more point from their remaining two games to guarantee themselves a place in the semi-final and Div One status in the re-formed Allianz FL next year.

It's an extremely positive position for Donegal, who won promotion from Div 2 last year. Wins over Cork, Dublin and Mayo, all of whom won provincial titles in 2006, Tyrone, the 2005 All-Ireland champions and Kerry, the current All-Ireland and League champions has given Donegal their best February-March run for years.

They head for the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday to take on a Limerick team that's battling hard to avoid a final two finish which would see them drop to Div 3 next year.

They are alongside Cork in second last place on two points, two clear of Fermanagh who are in grave danger of finishing in the bottom spot as they have a scoring difference of -37 points. They play Cork on Sunday.

It's 2nd v 3rd and 4th v 5th as Mayo host Dublin in Castlebar on Sunday while Kerry will be at home to Tyrone in Tralee on Saturday night.

Dublin are two points behind Mayo but a win would see the Leinster champions move ahead of the team that beat them in last year's All-Ireland semi-final as they have a better scoring difference.

Kerry and Tyrone are both on six points but Kerry have a ten point better scoring difference. The losers of this game will be serious danger of dropping to Division Two next year.

Round 7 (Apr : Dublin v Kerry; Tyrone v Mayo; Cork v Limerick; Donegal v Fermanagh.

[Redgreenery]

From the Mayo News:


No gain without pain
MIKE FINNERTY

MAYO's medical team are set to be in for another busy week ahead of the team's National Football League clash with Dublin in Castlebar next Sunday as injuries continue to mount.
Alan Dillon (hamstring), Marty McNicholas (foot) and Aidan Campbell (flexor muscle) all picked up injuries last weekend and all three were expected to sit out training last night (Tuesday).
Dillon limped out of Saturday night's victory over Cork in the opening minutes with a back-related hamstring problem while Campbell was forced off just before half-time with a thigh injury.
Marty McNicholas (who came off the bench to replace Campbell and shot two points from play) also sustained a foot injury playing for Breaffy in a Mayo GAA League game on Sunday after only ten minutes. His foot was put in a cast just hours later and the injury will be assessed further later this week.
David Brady has been out of action for three weeks now with a calf injury while Trevor Mortimer is expected to be out of football for at least a month after breaking a metatarsal bone ten days ago. Ciaran McDonald has not played for Mayo since last September's All-Ireland Final due to a back complaint.
Speaking to The Mayo News last night, Mayo manager, John O'Mahony admitted that his resources are being severely strained by a lengthening casualty list.
"Our panel is stretched with the injuries. We have two critical games coming up and we need to throw the kitchen sink at both of them. Thankfully Kevin O'Neill came through Saturday night and with the games coming week on week we need to start nursing some of the lads back from injury. We'll be tapering our training again this week because of the fact that the lads had two games in twenty-four hours last weekend."
Mayo picked up their fourth win of the Division 1A campaign last Saturday and are now in second place in the table with two games remaining. They overcame an indifferent first half display to produce a much-improved second thirty-five minutes last weekend and O'Mahony conceded that the result was paramount.
"It was great to get the points after the difficulties we had in terms of the injuries and a poor first half," he said. "But it just goes to show you what can be achieved when you stay calm and keep your shape, something is always likely to happen. We were struggling in a few positions but we kept battling, kept our composure, and we got back into the game. I wouldn't read too much into the result in the long-term but it tells you a lot about the character of players. Calmness and composure, allied to the quality in the side, won that game for us.
"The message to the players before last Saturday was that there were a lot of prizes on offer for us if we beat Cork. There was Division 1 security, there was the chance to build some character, and there were also the two points that could provide a platform for having a shot at the semi-finals."
Dublin come into next Sunday's match on the back of two successive victories and are two points behind Mayo in the Division 1A table.
"The reality is that if we could get to the semi-finals it would give us a nice run-in to the championship and allow us to learn more about our panel. We haven't played any game yet where you could say we've been happy with our 70 minute performance. We have plenty to work on but we're garnering points all the time so if we can get a 70 minute performance too you wouldn't know what could happen."

FIXTURE
National Football League
DIVISION 1A
MAYO v DUBLIN
Sunday, APRIL 1
McHALE PARK at 3.30pm
Referee: M HUGHES (TYRONE)

[DUBSFORSAM1]

Id say the starting team will line up like this:
           Cluxton
Henry    McConnell   Griffin
Casey     Cullen        Cahill
  Whelan      Ryan
Moran     Jayo      Keaney
B.Brogan  Bonner  Mossy

Getting close to the championship team alright!!

It is that alright - I know with the league this year being split into Div1-3 from where we are we have to finish in the Top 4 and a semi-final place is in our hands but I would like to see the following get some gametime especially before the championship so that they are ready if required.

Shaughnessy
Christie (if back after his thesis)
Goggins
O'Mahony
Connolly
Vaughan
B Brogan
O'Callaghan

[INDIANA]

i wouldn't have casey ahead of brennan under any circumstances- in fact i wouldn't have cahill in front of him either. For me he's been the find of the year so far and bar a couple of wayward kicks in the match against fermanagh -  (a game that was long won) in terms of consistency he's been one of our top players. Mc Connell hasn't been tested yet that's the reality- and could enter the championship having not been tested as mayo are plagued with injuries and kerry not far behind. Love to know who o shaugnessy has offended

[Hound]

he does have a tendancy to field ball really well and then lose it somehow on the way back down ... or is that my imagination?

a tendancy???

More like every fookin single time!

Ryan definitely outplayed Magee v Fermanagh, and I would say would outplay him more often than not.

The question for me is whether Magee at 9 and Ryan at 10 (playing as a third midfielder) would be better than Ryan at 9 and Moran at 10. At the moment I'd go with the latter, unless and until Moran loses form again. Darren is a lot like me, he's too nice 

I havent been as impressed with Brennan as Indiana - but he has done well. Up until the Fermanagh game he had been our best wing back, but not by a huge distance. Barry Cahill was absolutely abysmal in his first start in the NFL this year and was given another chance, but will Brennan as a newcomer get away with one below par performance? Personally I'd have Moran at 7, but thats not going to happen.

[Hound]

Dublin team named. No changes, therefore no Whelan, no ABrogan, no Casey.

[tayto]

I didnt want to be too hard on the guy, but it's a strange habit, he does the hard part and then loses it.

[Hound]

Mark Vaughan is unavailable because of exams.

Whelan and ABrogan will have fitness tests later in the week, so their participation has not been ruled out.


S Cluxton
D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin
B Cahill, B Cullen, G Brennan
D Magee, S Ryan
C Moran, J Sherlock, C Keaney
B Brogan, K Bonner, T Quinn
Subs: J Leonard, N O'Shea, C Goggins, P Casey, S O'Shaughnessy, J Magee, D O'Callaghan, D Murray, D Connolly

[Northside Dub]

Or for the hard of sight

DUBLIN (SF v Mayo) -
         S Cluxton;
D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin;
B Cahill, B Cullen, G Brennan;
   D Magee, S Ryan;
C Moran, J Sherlock, C Keaney;
B Brogan, K Bonner, T Quinn.

Subs: J Leonard, N O'Shea, C Goggins, P Casey, S O'Shaughnessy, J Magee, D O'Callaghan, D Murray, D Connolly.

[StoneWall]

live on tg4

I'm afraid not! Deferred coverage as they are showing the replay of the club final!