Maigh Eo v Ciarrai NFL Div 1 Caislean an Bharraigh Sun 3rd Feb 2pm

[seafoid]

Don't know how different Kerry will be come Summer. Today's result is about the absolute level they'll be at this year. The rebuilding will take more than a single spring and I'm not all that sure it's properly began even now.

Kerry will be there or thereabouts.

They've a lot of men to come back.

Mayo's target this year is Sam. Cafferkey got talked into admitting this in his post match interview.

Kerry will be lost again I bet. Mayo have to aim for Sam this year. All that experience now and
they have to push on.   

[From the Bunker]

Don't know how different Kerry will be come Summer. Today's result is about the absolute level they'll be at this year. The rebuilding will take more than a single spring and I'm not all that sure it's properly began even now.

Kerry will be there or thereabouts.

They've a lot of men to come back.

Mayo's target this year is Sam. Cafferkey got talked into admitting this in his post match interview.

Kerry will be lost again I bet. Mayo have to aim for Sam this year. All that experience now and
they have to push on.

Doh, Of course they have to push on for Sam this year. What other aim is there? Ok, a league title would be nice. The Age profile of the Mayo team is at a stage of Sh1t or get of the pot one. Mayo are tweaking, they are not building.

[Mayo Mick]

Should win this one if we are going anywhere. 5+ points.

Much as predicted. Kerry's up and coming talent is no great shakes.

[omagh_gael]

Jaysus lads, I'd have thought you Mayo buckeens would have this thread in double numbers by now?? All quiet out whest.

Get the popcorn and coke out lads, she'll be hundred pages long before the c**k crows in the morning

You've already crowed. 

I'll be crowing twice as loud next weekend after we've collected two more points down in Cashlebar

[moysider]

Jaysus lads, I'd have thought you Mayo buckeens would have this thread in double numbers by now?? All quiet out whest.

Get the popcorn and coke out lads, she'll be hundred pages long before the c**k crows in the morning

You've already crowed. 

I'll be crowing twice as loud next weekend after we've collected two more points down in Cashlebar

Hmmm. Ye used to struggle to do that when ye had a good team

[omagh_gael]

There was a policy of going easy on ye for a number of years following the regular psychological trauma you experienced down in Croke Park. However, it now looks like the green and red mean business so we'll come at you with all guns blazing.

Mayo 2-15 Tyrone 1-06

[criostlinn]

Good performance from Mayo all over the pitch. I taught they were going to be a bit rusty considering they are only back training a couple of weeks but not a bit of it.

Great performances all over the pitch. Players who stood out are Clarke, Cafferkey Higgins, Doherty, Aiden O Shea, Feeney, Conroy

Aiden O Shea was savage. On numerous occasions the Kerry lads could do nothing but foul him. He must have picked up at least 15 frees and could have had the same again. He is also developing into a great leader on the field and is surely in line to be a future captain.

Cafferkey got man of the match and its hard to argue with this. He has developed into a fine footballer and his performances last year seem to have given him a real confidence boost.

Delighted for Doherty. He is under a lot of pressure for this league campaign. Rightly or wrongly he has got a lot of stick the last 6 months but showed a lot of intent for the year ahead especially with the free taking one of which was a 45 against a strong wind. He needs to be played on the full forward line. When he drifted out the pitch in the second half he wasn't as effective.

Kerry were very poor. It all good and well saying that the big guns were missing but who from todays team is going to help Kerry improve on last year. Dont forget  Mayo were missing Andy Moran, Kevin Keane, Donal Vaughan, Alan Dillon, Cillian O'Connor and Barry Moran started on the bench. I know it s Kerry and you cant rule them out but they really were poor today.

As I watched the game I wondered was Joe Brollys foul counter still working because surely Kerry's performance today would have blown it off the richter scale.

I had the pleasure of tuning into that alp Tommy Carr on the way home. He reckons that Kerry are going to have to change there whole style and even the club game would have to change in Kerry if they are to keep up with modern tactics. So it seems the Kerry men had to bring in the the man who helped create the most cynical team in football to help them move up to this new level of cynicism. Cian O Neill you have your work cut out because we all know that them Kerry bucks just arent able for that carry on.

PS. Mighty that for once my heart was right and my head was wrong and had the pleasure of relieving paddy power fo €200

[cadence]

Should win this one if we are going anywhere. 5+ points.

Much as predicted. Kerry's up and coming talent is no great shakes.

just wondering... are you basing this assessment on this one game they've played together? they're a developing side after all. 

[catchandkick]

10) Lee Keegan - Westport
11) Richie Feeney - Castlebar Mitchels

Have these boys ever played in the forwards in their lives?

Crazy stuff. Modern management eh?

Makes it easier for a weak Kerry half back line when they are marking Mayo half backs.

You do understand the concept of sweepers, right!?

Naming two half-backs and half-forwards is invariably about strengthening defense at the expense of offense.

Mayo do not have a marquee forward in the class of an O'Neill, Cooper or Bernard Brogan.

Playing with four recognised forwards instead of six and further reducing your scoring threat seems like shooting yourself in the foot somewhat.

They do when Andy Moran is fit. I'd rate him above O'Neill and take him above Brogan every time too . Brogan is a flair player but he's not a leader or someone with the vision of Moran, Moran makes everyone around him far better than Brogan does. Moran's ability to score himself has become pretty special in the last few years too - he just isn't as selfish as Brogan and plays others into the game far more. I should say that's not a huge slight on Brogan because most of the time he can be relied on to get the shots he takes, but anyone can tell you that plenty of times they're not the percentage options.

If you meant right now given his injury, sure, but in absolute terms Mayo have a forward every bit deserving of being part of that top-tier.

Andy Moran is a fine player no doubt. He's not better than O'Neill or Brogan though.

Feeney played well at centre forward, looks like he could have a role at centre forward. 

Keegan , I don't think so, although in his defence it is an easier transition from being a back to a central forward position ( Like CF or FF) than is to a wing or corner forward position.

[moysider]

Good performance from Mayo all over the pitch. I taught they were going to be a bit rusty considering they are only back training a couple of weeks but not a bit of it.

Great performances all over the pitch. Players who stood out are Clarke, Cafferkey Higgins, Doherty, Aiden O Shea, Feeney, Conroy

Aiden O Shea was savage. On numerous occasions the Kerry lads could do nothing but foul him. He must have picked up at least 15 frees and could have had the same again. He is also developing into a great leader on the field and is surely in line to be a future captain.

Cafferkey got man of the match and its hard to argue with this. He has developed into a fine footballer and his performances last year seem to have given him a real confidence boost.

Delighted for Doherty. He is under a lot of pressure for this league campaign. Rightly or wrongly he has got a lot of stick the last 6 months but showed a lot of intent for the year ahead especially with the free taking one of which was a 45 against a strong wind. He needs to be played on the full forward line. When he drifted out the pitch in the second half he wasn't as effective.

Kerry were very poor. It all good and well saying that the big guns were missing but who from todays team is going to help Kerry improve on last year. Dont forget  Mayo were missing Andy Moran, Kevin Keane, Donal Vaughan, Alan Dillon, Cillian O'Connor and Barry Moran started on the bench. I know it s Kerry and you cant rule them out but they really were poor today.

As I watched the game I wondered was Joe Brollys foul counter still working because surely Kerry's performance today would have blown it off the richter scale.

I had the pleasure of tuning into that alp Tommy Carr on the way home. He reckons that Kerry are going to have to change there whole style and even the club game would have to change in Kerry if they are to keep up with modern tactics. So it seems the Kerry men had to bring in the the man who helped create the most cynical team in football to help them move up to this new level of cynicism. Cian O Neill you have your work cut out because we all know that them Kerry bucks just arent able for that carry on.

PS. Mighty that for once my heart was right and my head was wrong and had the pleasure of relieving paddy power fo €200

Would agree with that, but am I the only one around that has any time for Boyle?

Tommy/ Tom Carr was always somebody s idea of making football depressing.

Fair play with Paddy Power. Just shows how many suckers bet on Kerry every time, that those odds were out there. Mayo beat a stronger Kerry away last year and after all that has happened since we get Kerry lads, in nappies, odds-on to win in Castlebar. Nice one. Soft cash. Means I can get a painter in in Spring.

[sans pessimism]

Good to win.If AoS keeps taking the ball into tackles then we've learned little from last year- how many times yday did he get turned over.His skill is in winning ball ,where he has few equals, but giving
it away so cheaply has me pulling out the last few ribs left on me head

[highorlow]

I would worry for Kerry though

I wouldn't. Keeping them down for 20 years wouldn't be enough!

[intoDwest]

Good performance yesterday in poor conditions.

Some rambling points.....................

We are still looking for a No. 6 I would love to see Lee Keegan get a run of games there, his distribution is top draw and he seems to me to have the positional sense to play centrally.

Tom Cunniffe seems to always have a big mistake in him, always looks lose on the ball and and liable to lose it in contact. I personally would hate to see him starting in a championship match.

I would love to see a Back six at some stage of the league with Keane, Caff, McHale, Higgins, Keegan and Boyle.

What did ye all think of Richie Feeney yesterday? I thought he was poor enough after a good opening 15 mins, I couldn't believe that Billy fits gave him man MoM ahead of Conroy and Caff. He looked slow on the ball and to me doesn't seem to have the pace to be playing No. 11, good squad player but that would be it in my mind.

Cathal Freeman was anonymous, didn't look up to it and also seems to lack pace, he couldn't get into the game. 

[RedandGreenSniper]

Good to win.If AoS keeps taking the ball into tackles then we've learned little from last year- how many times yday did he get turned over.His skill is in winning ball ,where he has few equals, but giving
it away so cheaply has me pulling out the last few ribs left on me head

Strange comment. Did he lose the ball once going into the tackle? My view on it was how strong he was driving them out of the way. Powerful display.

[RMDrive]

One thing that struck me from this game was the leadership that Cafferkey displays. He is constantly communicating with the rest of the defence and was very vocal in praising good work in the forward line. As well as being a fine player I think he displays the type of confidence and leadership that can only be a positive for Mayo. Future captain for sure.

I though Aiden O'Se was very strong the the tackle and rarely failed to burst through them. He drew a huge number of frees. The only point I'd make is that he shouldn't get too used to trying to take the ball through tackles. Teams like Cork, Kildare, Dublin and ourselves will not be as easily brushed off as some of the Kerry lads were yesterday. Plus Aiden has the vision and skill to distribute the ball well - that should be his first option.

I met a few German lads at the game and gave them a brief run-down on the rules and the scoring. Pity about the weather and the standard of football but they seemed happy enough.