Galway v Mayo Sunday May 19th 2013 - Pearse Stadium

[Blowitupref]

I also don t subscribe to the notion we need to be strong for each other or anybody else either. The important thing in the championship now is to be alive in August and the cushier way you get there the better.Connacht dominance is a means to an end any more and as such is still important.

I wouldn't agree with that - tough games teach you how to fight to win a game, if you win all your games handy, you end up getting soft and may not have the stomach when it's backs-to-the-wall time. Just look at Dublin in the mid-noughties as an example. Not saying it will happen to this Mayo team but winning tough games is better than winning easy games.

Have to differ on it. Tough games necessary for emerging teams maybe but Mayo s priority now is avoiding injuries and getting to August with the minimum of fuss. We know where we need to be intensity wise.

I wonder how Mayo would have fared v Cork,Dublin (defending All Ireland champions) the last two years without the competitive Connacht finals. A stroll in the park like last Sunday is no use to Mayo it was more about Galway been poor than anything else. I think Mayo learn more about themselves when they come through tough battles in Connacht and the best preparation for August football is to get at least one tough game in Connacht.

Mayo s wins in Croke Park last 2 years were miles ahead in intensity than anything they produced in Connacht those years. That did not happen by chance. The team was prepared to reach and peak in August.
In division 1 during the league most teams tackled and harried our backs more than Galway could do in a Championship match. And don t let people be codding themselves. That Galway team would still play good football if they were let. But they re not used that kind of pressure being applied and couldn t apply it themselves because it is not the way they play. It doesn t happen at U21 and it doesn t happen in Div2.

Now we could well get a tough game the next day. Especially if management gamble with peaking 6 weeks later, which they have to do. Tough games now don t count. Avoiding defeat and injuries are Mayo s priorities imo.

Peaking yourself physically for August football is what all the top sides do however form can't be turned on or off like a switch and most need a good competitive test before the bigger games ahead. IMO Going into the last eight having strolled through the Connacht championship isn't the best preparations for All Ireland quarter final.

[moysider]

Would karl Mannion not be a better midfielder than O`Shea. Out of all the midfielders around Murphy out of carlow is the best but he past his career unheralded as carlow are so poor these days. There was big talk of heslin out of westmeath but i thought he was very poor against patsy bradley in the league final.

Surprised there s no takers on that.

[Syferus]

Would karl Mannion not be a better midfielder than O`Shea. Out of all the midfielders around Murphy out of carlow is the best but he past his career unheralded as carlow are so poor these days. There was big talk of heslin out of westmeath but i thought he was very poor against patsy bradley in the league final.

Surprised there s no takers on that.

Sure greatness speaks for itself 

[ross matt]

For me the result was never in doubt here. Mayo first of all have been incredibly consistent at a high level over the last few years. In James Horan they've a manager who is intelligent, ruthless and detached from any sentiment as regards romantic local derbies between themselves and the tribesmen. He said as much in his post match interview.

The Mayo panel themselves are a modern top 4 outfit. They are strength/conditioned to an extremely high level. They are mentally tough & resilient as evidenced in how they responded to a disasterous start v Donegal in last year's AI final. Most of all they are ambitious and willing to make the sacrifices necessary in order to place themselves in the best possible position to win Sam. I have huge respect for them for those reasons and (with the realistic acceptance that the Rossies wont) I really hope they get over the line next September.

Whilst the result was never in doubt for me the manner in which Galway "resisted" was. Despite being a Rossie I'm of Galway parents and live in the  county and like many neutrals admire their style of football circa 98/01 etc.  I genuinely feel sorry for their manager and especially for their debutant young players last Sunday.

I'm not sure that what they expected from Mayo. I wouldn't be as critical of them tactically as I would of them spirit/fight wise. They looked like rabbits caught in headlights (especially defensively) as if they were surprised by the rhubard physicality. I really don't know why they weren't ready for this even if they were never going to win the match.

Mulholland himself was a tough no nonsense defender in his day. He has achieved tremendous underage success at minor and u-21 level with his county at a relatively young age for a manager. He comes across as an intelligent man and should now know that he will have to delegate significant responsibillty to a serious strength and conditioning coach in order to bring the Fintan O'Currains etc up to the physical requirements of the modern game. He shouldn't have to depart too far from the traditional Galway football philosophy. If Galway get a grip on an opponent they always have the footballers capable of finishing them off (as a Rossie I'm all too painfully aware of this fact after last year in the Hyde).

Mayo on top of all the attributes I've listed above have a mean, cynical streak in them. That's not by way of criticism... it's a pre requisite of a current day winning mentality. They were without Barry Moran (better fielder than the 2 O'Se's ), Michael Conroy (their most naturally scoring forward), Andy Moran (their spiritual leader who's last 10 min cameo hinted at what he will do to many defenses this season as he recovers from his injury with every passing day) and (despite his influential display) Dillon is only recovering from injury and by his standards still rusty. Scary prospect for the Rossies down the road but at least we've been warned!

[Rossfan]

Scary prospect for the Rossies down the road but at least we've been warned!

Scary indeed Matt but let's hope our lads fight to the last whistle anyway no matter what the scoreboard says.

[Syferus]

Scary prospect for the Rossies down the road but at least we've been warned!

Scary indeed Matt but let's hope our lads fight to the last whistle anyway no matter what the scoreboard says.

I hope it's not like the one in Ballyhaunis they have to whack with hurleys to get working.

[ross matt]

Scary prospect for the Rossies down the road but at least we've been warned!

Scary indeed Matt but let's hope our lads fight to the last whistle anyway no matter what the scoreboard says.

+1 Rossfan. But I think we will. Fore warned is fore armed.

[emmetryan]

Again my apologies for the delay, here's my tactical analysis of Mayo's big win over Galway http://action81.com/blog/?p=7269

[From the Bunker]

Blow for Galway as Gareth Bradshaw departs football panel.


http://thescore.thejournal.ie/galway-gareth-bradshaw-933681-Jun2013/

Think he should have stayed until the end of the Campaign, especially as he is a Senior player. Ok so he is out for the next game. But if Galway won, they might get some momentum and confidence. More than ever they need unity at this time!

Bad Call in my opinion.

[Syferus]

Blow for Galway as Gareth Bradshaw departs football panel.


http://thescore.thejournal.ie/galway-gareth-bradshaw-933681-Jun2013/

Think he should have stayed until the end of the Campaign, especially as he is a Senior player. Ok so he is out for the next game. But if Galway won, they might get some momentum and confidence. More than ever they need unity at this time!

Bad Call in my opinion.

I'm usually careful to not criticise a player for leaving or the like because they are amateurs but Bradshaw really let his team down as captain the last day with his antics. He did kinda owe Galway this one.

[Zulu]

Hard to comment when we don't know what's going on in the background but it appears a very poor decision from Bradshaw. In saying that, and not to beat a too familiar drum, but the championship format, season is the problem. 

[Lar Naparka]

I think the only thing that can be taken as fact is that he has decided to leave the panel.
At this stage, anything else is pure speculation.
If rumours are true and he does rejoin the panel later, if Galway survive the first round of the qualifiers, it could be that he is opting out for personal reasons.

[From the Bunker]

Not giving out about the lad really. I know he's an amateur, so he owes no one anything. Just think he could have stuck it out for a few weeks.

[mouview]

May be going abroad for the summer I think. Perhaps less to the story than is thought really.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

fair play to Mayo, a hungry savage performance............................. A OShea is the best midfielder in the country at the moment

No he's not!

indeed the dub bucko was spot on the
Who then Aidan Walsh ?  I stand by my opinion....if his lung capacity improves by 10 percent A OShea will be the best midfileder on display this year