2013 All Ireland Final: Mayo v Dublin

[Syferus]

I can think of plenty of teams severely effected by injuries and absenences. Mayo's is just more obvious because their season extended to September.

Donegal only had a couple injuries but they were to mission-critical players and that was enough to nudge their train totally off-road by the end of the season. Some of the teams we named in the NFL this year would have been experimental for the FBD.

[bucko]

I can think of plenty of teams severely effected by injuries and absenences. Mayo's is just more obvious because their season extended to September.

Donegal only had a couple injuries but they were to mission-critical players and that was enough to nudge their train totally off-road by the end of the season. Some of the teams we named in the NFL this year would have been experimental for the FBD.

Yet last year they had no such issues with injuries, would they have won the all Ireland last year with the injuries to the same key players as they had this year? 8 county players got injured in one weekend of club football earlier in the year, I can't remember that sort of attrition in recent times. We needed a fully fit COC, the desperation to get him on the pitch in some form was evidence of that. The sickening thing is that all we needed was performance by one more forward, or even by AOS and the tone on this thread would've been very different the past week. Christ, even if Horan put some faith in throwing Shane McHale or Kevin Keane in for Cunniffe instead of bringing what was our most effective forward in Higgins back into defence and making what was an already unsettled forward line after the withdrawal of Freeman even more so.

[Farrandeelin]

Yes I know about Coen/Regan and Conor O'Shea. I'm not really sure though. They only scored a miserly 0-8 against Galway in the U-21 championship. Now whether or not that was down to U-21 management or not is another thing.

[bucko]

Yes I know about Coen/Regan and Conor O'Shea. I'm not really sure though. They only scored a miserly 0-8 against Galway in the U-21 championship. Now whether or not that was down to U-21 management or not is another thing.

Time will only tell on that. Until then hoping that sorting out O'Connor's and Dillon's injuries will bring them some way back to the form they've shown in the not too distant past, and Andy getting a full season of football under his belt will bring the necessary improvement to the forward line for next year. That and hoping the team and management can rise themselves for another crack at it.

[From the Bunker]

Key to us getting back on the horse next year is getting Cillian sorted. Giving time to other players carrying injuries. Giving McLoughlin a rest from intercounty football. Hoping our club champions don't go to far in the AI Club championship (fecks up county team). Two or three fresh additions from under 21. A look at some of the old stock who were there before or never put on a county jersey and what they might have to offer. This is not a long term project. It's about making (and getting) the best from this present group.

[sans pessimism]

Dillon has never turned up for final , he's aswell hit the road, it is time people  stopped making excuses for lads who can't hack the big day. Time to bring in a couple of fresh faces but somehow I think the bull thick Ballimtubber buck Horan  will persist with the same nine or so forwards he's always stuck with.

good lad ,good lad -will I put a beer mat on your pint while yer gone out for a fag ...and for f**k sake pull up your farah trousers

[mayoman dan]

A look at some of the old stock who were there before or never put on a county jersey and what they might have to offer.                                              

Who would you have in mind? Id like to see Kilcoyne given a chance if hes available and what about Tom Parsons?

[Syferus]

The time for the triumphant final turn of the Thriller has arrived.

[larryin89]

Dillon has never turned up for final , he's aswell hit the road, it is time people  stopped making excuses for lads who can't hack the big day. Time to bring in a couple of fresh faces but somehow I think the bull thick Ballimtubber buck Horan  will persist with the same nine or so forwards he's always stuck with.

good lad ,good lad -will I put a beer mat on your pint while yer gone out for a fag ...and for f**k sake pull up your farah trousers

So he has turned up for finals ? Don't smoke.

[bucko]

A look at some of the old stock who were there before or never put on a county jersey and what they might have to offer.                                              

Who would you have in mind? Id like to see Kilcoyne given a chance if hes available and what about Tom Parsons?

Liked Parsons in 08 when he delivered a couple of standout performances that year. Serious athleticism and pace and no shortage of skill. Faded out badly the 2 years after tho. I would like to see him get another chance but where would you fit him in?

[mayoman dan]

Parsons should be given a go at midfield or even cf.Also Aiden Kilcoyne has to be looked at he scored 3-3 against Ballina today

[Sidney]

Mark Ronaldson looked a good player any time I saw him when he was on the Mayo panel a few years back. Any particular reason he faded from the scene there?

[Jinxy]

I thought Austin O'Malley was going to be the aggressive, direct full forward you've been crying out for at one stage.

[ballinaman]

I thought Austin O'Malley was going to be the aggressive, direct full forward you've been crying out for at one stage.

Serious potential there, remember him destroying Dublin in a league match in Castlebar by himself. Beat them 12 points to 2 or something.

Regarding potential injection of freshness into forward line : You'd have to be looking at Kilcoyne (Knockmore), Evan Regan (Ballina), Conor O'Shea (younger O'Shea brother) and Darren Coen (Hollymount) and Kirby (Castlebar).

Am I forgetting anyone lads?

[rodney trotter]

I thought Austin O'Malley was going to be the aggressive, direct full forward you've been crying out for at one stage.

Plays with Wicklow, joined in 2011.