2013 All Ireland Final: Mayo v Dublin

[seafoid]

A week from now and we ll be experiencing an epiphany, one way or another!

Reading some of the stuff in the media today just reminded me of the failings of the past. Pathetic, sad stuff. 89, 96,97 etc. all explained away by Pateen Holmes and John Casey etc. David Brady, in fairness, does try to 'rationalise' it a bit better but it is an awful disappointment for somebody my age. We knew at the time we had players but the lack of proper management  was worse than we ever imagined.

Not that Holmes improved matters when he became manager and the repatriation of Maughan and O Mahoney for second terms, now looks lazy, to say the least. All the old Mayo vets. seem to think that this Mayo team is different - how the f**k do they know that? They don t. We ve heard all that before as well. When they revise after retirement ye know it was no different than what was going on before.

I m still wary of these old vets. annointing this team as being different - not buying into it. Tyrone rattled us but I know Dublin don t play like Tyrone so it s a different scenario - maybe.

Before Mayo fans dismiss me as an old crank and suggest a few short piers I should walk off, consider the following.

Mayo have put in some of their best ever performances in AI semi-finals before an AI final defeat/capitulation.

Dublin 85  draw + most of replay - did not make final and unforgivably did not build on it. Lost to inferior teams in Connacht in 86/87
Tyrone 89
Kerry 96
Offaly 97
Fermanagh 04 - exception, we were lucky to make it.
Dublin 06
Dublin 12

Hmmmm. The only consolation is that this year we really were a bag of nails v Tyrone in semi and came through. Some players had the nightmare of their careers and management did not cover itself in glory either but we came through in the end without being out of puff. So for the first time we ve reached a final without going 'eyeballs-out' in the semi.

Hopefully we ve got it right this time and get a peak and get attitude, selection, gameplan/tactics right for final.

Mayo this year are ruthless once they get going.
And the change of tactics in the Tyrone match was very encouraging. 
It's way beyond time for Mayo to win another Ireland.

[From the Bunker]

This man is one of the greatest footballers ever to grace a field, Ciaran Mc wouldnt be fit to tie his laces, a comment which he apparently once made to a mayo midfielder.

He does not however look like a man who is ready to tog out

no week to be starting interclub rows .
well chat over the winter about that take an odd break from the celebrating and shoving the Sam Magurie in everyones faces

Good Man rosnarun, thats the spirit................however if we win Sam on Sunday, the club games might have to be played in the pub carparks..........such will be the celebrations.......it will put the 1989 "Tour De County" by that team in the shade..............being old enough to remember that................

1989, innocent times! We were just glad to have the day out. A chance to decorate our streets.

[An Gaeilgoir]

I remember i went in to Westport and Castlebar looking for green and red material to get a flag made up and all the shops had sold out, innocent times indeed, times were grim alright............

Compare that to yesterday in Elverys in C'bar yesterday there were 9 stands of tops, jerseys, hoodies and so on.....who buys all this stuff?

[All of a Sludden]

I remember i went in to Westport and Castlebar looking for green and red material to get a flag made up and all the shops had sold out, innocent times indeed, times were grim alright............

Compare that to yesterday in Elverys in C'bar yesterday there were 9 stands of tops, jerseys, hoodies and so on.....who buys all this stuff?

September supporters.

[From the Bunker]

I remember i went in to Westport and Castlebar looking for green and red material to get a flag made up and all the shops had sold out, innocent times indeed, times were grim alright............

Compare that to yesterday in Elverys in C'bar yesterday there were 9 stands of tops, jerseys, hoodies and so on.....who buys all this stuff?

September supporters.

People who never follow the county team until the County gets to an AI final! Then say after their first trip of the year ' They let me down again will never follow them again!'

In fairness, I have friends who don't really care until we get to a final and I have to say I quite enjoy them jumping on the bandwagon!

[Syferus]

I remember i went in to Westport and Castlebar looking for green and red material to get a flag made up and all the shops had sold out, innocent times indeed, times were grim alright............

Compare that to yesterday in Elverys in C'bar yesterday there were 9 stands of tops, jerseys, hoodies and so on.....who buys all this stuff?

September supporters.

People who never follow the county team until the County gets to an AI final! Then say after their first trip of the year ' They let me down again will never follow them again!'

In fairness, I have friends who don't really care until we get to a final and I have to say I quite enjoy them jumping on the bandwagon!

So ye have a four-horse model if you're able to fit in all these sporting refugees, huh?

Fancy feckin' rhubarb-headed Christmas lights.

[From the Bunker]

Team line-up to be named tomorrow for Program? Will they be released to the media tomorrow?

[ross4life]

I remember i went in to Westport and Castlebar looking for green and red material to get a flag made up and all the shops had sold out, innocent times indeed, times were grim alright............

Compare that to yesterday in Elverys in C'bar yesterday there were 9 stands of tops, jerseys, hoodies and so on.....who buys all this stuff?

September supporters.

People who never follow the county team until the County gets to an AI final! Then say after their first trip of the year ' They let me down again will never follow them again!'

In fairness, I have friends who don't really care until we get to a final and I have to say I quite enjoy them jumping on the bandwagon!

Was on the train yesterday overheard a number of middle aged Mayo supporters going on about having tickets secured for the final & one of them said its their first game since the Galway match,all agreed they will give up following Mayo if they lose this AI final.   

[Qwerty28]

Team line-up to be named tomorrow for Program? Will they be released to the media tomorrow?

Name in the programme means nothing...remember the Clare hurler under Loughnane who took part in parade and all and then got called to take seat on the sideline! Any word yet on O'Connor, surely be left til almost the last moment?

[Farrandeelin]

Those middle aged people have a point. Lose this and they'll probably never see Sam coming to Mayo. This is the key factor this year methinks for lots of Mayo people.

[Syferus]

Those middle aged people have a point. Lose this and they'll probably never see Sam coming to Mayo. This is the key factor this year methinks for lots of Mayo people.

Given the eight finals in 24 years probability tells you a loss here is just a minor set-back in the Mayo pain-train's journey.

[sans pessimism]

Keep this to yourselves now lads but you know how William J Padden came on in Knockmore during that charity game a fortnight ago? THAT WAS NO ACCIDENT! There are wheels within wheels. Do you get me? Wheels within wheels.

Of course, I'm saying nothing.

Its funny you should talk about people coming back after appearing in that charity match. Theres one past great who has come out of retirement and is back training for the championship quarter final.

Word at home is that COC was in america this week and had a plate put in his shoulder

I heard he was on the moon too for lunar stone massage

[seafoid]

I remember i went in to Westport and Castlebar looking for green and red material to get a flag made up and all the shops had sold out, innocent times indeed, times were grim alright............

Compare that to yesterday in Elverys in C'bar yesterday there were 9 stands of tops, jerseys, hoodies and so on.....who buys all this stuff?

September supporters.

People who never follow the county team until the County gets to an AI final! Then say after their first trip of the year ' They let me down again will never follow them again!'

In fairness, I have friends who don't really care until we get to a final and I have to say I quite enjoy them jumping on the bandwagon!

Was on the train yesterday overheard a number of middle aged Mayo supporters going on about having tickets secured for the final & one of them said its their first game since the Galway match,all agreed they will give up following Mayo if they lose this AI final.   

Horan had enough work dealing with the fatalism of the players. He couldn't sort out the fans as well. The funny thing is that if mayo win on sunday those lads will be wondering what took mayo so long

[moysider]

Those middle aged people have a point. Lose this and they'll probably never see Sam coming to Mayo. This is the key factor this year methinks for lots of Mayo people.

Jaysus, they re middle aged  - not old aged 

I expect this Mayo team will be even better again next year.  Mayo are competing with Dublin to see who s the biggest wolf on the lot this year and it could be a close one. Doesn t mean the loser will sink without trace. Mayo - and Dublin - are still developing and have too much quality not to be forces for years to came.

[muppet]

Those middle aged people have a point. Lose this and they'll probably never see Sam coming to Mayo. This is the key factor this year methinks for lots of Mayo people.

Jaysus, they re middle aged  - not old aged 

I expect this Mayo team will be even better again next year.  Mayo are competing with Dublin to see who s the biggest wolf on the lot this year and it could be a close one. Doesn t mean the loser will sink without trace. Mayo - and Dublin - are still developing and have too much quality not to be forces for years to came.

Both teams should be around next year at least, but (without looking at stats) I am guessing the Dubs are the younger team.