2013 All Ireland Final: Mayo v Dublin

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Buckos ye are loosing the run of yourselves altogether........................sure David Brady is going to wear a pink thong and all .........newstalk radio he said it live on the air and all..............this coming from a guy who for years hadn't a good word to say about dublin players living in the limelight..........................now look at him lapping it up at every opportunity, cashing in on the young mayos buckos successes

What are you worried about David Brady for, ya fookin jackeen count.

ah lovely.................................... hope Im sitting near you .....................

[bucko]

Some of the best GAA moments this year was the supporters of Monaghan,Limerick celebrating on the field after a long wait to win titles. Unfortunately those great scenes won't happen on Sunday as A) Mayo are unlikely to win  B) could be a draw or C) the plastic mesh and Hill 16 fence will prevent supporters from entering the field.

You do realise there will be lads from Belmullet,Ballycroy ect in the stands...wishful thinking you think a bit of mesh will do the business. I'm in row D in the lower Cusack....and I'll be going for it IF we win. I'm a big enough fcuker too...well able to take a running jump 

Its very durable mesh you will need the help of Aidan O'Shea to break through it.

No mesh for finals. I took the Croke Park tour twice in past year, and they dont do mesh for finals. Getting down from upper levels will be a bigger issue, if we win.

Just bought a length of rope. Gonna abseil down Navy SEALS style.

[seafoid]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2013/0917/474829-horan-enjoying-fascinating-journey/


James Horan enjoying 'fascinating journey' with Mayo ahead of All-Ireland final


Mayo manager James Horan is enjoying a "fascintating journey" as his side prepare for another All-Ireland Football final this weekend.

Horan has led the county to three Connacht titles in succession and there is yet another opportunity to end the 62-year wait for an All-Ireland success against Dublin on Sunday.

While there is pressure to finally bring Sam Maguire back to Mayo, Horan is pleased to see his team improving under his leadership.

He told RTÉ Sport: "It's always a fascinating journey and you're learning all the time. There are new things popping up all the time. We have a lot of experience from last year as regards the prep for the final – that's good to have in the back pocket we'll certainly use the lessons we learned.

"I just think we are improving year on year. This is a three year project and we're in the third year of it. This year we've put an increased focus on the skills of the game – right from the basics right through to tackling.

"Our ball retention is good. Our first touch is good. Our kicking and hand passing have improved dramatically. They are the things that make us more effective when we have the ball.

"We're keeping our heads down. We're working hard on the training field to try and prepare as well as we can for September 22nd.

"Mayo people have learned over the years about how to prepare for a game as well. It's important they enjoy it too. It's an occasion for them.

"For us it's about playing a game of football and getting the best performance we can possibly get. They do their thing. We do ours."

Many believe Mayo have overcome their inability to perform on the big stage, with wins over Donegal and Tyrone on the way to the final filling the county with confidence ahead of this clash with the Dubs.

Horan is lifted by the manner of the win over Tyrone and the strength of the panel going into this final.

He said: "Tyrone are a difficult team to play. We hadn't come up against a team like them throughout the Championship. It took us a while to get to grips with it. They started the game very, very well and shook us. But we came through it.

"We changed and adapted as we needed to throughout the game. We got stronger and stronger as the game progressed – that was very encouraging from my point of view.

"We had eight or nine serious injuries right throughout the league, so in one way that forced us to use a lot of subs and we had quite a number of players who played National League.

"That has stood to us in the course of the Championship. You saw that against Tyrone. A couple of those guys came on and did very well for us. We have a very strong panel. It's very competitive."

[From the Bunker]

The following are the reasons I think Dublin can win -

Dublin are playing at home (well they are?).

Dublin have already played 7 competitive League matches in Croker and 5 competitive Championship matches in Croker - 12 in all in Croker.

Dublin are unbeaten in competitive league and Championship matches since March 16.

Dublin have only lost once this year in competitive league and Championship matches.

Dublin have already beaten Mayo twice in Competitive matches in Croker this year. 2-14 to 0-16 and

Dublin have no major injury worries.

Dublin have a better bench to change a game compared to Mayo.

Dublin have better forwards.

Dublin have marquee forwards.

Dublin have recently won an AI which means they know how to win one.

Dublin are League Champions.

Dublin have had a harder route to the final, beating Kildare, Meath, Cork and Kerry.

[Captain Obvious]

Dublin have no major injury worries.

In fairness if Alan Brogan was fit he would be starting for Dublin.

[Sidney]

One of the most memorable highlights of the Dubs win in 2011 was that the team could remain on the pitch for up to half an hour after the presentation savouring the win with the crowd. Anyone who was there will never forget it.

I was on the Hill. It sucked.

[Michael Schmeichal]

McStay cutely giving examples of Referees giving wrong decisions.

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=201108

He has lost any credibilty he had with that nonsense.

[moysider]

McStay cutely giving examples of Referees giving wrong decisions.

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=201108

He has lost any credibilty he had with that nonsense.

He is of course 100% correct. Too many games are decided by referees. But that s nothing new. Nothing sinister about his comments though - just stating the facts.

And a man that has just managed a team to win an AI by beating Crossmaglen Rangers and Ballymun Kichams has little credibility 

[BartSimpson]

watever about crosmaglen, but ballymun came frum nowhere to win dublin chmpionship, never mind leinster and get ot an all ireland final. beating thrm is hardly a massive achievemnt

[Jell 0 Biafra]

One of the most memorable highlights of the Dubs win in 2011 was that the team could remain on the pitch for up to half an hour after the presentation savouring the win with the crowd. Anyone who was there will never forget it.

I was on the Hill. It sucked.

I was on the Hill.  It was fantastic.

[BartSimpson]

One of the most memorable highlights of the Dubs win in 2011 was that the team could remain on the pitch for up to half an hour after the presentation savouring the win with the crowd. Anyone who was there will never forget it.

I was on the Hill. It sucked.

I was on the Hill.  It was fantastic.

I agree. never forget that day. as long as i live

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

Personally Mayo not winning Sam since 1951 or Dublin not beating Mayo in Championship football since 1985 will have zero influence on Sunday's senior A.I. final.

Don't know about that, all those boys on the Mayo team have been brought up with that long wait for Sam and will know very well what it means to the county. Doesn't have to be a negative though, it can also be a motivation if it's used properly. Wishful thinking though I'd suggest to say it will have "zero influence". The Dublin side of things I don't see as being a factor, Dublin not beating Mayo in the championship since 1985 is hardly comparable to Mayo's long wait for Sam.

I know the Mayo people on here are sick and tired of this kind of talk but I would have doubts still about the mental toughness of this team. They had Dublin well beaten last year and stopped playing and were lucky to win. I know some Mayo posters here say there were injuries taking their toll there but the fact was that Mayo lost the head in the closing stages of that game. They then made a very poor start to the Final and never really looked like they were going to turn it around, even when they got closer to Donegal later in the game.

Hasn't been an issue this year until the semi when Tyrone started well and Mayo promptly lost the head, kicking possession away, making poor decisions and missing easy frees. It wasn't just a case of Mayo being outplayed for a spell - they were very obviously having a wobble there on probably the first occasion this summer that any real questions were asked of them. Now you can argue that they dug their way back from that to win well, but the fact was that Tyrone had them on the ropes but didn't have the firepower to really pull away (losing key men down the spine of the team didn't help either). Dublin have significantly better forwards than Tyrone and should they get Mayo into that kind of position they will put up a much better score than the 0-7 Tyrone managed in that first half. Any Mayo wobble will be properly punished.

As such I reckon there are still major questions to be answered by this Mayo team when they are put under pressure - questions they can only answer really by winning the AI. Have my doubts, but I wish them all the best.

[Captain Obvious]

One of the most memorable highlights of the Dubs win in 2011 was that the team could remain on the pitch for up to half an hour after the presentation savouring the win with the crowd. Anyone who was there will never forget it.

I was on the Hill. It sucked.

I was on the Hill.  It was fantastic.

I was on my couch and had switch over as nothing memorable was happening.

[Sidney]

One of the most memorable highlights of the Dubs win in 2011 was that the team could remain on the pitch for up to half an hour after the presentation savouring the win with the crowd. Anyone who was there will never forget it.

I was on the Hill. It sucked.

I was on the Hill.  It was fantastic.

I was on my couch and had switch over as nothing memorable was happening.

I got out to the pub early as the celebrations were so boring, and what a great decision - Fernando Torres's miss in the Manchester United - Chelsea match will live with me forever.

[armaghniac]

Because you've a big brain doesn't mean you have big hair