Mayo v Galway NFL Semi-Final

[Redgreenery]

Well I'm surprised at this, was expecting Mayo to end up playing Kildare or Laois but that ended up in a draw and Galway beat Down, Donegal beat Fermanagh, that means Donegal top 1A, Galway on score difference top 1B so we been second in 1A have ended up against our old rivals..
Well this will be hugely interesting in the run up to the championship!!! Should be a tough encounter as games between Mayo and Galway always are! Should be exciting too!
Game is in Croke Park next Sunday.

[Duine Eile]

Well this was seriously unexpected!Don't think either camp would have chosen to meet at this time of year again but that's neither here nor there!Mayo will probably be favourites for this one and justifiably so. Gaway still have a poor enough mid-field, Bergin was very poor today. Doherty is a bit shaky in goal tendsto come off his line a bit too often and it cost us a goal today. Backs were a bit loose at time. They'll have to tighten up an awful lot of we hope to get anything out of next Sunday, Conor Mortimer scored 3 goals today and will need watching.Damien Burke is probably the best we have for that particular job. Finian Hanley, Deccy Meehan and Niall Coyne did well, hopefully we'll see more of the same next week. Geraghty/Cullinane, not a lot between them but Geraghty did alright today, some great catches. Cormac Bane played in fits and starts today, needs to be more consistent on Sunday, Ja wasn't really at the races at all, wouldn't be surprised to see Armstrong or Savage start ahead of him next day. Obviously, Padraic and Nicky Joyce and Mike Meehan are our main scoring threat. They'll be up against a tough back division and will need to be on their game. Anyway, this game is a little earlier than expected but looking forward to it already! Oh and Mayo will win it I'd say. 

[Redgreenery]

Yeah I'd favour Mayo would win it too. In the league Mayo has really tightened up and is playing nice direct football. Today Ger Brady sounded very impressive in full forward. David Heaney is doing a brilliant job in mid field. Conor Mortimer has found serious form recently and is constantly scoring and today he's gotten into scoring goals!!
Would expect Mayo to win it but it should be tough.

[IolarCoisCuain]

Today Ger Brady sounded very impressive in full forward. David Heaney is doing a brilliant job in mid field.

I don't think Heaney came on at all today.

[Redgreenery]

Today Ger Brady sounded very impressive in full forward. David Heaney is doing a brilliant job in mid field.

I don't think Heaney came on at all today.

Yeah he didnt come on today, I was just saying that he is doing brilliant in midfield in the games in which he was played there recently.

[Redgreenery]

Mayo boss John O'Mahony is eagerly anticipating his side's clash with fierce Connacht rivals Galway in the semi-final of the National Football League.

Mayo warmed up for the game with an impressive 4-7 to 1-11 win over Tyrone on Sunday (Conor Mortimer with a hat-trick) and O'Mahony is looking to the last four clash with his former side to act as a dress rehearsal for when the two meet in the Connacht Senior Football Championship.

"It's a big game and there'll be a lot of notice about it, because it's the first round of the Championship as well," O'Mahony said after the semis were decided.

"The first round of the Championship is what will be remembered at the end of the year but, having said that, it is the League semi-final.

"I met Peter Ford (Galway manager) at the Under 21 match (on Saturday) and he said, 'if we're going to progress in the League, we're going to have to meet anyway.'

"There it is, we'll take it as it comes."

[belleaqua]

I fancy Mayo to beat us on Sunday. Bit of a negative outlook I know but cant see it being any other way. Were not at all convincing on Sunday in Tuam.  We'd win most games on 40% possession with the forwards we have but unfortunately we are not even capable of winning that amount of ball at midfield.

Add in the JOM factor and that will only add to it. There is little he doesnt know about this Galway team still.

I hope im wrong but i reckon Mayo by 7 or 8. What will follow will define our season. Could end up with a shorter year than last or could go away and take Mayo in Pearse Stadium...anyones guess..

[myball22]

you would have to fancy Mayo alright. We are struggling in a big way in midfield but also seem incapable of winning many of the breaks around midfield.

All backs are ok but are usually under a lot of pressure and will struggle to hold out. We had no real half forward line the last day so any ball that went into the full forward line was 50-50. Thankfully Joyce and Meehan won their fair share.

It looks as if the main problem areas have not being addressed yet so we may be in for a short summer.

Then again it's a local derby and are usually fairly close. be nice to win in Corker for a change.............

[EastMayoHerald]

Lads

Have we had absolute confirmation of time and venue yet?  There seems to be a bit of uncertainty.

[Mayo4Sam]

Its a double header in croker according to sunday sport

[belleaqua]

Surprisingly Galway and Mayo is the first game at 2.15. Would have thought it the more attractive of the two.

[IolarCoisCuain]

This morning's Indo reports that Conor Mortimer is an injury doubt for the game. Losing your highest scorer wouldn't be a great way to be going into the game.

Anybody know how Ciarán McDonald's rehab is getting along?



Hat-trick hero Mortimer a doubt for semi-final

Tuesday April 10th 2007


CONOR MORTIMER is Mayo's latest doubt for Sunday's Allianz NFL semi-final with Galway in Croke Park on Sunday, a match both teams were keen to avoid.

Mortimer, who bagged a hat-trick of goals against Tyrone in Omagh, was visibly in pain on a couple of occasions after picking up a shoulder injury in the first half. The Mayo players were involved in club games yesterday and O'Mahony was keeping his fingers crossed that there would be no more casualties. Initially, Mayo were led to believe that Kildare would be their semi-final opponents immediately after the win in Omagh.

But now that it's Galway, Mayo's opponents in the first round of the Connacht SFC on May 20, O'Mahony insists his team won't be holding back.

"Neither team would have wanted it that way but neither team will shy away from it either. Ultimately, the championship game is what will be relevant at the end of the year but we have been cultivating a habit of being competitive in all games, trying to win every game. We had that in Omagh on Sunday.

"People said to me all week we didn't have to win against Tyrone but games are there to win, not lose or hold back from."

O'Mahony accepted it was better to be playing Galway in a league semi-final than a final a week later and a week closer to their Connacht clash.

Mayo have the luxury of re-introducing Peadar Gardiner, David Heaney, James Kilcullen and Kevin O'Neill to the team after they were rested for the Omagh match. Galway have turned their league campaign around once again with the return of Pádraic Joyce most significant.

They lost their opening two games and were facing a third defeat midway through their Pearse Stadium encounter with Armagh. But they came storming back to win that and reeled off four more wins to top the group with an impressive finish against Down.

Colm Keys


© Irish Independent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/ & http://www.unison.ie/

[rosnarun]

this surely should have been a tuam or castlebar match  it would have been a near full house instead of a quaterfull  croker ! and as for kildare and donegal zzzzzzzz....

[Tubberman]

Mayo requested to be the first game to allow supporters time to get the train back on Sun evening.
Last I heard, Ciaran Mc's injury isn't clearing up really, so he's still a good bit away from making an appearance.

[muscles magoo]

Is the 2.15 throw in confirmed?
The Weshtern have it down as 4.00.....