Dublin V Mayo, Saturday 29th March2014. Croke Park 7.00 pm.

[Farrandeelin]

I can't see us winning this one. However I can't see Dublin running away with it either. Just feel that they have too much pace for our lads.

[Crete Boom]

I can't see us winning this one. However I can't see Dublin running away with it either. Just feel that they have too much pace for our lads.

I agree with you on this one Farr , I just think we seem to be shipping too many sloppy goals and this will cost us on Sat night. If we could keep the Dubs forwards to one goal we might sneak home but I can't see this happening.

[moysider]

I d be reasonably optimistic.

We have serious pace in team as well.

We have scored more goals than any other team. And created a lorry load of chances we didn t take. True, we ve also conceded more goals than anybody else though  But against Cork we appeared to have tightened up considerably until our shape and concentration went towards the end.

I expect we won t be making many changes for this. A Barrett or a Cuniffe should make us sounder at the back. Other than that the team that started against Cork looks likely with maybe Andy back in if fit again.

[Farrandeelin]

According to mayogaablog Barrett and Cunniffe will be available, so will they 'automatically slot' back into the team instead of McHale and Harrison? Would you put them there? Would you try McHale and Harrison for this match to see if they're good enough and can cut it? I think McHale is slow, but he uses the ball well. Harrison I like, he's not a fullback though as we found out the last day! I may be biased, but I'd leave McHale and Harrison on for this one.

[Syferus]

According to mayogaablog Barrett and Cunniffe will be available, so will they 'automatically slot' back into the team instead of McHale and Harrison? Would you put them there? Would you try McHale and Harrison for this match to see if they're good enough and can cut it? I think McHale is slow, but he uses the ball well. Harrison I like, he's not a fullback though as we found out the last day! I may be biased, but I'd leave McHale and Harrison on for this one.

Is Keith Rodgers still on the panel, Farr? Still it a bit bizarre that with all of the problems Mayo have had in the full back line of the few natural CBs on yer panel hasn't got a look in.

[The Hill is Blue]

I have to call it as I see it.

Mayo are in the driving seat for Saturday. The Dubs have so many players unavailable through injury, suspension and U21 commitments that they are likely to struggle. A Mayo win is the most likely outcome.

[Blowitupref]

I have to call it as I see it.

Mayo are in the driving seat for Saturday. The Dubs have so many players unavailable through injury, suspension and U21 commitments that they are likely to struggle. A Mayo win is the most likely outcome.

Would have to agree. Mayo close to full strength while the Dubs far from it. Mayo by a point or two.

[Crete Boom]

According to mayogaablog Barrett and Cunniffe will be available, so will they 'automatically slot' back into the team instead of McHale and Harrison? Would you put them there? Would you try McHale and Harrison for this match to see if they're good enough and can cut it? I think McHale is slow, but he uses the ball well. Harrison I like, he's not a fullback though as we found out the last day! I may be biased, but I'd leave McHale and Harrison on for this one.

Is Keith Rodgers still on the panel, Farr? Still it a bit bizarre that with all of the problems Mayo have had in the full back line of the few natural CBs on yer panel hasn't got a look in.

He played in the FBD Syferus and looked good (well as good as you can look in the FBD) but I haven't seen him since. I hope he is still involved as he is good solid corner man in my view. Maybe it's the fact he hasn't been heavily involved like McHale/Harrison/Keane over the last 3 years and Horan feels he hasn't served his time yet. If it was me I would have given him a least a couple of league games ,probably the first two instead of Keane , to see what he is like at this level.

[moysider]

According to mayogaablog Barrett and Cunniffe will be available, so will they 'automatically slot' back into the team instead of McHale and Harrison? Would you put them there? Would you try McHale and Harrison for this match to see if they're good enough and can cut it? I think McHale is slow, but he uses the ball well. Harrison I like, he's not a fullback though as we found out the last day! I may be biased, but I'd leave McHale and Harrison on for this one.

Cunniffe maybe but Barrett out so long he ll probably be eased back with 15/20 mins.

Harrisson is a talent but still learning as a cb. Horan did not trust either McHale or Keane last September and it is hard to see anything changing there this year if we advance to the later stages. The lack of time for Rogers is puzzling unless he has picked up an injury. Either that or they don t rate him because Harrisson is a wing back.

Anyway here's Liam McHale's tuppence worth about a few things from the Mayo News.

"To play against Dublin's midfield of Cian O'Sullivan and Michael Darragh MacAuley you need athleticism," he reflected. "You need mobility to defend against Stephen Cluxton's kick-outs.
"You need your wing-backs pushing up to fill the space on the flanks, and you need to be pushing Dublin players into the middle if they get possession.
"When you're defending against teams like Dublin or Cork or Kerry or Tyrone, and coming up against goalkeepers with really accurate kick-outs, you need mobile midfielders."
McHale, who has been watching Mayo closely during this league campaign, also has some interesting observations on the main contenders for the number 8 and 9 jerseys.

Jason Gibbons
"HE was man of the match for a lot of people against Cork and I thought against Kildare he made a big difference when he came on. He moved the ball quickly.
"He took frees quickly, he didn't take the ball into the tackle.
"And that made a big difference in terms of the service that the forwardline were getting. There was more fluency.
"It's very important that he gets his chance. He's got lots of energy, he seems to understand his role, he works his socks off, and he knows his limitations too.
"He reminds me of Pat Fallon, or Seamus Scanlon from Kerry. From what I've seen of him he has no airs or graces, he just wants to go out and do his job."

Aidan O'Shea
"I THINK with the black card Aidan would be a serious threat at full-forward. If he got early ball, got turned, and running at his man he could cause havoc for a defence.
"I think it doesn't suit Mayo to have Aidan in the middle of the field against teams like Tyrone, Dublin or Kerry in big games.
"He's expending too much energy by bringing the ball into tackles. He needs to move the ball much quicker, take less hits, and run into the pocket more without the ball.
"All those hits that he takes are affecting his ability to defend because they're taking too much out of him."

Seamus O'Shea
"HE was outstanding last year and I believe that he has the mobility to do a job. I'd have him in my team and I don't think you can have him anywhere else but midfield.
"He's the best midfielder we have right now in my opinion.
The O'Shea brothers are a fine partnership but I just wonder how effective they can be together at midfield against the likes of Dublin.
"Could Donal Vaughan do a job at midfield? Could he sweep around the half-back line and hold the middle?
"Mobility is the key now against the top teams."

[bucko]

Mayo Team named on twitter;
Mayo Team Hennelly, Cunniffe, Caff, Harrison, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, AOShea, Gibbons, McLoughlin, Higgins, Doherty, Moran, Freeman, OConnor

[Tubberman]

Cunniffe straight back in, strong team. Big test for Harrison again, he has been doing well though.

[Crete Boom]

Mayo Team named on twitter;
Mayo Team Hennelly, Cunniffe, Caff, Harrison, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, AOShea, Gibbons, McLoughlin, Higgins, Doherty, Moran, Freeman, OConnor

Delighted for Harrison and Gibbons getting the start in a big match. Mikey Sweeney is unlucky but hopefully he has moved ahead of Conroy and Varley in the pecking order and will get 10 to 15 mins in the second half. MacHale, Gallaghers X 2 , Seami and Chris will probably get a run out too.

[Syferus]

Mayo Team named on twitter;
Mayo Team Hennelly, Cunniffe, Caff, Harrison, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, AOShea, Gibbons, McLoughlin, Higgins, Doherty, Moran, Freeman, OConnor

Delighted to see Andy's fit again. I do wonder where the other Moran fits into all this - while Homles playing him FF turned the Crokes game that position didn't give him many opportunities to highlight his capabilities to Horan.

[moysider]

Mayo Team named on twitter;
Mayo Team Hennelly, Cunniffe, Caff, Harrison, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, AOShea, Gibbons, McLoughlin, Higgins, Doherty, Moran, Freeman, OConnor

Delighted to see Andy's fit again. I do wonder where the other Moran fits into all this - while Homles playing him FF turned the Crokes game that position didn't give him many opportunities to highlight his capabilities to Horan.

Barry Moran may be the fourth midfielder in the pecking order now but things may change. If Gibbons continues in this vein of form he is going to be hard to shift. He seems to bring a bit more mobility to the party. Then there s Seamie and Aidan.
Barry at ff is an option but not convinced we want to go that way and certainly I wouldn t pay too much heed to the club stuff. I expect them to go with Freeman who has a better all round game for ff. Barry needs a high hanging ball to be effective. I would fear that we would kick too much ball away trying to find him with hopeful ball - like Mitchel's did in final.

Probably strongest team available to us for this game. You d expect that we would have a serious cut at it. It will tell us a bit about Andy too and if he is recovering his old form.

[heffo]

Mayo should be winning this comfortably by 5/6 points given the respective lineups and Mayo's need to lay down a marker.