Maigh Eo v Gaillimh, 2pm, 13ú Iúil, Pairc Mhic Eil

[Syferus]

It shows you how far Galway have fallen that all Mayo's concerns are about themselves (the make up and use of their squad for tougher tests ahead) and absolutely none are about any perceived threat from Galway.

To be honest I don't blame them. I would be happy if we could offer up some sort of test this year, and keep it within 5 or 6 points.

If we are competitive throughout and lose by 5 or 6 I could accept that as a decent showing for a young side. I just don't see us going as defensive as Roscommon did even though it almost worked for them. I'm sure we will try and get players behind the ball though to some degree.

Next year is probably a year to target a major step up. We would have Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo all at home were we to meet any of them so you would expect a strong tilt at a Connacht title next year with a slightly more mature side.

I agree, I'd be reasonably content with that. Just because Roscommon gave them a close game doesn't mean we will. There are 2 issues folk are factoring in, Roscommon played in a far more negative manner than we will and Mayo have already been caught on the hop and are unlikely to do so again against inferior opposition.

Why wouldn't Galway play 'negatively'? If I'm being honest ye look a more limited side than us, the simple fact is the way you beat Mayo by blocking the channels for their HBs and harassing them at every opportunity. I've never seen Colm Boyle and Lee Keegan look so average and frustrated as they did in the Hyde last time out.

You want to almost disparage it by labelling it negative - it's simply the way you trouble and potentially beat Mayo. We played grand ould Connacht football in every other competitive game this year, pushing men forward, cutting teams open and averaging north of 20 points a game. We just were smart enough to know our opposition and that the same tactics weren't going to work against them.

Were they caught on the hop by Tyrone in the AISF for the first 40 too? It's simply a formation Mayo struggle to deal with, no more and no less. Whether Galway have the skill to actually pull it off to a good level is another question but it certainly is their best bet to even make it a 5-6 point game.

If the last year hasn't taught Mulholland that much it's a sad indictment of him as a manager.

[Maroon Manc]

It shows you how far Galway have fallen that all Mayo's concerns are about themselves (the make up and use of their squad for tougher tests ahead) and absolutely none are about any perceived threat from Galway.

To be honest I don't blame them. I would be happy if we could offer up some sort of test this year, and keep it within 5 or 6 points.

If we are competitive throughout and lose by 5 or 6 I could accept that as a decent showing for a young side. I just don't see us going as defensive as Roscommon did even though it almost worked for them. I'm sure we will try and get players behind the ball though to some degree.

Next year is probably a year to target a major step up. We would have Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo all at home were we to meet any of them so you would expect a strong tilt at a Connacht title next year with a slightly more mature side.

I agree, I'd be reasonably content with that. Just because Roscommon gave them a close game doesn't mean we will. There are 2 issues folk are factoring in, Roscommon played in a far more negative manner than we will and Mayo have already been caught on the hop and are unlikely to do so again against inferior opposition.

Why wouldn't Galway play 'negatively'? If I'm being honest ye look a more limited side than us, the simple fact is the way you beat Mayo by blocking the channels for their HBs and harassing them at every opportunity. I've never seen Colm Boyle and Lee Keegan look so average and frustrated as they did in the Hyde last time out.

You want to almost disparage it by labelling it negative - it's simply the way you trouble and potentially beat Mayo. We played grand ould Connacht football in every other competitive game this year, pushing men forward, cutting teams open and averaging north of 20 points a game. We just were smart enough to know our opposition and that the same tactics weren't going to work against them.

Were they caught on the hop by Tyrone in the AISF for the first 40 too? It's simply a formation Mayo struggle to deal with, no more and no less. Whether Galway have the skill to actually pull it off to a good level is another question but it certainly is their best bet to even make it a 5-6 point game.

If the last year hasn't taught Mulholland that much it's a sad indictment of him as a manager.

You're winding me up if you're really offended by labelling the performance negative. You did what was required to give yourselves the best possible chance of beating the better side. Its a game you should have won, fitness played its part, Mayo got a few scores they wouldn't have got inside the first 60 mins.

Surely you can see my from posts that I'm encouraging Mulholland to be more 'negative', I'm very worried we'll be easily beaten again.

You could well be right about us been more limited, only time will tell.

Mulholland will have learned from last years experience but too what extent we won't find out until matchday.

[moysider]

It shows you how far Galway have fallen that all Mayo's concerns are about themselves (the make up and use of their squad for tougher tests ahead) and absolutely none are about any perceived threat from Galway.

To be honest I don't blame them. I would be happy if we could offer up some sort of test this year, and keep it within 5 or 6 points.

If we are competitive throughout and lose by 5 or 6 I could accept that as a decent showing for a young side. I just don't see us going as defensive as Roscommon did even though it almost worked for them. I'm sure we will try and get players behind the ball though to some degree.

Next year is probably a year to target a major step up. We would have Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo all at home were we to meet any of them so you would expect a strong tilt at a Connacht title next year with a slightly more mature side.

I agree, I'd be reasonably content with that. Just because Roscommon gave them a close game doesn't mean we will. There are 2 issues folk are factoring in, Roscommon played in a far more negative manner than we will and Mayo have already been caught on the hop and are unlikely to do so again against inferior opposition.

Why wouldn't Galway play 'negatively'? If I'm being honest ye look a more limited side than us, the simple fact is the way you beat Mayo by blocking the channels for their HBs and harassing them at every opportunity. I've never seen Colm Boyle and Lee Keegan look so average and frustrated as they did in the Hyde last time out.

You want to almost disparage it by labelling it negative - it's simply the way you trouble and potentially beat Mayo. We played grand ould Connacht football in every other competitive game this year, pushing men forward, cutting teams open and averaging north of 20 points a game. We just were smart enough to know our opposition and that the same tactics weren't going to work against them.

Were they caught on the hop by Tyrone in the AISF for the first 40 too? It's simply a formation Mayo struggle to deal with, no more and no less. Whether Galway have the skill to actually pull it off to a good level is another question but it certainly is their best bet to even make it a 5-6 point game.

If the last year hasn't taught Mulholland that much it's a sad indictment of him as a manager.

I m not sure it s about being caught on the hop. I remember before the Ros game predicting that they would try to do a Tyrone on us. I m sure the Mayo players were expecting it. Similarly last year they must have been expecting Tyrone to squeeze us after what happened in Mayo s earlier games.
The problem is that we are not much good at dealing with it. We just keep carrying into the trap. That is why there is so much debate about the effectiveness of our inside forwards. If we had good ball winners inside we could keep oppositions more honest. As it is they can target our running game with numbers and gamble that our inside line can be minded one on one.

I see Tom Parsons took no part in last weeks club game. Both Chris Barrett and Keith Higgins played in the hf line for their respective clubs. By all accounts Higgins had a miller of a game. So if Barrett is back to full fitness it means that Keith will be in the running for a forward position.

[larryin89]

"Why wouldn't Galway play 'negatively'? If I'm being honest ye look a more limited side than us, the simple fact is the way you beat Mayo by blocking the channels for their HBs and harassing them at every opportunity. I've never seen Colm Boyle and Lee Keegan look so average and frustrated as they did in the Hyde last time out."

13 years mo chara.

[Manning18]

Last year the game was lost from Galway in the first half, partly because they were being beaten around the field, but mainly because of an absolute mess up in the full back line, gifting two goals away that effectively killed the game as a contest. The line consisted of 3 kids just barely out of u21, none of whom will be playing this year. There was no organisation and Mayo were tearing them to shreads even without the gifts. Out the field we were doing ok and even started the second half brightly, before Coleman and Bradshaw stupidly got sent off, killing the game completely, and Mayo ran up the score from there. While Mayo were obviously much superior last year in all areas, the least id hope this time is that with Hanley back there organising things and two compentent corner backs, the game isnt handed to Mayo within 20 mins.

There's no way Galway will set up like Roscommon. While we wont want to get hammered, while we're in a Connacht final we at least want to give winning it a go. While Roscommon made it hard for Mayo, if Mayo hadnt had an atrocious shooting display in the first half, they'd have won relatively comfortably, if not by a wide margin. Sure, Galway could set up defensively, hope again that the Mayo forwards are completely off colour, hope for lucky breaks and hope to sneak a low scoring one by a point. Fairly far fetched that all will happen. I think most of Galway would prefer to play a proper game, and hope on an off chance we can beat them. A lot has to go for you in either scenario, and for the future of this team id much prefer the latter.

Mayo's half back line is key. Lundy is a very average footballer but is a workhorse and might be best to track Keegan coming forward. Hopefully they put Boyle in an CB too rather than at wing. I see Vaughan as the only weak link in the Mayo defence and am praying they'll place him on either Walsh or Conroy. Have a feeling Horan will be too cute for that, but then again he's persisted with vaughan for this long despite better options. Beyond that it's hard to see us getting much change. Cummins may be lively up front. Im going more in hope than expectation for our young midfield, but they can only improve by playing players in the caliber of the O'Shea's.

[Syferus]

Dave Grohl and Freddie Roach recently became the latest high-profile celebrities to be coaxed into clambering aboard the annual Mayo for Sam bandwagon, but two girls from Mayo had another thing coming when they tried to get proud Boyle native Chris O'Dowd to change allegiances in New York last night.

Mayo ladies Tara McDonnell and Corina Galvin encountered the Moone Boy star last night in the Big Apple and while he agreed to hold up their Mayo for Sam sign (we assume it is compulsory for all Mayo people to have one in their possession at all times when travelling abroad), he did have a slight but very important amendment to make.

*Update: Corina has since got in touch to tell us that they actually tried to get Hollywood A-lister James Franco to hold up the sign first and when he wouldn't, Chris decided to have a little fun with it.

http://www.joe.ie/gaa/gaa-news/pic-chris-odowd-responded-brilliantly-when-mayo-fans-tried-to-get-him-on-board-the-mayo-for-sam-bandwagon/

[IolarCoisCuain]

[ross4life]

There's no way Galway will set up like Roscommon. While we wont want to get hammered, while we're in a Connacht final we at least want to give winning it a go. While Roscommon made it hard for Mayo, if Mayo hadnt had an atrocious shooting display in the first half, they'd have won relatively comfortably, if not by a wide margin.

While its very unlikely that Galway will set up defensive or want to get hammered i should point out the wide count in the 1st half was Mayo 9 Ros 4 and 3 or those 9 wides were miss placed passes that drifted out over the end line.

As to give winning it a go, we were leading by three points entering the final 8 mins and only for some atrocious shooting and wrong options taken from us we would have led by more. In the end indiscipline and lack of experience cost us.

[larryin89]

There's no way Galway will set up like Roscommon. While we wont want to get hammered, while we're in a Connacht final we at least want to give winning it a go. While Roscommon made it hard for Mayo, if Mayo hadnt had an atrocious shooting display in the first half, they'd have won relatively comfortably, if not by a wide margin.

While its very unlikely that Galway will set up defensive or want to get hammered i should point out the wide count in the 1st half was Mayo 9 Ros 4 and 3 or those 9 wides were miss placed passes that drifted out over the end line.

As to give winning it a go, we were leading by three points entering the final 8 mins and only for some atrocious shooting and wrong options taken from us we would have led by more. In the end indiscipline and lack of experience cost us.

While there is no doubt we were lucky in the Hyde, Mayo did not perform to even 70% of what we have become used to in Connacht last two years . It doesn't bother me if ye want to take some sort of moral victory from it but I wouldn't get carried away if I were you. 2015 will see ya come to McHale park if we draw ye at some stage and that will be your make or break game. Personally I don't think Ross are all that and would predict Galway to take the torch off Mayo in terms of Connacht dominance .

Saying that there is no doubt Ross have improved over the last 12 months and have a handful of right good young fellas, maybe we will have three decent teams in Connacht soon. Even though I can't stand ye when it comes to GAA ,it wouldn't be a bad thing to have the three counties from the west up in croker around august time.

[ross4life]

Mayo did not perform to even 70% of what we have become used to in Connacht last two years . It doesn't bother me if ye want to take some sort of moral victory from it but I wouldn't get carried away if I were you.

How about you weren't allowed to perform to that level? last year we played the game with our old naive style that gave Mayo the freedom of MacHale park.

As for moral victory....... well Larry have a check of this quote.

The whole notion of a moral victory is a load of shite. We need to take as many positives out of yesterdays performance and quickly move on to the next game.

[larryin89]

Mayo did not perform to even 70% of what we have become used to in Connacht last two years . It doesn't bother me if ye want to take some sort of moral victory from it but I wouldn't get carried away if I were you.

How about you weren't allowed to perform to that level? last year we played the game with our old naive style that gave Mayo the freedom of MacHale park.

As for moral victory....... well Larry have a check of this quote.

The whole notion of a moral victory is a load of shite. We need to take as many positives out of yesterdays performance and quickly move on to the next game.

Tbh I'm not at all sure after the Hyde where we are at or where Ross are at either . Both counties should have a better idea after their next games (depending on who ya draw in yer case) .

Mayo looked lathergic at times, they might of underestimated the opposition too despite all the usual cliches comin from the camp. My own take on it is , Mayo are not at full throttle yet for the simple reason they can't sustain  it like they did last year from May to august/sept(first half only) . I thought we tired in second half because of the full throttle that was maintained from Salthill right through. Maybe they have looked at that especially for certain personnel and figured it's better to save the best wine till last this year ,( maybe I'm just clutchin at straws).

Roscommon to me would of targeted the Mayo game as if it were there all Ireland final from the start of the year and if I'm right they could have a short stay in this years qualifiers.

Time will tell.

[moysider]

Mayo did not perform to even 70% of what we have become used to in Connacht last two years . It doesn't bother me if ye want to take some sort of moral victory from it but I wouldn't get carried away if I were you.

How about you weren't allowed to perform to that level? last year we played the game with our old naive style that gave Mayo the freedom of MacHale park.

As for moral victory....... well Larry have a check of this quote.

The whole notion of a moral victory is a load of shite. We need to take as many positives out of yesterdays performance and quickly move on to the next game.

Tbh I'm not at all sure after the Hyde where we are at or where Ross are at either . Both counties should have a better idea after their next games (depending on who ya draw in yer case) .

Mayo looked lathergic at times, they might of underestimated the opposition too despite all the usual cliches comin from the camp. My own take on it is , Mayo are not at full throttle yet for the simple reason they can't sustain  it like they did last year from May to august/sept(first half only) . I thought we tired in second half because of the full throttle that was maintained from Salthill right through. Maybe they have looked at that especially for certain personnel and figured it's better to save the best wine till last this year ,( maybe I'm just clutchin at straws).

Roscommon to me would of targeted the Mayo game as if it were there all Ireland final from the start of the year and if I'm right they could have a short stay in this years qualifiers.

Time will tell.

Some looked wrecked! Aidan O Sé was hands on knees, blowing hard with 15 to go. Looked like he was going to sit and play a defensive end game but for some reason he was shot and unable to shore up a hb line that was being run through. We ve seen Aidan being very good as a defensive midfielder for DIT when his midfield partner David Givney took the attacking role so it was bit disconcerting to say the least. The fact that Parsons, Barry and Gibbons were out left us shy for midfield back-up on the day too.
I m assuming that we were deliberately undercooked. It s impossible to hold a peak 3-4 months. Last year we held it Galway til Donegal and then tailed off.

[Maroon Manc]

There's no way Galway will set up like Roscommon. While we wont want to get hammered, while we're in a Connacht final we at least want to give winning it a go. While Roscommon made it hard for Mayo, if Mayo hadnt had an atrocious shooting display in the first half, they'd have won relatively comfortably, if not by a wide margin.

While its very unlikely that Galway will set up defensive or want to get hammered i should point out the wide count in the 1st half was Mayo 9 Ros 4 and 3 or those 9 wides were miss placed passes that drifted out over the end line.

As to give winning it a go, we were leading by three points entering the final 8 mins and only for some atrocious shooting and wrong options taken from us we would have led by more. In the end indiscipline and lack of experience cost us.

What about fitness, didn't you concede 5 points from the 61st min onwards? Mayo only scored 8 points in the first hour.

[Farrandeelin]

It shows you how far Galway have fallen that all Mayo's concerns are about themselves (the make up and use of their squad for tougher tests ahead) and absolutely none are about any perceived threat from Galway.

To be honest I don't blame them. I would be happy if we could offer up some sort of test this year, and keep it within 5 or 6 points.

FWIW, I reckon Galway could do us. We need to 'learn from our mistakes'. How often have I heard that shaggin' phrase used in the last 2 years!

[Shrewdness]

Larryin89, can you explain why it is that you ''can't stand'' Roscommon on Gaa matters. We Rossies know that we wouldn't be very popular with a lot of Mayo Gaa people, but you seem to always have a particularly severe dose of it. So, can you give us an explanation larry? Surely you owe us that much.