Twistin, turnin, windin roads - Galway v Mayo 14/6/15

Farrandeelin · May 17, 2015, 08:10:23 PM

Galway coming into this game having played two championship games already. Mayo haven't played a competitive game since April 5th. Galway will be gunning for us after 2013. Nobody really knows what Mayo are like. Roll on the day because these weeks without football are awful.

mayoman dan · May 17, 2015, 08:32:35 PM

Honestly dont know what to expect from Mayo in this one.How are we looking on the injury front? Galway will fancy there chances and after the league we had its hard to blame them

An Fhairche Abu · May 17, 2015, 09:17:19 PM

Based on what I saw today and during the league it'll be one of the shocks of the championship if Galway beat Mayo, haven't improved enough this year to be in any position to threaten Mayo at the minute.
Leitrim were very poor today and didn't punish the numerous Galway mistakes in defence, how much Galway played down to the level of Leitrim I don't know but it'll take a performance not seen in years from Galway to have any chance against Mayo. On the positive side Comer looks a great bit of stuff, albeit only against very limited opposion so far.

I'm sure ye Mayo bucks will talk this thread into many pages for the next 4 weeks but as it stands, even if Mayo have slipped back a bit, it'll be a very similar result to last year, a handy Mayo win.

Syferus · May 17, 2015, 09:20:27 PM

This one should be interesting.

moysider · May 17, 2015, 09:27:31 PM

If James Horan was still at the helm I'd be reasonably confident of a Mayo win - even in Salthill.
With so much doubt now about morale in Mayo set-up, as well as the tactical nous on the line, I'm no more than hopeful tbh.

seafoid · May 17, 2015, 09:31:20 PM

Galway have good forwards but Mayo have the backs. Galway have poor backs and Mayo have poor forwards.
Mayo to win by 5.

mayoman dan · May 17, 2015, 09:50:52 PM

Quote from: moysider on May 17, 2015, 09:27:31 PM

If James Horan was still at the helm I'd be reasonably confident of a Mayo win - even in Salthill.
With so much doubt now about morale in Mayo set-up, as well as the tactical nous on the line, I'm no more than hopeful tbh.
[/quote

This is what worries me too Moysider.Im sure we have all heard some of the stories and im hoping there bullshit but theres no smoke without fire as they say

galwayman · May 17, 2015, 10:56:41 PM

Agree with seafoid.
Our defence is simply not up to the required standard to trouble a team like Mayo in my opinion.
At the other end - Mayo are defensively solid enough to shackle our forwards.
Mayo should win this game.

From the Bunker · May 17, 2015, 11:23:26 PM

Cant see anything other than a Mayo win. Galway have not done anything of note in years. Last year they beat Sligo and Tipperary to get to a AI quarter final and were beaten by Mayo and Kerry teams in second gear. To much weight has been put into Corofins AI Club success. Club means little or nothing to inter-county teams. You can ask Galway Hurlers and they will tell you this. Mayo are on the slide and Galway have some really talented. But i feel Mayo are still physically stronger and will bully Galway. It's not an impossible task for Galway, but it is a big ask!

larryin89 · May 18, 2015, 12:12:14 AM

Are Mayo on the slide ? Nobody truly knows only those in the loop.

League form was not up to much but we maintained our div one status . Cillian could prove a big factor on whether he's fit to play a part or not.

It's hard to know but if I were to be truthful I think we'll rip them to shreds. Us Mayo folk are very weary and uneasy about this year and its creating a lot of pessimism within the hearts and minds of the Mayo faithful but i can't help feeling we are just very nervous and need this game to get the buzz back . We have a fantastic team who could still surprise a few this year. Hon Mayo

moysider · May 18, 2015, 12:28:24 AM

Quote from: From the Bunker on May 17, 2015, 11:23:26 PM
Cant see anything other than a Mayo win. Galway have not done anything of note in years. Last year they beat Sligo and Tipperary to get to a AI quarter final and were beaten by Mayo and Kerry teams in second gear. To much weight has been put into Corofins AI Club success. Club means little or nothing to inter-county teams. You can ask Galway Hurlers and they will tell you this. Mayo are on the slide and Galway have some really talented. But i feel Mayo are still physically stronger and will bully Galway. It's not an impossible task for Galway, but it is a big ask!

I dunno Bunker. This is about Connacht and if Mayo are not right Galway or Ros can beat us. The reason we lost to Longford in '10 and yet beat likes of Cork, Down, Dublin, Tyrone with same resources under Horan was not about player quality. As in the past in Mayo it s about management. If this management is up to it we should still be a top4 team. If not we could be knocked out by anybody.
The reality for both Galway and Roscommon is that they can not use Mayo as a gauge. Whichever of them take us out this year will have to wait to see where they are at. Seafóid said earlier that Galway had good forwards and Mayo's are poor. Maybe Roscommon folk would feel the same?
Thing is, in the big picture, it's a waste of time evaluating forwards unless they play in August/September. U21 and form in Div2 and Connacht Championship not worth a shite until you come up against the likes of the McGees and McMahons. Different planet.

larryin89 · May 18, 2015, 12:45:20 AM

" mghees and mcmahons"

I see your point and it's a very valid one but I'd also say the likes of Colm Boyle, Keith Higgins , Vaughan and Keegan have to date been able to literally fook the gal ways and rossies out of their way without playing at full tilt in them games . Time will tell , it's only four weeks today but I just have this feeling we are going to come flying out of the traps in Connacht unlike last year where we were certainly not in top gear . The reasoning for my thinking is simple because Galway and Ross have improved , we can't afford to be thinking of August weekend this year until we get there.

moysider · May 18, 2015, 01:02:14 AM

Quote from: larryin89 on May 18, 2015, 12:45:20 AM
" mghees and mcmahons"

I see your point and it's a very valid one but I'd also say the likes of Colm Boyle, Keith Higgins , Vaughan and Keegan have to date been able to literally fook the gal ways and rossies out of their way without playing at full tilt in them games . Time will tell , it's only four weeks today but I just have this feeling we are going to come flying out of the traps in Connacht unlike last year where we were certainly not in top gear . The reasoning for my thinking is simple because Galway and Ross have improved , we can't afford to be thinking of August weekend this year until we get there.

I wasn t questioning our backs larry. We ve held up fairly well. But there is a view out there that Galway and Roscommon have better forwards. I m not so sure. Givin time and space likes of Freeman, Doherty have done damage in the past. Will likes of Danny Cummins fare better against the McGees and MacMahons? Only when Galway and Ros. forwards get to the last 4 and win can they really evaluate themselves. Beating Mayo is no big deal if we ve regressed. When their forwards make to to/through August they can be assessed.

Syferus · May 18, 2015, 01:10:59 AM

Quote from: moysider on May 18, 2015, 12:28:24 AM
Quote from: From the Bunker on May 17, 2015, 11:23:26 PM
Cant see anything other than a Mayo win. Galway have not done anything of note in years. Last year they beat Sligo and Tipperary to get to a AI quarter final and were beaten by Mayo and Kerry teams in second gear. To much weight has been put into Corofins AI Club success. Club means little or nothing to inter-county teams. You can ask Galway Hurlers and they will tell you this. Mayo are on the slide and Galway have some really talented. But i feel Mayo are still physically stronger and will bully Galway. It's not an impossible task for Galway, but it is a big ask!

I dunno Bunker. This is about Connacht and if Mayo are not right Galway or Ros can beat us. The reason we lost to Longford in '10 and yet beat likes of Cork, Down, Dublin, Tyrone with same resources under Horan was not about player quality. As in the past in Mayo it s about management. If this management is up to it we should still be a top4 team. If not we could be knocked out by anybody.
The reality for both Galway and Roscommon is that they can not use Mayo as a gauge. Whichever of them take us out this year will have to wait to see where they are at. Seafóid said earlier that Galway had good forwards and Mayo's are poor. Maybe Roscommon folk would feel the same?
Thing is, in the big picture, it's a waste of time evaluating forwards unless they play in August/September. U21 and form in Div2 and Connacht Championship not worth a shite until you come up against the likes of the McGees and McMahons. Different planet.

I don't think we think we have poor backs, indeed we'd be quite happy with our FB line in particular the last two seasons. I'd even says it might be better than Mayo's FB line now, Collins really has matured into a fine CB. The HBs have plenty of football in them but some of them might have a tendency to go walkabouts, not too dissimilar to your own HB line in all honesty. CHB is particularly important because we've had times when runners aren't bottled up down the middle and whole defence splits open and coughs up a goal or a goal chance. It's in the middle that we've been poor at times, and with Higgins out until July it won't be that great this year unless someone emerges to partner Cathal Shine.

If we get to the final and go and beat Galway in Salthill or Mayo in McHale in a Connacht final make no mistake, it will be the watershed moment for this team. It will be far more important to the psyche of the team than winning an AIQF would be.

Like it or not Mayo are still knocking around the top three or four sides in the country and it will take a big performance for someone to put them out of the 'misery'. Donegal only have better a chance of winning out this year than Mayo because they're on the opposite side of the provincial draw to Dublin. Tyrone, like ourselves, aren't even in that conversation.

moysider · May 18, 2015, 01:35:10 AM

Quote from: Syferus on May 18, 2015, 01:10:59 AM
Quote from: moysider on May 18, 2015, 12:28:24 AM
Quote from: From the Bunker on May 17, 2015, 11:23:26 PM
Cant see anything other than a Mayo win. Galway have not done anything of note in years. Last year they beat Sligo and Tipperary to get to a AI quarter final and were beaten by Mayo and Kerry teams in second gear. To much weight has been put into Corofins AI Club success. Club means little or nothing to inter-county teams. You can ask Galway Hurlers and they will tell you this. Mayo are on the slide and Galway have some really talented. But i feel Mayo are still physically stronger and will bully Galway. It's not an impossible task for Galway, but it is a big ask!

I dunno Bunker. This is about Connacht and if Mayo are not right Galway or Ros can beat us. The reason we lost to Longford in '10 and yet beat likes of Cork, Down, Dublin, Tyrone with same resources under Horan was not about player quality. As in the past in Mayo it s about management. If this management is up to it we should still be a top4 team. If not we could be knocked out by anybody.
The reality for both Galway and Roscommon is that they can not use Mayo as a gauge. Whichever of them take us out this year will have to wait to see where they are at. Seafóid said earlier that Galway had good forwards and Mayo's are poor. Maybe Roscommon folk would feel the same?
Thing is, in the big picture, it's a waste of time evaluating forwards unless they play in August/September. U21 and form in Div2 and Connacht Championship not worth a shite until you come up against the likes of the McGees and McMahons. Different planet.

I don't think we think we have poor backs, indeed we'd be quite happy with our FB line in particular the last two seasons. I'd even says it might be better than Mayo's FB line now, Collins really has matured into a fine CB. The HB uses have plenty of football in them but some of them might have a tendency to go walkabouts, not too dissimilar to your own HB line in all honesty. CHB is particularly important because we've had times when runners aren't bottled up down the middle and whole defence splits open and coughs up a goal or a goal chance. It's in the middle that we've been poor at times, and with Higgins out until July it won't be that great unless someone emerges to partner Cathal Shine.

If we get to the final and go and beat Galway in Salthill or Mayo in McHale in a Connacht final make no mistake, it will be the watershed moment for this team.

Again, not the point I was trying to make.
Last 4 years we won Connacht and did some damage after. Did so after a calamitous 4 years under Johnno and did it quick. Ros. and Galway have been making strides it seems, but the jury is out. Especially in the Galway's case.
Winning Connacht was not the agenda with Horan. He cut it fine but he went toe to toe with the big boys in August from year 1, in spite of having to pick the whole county off the floor after Longford in '10.
If Galway/Roscommon beat Mayo this year, they re going to be judged on what they do after. If Mayo are to lose in Connacht this year it s probably because we ve gone back. The reality is we won t know until August. Ros or Galway winning Connacht and not playing in August would indicate Mayo going backwards rather than the other two progressing.