Galway v Mayo, CSFC May 20th

[Farrandeelin]

I know I omitted Harte, by mistake I might add!! If I was to name him on my team he would be at midfield or else at no 10 with Dillon reverting to no 12 with Campbell and Kilcoyne dropping to the bench.

[Maradona]

Schoolboy error!

[An Gaeilgoir]

If McD is not fit how about Moran at 11 and Harte at 14?

[DJGaliv]

We've a very settled defence, with a nice mixture of youth (Hanley and Coyne) and experience (Meehan and Fitzgerald). While Damien Blake and Damo Burke have arguably been our best defenders over the past twelve months.

Our midfield is a shambles really. We're lucky that Mayo aren't as dominant in this area as they have been down through the years. McGarrity will be a huge loss. I'm not sure who I'd like to see partner Bergin in midfield. Geraghty and Cullinane both have their uses, being big and awkward. I think Geraghty's awkwardness is in better form than Cullinane's at the minute. Coleman has more football, and is a better fielder than both of them, it's just he doesn't have their size. I think Geraghty will get the nod here to start.

Our half forward line is probably the weakest part of our team. People complain about Mattie Clancy's running down blind alleys, but Savo is in a different league, without the work-rate. I think Mattie should be a certain starter. I'm not actually sure what Savage brings to the team, especially in the half forward line. To add a bit of strength to this area, I'd like to see Niall Coleman at wing forward. For the last few games we've allowed the opposition's defence out far too easily. Coleman will help here, and could funnel back into midfield too. After about 45 minutes you could bring him in to midfield, and take Geraghty off for Ja. Ja doesn't have the legs for 70 minutes, but he'd be a great impact sub. There'd be some roar if he was to be introduced.

I'd like to see Meehan out on Padden. I think that he'd have the beating of him. I don't want to be talking about another game where young Higgins has kept him scoreless again. Nobody has taken that no.11 shirt by the scruff of the neck. Meehan could be the man to do it. He's definitely got the football, and the physicality. I'd love if Paul Clancy was back. Our half forward line has been hit badly by the loss of him and Donnellan.
Our full-forward line has a nice balance to it, no doubt the two Joyce's will work well together, while Bane is a fine right footed free taker, who's well able to take a score from play too.

Geraghty
Fitzgerald, Hanley, Burke;
Meehan, Blake, Coyne;
Bergin, Geraghty:
Clancy, Meehan, Coleman;
Bane, P Joyce, N Joyce.

Both managers will have spotted a lot of weaknesses in both teams. JO'M knows Galway have problems in midfield, and the half forward line, while Forde realises Mayo's centre back and full back could be there for the taking. I'm sure both managers will have developed some tactic that was kept back for the league semi-final. It'll be an interesting game in Salthill.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Going off the point of this thread slightly but does anyone know of any challenge games scheduled for Galway and where and when are they on? I know theyre playing Dublin on Bank Holiday Monday coming in Westmanstown in Dublin at 2.30pm. Any others that anyone know
ws of?

[Msgr. Horan]

Anyone know if tickets will be on sale online for this? Normally they go on connachtgaa.ie but not yet

[Redgreenery]

Yeah i'd say they could be and of course through the clubs.

[Farrandeelin]

Anybody travelling to Dublin after the match? I've an exam on the Monday morning but really want to go to this game!

[Redgreenery]

Read in the paper this morning that McDonald has resumed full training during the week with no ill-effects and that he could well be available for the galway game!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is some news and will be a huge boost to the Mayo team, pure miracle!!

[DJGaliv]

Read in the paper this morning that McDonald has resumed full training during the week with no ill-effects and that he could well be available for the galway game!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is some news and will be a huge boost to the Mayo team, pure miracle!!

More like pure shite from O'Mahoney. He said today that Trevor Mortimer and Brady are certain starters for May 20th too. Looks as if Mayo will have a full hand to pick from.
Where will McD play? In at full forward, or centre forward?

[Msgr. Horan]

Read in the paper this morning that McDonald has resumed full training during the week with no ill-effects and that he could well be available for the galway game!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is some news and will be a huge boost to the Mayo team, pure miracle!!

More like pure shite from O'Mahoney. He said today that Trevor Mortimer and Brady are certain starters for May 20th too. Looks as if Mayo will have a full hand to pick from.
Where will McD play? In at full forward, or centre forward?

I would love to see him play at corner forward and stay there for the game, no fannying about out the field. He'd have to be worth 3 or 4 points a game if he was trying to score himself from close in rather than laying off the perfect pass.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Msr Horan is dead on with what he said - if he plays inside, Kieran Mc would give some much needed power to a full forward line with Super Mort and O'Neill. Not too surprised to hear he could be available.......

[Msgr. Horan]

Msr Horan is dead on with what he said - if he plays inside, Kieran Mc would give some much needed power to a full forward line with Super Mort and O'Neill. Not too surprised to hear he could be available.......

Hmmmmm..... a Galway man agreeing with me on this, something fishy here.

[stephenite]

O'Mahony playing down the significance of MacD's return to training this morning .......


MAYO boss John O'Mahony has moved to quell rising expectation that Ciaran McDonald could yet make the May 20 clash against Galway in the Connacht championship.

O'Mahony said McDonald's return to training should be taken in the context of the problems he has had since last year's All-Ireland final.

"He has made a number of attempts to refloat, this is just the latest of them. It would be far too early to say when he could resume playing," said O'Mahony whose team easily beat Clare in a weekend challenge game.

"He's been training all along between pools, gyms and everything else. He did step up last week, but it's far too early to say when he would play a competitive game. Crossmolina played at the weekend and he didn't play with them," O'Mahony added.

[Msgr. Horan]

Does anyone have any news on any other challenges that either Mayo or Galway will be playing between now and the big one?
I dont understand the logic of playing Clare, no direspect to them but it would be a bit like them playing us in hurling (now I've just insulted the Clare footballers and the Mayo hurlers in one sentence), and not what you would think we'd need this close to championship. And besides, didnt we play them in Ballinrobe allready this year in another challenge?

regarding McD, even if things go unbelievably well for him between now and the 20th, the most he's likley to get is a portion of a challenge match under his belt. Hes going to be seriously rusty come the match and at this stage you'd have to say the most Mayo fans can hope for is an appearance off the bench, which mightnt be a bad thing with 20 minutes to go and the fat in the fire.

The election on the 24th will only add to the pressure on Johhno, that and the fact that the match is in Salthill, and the revenge factor HAS to mean that Galway must be raging hot favourites for this one. I hear Mulhollands are paying out on Galway allready.