Galway v Mayo, CSFC May 20th

[MaroonAndWhite]

Was at the Galway v Dublin game yesterday - a very half arsed affair...not surprising I suppose with two weeks to go to Championship opener. Hard to know how Galway are going...Colm King in goal-steady enough but kick outs need improvement.He played a relatively strong backline with Damien Burke and Diarmuid Blake absent. Dont know why Burke didnt play, Blakes hamstrung. Niall Coyne pulled up afyter about twenty mins - seemed to be a calf injury. Ford then put Alan Glynn on Brogan.....decent young footballer but he got roasted.
Bergin and Cullinane midfield - God bless Cullinane, he has the best of intentions when attempting to solo the ball but when he tried it yesterday it nearly ended up in Clonsilla village! Seems absurd to say about a county footballer but if he caught it and just laid it off we'd all have less grey hairs! Still,hes better than Geraghty but if half forward line was a bit better Niall Coleman could be moved from there to midfield with Bergin. Whelan and Ryan had the run of it yesterday. Fiachra Breathnach, Ja and Nicky in half forward line with Padraig, Bane and Savo inside. Breathnach scored 3 points - Id say he was thanking his lucky stars he only got Coman Goggins marking him!!! Dont be surprised if Ford thinks hes the answer to our half forward problems now........jesus that doesnt bear thinking. Forwards did shag all....alot of the scores they got were more from poor Dublin play than anything inspired.
I suppose Ford wasnt going to try anything different in yesterdays game, especially with it being common knowledge that it was on. No more than ourselves, the Dubs have a lot to do too........There would want to be some improvement in the next 12 days!

[AbbeySider]

Ford then put Alan Glynn on Brogan.....decent young footballer but he got roasted.

Sounds very familiar, we give stick to Keith Higgins when he gets roasted by Brogan. The Fact is that Brogan is a class act. I cant think of any defender that could stay with him when he is on form.

...God bless Cullinane, he has the best of intentions when attempting to solo the ball but when he tried it yesterday it nearly ended up in Clonsilla village! Seems absurd to say about a county footballer but if he caught it and just laid it off we'd all have less grey hairs!

ROFLMAO !!!

[Bod Mor]

There is no way that he will be fit to start against galway but what a player to be able to bring on as a sub,he rarely has a bad game against the auld enemy. 

Thats very true, imagine a worst case scenario. We're down by a point or two half way through the second half, imagine the reaction of the players and fans if we have Ciaran Mc to bring on. Little things like that make a difference in big matches like that.

The biggest worry i'd have is that we are not certain who'll be at full back to watch Joyce. Kilcullen didn't start in the last two challenge matches and BJP was even tried there. I'd gamble on Heaney starting at #3 on the 20th to sort out Joyce but unlikely to feature there from then on.

Its hard to grasp we're back in the thick of the championship with the shockwave of last September well and truly behind us.

Another thing that could be a major factor, the winner of Galway/Mayo will have to wait over a month for their next championship match, whoever that will be will surely be a bit rusty.

[Farrandeelin]

What's the build-up like? I'm in Dublin all this week doing some exams and it's hard to gauge anything really. It's hard to believe there's only 11 days until the outcome will be decided of the game!!

It's obvious where Mayo's problems are at the moment. I saw somewhere on some thread that the spine isn't settled and anyone would have to agree with that view. All we can do is hope that O'Mahony is working on this. The major problem areas in the Mayo team are the no 3 and no 6 positions. Midfield should be okay with the return of Brady and the forwards, well there's not much point in changing the personnel of the forwards yet anyway. I cannot see James Nallen starting for the Galway game. As for filling the no 3 and 6 positions, I would definitely agree with Bod Mor to put Heaney at no 3. Padden will probably have to do at no 6 but I cannot see him remaining at no 6 if Mayo are to win Sam this year. That's my honest opinion and to tell you the truth I'm not going to put forward anyone else for no 6 because I still feel Howley is a year too young for that position, but he would definitely be worth a go next year. What do you think M4S? You've been championing Howley to get on the team this year.

[belleaqua]

From a Galway perspective Im just wondering is yer faith in David Brady justified?

Im not trying to knock the guy and hope it doesnt come back to haunt me but is he being over-rated on the back of two displays as a substitute last year one of which there was nothing to lose by the time he came on?

I know the man is dogged by injuries and is pushin on but he failed to start the last 2 All Ireland finals.

Be interested in yer views.

[blast05]

"McD played most of his underage football at midfield" - no he didn't.


My apologies,
I was certain that McDonald was midfield in an U-21 county final around 1997. (not sure the exact year)

Your right abbeysider he did play midfied for cross at underage level,he was there for the minors that  got back to back county titles in the early 90's.

Jaysus, we'll have Crossmolina bucks fighting next !
Regardless of the fact that he played a few underage games at midfield, he is still a poor fielder of the ball and is not great winner of hard ball. I stand by that. Still a complete legend though !

[stephenite]

MacDonald also lined out at midfield for the Cross seniors against us in the County semi (or quarter) final in the '04 championship in Knockmore - he had a great engine obviously and was was picking up a lot of ball  at his own half back line, with Cross obviously feeling that if he could deliver enough pin point passes into the forwards they might prevail, however the Cross inside forwards weren't able to capitialise against a mean enough Stephenite defence.
But he got completley wiped under any high balls that went near him. That won the game for us as we completley dominated in midfield.

[venter]

The Cross U21 midfield in 1997 was Gabriel Walsh and Mick Moyles.

[GalwaySham]

Sounds very familiar, we give stick to Keith Higgins when he gets roasted by Brogan

Problem is Higgins nearly always gets roasted when he comes up against the really top players, yet Mayo Fans would call him one of the best corner backs in the country

[mouview]

Bergin and Cullinane midfield - God bless Cullinane, he has the best of intentions when attempting to solo the ball but when he tried it yesterday it nearly ended up in Clonsilla village! Seems absurd to say about a county footballer but if he caught it and just laid it off we'd all have less grey hairs!

Is this Cullinane or Bergin you're talking about? If it's the former then that makes two of them unfortunately.

[Farrandeelin]

So Galway sham, are you implying that Michael Meehan isn't all he's made out to be?

[MaroonAndWhite]

Thats Cullinane that can solo! Cant say theres a major problem with Bergin given that hes as athletic as midfielders come, well able to field a high ball and can kick scores for fun when the mood takes him....havent noticed his inability to solo a ball!!!
Higgins is a good corner back (cant remember him getting roasted too often and particularly not by a Galway player), and yes maybe Meehans not all hes cracked up to be...........when he regularly beats the likes of the Higgins, Laceys, Mallons, Griffins, McCarthys and Anthony Lynch's of this world and does it regularly on the big stage rather than destroying the Rossies, Sligo et al Ill be much more convinced. Hes a serious player but maybe doesnt have the pace for corner forward....id much prefer him at 14 given his strength and aerial ability.

[GalwaySham]

So Galway sham, are you implying that Michael Meehan isn't all he's made out to be?

yeah, if you wanna put that spin on it. I wouldnt put Meehan in the top bracket of forwards in the country.

[StoneWall]

John O'Mahony has trimmed his Mayo senior football panel with the championship now looming large on the horizon.

The manager has finalised his panel for the knockout season, with a number of players unfortunate to be omitted from his plans.

While those remaining on board can focus on preparing for Galway on May 20, Michael Conroy, Barry Regan and Mark Ronaldson have been let go for the time being.

Mickey Mullins, Barry Moran and Ronan McGarrity are all unavailable through either injury or illness.

Third-choice goalkeeper Morvyn Connolly was also dropped from the panel but it is understood that he has been recalled as cover for Kenneth O'Malley amid injury concerns surrounding David Clarke.

[rosnarun]

Is M mullins a it lucky to be injured at the moment or is he worth his place . I have to say I know very little about the chap.
has any one got got the names on the remaining panel . Barney used to know that sort of thing.
swings and roundabouts I suppose