Galway v Mayo, CSFC May 20th

[WJP11]

For a Mayo-centric view on the lead-up to Sunday's showdown, check out my blog at: http://www.mayogaablog.blogspot.com/.  Up the Green and Red!

[AbbeySider]

Bergin: Managers' inside knowledge irrelevant
16 May 2007

Galway midfielder Joe Bergin expects rival managers Peter Ford and John O'Mahony to cancel each other out in Sunday's Connacht SFC clash at Pearse Stadium.

Mayo boss O'Mahony famously led the Tribesmen to two All-Ireland titles in 1998 and 2001, while opposite number Ford is as familiar as anyone with Mayo, having played for them at full back in the 1989 All-Ireland final defeat to Cork.

Their respective backgrounds makes for an intriguing sub-plot to Sunday's eagerly-awaited clash, but Bergin doesn't believe their extensive knowledge of the opposition will count for much.

"I had four or five years under John O'Mahony and it's fair to say he'd know a lot of us inside out. He probably knows a lot of us as well as we know ourselves" the Mountbellew man said.

"But the same can be said of Peter Ford, who is a Mayo man managing Galway. He'll know all the Mayo players and a lot of them personally.

"Both managers will try and exploit weaknesses in the other team, but that may cancel each other out. The players know each other so well too that I'd expect it to just be a really tight game.

"It's a bit clichéd, but I think it'll boil to hunger and who wants it most," he added.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Anchor's Angle with Michael Lyster

While the Championship campaign of 2007 kicked into action last weekend, I have to admit that, from my own point of view, the real stuff begins next weekend with the meeting of Galway and Mayo in Salthill!
Now, I say that with no disrespect to those who were involved last weekend - indeed we had a couple of good matches featured live on The Sunday Game. Longford showed great fighting qualities to come back from an eight-point deficit to beat Westmeath, while the second half of Cavan and Down was absolute tit-for-tat stuff until Down ended up drawing the game with a dramatic late score.
I also say it with no disregard for our opening live game on Sunday, the meeting of Fermanagh and Tyrone. We'll be keeping a keen eye on how Tyrone's Championship claims for 2007 are shaping up, while also wondering if Fermanagh can put recent poor league form behind them and raise themselves again to the heroic displays they put in a couple of summers ago.
However, when the first inter-county Championship game you ever went to as a kid was Galway versus Mayo, then I think you'll understand why next Sunday's latest joust between the sides is so special. Memories of younger days come flooding back every time I see this fixture posted and, while many of those are of games played in Tuam and Castlebar, Pearse Stadium in Salthill is also a fixture in that  walk down memory lane.
I suppose the thing to remember here is that I'm talking about the early and mid-1960s when your sporting world revolved around the fortunes of Galway in their annual quest for Championship glory.
There was barely any big-time sport on telly in those days, no Premiership or Champions League, no Formula One or rallying from Argentina and certainly no watching Ireland playing cricket against Pakistan!
So your fix was following Galway through their battles with Mayo or Roscommon or the other Connacht counties. I have to say I just loved the buzz of the entire occasion, even down to the smell of the freshly cut grass.
I got a small reminder of that sense of youthful wonder a few weeks back when I brought my youngest son, Jack, to Old Trafford for his first visit. For once I didn't do well on the seating front at the stadium - stuck down near the rabble at the Stretford End! But I certainly picked the right match, United against Roma in the Champions League quarter-final.
It was the night of that famous 7-1 victory and even though we struggled to see a few of the goals at the far end with everyone constantly leaping up and down the atmosphere was just incredible.
Watching Jack lap it all up that night, that's how I remember going to all those Connacht Championship games, not sitting back in a cosy box eating prawn sandwiches, but in the thick of the crowd, heaving and swaying, often getting soaked wet but always coming away exhilarated.or most of the time coming away exhilarated, at any rate.
Fortunately, as a Galway fan, the Maroon and White usually held the upper hand in those days. This, after all, was the era of their three-in-a-row and it was easy to stick your chest out and wave your flag going to those games.
In the decade of the Sixties, Galway claimed the Connacht title six times, Mayo and Roscommon claiming two apiece of the remaining titles. In more recent times, of course, it has been Mayo who've held sway in the province and even if that big silver cup in the east remains a hidden treasure, they certainly have the panel to defend their title again this year and make another stab at claiming Sam.
County loyalty prevents me from saying I expect them to win Sunday's game in Salthill, but they will certainly be hard beaten, and I feel Galway will need to show a bit more passion and self belief than they've displayed in the past couple of years in the Championship. People will look to some of the older, experienced heads to point the way but I believe that the energy in a team comes from youth and the new kids on the block now have to grow into their roles as senior inter-county players.
Whoever wins the match, I know for sure that I'm going to thoroughly enjoy our visit to Galway and the live presentation of the game from Pearse Stadium. Before the programme goes on air I will look out across the Salthill venue and I'll swear I caught a glimpse of Enda Colleran, Mattie McDonagh or John Morley fielding high balls and driving their colleagues on.
It's Galway versus Mayo. Where else would I want to be on a Sunday?

[stephenite]

Any teams named yet?

[myball22]

well written article by Michael Lyster, why don't we see more of his writings?

[MaroonAndWhite]

No team named in Galway anyway - a fair few little niggly injury worries ahead of the game. Nicky Joyce, Meehan, Blake all carrying knocks and two subs out, Paul Geraghty & Alan Burke both with hamstring problems.
Lyster cant be writing all that much....has his hands full trying to keep a small bit of manners on Brolly....I wonder what abuse he has in store for Galway & Mayo or will he be a bit tamer after being reprimanded for last weekends OTT stuff

[Msgr. Horan]

No team named in Galway anyway - a fair few little niggly injury worries ahead of the game. Nicky Joyce, Meehan, Blake all carrying knocks and two subs out, Paul Geraghty & Alan Burke both with hamstring problems.
Lyster cant be writing all that much....has his hands full trying to keep a small bit of manners on Brolly....I wonder what abuse he has in store for Galway & Mayo or will he be a bit tamer after being reprimanded for last weekends OTT stuff

Joe "I never had a bad game meself" Brolly

[GaillimhIarthair]

No team named in Galway anyway - a fair few little niggly injury worries ahead of the game. Nicky Joyce, Meehan, Blake all carrying knocks and two subs out, Paul Geraghty & Alan Burke both with hamstring problems.
Lyster cant be writing all that much....has his hands full trying to keep a small bit of manners on Brolly....I wonder what abuse he has in store for Galway & Mayo or will he be a bit tamer after being reprimanded for last weekends OTT stuff

Galway team to be named tonight after training...........

[GalwaySham]

Joe "I never had a bad game meself" Brolly

Dont know where u get that impression from.

I remember him talking about the all-ireland semi final in 98 and how tomas mannion cleaned him

[Redgreenery]

Great words there by Lyster, and he's right, theres a huge occaision to it!

[belleaqua]

Really lookin forward to it, Lyster captured it well!

All we need now is the teams to ponder over. Galway tonight, any word on when Mayo will name it??

[Duine Eile]

Mayo to be named tonight aswell from radio reports today.

[Redgreenery]

Galway might just sneak victory

Kevin McStay

IN the build-up to the first championship Sunday of 2007, the GAA was accused of poor fixture planning with the games on offer lacking the big bang opening any marketing department would insist on. It transpired we had a most acceptable and enjoyable pair of games to get the show on the road and week two promises all the fireworks you want.
Here in the west we are togging strong with an early version of the provincial final. And the age-old question whenever the great Connacht rivals meet is once again posed: 'Will Galway 'bate' (bait?) Mayo?'
Every time they meet the advice is to dispense with the punditry and do one of two things: check who won when last they met in the championship and go for the losing team this time around; if you have problems finding the time for that type of in-depth research, then apply option two and toss a coin.
There is a lot riding on this game. For both managers, and especially the Galway one, defeat at this early stage will be unacceptable to followers. And this year, unlike all others since 2001, a new scenario will unfold. The removal of the old round one from the much loved/hated Qualifiers means the action for the losing team after next Sunday does not re-commence until the first week in July.
It will be almost impossible to keep your squad together or focused for a Qualifier game that is seven weeks away. You can be sure the clubs will seize the opportunity to have their county players back in harness.
In recent weeks, when discussing the possibility of a Mayo win, in what is essentially a provincial quarter-final, we said the league form and results would count for zip. We stand by that and you can add recent challenge match efforts (a good win over Kildare followed by a bad loss to Louth) to the NFL campaign.
It is best if we stick to the personnel issue and what the formations are likely to be. Despite BJ Padden seeing a bit of action recently at number three, we are going for the tried and trusted David Heaney to go toe to toe with PJ once again with BJP at CHB.
It is a pity matters have come to that because Heaney prefers a freer role and was playing pretty well at midfield. But we always suspected it might end up as horses for courses. Thus, despite David Brady and Trevor Mortimer seeing little or no recent action, the removal of Heaney should mean selection for one or perhaps both of the recently injured pair.
The team is not to hand just yet but the above permutations will define the overall product and this is an area I feel Galway will just about edge. Indeed, the sense that Galway will edge this game is growing day by day. This is a natural recurring phenomenon – despite some very average form, there is always championship week when we can present an argument that flies in the face of all known evidence.
Galway have not been good for quite a while now and I am not talking months here. But this is the year of the last dying kick of their old stars and their forward line might just do enough this time around. We know Joyce, Fallon and Savage were market leaders in their day – superb footballers and genuine scoring threats when in possession. Add in Michael Meehan and young Bane and if they hit the high notes they will sneak it. But if the result goes in favour of Mayo, I will not be at all surprised. That has nearly always been the way of these confrontations.

[Redgreenery]

Mayo Team Named:

Kenneth O'Malley (C. Ó Máille) - Baile an Róba   

Liam O'Malley (L. Ó Máille) - Buireas Uamhaill     

Billy Joe Padden (L.S. MacPhaidín) - Béal an Mhuirthead                       

Keith Higgins (C. Ó hUiginn) - Béal Átha hAmhnais                                 

Enda Devenney (E. Ó Duibheannaigh) - Beal an Átha                             

James Nallen (S. Ó Nailín) - Crois Mhaoilíona       

Peadar Gardiner (P. Ó Gairnéir) - Crois Mhaoilíona                                 

David Heaney (D. Ó hÉanaigh) - Béal Átha na Muice                               

Pat Harte (P. Ó hAirt) - Beal an Átha                   

Ger Brady (G. Ó Brádaigh) -Beal an Átha             

Trevor Mortimer (T. Ó Muireartaigh) - Sruthair-Gleann Coirib                     

Alan Dillon (A. Diolún) - Baile an Tobair               

Conor Mortimer (C. Ó Muireartaigh) - Sruthair-Gleann Coirib                     

Kevin O'Neill (C. Ó Néill) Captain - Na Fianna     

Andy Moran (A. Ó Moráin) - Bealach an Doirin     

[The Real Laoislad]

Remember Redgreenery it is Galway ye are playing now and not Inter Milan