Mayo v Cavan

[rosnarun]

why should playing good clean football in the spirit of the game be seen as an insult . Im sure kerry were genuinly gracious to play a team wh didnt triy  in inflict GBH on them every time they got the ball. thats UFC Puke  not football as i recognise it.
AND As for all this chat about major surgery being required for the team is just cowards talk . Get behind the team that is there not a fantasy squad of 6'6 agile plaer with great hand who alway point from 60 yards that exist only in your head. winter is long enough to bladder on about such things .
Im very excited about seeing hanley moran and kilcullen being given a chance in central roles as i think they can add alot to the team and its a real challange of Franco's managerial judgement, but buts great that he has grabbed the bull by the horns and is fianlly getting on with shaping his team. Dont worry wheter or not they plyed in the league its now that matters we will have to Presume hes putting out the right team untill we see otherwise or not for ourselves saturday.
in defence of Marty he has be riddled with injuries over the last few year and last time i saw him play for mayo he was best plaer on the field and ive never seen let mayo down . but its johnnos call FOR NOW

[OirthearMhaigheo]

lads as i have said before its nearly the same players who have played the last 3 or 4 years bar kilcullen and Hanley who are making their debuts,but if john o' mahony is such a good manager why did he not try these players out during the league. when Galway won the all ireland in 2001 through the back door he did not give championship debuts to number 6 and number 11 he had a settled team,thats what worries me why did he not play them against Galway at least he would know then whether they were up for it, there is a big step up from under 21's to seniors.

I believe Johnno would have been eaten alive if he had tried this for the Galway game. He went with some of the tried and trusted players,we all saw it didn't work, now he has a free reign to try some young lads out. I agree some of this should have been done in the league, but you would be well suprised how much Kilcullen and Hanley have bulked up since January, they are much more ready for senior football now. I'm delighted he is trying some new players out, better late than never. It's no slight on Cavan, but they are our first opponents since the sham in Salthill and that's who we happen to be trying the players out on. It is a risk and good luck to Cavan if they can exploit us using younger lads in central positions, hopefully the lads will be able to hold their own. I have my doubts about Hanley starting at CHF but I'd say Kilcullen will line out as selected. Johnno re-jigged the team a fair bit in 2001 after Galway lost to Ross and it worked, same again please!!

[mylestheslasher]

Highking says "Now that he is elected and with an easy backdoor game, he can make the changes he probably wanted to do originally but couldnt afford to risk". Is that not over confidence?

[highking]

Highking says "Now that he is elected and with an easy backdoor game, he can make the changes he probably wanted to do originally but couldnt afford to risk". Is that not over confidence?

Havent heard much about Cavan recently apart from the players leaving for the states. It was perceived in Mayo that Cavan at home was the best draw possible for Johnno. However, if Cavan beat Mayo, they will be doing us a favour and not have us traipsing up to Dublin until September... If we cant beat Cavan then we may aswell get back to the club football...

[Barney]

an easy backdoor game

Quit the crap. It is not an easy game. I think we will win but if it was Breffni Park I would not be jumping up and down with confidence.

How many of ye complacent types have actually seen Cavan play? I saw the Down game on television and I read what the Cavan lads here say but what the hell do we know about them. On any given day in the championship a team can produce an inspirational display i.e. Mayo v Dublin last year, which is above their true worth. Tomorrow may be Cavan's moment.

We are no world beaters and our history against ordinary teams is patchy at best when the heat is on.

[mylestheslasher]

Well said barney. There is no doubt that player for player, Mayo have more talent (even though the gap might not be as big as some might think). Other factors such as confidence, tactics, complacency, team spirit and being up for it will play a big part in any match. I think in recent years Mayo have been punching above their weight which is a good thing. Cavan have not played to what I believe is their potential in quite a while. Some of our best players have done almost nothing this year - McKeever, Pierson and Forde to name a few. McKeever, on his game, would make any team in Ireland. Pierson hasn't got back to the level he was at before doing his cruciate. I think Cavan people are hopeful that we could get going again, one win against a upper tier team is what Cavan badly need and it would be such a boost to football in the county.

[CavanCola]

Here's hoping for a good competive game of football with a narrow Cavan win . Making the long journey down there myself. Something that no one has really mentioned here is that it may be the last outing for alot of the old Cavan guard. That in itself should be motivation enough for alot of them to play out of their Skins. Everything to play for yet lads. Like the look of the team that has been picked given whats being going on in the past couple of weeks. Larry to come on in the second half and notch a few over as well. Come on the blues!

[Farrandeelin]

I also agree with Barney's assessmant that it will not be an easy game. Championship games never are (at least with Mayo involved anyway). Added to the fact that we have a very small full-back line, an experimental half-back line and a new centre forward this will not be easy. I still, like all Mayo posters think we will win it though. Home advantage is telling me that we will. If the Mayo midfield can finally get a foothold in a game of 70 mins we should do it and Heaney and Brady should be up to the standard to do that.

[cavan4ever]

Here's hoping for a good competive game of football with a narrow Cavan win . Making the long journey down there myself. Something that no one has really mentioned here is that it may be the last outing for alot of the old Cavan guard. That in itself should be motivation enough for alot of them to play out of their Skins. Everything to play for yet lads. Like the look of the team that has been picked given whats being going on in the past couple of weeks. Larry to come on in the second half and notch a few over as well. Come on the blues!

I doubt if that will happen, any word on his injury a shoulder injury takes a lot of time to recover.

[cavan4ever]

O'Reilly injury opens door for Gallagher

Jason Reilly
06 July 2007


Although named in Donal Keogan's starting line-up for Saturday evening's clash with Mayo in Castlebar, Cavan's Jason O'Reilly is struggling with a hamstring injury and is unlikely to figure with the vacancy likely to be filled by former Fermanagh star Rory Gallagher.

Keogan has already consigned himself to the fact that O'Reilly will be unable to start and Gallagher would be the ideal replacement to make his championship debut for the Breffni County.

''We will have a look at Jason tomorrow and we are hoping that he will be able to play some part in the game,'' Keogan said.

O'Reilly will be a loss to the Cavan side as he has constantly been one of their top scorers over the past couple of years and Keogan believes that they will have to improve on the scoreboard to trouble Mayo.

''We only scored 11 points in the replay against Down and 11 points doesn't win any game. You can't go 23 minutes without scoring. We need to inject more hunger into the forward line,'' Keogan stated.


Could this Imposter decide to play instead of hiding for a change.  If he does decide he wants to play it could have a major impact on the result.

[Bomber2312]

to put it simply, Mayo play with two many forwards, too many attack minded players. the move to bring B moran in is a good one, i dont think he'll play at 14, more likely to play wing forward like bergin used to for galway, i presume Billy Joe will play at ten, this gives us four options around the middle of the field, also gives us the option to pack up a bit in defence. Hanley will prob play at full forward with the mort, with Dillion and A Moran playing deeper, the formation will look more like 3-3-4-2-2 than the tradtional 3-3-2-3-3.  This is Mayo's only chance to succeed, our defenders are not great, so we must come up with another system, making it more difficult for other teams to score.

If mayo do play the orthodox way, the defense will get torn to shred, Kilcullen will be left exposed by his wing backs, neglecting there duties racing up the field which is the most out dated tactic in football it not only leaves you vulnerable to counter attack but takes up vital space for the forwards. I do think Mayo can go far in the championship and with everyone back fit Mayo are a formiddable side. BUt it must be clear, if our defense is not up to it, we'll get no where.

Quick question for those in the know, why hasnt James Kilcullen been given a run at Mid-field?

[Fishead_Sam]

Bomber2312 I may be wrong but I think James is injured.

[Denn Forever]

Well done Mayo. 1-19 suggests that you have a potent attack.  But 3 goals conceeded.  Is there some problems in goal as some posters suggested earlier.

[Bomber2312]

Nope three point blank efforts nothing any keeper could do!
Problem lies in full back line and/or lack of a half back line

[mannix]

well done mayo.hope we get a few more games this year.sounds like a few new names have shaken the order in the camp. how tall is barry moran?
lots of points but I think goals would make life a lot easier in mayos quest for glory, anyway, well done to all concerned.
Cavan looked ok too but lack the overall plan to beat a mayo team with vast knowledge of top flight stuff.3 goals against screams out to tyrone and co that high ball is the way to go,hopefully this is a one off but our fullback line is still dodgy and will need massive help from out the field.