FBD Connacht League 2009

[Farrandeelin]

Fixtures from connachtgaa.ie

Section A
Sligo IT v Roscommon  Ballinode 06/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Mayo v NUI Galway  Ballinrobe 06/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
NUI Galway v Roscommon  Dangan 13/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Mayo v Sligo IT  Charlestown 13/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Sligo IT v NUI Galway  Ballinode 20/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Roscommon v Mayo  Ballinlough 20/01/2008 13:00 TBC

Section B
Galway v Sligo  Tuam 06/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Leitrim v GMIT  Carrick-on-Shannon 06/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Sligo v GMIT  Tubbercurry 13/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Leitrim v Galway  Carrick-on-Shannon 13/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Galway v GMIT  Pearse Stadium Galway 20/01/2008 13:00 TBC   
Leitrim v Sligo  Carrick-on-Shannon 20/01/2008 13:00 TBC

Might as well start this thread up to get us all talking Connacht football again, you'd hardly know it was on.

[Rossfan]

You have to wait till the calendar ticks into 2008 before we crank back to life.

[SLIGONIAN]

Non STOP GAA till september, love this time of year knowing theres alot of entertainment ahead of us.... Sligeach abu, Its nice to be reigning connaght champions..wonder will I say the same next year.

[Rossfan]

Sligeach abu, Its nice to be reigning connaght champions..wonder will I say the same next year.

Maybe in 2039 

[Barney]

Mayo started full training last weekend. 15 players tied up with colleges. Only new players and younger lads have trained during the winter. A very different looking first XV should take the field on Saturday. Why are all the games down for Saturdays?

By the way was suprised at James Nallen criticising the management over last year. Its not his usual style. Below is from the hoganstand.com

One of the most disappointing teams in the 2007 football championship were undoubtedly Mayo, who never seemed to recover from their first round collapse at the hands of Galway. While admitting that it was a poor year, veteran centre back James Nallen can see no reason why John O'Mahony's men won't be a force to be reckoned with in 2008.

Write Mayo off at your peril! That's the view of Mayo's vastly experienced centre back James Nallen ahead of the 2008 campaign.

A season that promised much for the Westerners ended in abject failure when they suffered a crushing 10-point defeat to Derry in the All-Ireland qualifiers. A few weeks earlier, Mayo suffered an equally demoralising defeat to Galway in the Connacht championship which undid much of the good of an impressive National League campaign that saw John O'Mahony's charges reach the final for the first time since 2001.

O'Mahony's appointment as manager towards the end of last year was welcomed by all Mayo supporters, with some predicting that he would emulate his achievements with Galway by guiding his native county to a long-awaited All-Ireland success in 2007. But the newly-elected TD's first year back in charge of Mayo proved to be something of a nightmare and by time it had ended, the talk around Mayo wasn't about winning All-Irelands but about the urgent need to rebuild.

"The year started off with great expectations and I suppose a lot of that was to do with the fact that the management which had been demanded was in place. Allied to this, you had a group of players that had played in two of the previous three All-Ireland finals and it seemed that all the pieces of the jigsaw had finally come together," Nallen recalls.

"We made a great start to the league by avenging last year's All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry, and we ended up reaching the final. And while we were disappointed to lose that to Donegal, we took a lot of positives from the campaign and went into the championship in a confident frame of mind.

"But for whatever reason, we were very poor against Galway and it seemed to be all downhill after that. Our confidence took a big hit and we weren't able to recover," he adds.

Mayo looked the real deal in the National League, beating the All-Ireland champions in their opening game, and also recording wins over Tyrone, Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Fermanagh. In the semi-final at Croke Park, goals from Alan Dillon and Ger Brady helped them to a 2-10 to 1-12 victory over Galway.

They returned to GAA headquarters a week later to face a high-flying Donegal in the league decider. Donegal were the only team to beat Mayo in Division 1A, and they completed the double over the green and reds courtesy of late surge which handed them a three-point win.

Donegal led by 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time, a lead which didn't really reflect their superiority. Mayo raised their game after the restart and between the 41st and 52nd minutes, they outscored their Ulster opponents by 0-5 to 0-2 to draw level on 0-10 each.

Mayo had a great chance to go in front when Alan Dillon lined up a 50-metre free in the 63rd minute, but his effort trailed wide. The Westerners failed to score for the remainder of the game, which included eight minutes of injury-time, while Donegal scored three points, all from the boot of substitutes, to claim their first National League title on a 0-13 to 0-10 scoreline.

Just five weeks after their league meeting, Mayo and Galway locked horns a second time in the first round of the Connacht championship at Pearse Stadium. But this eagerly-awaited clash proved to be a major disappointment for Mayo fans with Galway doing as they pleased in a comfortable 2-10 to 0-9 victory.

From the second minute, when corner forward Cormac Bane rounded Mayo goalkeeper Kenneth O'Malley and planted the ball in the net, Galway were rarely threatened. Bane grabbed a second goal in the 20th minute to leave the Tribesmen perched on a 2-5 to 0-5 lead at the interval. Thirty seconds after the restart, Conor Mortimer was unlucky to see his shot strike the upright when a goal might just have given Mayo the impetus to launch a comeback. But it wasn't to be and the result, which edged Galway one victory ahead of their great rivals in championship duels, was never in doubt after that.

John O'Mahony reacted to the Pearse Stadium debacle by making wholesale changes for the All-Ireland qualifier against Cavan at McHale Park. Mayo emerged as 1-19 to 3-7 winners, but many of the fundamental flaws, which were evident against Galway and in last year's All-Ireland final, were once again clear for all to see.

After an evenly-contested first 30 minutes, Mayo cut loose late in the first half to lead by 0-9 to 0-6 at half-time. They increased their advantage before being rocked by goals from Dermot McCabe (penalty) and Jason Reilly.

But the home side got an instant goal from Barry Moran and Andy Moran tagged on a point to hand them back control at a vital stage. Rory Gallagher grabbed a third Cavan goal to leave two points in it with seven minutes remaining, but again Mayo responded, with a brace of Conor Mortimer points sealing the win.

Mayo faced an improving Derry side in the next round at Celtic Park and it was like Pearse Stadium all over again as the Westerners went down to a heavy defeat, 2-13 to 1-6. The visitors had fallen four points in arrears before a goalkeeping error allowed Barry Moran to pounce for a 14th minute goal.

Conor Mortimer brought Mayo level from a free, only for Derry to quickly open up a two-point lead. Derry led by 0-8 to 1-3 at half-time, but Mayo regained parity for the first time early in the second half thanks to points from substitute Aidan Kilcoyne and Pierce Hanley.

However, Derry pulled away again when Enda Muldoon set up Colin Devlin for a fisted goal. The Oak Leafers led by 1-12 to 1-6 with seven minutes remaining and Mayo's misery was complete when Muldoon beat David Clarke with a clever chip for the home side's second goal in injury-time.

While stressing that the players must take responsibility for Mayo's disappointing summer, Nallen questions the timing of the management's decision to make such drastic changes to the team in the wake of the defeat to Galway.

"I can't understand why so many changes were made so late in the year," he says.

"There was a big shake-up after the Galway game but why, if the management were going to make changes, did they not do it a few months earlier?. We had a settled team by time the championship came around and the decision to disrupt the backbone of the team left us somewhat leaderless for the games against Cavan and Derry."
The 34-year-old Crossmolina ace, who is undecided about his inter-county future, doesn't foresee major changes to the Mayo squad next year, despite the perception that John O'Mahony has already commenced a major rebuilding programme.

"Like any county, Mayo are always on the look-out for new players and I'm sure you'll see a few new faces next year. But I wouldn't anticipate huge changes in personnel. By and large, it's a young squad with only three or four of us over the 30 mark. If seven or eight new players were brought in next year, it would be asking a lot of them to gel straight away. You have to have a certain amount of continuity."

The veteran of five All-Ireland finals (including the '96 replay against Meath) is confident that Mayo will bounce back in 2008 and also dismisses the notion that Connacht is now the weakest province in football.

"I think both ourselves and Galway will have a point to prove next year and history shows that Mayo are at their most dangerous when they're down. When I first came onto the panel in 1995, Mayo were coming off the back of some terrible championship defeats but we surprised everyone by reaching the All-Ireland final in '96. We're like a wounded animal at the moment and I think you'll see a backlash next year."

He continues: "People were saying this year that because Sligo won the Connacht championship, it is now the weakest province but I wouldn't agree with that. If Sligo had gone on to play in an All-Ireland semi-final or final, they wouldn't be saying that. You can't say a province is the weakest just because it isn't represented in the All-Ireland final. I think ourselves, Galway or Sligo would be capable of beating most teams on any given day"

[Rossfan]

The sudden outbreak of changes after the Galway debacle suggested a panic reaction. Or was it a case of  JO'M only getting rightly down  to business after the Election ?
As for only starting training now - maybe it's the right way to go - after all our lads started training in August 2006 and look how we ended up last year !!!
No doubt we'll see you in Ballinlough on the 20th Jan Barney?

[AbbeySider]

By the way was suprised at James Nallen criticising the management over last year. Its not his usual style. Below is from the hoganstand.com

Barney, I dont think he went too hard on JOM, perhaps he and a few of the experienced guys felt hard done by after the Galway game.

It did look like a statement from JOM when he dropped the older guys after the game in Salthill.
In some respects it felt like he was using them as a scapegoat and someone to blame when he made the cull. Then again maybe im being harsh, maybe JOM felt in his heart that he needed to blood new players in championship football and that the older fellas had given their best and their best fell short of requirements.

Its hard to know. Its especially hard to know how much the AIF against kerry in 06 has effected the players, perhaps on the day those demons still haunted a few of them. It was a tough call.

Id agree with Nallen that it was a bit late in the season to be making those big changes if the team had settled as he describes.   

[IolarCoisCuain]

Does anyone know if Mayo have named a captain for the year yet?

[GalwayBayBoy]

I'm surprised Jimmy Nallen is still going. Been a great player for Mayo but over the past couple of years all the milage on the clock has really begun to show over the last couple of campaigns. I guess you can't buy experience like that but will he still be a mainstay in the team this year or just someone who can steady the ship and help the young lads?

[AbbeySider]

Jimmy Nallen
...
someone who can steady the ship and help the young lads?

He is worth his weight in gold in that respect. A guy like him has a lot to offer like that. He has a lot to pass on and that can only be a good influence on younger players coming through.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Jimmy Nallen
...
someone who can steady the ship and help the young lads?

He is worth his weight in gold in that respect. A guy like him has a lot to offer like that. He has a lot to pass on and that can only be a good influence on younger players coming through.

True that but his influence will have to be exerted in training and encouragement from the bench because O'Mahony cannot realistically start him. The legs are gone and if he's only able for 30 mins at championship pace, theres no point playing him in the FBD and NFL games. He's knackered if someone runs at him like O'Sullivan did in 2006. If things are tight with 20 mins to go in the summer and a cool head is needed, then get him on but other than that, his best days are well past him. Who is the alternative starter at no 6....and dont say Billy Joe for jaysus sake!!!

If O'Mahony is to bring this Mayo team somewhere, he needs to put new blood into the team. If D Brady and Nallen (Heaney and McDonald to a lesser extent) are starters come May, ye may as well forget about it. Ye might beat the rest in Connacht with them but a Connacht isn't what ye are lookin for is it??!

As for our lads, lord knows what to expect! The only way is up I suppose........

[Barney]

A NEW-LOOK Mayo senior football team is expected to line out for the first competitive match of the new season when the FBD Connacht League swings back into action at Flanagan Park, Ballinrobe next Sunday.
John O'Mahony's 'open-ended' squad of approximately 35 players is down around the 20-mark because of a combination of college football commitments, injuries and a number of key personnel opting to sit out the opening weeks of the new year.
This means that a host of new faces (and some older, more familiar ones) will be given an opportunity to impress in games against NUI, Galway, Sligo IT and Roscommon over the next three weeks.
Speaking to The Mayo News, John O'Mahony admitted that running the rule over players was his main priority before the start of the National League on February 2.
"The FBD League is going to be very much a non-event for us in the sense that we're only going to have a squad of about 20 players available because of college commitments,  injuries and players taking a break but we will still use it to get a look at lads in competitive action.
"Since we lost to Derry last July we've had five or six trial games and watched a lot of U-21, Senior, Intermediate and Junior championship games right across the county. From all that we've brought in a number of new players and intend to have a look at all of them during the next few weeks."
Among those included in the Mayo squad for the FBD League who were not part of O'Mahony's plans last season are James Gill and Pat Kelly, two players who have featured in the recent past under previous management regimes.
The new faces include Achill duo Colm Cafferkey and Donal Corrigan, Knockmore's John Brogan, Shrule/Glencorrib's David 'Roundy' Geraghty, Charlestown's Tony Mulligan and Westport goalkeeper, Tom Higgins.
"We've done very little outdoors work so far, the majority of it has been mainly in the gym," added the Mayo boss. "We trained outdoors on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago collectively and we brought any of the lads who missed that session out a week later. Guys are also doing their own gym programmes so we're happy with the way things are going."
Among the high-profile absentees for the FBD League will be Conor Mortimer, Andy Moran and Barry Moran who will be lining out in the O'Byrne Cup, McKenna Cup and McGrath Cups with DCU, Queens University and the University of Limerick respectively.
Meanwhile, John O'Mahony confirmed that David Heaney, Kevin O'Neill and Trevor Mortimer will be concentrating on weights during the month of January while James Nallen and Ciaran McDonald have yet to rejoin the squad.
However, he said that no player from last year's panel had made themselves unavailable for selection.
"What we're beginning here is a transition period and we'd like everyone on board to help us get onto the next level," explained the Mayo manager. "Everyone is available if needed at the moment but things will probably become clearer over the next few weeks and months. Nobody has opted out yet anyway."

[spectator]

If O'Mahony is to bring this Mayo team somewhere, he needs to put new blood into the team. If D Brady and Nallen (Heaney and McDonald to a lesser extent) are starters come May, ye may as well forget about it. Ye might beat the rest in Connacht with them but a Connacht isn't what ye are lookin for is it??!

I agree with m+w there.

In a county which freezes psychologically when it comes to senior All-Ireland finals, ye should get the pick of your U-21 All-Ireland winning side playing senior championship asap, imo.

A good influx numbers wise of those U-21 players could be used as a solid reason to talk down the perennial hype about winning Sam too, buying them a few years needed to make the step-up towards senior all-ireland level.

One thing about those U-21s - they're winners &  they know what it takes to win at All-Ireland level. As of now, that's yeer biggest asset for the future & ye should set about harnessing it immediately. It may be seen be a bold approach, but is yeer best option if ye're to land Sam in the next few years, imho.

In light of his political considerations, it'll be really interesting to see how ruthlessly or otherwise Johnno manages the transition. For me, his intentions for the future were clearly signalled with the line-up he selected for the Derry game last summer.

[stephenite]

Agree that newer players are needed - but wouldn't rush any of the older fellas out the door just yet. DB was the year ahead of me at school all the way up, I make him 32 years of age for this season, 33 at a push. Jimmy Nallen was the year ahead of that so max 34. I played against Ciaran Mac at every age group so he's no more than 31 and Heaney probabaly a year younger again.
Getting on no doubt but still young enough to play some sort of role for the team I think.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Jimmy Nallen was the year ahead of that so max 34.

Sometimes it's not so much the age as the miles on the clock on top of it. Nallen has looked exposed on a few occasions in the past couple of years. I just thought he might have considered packing it in but I guess there's always the temptation of giving it one more go.