Mayo 3-11 Sligo 0-7 Champions Dethroned

[Barney]

Trevor Mortimer has credited weekly yoga sessions for staying injury-free ahead of Mayo's Connacht SFC semi-final against Sligo on Sunday.

Mortimer, who joins his brother Conor in the Mayo attack for the Castlebar fixture, has struggled with persistent back and hamstring problems in the past and even contemplated retirement at one stage. However, the strong running half forward turned to bikram yoga, or hot yoga, this year in a bid to keep himself injury-free and the results have been excellent.




"Since 2004, I've been injured off and on and never really got a right run at it but thankfully this year now I haven't had too much. I've probably spent more time away from training working on it than actually training but hopefully I'll stay injury-free now," he said.

"Every year you go back someone has a different answer for you. I just took it upon myself to look after it this year.

"I'm doing a lot of flexibility, yoga, swimming and staying out of contact in training as much as I can, which is probably something that I didn't pay much attention to when I was younger.

"I think four or five years of heavy training and contact takes its toll so it's more or less trying to watch yourself more than anything."

Mortimer cannot speak highly enough of yoga, which is becoming increasingly popular among sportspeople.

"I started doing it last year and I found it great. There's a girl in Galway who does hot yoga for an hour-and-a-half and it's harder than any training session. You'd probably do more stretching there than you would in six months of training."

What the hell is hot yoga - sounds good!

[thehulk!!]

its just normal yoga except done in practically a sauna- it knocks shit out of ya, really good i go once a week and havent had a muscle injury all year first time ever, the girl in galway in a genious to be fair to her

[AbbeySider]

What the hell is hot yoga - sounds good!

My hot Yoga Story from this thread a few months back
http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=6208.msg224327#msg224327

A couple of months ago "the Missus" decided to take up Hot Yoga. I was kind of intrigued because I know that some Inter County teams such as Kerry have dabbled in the likes of Yoga and Pilates so I became naturally interested. All I knew about it was that Yoga improved flexibility and had positive effects on muscles etc. After every session she came home describing how hard it is to hold some of the positions but I laughed it off and said "how hard can it be?".

I was met with a certain amount of reluctance when I suggested that I go to a session to see whats its like. I was told that the heat is incredible and its is very physically challenging. I scoffed and insisted and so I went to a session just before the Christmas.

It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. The room was heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit which is 40 degrees Celsius. The session went on for about an hour and a half. It was one of the longest hour and 30 mins of my life. I found it really tough. Some of the squat holds and the stretches are near impossible. Not only are the stretches hard but the heat is sweltering and you are drenched in sweat throughout the session.

Because the room is so hot you can stretch even further because your muscles are so warm. Before I started I thought I was reasonably flexible but lets just say the session thought me a lot about myself. The Spinal and Upper-Body stretches I found especially tough and some of the squat holds I couldnt finish and had to break out of the routine a few times.

I would recommend it if you were out to improve on flexibility, posture, strength and relieve stress and tension or it can also help if someone was coming back from certain injury's. But its not for the faint hearted.
For my sins im giving it another go next week.   

[stevo-08]

TG, agree with alot of what you say in the last 2 posts. We need a performance of monstrous propostions all over the pitch and in particular from the guys in the middle third. And if Maguire doesnt start (meaning mcnamara is a definite starter), we are effectively a man down from the word go. Add to that, the inexperience of gaughan & mchugh. It makes for a huge task ahead on sunday. BUT, I'll still be travelling to mchale park quietly confident and I think the added incentive of the dreaded Tommy Murphy can lift our lads to the heights required. Also as seanie points out, mcpartland & sweeney off the bench are useful options for the last 20.

I heard the same as steve08 about mcguire not starting, but what can I say i see him look as sharp as ever last week and in one of the sligo papers he reinforces that by saying hes fully fit. All i can say i'll be annoyed if he doesnt start.

Mayo have twice as many clubs as us, they have ballaghdereen in ros now they have bellaghy in Sligo. What will see next the castleconnor lads defecting to ballina.

Our county board will want to have a serious look at this if they have sligos best intersts at heart...

Ya seanie was some preview on tv3 last night alright. Did any of think mortimer comments were strange regarding last yr? "We didnt buy into the new ideas last yr because we were so used to other methods, but this yr we have" not a great enditement of JOMs training method and tactics.

Sligonian, I presume the above was said with tongue in cheek! Cos if you ask any castleconnnor man, Ballina have been taking their players for years...

[GalwayBayBoy]

There's a girl in Galway who does hot yoga for an hour-and-a-half and it's harder than any training session

I think I met her one night.

[Sligoper]

I think Yoga is a fantastic idea and more clubs and countys should bring it on board. Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane both credited as an aid to helping lengthen their careers! Pity Paul Durcan and Paul Taylor didn take it up too

[GalwayBayBoy]

Mayo have twice as many clubs as us, they have ballaghdereen in ros now they have bellaghy in Sligo. What will see next the castleconnor lads defecting to ballina.

Not to mention they nicked Tourmakeady off us.

[thehulk!!]

lads you cant balme lads from inferior counties to want to play for mayo now can you really

[SLIGONIAN]

TG, agree with alot of what you say in the last 2 posts. We need a performance of monstrous propostions all over the pitch and in particular from the guys in the middle third. And if Maguire doesnt start (meaning mcnamara is a definite starter), we are effectively a man down from the word go. Add to that, the inexperience of gaughan & mchugh. It makes for a huge task ahead on sunday. BUT, I'll still be travelling to mchale park quietly confident and I think the added incentive of the dreaded Tommy Murphy can lift our lads to the heights required. Also as seanie points out, mcpartland & sweeney off the bench are useful options for the last 20.

I heard the same as steve08 about mcguire not starting, but what can I say i see him look as sharp as ever last week and in one of the sligo papers he reinforces that by saying hes fully fit. All i can say i'll be annoyed if he doesnt start.

Mayo have twice as many clubs as us, they have ballaghdereen in ros now they have bellaghy in Sligo. What will see next the castleconnor lads defecting to ballina.

Our county board will want to have a serious look at this if they have sligos best intersts at heart...

Ya seanie was some preview on tv3 last night alright. Did any of think mortimer comments were strange regarding last yr? "We didnt buy into the new ideas last yr because we were so used to other methods, but this yr we have" not a great enditement of JOMs training method and tactics.

Sligonian, I presume the above was said with tongue in cheek! Cos if you ask any castleconnnor man, Ballina have been taking their players for years...

It was tongue in cheek, i didnt know that, ffs at the end of the day the buck stops with murphy and his predessor queenan. They are to blame because they are the ones letting it happen. If i were county chairman id be objecting left right and center, in fact if a lad wouldnt play for sligo (who lives in sligo all his life) and wanted to play for mayo id rather him not play football at all. Can we not bring this to attention of GAA headquarters.

Ive done yoga a few times, great for flexibilty, for those of you who go to the gym it invariably tightens your body but doing yoga can ensure you keep your flexibilty. It is a blooming shame no one thought to tell taylor, mcgowan or sloyan...if i ever manage a team it'll be defo part of my training methods. Also the energy benefits and stress reduction benefits are very high after a session especially training after a hard day at work.

[kevmy]

Again whilst the majority of the Mayo people on here talk about Austie or Conor Mortimer , I would be more worried about Andy Moran. Probably the best Sigerson footballer in the country over last 2/3 years and I felt in the last year he was transferring this form to senior intercounty football. If Mayo are to threaten at the business end of the summer, I imagine Andy Moran will have played a crucial part.

Andy Moran's been on good form during the league alright and imo he's our biggest goal threat. My only gripe with him is he doesn't tip over as much points as he could with the (massive) amount of ball he wins. If he gets that right he could be one of the best forwards in the country. And he's a Ballagh' man as well to boot 

Trevor Mortimer has credited weekly yoga sessions for staying injury-free ahead of Mayo's Connacht SFC semi-final against Sligo on Sunday.

Mortimer, who joins his brother Conor in the Mayo attack for the Castlebar fixture, has struggled with persistent back and hamstring problems in the past and even contemplated retirement at one stage. However, the strong running half forward turned to bikram yoga, or hot yoga, this year in a bid to keep himself injury-free and the results have been excellent.




"Since 2004, I've been injured off and on and never really got a right run at it but thankfully this year now I haven't had too much. I've probably spent more time away from training working on it than actually training but hopefully I'll stay injury-free now," he said.

"Every year you go back someone has a different answer for you. I just took it upon myself to look after it this year.

"I'm doing a lot of flexibility, yoga, swimming and staying out of contact in training as much as I can, which is probably something that I didn't pay much attention to when I was younger.

"I think four or five years of heavy training and contact takes its toll so it's more or less trying to watch yourself more than anything."

Mortimer cannot speak highly enough of yoga, which is becoming increasingly popular among sportspeople.

"I started doing it last year and I found it great. There's a girl in Galway who does hot yoga for an hour-and-a-half and it's harder than any training session. You'd probably do more stretching there than you would in six months of training."

What the hell is hot yoga - sounds good!

I've a couple of mates going to her and said she's supposed to great for back/muscle problems. I said previously that Trevor is in great form and injury free for the first time in along while. Expecting a big game from him.

[Mano]

Would Mayo then be the first county that is not managed by Mick O'Dwyer which has players from 3 different counties?

[Barney]

Credit must go to the lads in Survivor for my first championship ditty of the Summer

Two worlds collide, rival nations
It's a primitive clash, venting years of frustrations
Bravely we hope against all hope, there is so much at stake
Seems our freedom's up against the ropes
Does the crowd understand?
Is it a East vs. West, or man against man
Can any county stand alone?

In the burning heart, just about to burst
There's a quest for answers, an unquenchable thirst
In the darkest night, rising like a spire
In the burning heart, the unmistakable fire, in the burning heart

In the Johnnos code, there's no surrender
Though his body says stop, his spirit cries never
Deep in our soul a quiet ember
Knows it's you against you
Its  the paradox that drives us on
It's a battle of wills, in the heat of attack
It's the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone

In the burning heart, just about to burst
There's a quest for answers, an unquenchable thirst
In the darkest night, rising like a spire
In the burning heart, we want Sam Maguire

[SLIGONIAN]

From sligogaa.ie glad to see i am not the only SLIGO man expecting victory on sunday. I know a few of the lads on here do too but some are overly cautious IMO but understandable in a way. We all know its going to be tough, we all have worries about certain players but I expect it to all just come right on the day.


Former boss Tommy Breheny is convinced that Sligo can put the disappointment of their relegation to Division Four of the National League behind them to beat Mayo in the Connacht semi-final on Sunday.

But last year's provincial title winning boss is adamant that Sligo can beat Mayo in Castlebar despite showing poor form under the new man at the helm, Tommy Jordan, this year.     

"I have absolutely no doubts. I think the game is set up for Sligo," Breheny said.

"The lads had a bit of a disappointing league, it was a bit of a hangover from last year but I have no doubt that preparations, from what I hear, have gone extremely well in Sligo."

"Sligo are going in as the Connacht champions. They very much feel they are worthy champions and they have no inferiority complex at this moment.

"The pressure is on Mayo to deliver and Sligo are under no pressure. If you look at the odds, at 11/2, I think it's very generous odds under the circumstances so I'd be expecting a Sligo win," he told the Irish Mirror

[RastaGael]

Folks

Been following the thread as a guest but had to register to post a comment.

Purely self-interest:  does anyone know whether the game is available online anywhere.  Based abroad and the old reliable of Setanta have Laois / Wex and Munster hurling as their 2 scheduled games.

Anyone know of any other possibility?

[outthecountry]

Yep - it's beem streamed on RTE.ie  but only available within the island of ireland.

totally new to this thread or board for that matter but a few observations re the game on sunday. Firmly believe that it will be mayo (and by more than a few points i might add) as i don't believe that Sligo are any where near where they were this time last year. Why else would Brehony step down - what kind of a message was that to send to your players.? He had absolutely no confidence that they would go on to come near retaining their connacht title and their league performances bore this out. So  whats changed since.? Absolutely nothing.! They are still so reliant on O'Hara to come up with another outstanding performance - don't think it's in him anymore. The reason i pick him out ( and yes i know that Mayo  keep wheeling out J Nallen) is because he is a senion player in a crucial position of midfield.
ON a seperate issue surrounding this game i totally believe that Johnno is right and correct to pmit McDonald from this squad. Apart from the fact that he deemed it to be beneath him to attend a trial game (Nallen went and was thrilled to be picked) it will completely change the style that Mayo play. no more over reliance on the blonde boy to pull the strings and when Mac was having a bad day ( and he had plenty) the rest of the players followed suit. Now thay have to call the shots themselves and i think that can only be good for the team.

I hope to see a hard working, committed performance from this mayo team. I think if hey perform to there potential then victory will be theres and they can concentrate on Galway in the final. not been presumptious just a haunch that they will have too much in the tank 9and the bench) for Sligo. Anyway that's my lot - will be there with bells on - shouting and roaring me head off and will hopefully enjoywatching a mayo win.