Mayo v Galway - Connacht Final 13/07/08 14:00 McHale Park, Castlebar

[mannix]

Self belief is the biggest thing a county can have, luckily Mayo some of it at least.
Limerick would have beaten cork this year only for it, wexford have it,dublin do not, well not against their equals anyway.
In sports the mind is as important as the body, its not like kerry are supermen or extremely talented,they believe and work hard.
Whether jom has a way of making lads believe is out to jury and we will see very soon.

[furboot]

I heard on Mid West radio tickets for connacht final go on sale from tomorrow - 35 euro for stand and 25 euro for terrace - via clubs, county board (probably) and online (I think ticketmaster)

[AbbeySider]

I heard on Mid West radio tickets for connacht final go on sale from tomorrow - 35 euro for stand and 25 euro for terrace - via clubs, county board (probably) and online (I think ticketmaster)

I just checked,
tickets are on sale now on www.ticketmaster.ie

[moysider]

Anybody living near or travelling through Ballyhaunis could pick a few up at the Connacht Council Offices. Or send them an E mail and get them by post. Handy as anything.
You ll get tickets there for any match bar an AI final.

[AbbeySider]

From the HoganStand

O'Mahony talks up Galway
25 June 2008

John O'Mahony has joked that Galway have been a transformed team since they got "rid of their Mayo managers".

Mayo boss O'Mahony will come face-to-face with his former charges, who he led to All-Ireland title wins in 1998 and 2001, in next month's Connacht SFC final at Castlebar and admits to having been highly impressed with their form since local man Liam Sammon succeeded Peter Ford as manager at the end of last year.

"Looking at it now, I did see the Galway matches and certainly they have two games under their belts - Liam Sammon has done a fantastic job with them over the winter," he said.

"He has rejuvenated them and they seem to be enjoying their football and all of that.

"They are in pole position and they have been favourites from a long way out to win the Connacht championship. We were hurt last year and there is no doubt about that.

"So that's it - even listening to some of their players - they are very impressed with the way things are going and the way Liam Sammon has approached them, so they are glad to be rid of their Mayo managers and all that kind of thing.

"They are a happy camp at the minute and I have great memories and great friendships, but on July 13, there will be nothing but a good friendly rivalry between two teams who respect each other but will battle like hell to get one over on each other."

[moysider]

It's interesting - and slightly intimidating - to reflect just how important this Connacht Final is for Mayo. If Mayo win it then they make it to the last eight, which we would have taken at the start of the summer. And once you're there you don't what will happen. The team are unlikely to win an All-Ireland because they're too loose at the back and don't rack up scores, but they could pop a qualifier in a quarter-final and then we still have something to talk about in August, coming up to the big fair day in Erris. That's not a bad summer, all things considered.

Lose the Connacht Final, however, and you're looking at some dangerous boys in the qualifiers and question marks rising again over more or less every line of the team. To say nothing of Forgotten Men. Johnno was hoping to get people to stay calm, but that's not going to happen now - thank God.

The two Connacht titles that Moysider mentions for Mayo this decade isn't quite as terrible as it sounds. Unless I'm mistaken, it works out like this:

2001: Roscommon
2002: Galway
2003: Galway
2004: Mayo
2005: Galway
2006: Mayo
2007: Sligo

That's not too bad, really, from a Mayo perspective. The wins for Roscommon and Sligo prevent it from being a Galway hegemony, which would be a worst case scenario for Mayo.

Mayo's putrid performances in the qualifiers are perhaps a cause of greater concern. Any year Mayo have been in them they really haven't tried - the only time they got any sort of run was in 2002 when they beat Roscommon, Limerick and Tipperary. Once they came up against Cork in the quarters they got butchered. I wonder why that is? My best guess is that Mayo are a team that need momentum in order to bolster up fragile self-belief. Another reason not to lose the Connacht Final.

Hmmm. While I too have despaired about our inept and selfpitying approach to the qualifiers in the past there is little we can do about that now. I rememberer telling somebody that mattered if they we re not serious about them they could have at least told us in advance, before setting off in horrendous Saturday shopping traffic to support a cardboard -cut-out of a team - which I did and no doubt did you for 5 years,  But there are some obvious measures we can take to increase our chances of winning this years Connacht final. If we lose it will be 4-2 to Galway since 2000 and seeing as we ll have to play them in Salthill 2009 it could end up easily 5-2. Its unlikely any of the other 3 will win 2009. That for me Iolar is a depressing scenario.

On a different note I know Kevin Mc Loughlin has been drafted in for training with the panel, at least on occasion. Hooray. So Tommy did notice his form Cross v Knockmore - or maybe they saved time and just consulted this board. So too have others been called in to make up numbers I m sure, but I m keeping an eye on this lad. While he ll hardly figure this year due to the lumbering slowness of a county team's development it's a step in the right direction. Now if only they gave a call to the outstanding player in that same game we might address the lopsidedness in the provincal record  this decade.

[mannix]

Moysider,
I am sure Mac would love to be back but hold little hope for it. What other county can drop a player like him?
Tell us about this kevin lad from knockmore, i live away and have not seen him in action.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Moysider I agree with you, Kevin McLoughlin is a serious prospect but I don't think we'll see him play this year. I think it would be too much of a step-up for the lad. If he had more experience at under 21 - which he should have got - then he'd be in good shape. I know we're stuck for corner-backs but it'd be asking an awful lot of him imo.

Mannix, McLoughlin was Mayo minor for two years (06 and 07) playing corner back both years. However last year he was the minors outstanding player and probably should have been in a more central position. He has pace, is a great man to sheppard his man away from goal, a great reader of the game and fairly strong as well. Might need to fill out a small bit though. But I have no doubt we'll be seeing him play with Mayo for many, many years.

I do think its good to have him in the panel though, at least to bridge the gap. I think he'll be a starting corner-back next year.

Btw if Galway win the Connacht final they'll be 5-2 up on us in this decade as far as I can work out (2000, 02, 03, 05, and 08) versus 04 and 06 for us.

I wonder will there be a clamour for McD now? Some mentioned that it might be considered after the Sligo game. I'd be shocked myself if it happened. Any word on the home front lads?

[the Deel Rover]

Mannix, McLoughlin was Mayo minor for two years (06 and 07) playing corner back both years. However last year he was the minors
I wonder will there be a clamour for McD now? Some mentioned that it might be considered after the Sligo game. I'd be shocked myself if it happened. Any word on the home front lads?

It aint going to happen R&G sniper the galway game is less than 2 weeks ago and o'mahony won't budge now on his decision

[mouview]

Mannix, McLoughlin was Mayo minor for two years (06 and 07) playing corner back both years. However last year he was the minors
I wonder will there be a clamour for McD now? Some mentioned that it might be considered after the Sligo game. I'd be shocked myself if it happened. Any word on the home front lads?

It aint going to happen R&G sniper the galway game is less than 2 weeks ago and o'mahony won't budge now on his decision

And correctly so too, I'd say. McD, good player though he undoubtedly was, did very little for Mayo in his last years - play tended to go across the ptich when he lined out, instead of forwards. He was also a reference point for the opposition, a big hit on him raised the dander in his opponents and diminished his teammates.

[the Deel Rover]

Mannix, McLoughlin was Mayo minor for two years (06 and 07) playing corner back both years. However last year he was the minors
I wonder will there be a clamour for McD now? Some mentioned that it might be considered after the Sligo game. I'd be shocked myself if it happened. Any word on the home front lads?

It aint going to happen R&G sniper the galway game is less than 2 weeks ago and o'mahony won't budge now on his decision

And correctly so too, I'd say. McD, good player though he undoubtedly was, did very little for Mayo in his last years - play tended to go across the ptich when he lined out, instead of forwards. He was also a reference point for the opposition, a big hit on him raised the dander in his opponents and diminished his teammates.

Jesus i don't know he inflicted plenty of damage on ye boys Mouview he got mom in castlebar in 2006 and last year he came on when he was injured the only real time i remember a big hit on him was last year when Damian Burke shouldered him and yes it did raised the roof but in fairness he has inflicted a lot of damage to galway over the years  if only he got that 3rd goal in 1998 

[moysider]

Mannix, McLoughlin was Mayo minor for two years (06 and 07) playing corner back both years. However last year he was the minors
I wonder will there be a clamour for McD now? Some mentioned that it might be considered after the Sligo game. I'd be shocked myself if it happened. Any word on the home front lads?

It aint going to happen R&G sniper the galway game is less than 2 weeks ago and o'mahony won't budge now on his decision

And correctly so too, I'd say. McD, good player though he undoubtedly was, did very little for Mayo in his last years - play tended to go across the ptich when he lined out, instead of forwards. He was also a reference point for the opposition, a big hit on him raised the dander in his opponents and diminished his teammates.

You ve got to be joking right? You obviously were nt in Croke Park Aug. 06 [ one of his last years] or obviously not in Castlebar last Sunday to watch the all new, all dancing Mayo attack, post macDonald rack up 6 points in 55 mins of football against one of the poorest Sligo teams in the last 20 years. I dont believe this spin still exists in the minds of football people that should know better. If Mac was around last Sunday we could have won by twice as much - fact.

[mouview]

Jesus i don't know he inflicted plenty of damage on ye boys Mouview he got mom in castlebar in 2006 and last year he came on when he was injured the only real time i remember a big hit on him was last year when Damian Burke shouldered him and yes it did raised the roof but in fairness he has inflicted a lot of damage to galway over the years  if only he got that 3rd goal in 1998 

True, Deel, but I'm talking more in general terms. His influence v Galway has declined incrementally, albeit slowly,  since his heydays in the late 90s. Good and all as he was in the '06 semi. v Dublin, he held up the play too much / too much had to go through him   in the final that year, manfully though he tried. This aspect I think JOM has recognised which is why he is not bending his back to recall him.

Anyway, I reiterate my 'Buy' position on Mayo!

[the Deel Rover]

Jesus i don't know he inflicted plenty of damage on ye boys Mouview he got mom in castlebar in 2006 and last year he came on when he was injured the only real time i remember a big hit on him was last year when Damian Burke shouldered him and yes it did raised the roof but in fairness he has inflicted a lot of damage to galway over the years  if only he got that 3rd goal in 1998 

True, Deel, but I'm talking more in general terms. His influence v Galway has declined incrementally, albeit slowly,  since his heydays in the late 90s. Good and all as he was in the '06 semi. v Dublin, he held up the play too much / too much had to go through him   in the final that year, manfully though he tried. This aspect I think JOM has recognised which is why he is not bending his back to recall him.

Anyway, I reiterate my 'Buy' position on Mayo!

Does P Joyce not play in a similiar role for Galway now, most of the play is going through him and against leitrim he was dropping back to his half back line to get possession of the ball  yet when Mc did that he was accused of holding up play i know as a forward i would rather mc have his hands on the ball delay for a second or two and get a quality pass into space rather that 5 or 6 handpasses across the pitch

[OirthearMhaigheo]

Jesus i don't know he inflicted plenty of damage on ye boys Mouview he got mom in castlebar in 2006 and last year he came on when he was injured the only real time i remember a big hit on him was last year when Damian Burke shouldered him and yes it did raised the roof but in fairness he has inflicted a lot of damage to galway over the years  if only he got that 3rd goal in 1998 

True, Deel, but I'm talking more in general terms. His influence v Galway has declined incrementally, albeit slowly,  since his heydays in the late 90s. Good and all as he was in the '06 semi. v Dublin, he held up the play too much / too much had to go through him   in the final that year, manfully though he tried. This aspect I think JOM has recognised which is why he is not bending his back to recall him.

Anyway, I reiterate my 'Buy' position on Mayo!

Does P Joyce not play in a similiar role for Galway now, most of the play is going through him and against leitrim he was dropping back to his half back line to get possession of the ball  yet when Mc did that he was accused of holding up play

Exactly Deel, I always get a hint of grudging respect from some Galway lads when it comes to Mac, even when they compliment him there is a little dig in there, but if he was theirs.........Joyce is playing the 'Mac' role and it's working for them at the moment. I agree with Mouview though that that is the reason why Johnno does not want Mac back badly enough, Johnno doesn't and never has liked teams based on one player, he is a big fan of the team ethos and I think with Mac slighltly passed his best he feels it is time to go down a different route, rightly or wrongly I think he will stick to his guns on this one.