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

[myball22]

I have to say I felt the opposite was the case in that Mayo always rose it to play Galway particularly some years ago when it was considered by outsiders that Galway had the better team it was always close and that was because of the intensity Mayo played at.To be honest this is a local derby and both teams should be up for it.

No idea about the ref but thank God Prior is long gone, he would be eyeing up a draw from 15 minutes in!!!

[moysider]

I have to say I felt the opposite was the case in that Mayo always rose it to play Galway particularly some years ago when it was considered by outsiders that Galway had the better team it was always close and that was because of the intensity Mayo played at.To be honest this is a local derby and both teams should be up for it.

No idea about the ref but thank God Prior is long gone, he would be eyeing up a draw from 15 minutes in!!!

Yes. Colm O Rourke and Brolly would trot out the lazy line that Galway had the classier forwards and therefore should win.They did this year after year and I ll never forget the begrudging way they tried to explain away our win in 99. And of course what Colm said was beyond reproach and neutrals believed it had to be the case so. Then some Galway people started codding themselves that the Galway  game was Mayo s All Ireland and we be just out to stop them. Complete shite of course. Galway got the breaks in 98 but we were a bit better in 99 and coasted home. What happened after in semi was down to poor managerial judgement and decision making. We lost our way a bit for a couple of years early noughties  but even when Galway beat us it usually came down to our own inadequacies - Carolan s penalty miss/ Conor s missed frees - rather than much greater Galway superiority. If we had a harder edge we could have won some of those games. Galway had just to wait for us to shoot our bolt and a bit of cunning and a few handy points would do the trick.

I ve often wondered about the Connacht title we threw away in 2001. If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

[dodo]

remember Tierney saying publically after his transfer to.

when you think of it that was a big decision for tierney transfering to Mayo , can imagine the abuse the players would receive from "fans" if someone was to transfer today from either camp

Tierney was living and teaching in Westport at the time.  He wasnt wanted by the Galway management of that time and he always said it was a much harder decision for him to transfer from Milltown to Westport than it was from Galway to Mayo.  He did ship a lot of abuse for it at the time both on and off the field.  I seem to remember Alan Mulholland having a right cut off him in Castlebar one year.

In the Galway Mayo match in McHale where Tierney played for Mayo, was it Val Daly that 'did' Tierney ? I remember Tierney being down for quite a while and had to have taken a right hit. The two of them would of been good friends up to this point anyway ! Both of them hardy customers.

[GalwayBayBoy]

I have to say I felt the opposite was the case in that Mayo always rose it to play Galway particularly some years ago when it was considered by outsiders that Galway had the better team it was always close and that was because of the intensity Mayo played at.To be honest this is a local derby and both teams should be up for it.

No idea about the ref but thank God Prior is long gone, he would be eyeing up a draw from 15 minutes in!!!

Yes. Colm O Rourke and Brolly would trot out the lazy line that Galway had the classier forwards and therefore should win.They did this year after year and I ll never forget the begrudging way they tried to explain away our win in 99. And of course what Colm said was beyond reproach and neutrals believed it had to be the case so. Then some Galway people started codding themselves that the Galway  game was Mayo s All Ireland and we be just out to stop them. Complete shite of course. Galway got the breaks in 98 but we were a bit better in 99 and coasted home. What happened after in semi was down to poor managerial judgement and decision making. We lost our way a bit for a couple of years early noughties  but even when Galway beat us it usually came down to our own inadequacies - Carolan s penalty miss/ Conor s missed frees - rather than much greater Galway superiority. If we had a harder edge we could have won some of those games. Galway had just to wait for us to shoot our bolt and a bit of cunning and a few handy points would do the trick.

I think you're damning Galway there with faint praise a bit by saying that they could only beat Mayo due to Mayo's own mistakes. Galway were just generally a better team in those days and had that extra but of quality and that's why they won most of those encounters. Of course most of those games were tight but it's rarely any other way in a derby. 1999 well we were never at the races that year really. The intense focus wasn't the same as it was in 98, 2000 and 2001 and the 6 months of celebrations after 98 didn't help obviously with some players going into the Connacht championship that year noticeably carrying some extra timber. Looking back maybe 1999 was a lost opportunity as neither Meath nor Cork were vintage sides that year yet both still ended up in the AI final which turned out to be a poor quality affair. Then again we may never have come so close in 2000 and won again in 2001 only for those disappointments.

[An Fhairche Abu]

I ve often wondered about the Connacht title we threw away in 2001. If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

Take a look at the Galway team lineup from the league final (that still only lost by a point to Mayo) and the one that faced Roscommon in the Q-final. John Donnellan, Lorcan Colleran, Keiran Comer and John Divilly were all in the starting lineup and were all gone by the business end of the championship. Tomas Mannion, Ja (although he was out for the q-final I think), Gary Fahy, Richie Fahy didn't start that day either.
I'd be confident enough we'd have beaten ye truth be told but sure it's all ifs and buts at this stage.

[moysider]

I have to say I felt the opposite was the case in that Mayo always rose it to play Galway particularly some years ago when it was considered by outsiders that Galway had the better team it was always close and that was because of the intensity Mayo played at.To be honest this is a local derby and both teams should be up for it.

No idea about the ref but thank God Prior is long gone, he would be eyeing up a draw from 15 minutes in!!!

Yes. Colm O Rourke and Brolly would trot out the lazy line that Galway had the classier forwards and therefore should win.They did this year after year and I ll never forget the begrudging way they tried to explain away our win in 99. And of course what Colm said was beyond reproach and neutrals believed it had to be the case so. Then some Galway people started codding themselves that the Galway  game was Mayo s All Ireland and we be just out to stop them. Complete shite of course. Galway got the breaks in 98 but we were a bit better in 99 and coasted home. What happened after in semi was down to poor managerial judgement and decision making. We lost our way a bit for a couple of years early noughties  but even when Galway beat us it usually came down to our own inadequacies - Carolan s penalty miss/ Conor s missed frees - rather than much greater Galway superiority. If we had a harder edge we could have won some of those games. Galway had just to wait for us to shoot our bolt and a bit of cunning and a few handy points would do the trick.

I think you're damning Galway there with faint praise a bit by saying that they could only beat Mayo due to Mayo's own mistakes. Galway were just generally a better team in those days and had that extra but of quality and that's why they won most of those encounters. Of course most of those games were tight but it's rarely any other way in a derby. 1999 well we were never at the races that year really. The intense focus wasn't the same as it was in 98, 2000 and 2001 and the 6 months of celebrations after 98 didn't help obviously with some players going into the Connacht championship that year noticeably carrying some extra timber. Looking back maybe 1999 was a lost opportunity as neither Meath nor Cork were vintage sides that year yet both still ended up in the AI final which turned out to be a poor quality affair. Then again we may never have come so close in 2000 and won again in 2001 only for those disappointments.

Far from damning Galway but I would have been more concerned with our own inadequacies than Galway s quality as percieved by themselves or their admirers elsewhere.. For me likes of Joyce, Donnellan Fallon were great players but we always coped fairly well with them year in, year out. Those same boys did more damage to  Fay and Ryan than they ever did to Cahill, Heaney or Nallen. The difference often was silly stuff on our part. Derek Savage was the forward I always feared most and the next day I fear Clancy more than I do Meehan or Joyce. And  I think the result may well be down to some silly stuff again on our part [ there are about one or two of our fellas, not so much about Galway] Our management have nailed their colours to the mast with this team and there s a lot of credibility resting on this one.

[moysider]

I ve often wondered about the Connacht title we threw away in 2001. If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

Take a look at the Galway team lineup from the league final (that still only lost by a point to Mayo) and the one that faced Roscommon in the Q-final. John Donnellan, Lorcan Colleran, Keiran Comer and John Divilly were all in the starting lineup and were all gone by the business end of the championship. Tomas Mannion, Ja (although he was out for the q-final I think), Gary Fahy, Richie Fahy didn't start that day either.
I'd be confident enough we'd have beaten ye truth be told but sure it's all ifs and buts at this stage.

Yeah. Water under the bridge. Mind you we had some gluggers in that league final as well.

[Tatler Jack]

Ive often wondered about the Connacht title we threw away in 2001. If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

I am sure Moysider you meant to say here "that we lost so narrowly to Ros"  

[spectator]

No idea about the ref but thank God Prior is long gone, he would be eyeing up a draw from 15 minutes in!!!

Ye were glad of him in '98 all the same

If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

Mayo may have well done better against Galway than Ros in the Q's.

However consider that;

1) Ros sat idle for 5 weeks as champions while Galway went through 3 rounds of the qualifiers with the chance to right the wrongs and build match fitness.

2) Johnno always said the Galway defence was atrocious in the earlier game in Tuam & he used the qualifiers to tighten it up considerably, which obviously did Ros no favours, given that thety had to outscore an outstanding Galway attack.

3) He also said the Galway players were stunned by the negativity and outright criticism following the Tuam defeat & would have run through walls to redeem their self-esteem and reputations as much as anything thereafter.

I'm not going to try and say whether Mayo would have beaten Galway or not, but you'd have to say the Tribesmen were a whole different prospect in early August than they were in the late Spring.

[moysider]

Ive often wondered about the Connacht title we threw away in 2001. If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

I am sure Moysider you meant to say here "that we lost so narrowly to Ros"  

Did nt mean to say that at all Jack. One of the worst f**K ups of all time imo. Sending off of Connelly was a travesty but Dolan could not have had more luck after. I ve already said my piece about us f**king up the end game some time ago. I do appreciate the quality of Lohan's finish but it should never have come to that.

[rosnarun]

we know at this stage galway think the way to beat mayo is to beat them up . they are not a dirty team and dont try it on other team.

i know quting yourself is the ultimate in vanity but you only read the 1st bit . I agree Galway dont try the rough house stuff on other teams event leitrim. but ther seems to be a definite impression in galway that mayo are all about bleached hair and white boots. i dont think its effective as the games seem to be going about 50/50 and maybe now the boxer is gone galway will try to play a bit of football sunday.  though i have my doubts.

[Bod Mor]

i dont think its effective as the games seem to be going about 50/50 and maybe now the boxer is gone galway will try to play a bit of football sunday.  though i have my doubts.

Are you any relation to or are you that Ball-Boy character on hoganstand.com?

[moysider]

No idea about the ref but thank God Prior is long gone, he would be eyeing up a draw from 15 minutes in!!!

Ye were glad of him in '98 all the same

If we had been the opposition in the quarters in the Hyde instead of Ross in Castlebar. We had beaten Galway in the league final and we were going well enough.

Mayo may have well done better against Galway than Ros in the Q's.

However consider that;

1) Ros sat idle for 5 weeks as champions while Galway went through 3 rounds of the qualifiers with the chance to right the wrongs and build match fitness.

2) Johnno always said the Galway defence was atrocious in the earlier game in Tuam & he used the qualifiers to tighten it up considerably, which obviously did Ros no favours, given that thety had to outscore an outstanding Galway attack.

3) He also said the Galway players were stunned by the negativity and outright criticism following the Tuam defeat & would have run through walls to redeem their self-esteem and reputations as much as anything thereafter.

I'm not going to try and say whether Mayo would have beaten Galway or not, but you'd have to say the Tribesmen were a whole different prospect in early August than they were in the late Spring.

Fair play Spectatorfor bringing this up.There s always been a fair amount of spin about that match in Tuam. I remember going to the match with 3 mates. I was in the back of the car and there was an article about Martina Hingis in the ... Observer Sports magazine I think it was. She was running along a beach in Melbourne after winning the Australian Open. Martina was wearing a short red dress and holding a newly opened bottle of champagne that was bubbling over. Of course the hitchcockian style image was not lost on anybody. But I digress.
  Galway were hammered that day. The defence was atrocious as Johnno admitted  but Johnno prepared and picked that defence. Mannion had conceded something like 2-3 before half time and I never thought I d see him in maroon again . He was to the best of my recollection replaced at ht. However Johnno knew better. Divilly was brutal as well and he decided to go with Mannion at CHB for the rest of the Summer. The rest is history.

As regards the  negativity and criticism? Well all I can say he would nt want to lose next Sunday after Celtic Park and Salthill last year if he does nt like criticism. Mind you I dont remember a big Galway attendance or interest that day at all in 2001.  Johnno has already been spiky about even mild criticism in Mayo but again I digress. I had a ticket to spare gratis that day and the only lad that would take it from me was a Rossie Kid that looked down on his luck. It was either that or bring it home with me and i dropped my guard for a moment.

Johnno has always been credited with the 2001 revival and the myth has grown that there was some kind of masterplan in Tuam 01 to harden Galway up and rebuild the team through the qualifiers. Johnno drowned that day but managed to revive the situation. Many mayo people expect the same good fortune in Mayo. It would be the same as catchin two 20 lb salmon in the same place with a first cast 2 years in a row. Johnno himself has admitted that he was nt sure how the qualifiers worked and whether they had another chance after Tuam defeat. He s on record as saying that he thought that only provincial finalists got a second chance  - as was the case in hurling at that time. Napoleon was right about his generals.

[RedandGreenSniper]

I remember going to the match with 3 mates. I was in the back of the car and there was an article about Martina Hingis in the ... Observer Sports magazine I think it was. She was running along a beach in Melbourne after winning the Australian Open. Martina was wearing a short red dress and holding a newly opened bottle of champagne that was bubbling over. Of course the hitchcockian style image was not lost on anybody. But I digress.

Martina obviously left quite the impression on you Moysider 

[Barney]

Brace yourself moyside - what I am about to post below may be the highlight of your week (including the match):