AIF 2021 -- Maigh Eo vs Tír Eoghain

Started by Fear ón Srath Bán, August 28, 2021, 06:30:37 PM

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Fear ón Srath Bán

Loving the Mayo confidence with this one, yet again, and just wondering what Screenexile's handicap is for filling his boots too!  :P ;)
Carlsberg don't do Gombeenocracies, but by jaysus if they did...

Never beat the deeler

Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on September 05, 2021, 11:39:48 PM
Loving the Mayo confidence with this one, yet again, and just wondering what Screenexile's handicap is for filling his boots too!  :P ;)

Jeez Tyrone are great at fabricating an air of confidence into existence so they can convince themselves to get annoyed.
One Mayo fan and a couple of tyrone fans confident, afaics

Quote from: Whishtup on September 05, 2021, 01:36:01 PM
I'm to-ing and fro-ing with this one. Mayo will die on their feet as they will see this as, finally, the opportunity to put the ghost to bed. But is this what will ultimately beat them? The pressure is firmly on Mayo here whereas Tyrone are in bonus territory.
I can't see Tyrone make as many mistakes as they did against Kerry. The reality is that we didn't play anywhere as well as we could offensively and should have been out the gap. Kerry did a cracking job on the long kickouts. Mayo won't be able to achieve this. I am worried that O'Shea has a big game in him. If Tommy Conroy is kept as quiet as Sean O' Se was, then we're in good shape.  Last week I said Mayo. Today I say Tyrone, comfortably. I like the fact that Morgan is booming the kickouts if the short play isn't on. Better to lose the ball in midfield than in front of goal and also have the chance of a breaking ball to the half forwards. Makes for good viewing too. Go long for the 1st quarter and see what change we are getting out of it. Looking back at the semi, Dublin were pedestrian at times and frustrated at other times in a way that neither Tyrone and Kerry were. Never looked forward to a game as much as there isn't the same deep rooted emotional attachment that you would find in games against Kerry/Dublin (and Armagh!)

Quote from: BennyHarp on September 04, 2021, 08:51:55 PM
Quote from: Captain Obvious on September 04, 2021, 08:43:08 PM
Quote from: RedHand88 on September 04, 2021, 07:18:06 PM
Quote from: lenny on September 04, 2021, 02:34:10 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 04, 2021, 11:43:37 AM
Are we still going to split Dublin, or has that lost momentum?

The refs all ready list the game for someone before the ball has been thrown in!

More importantly is it definitely on next week?

Not sure if Tyrone have agreed to play next week or not yet. Should get word by Monday or Tuesday.

Nothing funnier than an outbreak of COVID.
No team wants to be that team that loses a senior All Ireland final to Mayo. Will be funny if Tyrone are that team.

Aye, though not as funny as when Tyrone win it and half of this board go into hiding.
Hasta la victoria siempre

seafoid

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/ciar%C3%A1n-mcdonald-s-second-coming-ushers-in-a-new-era-for-mayo-1.4663361

Ciarán McDonald's second coming ushers in a new era for Mayo
County luminary is seen as having had a major impact on senior team over past two years
about 3 hours ago
Aonghus Ó Maicín





Ciarán McDonald may have parted ways with his intercounty playing days in 2007, but within Mayo's mind and soul he never really left. There was always hope of a comeback. It felt imminent at times. Whispers of his return became a perennial conversation every summer and even as he entered his late 30s, a good run of form with his club, Crossmolina Deel Rovers, would spark the debate. Could he still do the job?
Ageing may have diminished his powers but the county still longed to see those wavy blonde locks in a Mayo jersey once more, one final exhibition from the tip of that left predator boot. For all the whispers of imminent returns though, allied with reports of a club player in good nick, McDonald remained in the shadows.
The whispers eventually died down for a few years, only to resurface again in 2017. This time however, there was more substance to the chatter.
The word was that McDonald had joined up with Mayo's rejuvenated academy system, and the early reports of the former player's work had been immensely impressive. If anyone could cultivate the next McDonald, surely it would be the man himself.
His discreet return followed an informal meeting with Mike Connelly, Mayo GAA chairperson at the time, before an Under-21 Connacht championship clash between Mayo and Galway in 2017. Alongside his former team-mates David Heaney and Maurice Sheridan, the Crossmolina man agreed to come in from the cold. The night ultimately ended in defeat for Mayo, but had the county's fans known what was happening behind the scenes, they would have been quietly satisfied with their lot leaving Tuam Stadium.
"You get talking to Ciarán for 10 or 15 minutes and you know that you're on the right track," remembers Connelly. "I wouldn't have known a whole pile about him, directly or personally, but of all the coaches we would've brought on board, and they were all good, Ciarán was hugely, hugely impressive in a lot of ways. He lives, sleeps and dreams about coaching and tactics and all that sort of stuff.
 
Learn more

"And the other huge quality he has is that he's brilliant with young fellas. He's a great understanding of their current life situation and what they have to endure, whether it's social media or school or college or whatever."
Surprise
His presence back in and around Mayo football caught most by surprise. He wasn't a noted coach, although he did a little underage coaching in his local area.
The most noteworthy sample of work on his short coaching résumé was his time with the local national school which won a county Cumann na mBunscol title. But it wasn't the title that left an impression on those with a keen eye on footballing matters within the county. The children had played with the swagger so often associated with their coach.
Parents, teachers and casual observers in the MacHale Park stand at the 2017 Cumann na mBunscol finals looked on in awe.
Clever angles. Deft flicks. Reading the game to a level far beyond their years. Most importantly though, the youngsters were clearly loving their football as their coach offered gentle encouragement from the sideline.
•   Vikki Wall: 'We're under no illusions about how tough it will be against Dublin'
•   Jim McGuinness: Mayo won't offer up the same gifts as Kerry
•   Mick Bohan: 'We're still searching for that performance on the biggest of days'
CLICK HERE: Irish Times guide to sport on TV this week
The performance had all the hallmarks of a coach who had spent his retirement years assiduously studying the game, popping up at countless seminars and workshops. But according to Connelly: "He never did a thing."
And maybe that's not such a surprise. McDonald's greatest strength as a player was his way of seeing the game different to everybody else. Though that doesn't necessarily translate to coaching excellence, judging by the early evidence of his work with underage players it did translate for McDonald. Immediately defying his reserved personality, just as he did during his playing career, he threw himself into the midst of the action with Mayo's academies, predominantly with the Under-14 panel.
"Once he got in the door and out on the field, and once he got stuck in, you'd swear he was at it for months. You'd swear he was at it for years. It just came to him so naturally. He just needed to break through that little barrier to get out and get in there.
"We would have him coaching Under-14 games – A versus B – and Ciarán would be in the middle of the park playing with them. We had an Under-14, Under-15 and Under-16 academy and he was involved in coaching in all three of them. Ciarán McDonald would stay coaching 24/7," says Connelly.
Mayo's Brendan Harrison celebrates with Ciarán McDonald after the 2021 GAA All-Ireland senior football championship semi-final against Dublin in Croke Park. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
"What I've heard is if Ciarán could prolong a session, he would," adds Alan Dillon, his former team-mate. "That's how driven he is as a player and a coach. If it was a 90-minute session, Ciarán would always try to bring it to 120 minutes. He was brought up through the early years of John Maughan when there was a real focus on physical fitness and hard work. And nobody probably worked as hard as Ciarán McDonald when he was a player and he probably has that huge work ethic as a coach.
"There's always a time limit with strength and conditioning coaches, who don't want players to max out on a Tuesday night to give them time to recover for a Thursday session, but that's not a bad trait to have."
Ascent
The work he was carrying out wasn't going to go unnoticed and somebody as astute as James Horan was unlikely to ignore the stream of glittering reports.
In 2019, the first season of Horan's second stint in charge, Mayo crashed out of the championship following another semi-final defeat to Dublin. But the 10-point gap between the sides at the final whistle almost seemed generous to the Westerners. Although they had failed to get the better of their rivals since 2012, they always served up a tussle the record-setters could find nowhere else. It was a portentous day for Horan and his side, the inevitability of multiple retirements finally flickering on the horizon.
It left the Mayo manager with plenty to mull over during the winter period. And so his attention was eventually drawn to the man causing a stir for all the right reasons within the academy structures.
McDonald joined the Mayo management team that December and has since helped lead a relatively young squad to back-to-back All-Ireland finals, despite losing many ultra-dependables of recent years to retirement. It's difficult to gauge his influence, though it's widely felt that his contribution to the way Mayo have gone about business over the last two seasons has been significant.
"There's a freedom there," insists Dillon. "There's an expression there. Everyone is probably enjoying their football."
That begs the question: are Mayo's academy structures losing out by McDonald's involvement with the senior panel?
"If it was me, my next plan would be to recruit him as a full-time coach for all our development squads and he would also play a big role with minor and Under-20 squads," says Connelly.
"What you would love to see is Ciarán spending four or five years with the squads – whether it was Under-14, Under-15, Under-16 or Under-17 – and as they come of age, you would see the fruits of his work at a later stage."
Not everyone would agree with those sentiments, Dillon included.
"Ultimately, the success of the county is driven by the senior team and that's no disrespect to the academies. Certainly, they are hugely important as a feeder system but we cannot have Ciarán's focus being moved or diluted going back into academies.
"While you'd love to clone two or three Ciarán Macs, there's an opportunity for other coaches now to step in and fill his shoes.
"And it's a great time for him to be involved at senior level, to see where these players can get to, to see how they can develop."
Ultimately, there is no right answer.
But after years without the services of their luminary in any guise, it's a dilemma Mayo will be happy to endure.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

seafoid

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/malachy-clerkin-regrets-the-rest-will-have-a-few-but-this-is-mayo-and-tyrone-s-week-1.4665445

Both teams have obvious deficiencies. Mayo haven't turned up in either of the first halves of their last two games in Croke Park. They were able to paper over the crack of missing Cillian O'Connor all the way through Connacht but for all of Ryan O'Donoghue's moxie, his free-taking began to creak at just the wrong time against Dublin. Aidan O'Shea had the worst game of his life in the semi-final and now, at the age of 31, they have to work out what to do with him all over again.
Tyrone are no dead cert either. Much like Mayo, they put in a half of truly hapless football in the Ulster final against a Monaghan team who didn't do anything more sophisticated than push up on them and wire into them. Their starting forwards attempted just one shot from play in the first half against Kerry - a Darren McCurry effort that was blocked down. Their kick-out is mercurial, to say the least.
After years of wondering would anyone ever find a hole in the Death Star, we're heading into a final where neither team is close to being the finished product. There will be lots of mistakes, plenty of turnovers, handling errors to beat the band. There will, you'd imagine, be a distinct lack of polish to it all. An understandable absence of the studious do-the-right-thing excellence of the Dublin years.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Itchy

I worry for Mayo when I see the article Aidan O Shea just allowed himself to be part off in the Sunday World this weekend. It shows a lack of focus and a lack of respect for his team mates and manager. I think they are amazingly (and I mean amazingly for Mayo having lost so many finals) taking Tyrone for granted.

trueblue1234

Quote from: Never beat the deeler on September 06, 2021, 01:56:46 AM
Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on September 05, 2021, 11:39:48 PM
Loving the Mayo confidence with this one, yet again, and just wondering what Screenexile's handicap is for filling his boots too!  :P ;)

Jeez Tyrone are great at fabricating an air of confidence into existence so they can convince themselves to get annoyed.
One Mayo fan and a couple of tyrone fans confident, afaics

Quote from: Whishtup on September 05, 2021, 01:36:01 PM
I'm to-ing and fro-ing with this one. Mayo will die on their feet as they will see this as, finally, the opportunity to put the ghost to bed. But is this what will ultimately beat them? The pressure is firmly on Mayo here whereas Tyrone are in bonus territory.
I can't see Tyrone make as many mistakes as they did against Kerry. The reality is that we didn't play anywhere as well as we could offensively and should have been out the gap. Kerry did a cracking job on the long kickouts. Mayo won't be able to achieve this. I am worried that O'Shea has a big game in him. If Tommy Conroy is kept as quiet as Sean O' Se was, then we're in good shape.  Last week I said Mayo. Today I say Tyrone, comfortably. I like the fact that Morgan is booming the kickouts if the short play isn't on. Better to lose the ball in midfield than in front of goal and also have the chance of a breaking ball to the half forwards. Makes for good viewing too. Go long for the 1st quarter and see what change we are getting out of it. Looking back at the semi, Dublin were pedestrian at times and frustrated at other times in a way that neither Tyrone and Kerry were. Never looked forward to a game as much as there isn't the same deep rooted emotional attachment that you would find in games against Kerry/Dublin (and Armagh!)

Quote from: BennyHarp on September 04, 2021, 08:51:55 PM
Quote from: Captain Obvious on September 04, 2021, 08:43:08 PM
Quote from: RedHand88 on September 04, 2021, 07:18:06 PM
Quote from: lenny on September 04, 2021, 02:34:10 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on September 04, 2021, 11:43:37 AM
Are we still going to split Dublin, or has that lost momentum?

The refs all ready list the game for someone before the ball has been thrown in!

More importantly is it definitely on next week?

Not sure if Tyrone have agreed to play next week or not yet. Should get word by Monday or Tuesday.

Nothing funnier than an outbreak of COVID.
No team wants to be that team that loses a senior All Ireland final to Mayo. Will be funny if Tyrone are that team.

Aye, though not as funny as when Tyrone win it and half of this board go into hiding.



Quote from: Mayo4Sam14 on September 05, 2021, 03:39:06 PM
I think Tyrone need a five point lead at half time, and I don't think they will (or I pray they don't)


Quote from: larryin89 on September 05, 2021, 11:59:33 AM
Mayo wont lose this one , mayo are the best team in Ireland at present and will win this comfortably  by a bigger margin than anyone will predict .

Quote from: Lar Naparka on September 05, 2021, 10:53:16 PM
Quote from: larryin89 on September 05, 2021, 11:59:33 AM
Mayo wont lose this one , mayo are the best team in Ireland at present and will win this comfortably  by a bigger margin than anyone will predict .
Not me!
I did predict that Mayo.would beat Dublin by a half dozen points at the start of thàt semi thread and I see no reason to alter my view this time.
Okay the result was only half that but my money will be on Mayo this time also.

But sure there's nothin wrong with a bit of optimism. I hate people playing the poor me.
As a Tyronie, I'm confident. I don't think we've seen the full picture from the team yet. I think each game we have got stronger and I'm hoping we've timed it well to have the final as the showpiece where we have McShane, McKenna, Canavan, McCurry firing on all cylinders.

It's a great place to be, going into a final with a general expectancy that we can win. It'll be close I think. Really close!!
Grammar: the difference between knowing your shit

tiempo

Quote from: Itchy on September 06, 2021, 09:59:22 AM
I worry for Mayo when I see the article Aidan O Shea just allowed himself to be part off in the Sunday World this weekend. It shows a lack of focus and a lack of respect for his team mates and manager. I think they are amazingly (and I mean amazingly for Mayo having lost so many finals) taking Tyrone for granted.

Was a truly shambolic effort and likely to come back to haunt him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0o3l7LqK6o

RedHand88

Quote from: Itchy on September 06, 2021, 09:59:22 AM
I worry for Mayo when I see the article Aidan O Shea just allowed himself to be part off in the Sunday World this weekend. It shows a lack of focus and a lack of respect for his team mates and manager. I think they are amazingly (and I mean amazingly for Mayo having lost so many finals) taking Tyrone for granted.

What was the jist?

Itchy

Quote from: RedHand88 on September 06, 2021, 10:10:36 AM
Quote from: Itchy on September 06, 2021, 09:59:22 AM
I worry for Mayo when I see the article Aidan O Shea just allowed himself to be part off in the Sunday World this weekend. It shows a lack of focus and a lack of respect for his team mates and manager. I think they are amazingly (and I mean amazingly for Mayo having lost so many finals) taking Tyrone for granted.

What was the jist?

Well there is a full page photo of Aiden running on the beach in his speedos for a start.

tiempo

Its on Brolly's twitter feed if anyone cares to look for a laugh

RedHand88

#265
Quote from: tiempo on September 06, 2021, 10:14:49 AM
Its on Brolly's twitter feed if anyone cares to look for a laugh

Christ on a bike. That's unbelievable. Playing up the Kerry connections before a potential final against the Kingdom. And his poor Kerry girlfriend not knowing who to support in the final! Funny how it was published the day after the Tyrone semi final, but was obviously finalised before the game. Is this attitude the norm in Mayo?

Farrandeelin

Quote from: RedHand88 on September 06, 2021, 10:25:31 AM
Quote from: tiempo on September 06, 2021, 10:14:49 AM
Its on Brolly's twitter feed if anyone cares to look for a laugh

Christ on a bike. That's unbelievable. Playing up the Kerry connections before a potential final against the Kingdom. And his poor Kerry girlfriend not knowing who to support in the final! Funny how it was published the day after the final, but was obviously finalised before the Tyrone game. Is this attitude the norm in Mayo?

What attitude?
Inaugural Football Championship Prediction Winner.

Itchy

Quote from: RedHand88 on September 06, 2021, 10:25:31 AM
Quote from: tiempo on September 06, 2021, 10:14:49 AM
Its on Brolly's twitter feed if anyone cares to look for a laugh

Christ on a bike. That's unbelievable. Playing up the Kerry connections before a potential final against the Kingdom. And his poor Kerry girlfriend not knowing who to support in the final! Funny how it was published the day after the Tyrone semi final, but was obviously finalised before the game. Is this attitude the norm in Mayo?

I would say within their camp it is not the norm but might be the norm for O Shea and it will surely not be something his team mates will like to see, especially since they are most likely trying to keep their heads down and stay away from the hype. A really really poor decision from O Shea.

Lamh Dhearg Alba

Quote from: RedHand88 on September 06, 2021, 10:25:31 AM
Quote from: tiempo on September 06, 2021, 10:14:49 AM
Its on Brolly's twitter feed if anyone cares to look for a laugh

Christ on a bike. That's unbelievable. Playing up the Kerry connections before a potential final against the Kingdom. And his poor Kerry girlfriend not knowing who to support in the final! Funny how it was published the day after the Tyrone semi final, but was obviously finalised before the game. Is this attitude the norm in Mayo?

From what I can see O'Shea says his girlfriend is from Kerry but he has converted her to being a Mayo fan, and that the final will be tough whether it is against Kerry or Tyrone. Much ado about nothing.

Brolly was banging on about the 'new Mayo' a few weeks ago after initially saying they'd lose to Dublin. That's par for the course when he gets something wrong, a team is rebranded to suggest his prediction was based on a previous version of that team. Now he has rolled in behind the new Tyrone. If we lose he'll be the first to stick the knife in and will be bigging up Mayo ending the barren years.