Mayo Football and Hurling - Discussion pages

[Barney]

Is Feeney having a dig at M & M in the last paragraph here?

MAYO GAA Secretary Sean Feeney was at his colourful best as he fired a shot across the bows of the media in his annual report to the County Convention.
Without actually naming names, Feeney seemed to single out Mid West Radio for special mention. The County Secretary said that the appointment of Mickey Moran and John Morrison was debated "ad nauseam" on local radio and lamented the fact that "we have too much of the downtown black pudding stuff".
"The prophets were predicting that in 2006 Mayo would win an All-Ireland senior title but it wasn't to be even though few thought that we would reach one," wrote Feeney.
"The appointment of Mickey Moran and John Morrison did not meet with universal approval and was debated ad nauseam on local radio. It was again debated ad nauseam when the partnership broke up and the officers of the board shook hands and decided to move on as was in the agreement.
"There is no better county for debating issues on radio and in the press than Mayo but it would be great if there were a little more fact and accuracy and less fiction.
"We have too much of the downtown black pudding stuff and a little more enlightened debate would lift the tone rather than feeding fodder to the vulgar who are always willing to bite."
The outspoken Secretary went on to say that "Mayo has a lot to do" and was adamant that despite the impressive manner of the All-Ireland semi-final win over Dublin, "there were cracks ready to open wide".
"To get back to real football the defeat in the All-Ireland Final by Kerry was devastating and, in particular, since it happened within two years against the same opposition," offered Feeney.
"Perhaps we read too much into the victory over Dublin. Perhaps they too underestimated Mayo. That's the beauty about sport, no-one can predict with certainty. One thing is certain – Mayo has a lot to do. It's easy to talk about winning but it's a matter of making the necessary sacrifices to achieve it...
"The pundits had a field day, describing this game [All-Ireland semi-final] as one of the greatest ever but on mature reflection and analysis there were cracks ready to open wide."

ELSEWHERE, the Secretary paid tribute to the achievements of the All-Ireland winning Mayo U-21 football team and singled out Pat Holmes, Noel Connelly, Michéal Collins and one John O'Mahony for special mention.
"The scenes in Ennis after the final whistle will be cherished for many a long day. The success of this team proved that with a good management structure, good back-up, and a group of skilful players ready and willing to do battle anything is possible.
"Well done to the management team...I also wish to acknowledge the role John O'Mahony played in the background...It was a pleasure to work with the management team who ran a professional campaign."

[Mayo4Sam]

Sounds like a dig alright

On the western O'mahony has said that all the players are back available, which means that these lads are off thru choice?

Barry Moran has got a scholarship in limerick, fair play.

[Farrandeelin]

Sure sounds like a dig to me. Whatever about Gill not being involved, Pat Kelly is the one that caught my eye as the players that are not involved.

[AbbeySider]

Barney's Quote:

...However, Pat Kelly, James Gill, John Healy, Colum Lyons and Stephen Carolan are not involved at the moment.
Of the new faces there is a sizeable quota from the All-Ireland U-21 winning side with players like Mark Ronaldson, Kenneth O'Malley, Tom Cunniffe and Ger Cafferkey among those called in.
Former inter-county players, Marty McNicholas, Gary Mullins and Pat Navin are all back in harness after a year out while Mickey Mullins of Claremorris and Barry Kelly of Ballaghaderreen are among those rewarded for outstanding club performances this season.

A few threads back I said:

Re: New Mayo Manager
« Reply #107 on: November 21, 2006, 01:53:45 PM »

...I dont think James Nallen will get a start in next years championship....

Anyway no offense to the players but to 'trim the fat' I think JOM will have little time for....
John Healy, Pat Kelly, Trevor Howley, James Gill, Stephen Carolan, C Lyons

I wasnt that far off the Mark at all! (apart from Howley... )

[Mayo4Sam]

Kudos to u abbeysider, good call

Bad call on howley though, next No. 6, in the mould of peter butler

[rosnarun]

think your being a bit paranoid looking for insults in his Praise for the un21's. I think its more of a case of keeping the boys onside as they are probably disapponited to be overlooked for the big job . while getting to lick JoM ass at the same time.

on the playing side delighted to see Marty McNicholas  he really is the kind of player who can make a difference. but the years are flying by for him let hope he stays injury free

[rosnarun]

"To get back to real football the defeat in the All-Ireland Final by Kerry was devastating and, in particular, since it happened within two years against the same opposition," offered Feeney.

any one detect a note of glee in this statement from the long ball mayo tradional football feeney

[stephenite]

Bad call on howley though, next No. 6

If Howley can make it as a successful No.6 for mayo, fair play to him, doesn't have what it takes for this position in my opinon, not to say he could not be accomadated elsewhere

[venter]

I'd rate Howley fairly highly. I wouldnt mind seeing him getting a run there in the league. A lot of the potential replacements are not a patch on Jimmy Nallen to be honest, but they have to be tried at some stage.  I'm surprised if David Kilcullen was not called into the panel. Is Enda Devenney back in the panel?

[Mayo4Sam]

Bad call on howley though, next No. 6

If Howley can make it as a successful No.6 for mayo, fair play to him, doesn't have what it takes for this position in my opinon, not to say he could not be accomadated elsewhere

Stephenite from watching him over the past year i really think he has, I haven't seen a better reader of the ball in mayo for a long time, it just seeks like he knows exactly where the ball is going to break to and he's always there.
Not a man-marker which is where most people have seen him play but if he's put marking the space at No. 6 you'll see what i'm talking about

[Maradona]

I'd have Liam O'Malley a good bit ahead of Howley at No.6. Howley has never over impressed me the few times he has played for Mayo. Think he needs to really get into contension for a starting place first

[Mayo4Sam]

Like i said, anytime you've seen howley its as a man-marker, which IMO doesn't suit his game, for knockmore he marks the space, reads the game excellently and drives forward with the ball. I also think O'Mahony has seen this a few times this yr with the senior semi and the U-21 championship

[Barney]

I'd rate Howley highly. The great thing about him is that he is brave and will go for everything. Not afraid of the hit, but the downside is any misjudgment can be costly. The two best games I have seen him play were at u21 against Galway in last years Connacht, and against Armagh in the AI in 2004. At the moment I don't see him as a centre-half back though. Would he be a better option than Gardiner? It may not go down well but Peadar has been shown up in two All Irelands. His defensive skills need serious work.

So just an attempt then to build up the panel from what we read in the Mayo News:

From 2006:

Clarke
Geraghty
Heaney
Keith Higgins
Aidan Higgins
Nallen
Gardiner
McGarrity
Harte
Bilie Joe
Ger Brady
Dillon
Conor Mortimer
O'Neill
McDonald
Trevor Mortimer
Liam O'Malley
Howley
David Brady
Regan
Austin O'Malley
Kilcoyne
Andy Moran
Barry Moran

New additions
Kenneth O'Malley
Cafferkey
Cuniiffe
Ronaldson
McNicholas
Mullins
Navin
Mickey Mullins
Barry Kelly

Anybody missing there. The quality of the players added shows that we have a good pick in the county. Many players are probably much of a muchness though and equal to anything outside of Mayo but hopefully some can develop star quality.

Since the panel is open-ended I think we should try and keep this updated as the year goes on.

[Tubberman]

I was very impressed with Howley the first couple of times I saw him play (FBD and start of last year's Nat league).
But for the U-21s he was poor in both the semi-final and final. He made a lot of basic handling errors.
Maybe that was just a slump he was going through, but surely if he's been spoken about as CHB for the senior team, then he should have been one of the top performers for the U-21s.
I'd have more confidence in Liam O'Malley filling the CHB berth (or maybe FB).

[RedandGreenSniper]

Barney, you've left out Michael Conroy from the 2006 panel. Enda Devenney is back in and Seamus O'Shea, Chris Barrett and Aidan Campbell from the Under 21's. Also heard Sean Ryder's and Brendan Prendergast's names mentioned but cannot be certain on them.

The panel at the minute looks like this so I think

Goalkeepers
David Clarke
Kenneth O'Malley

Defenders
Keith Higgins
Dermot Geraghty
David Heaney
Ger Cafferkey
Aidan Higgins
James Nallen
Peadar Gardiner
Trevor Howley
Chris Barrett
Sean Ryder
Gary Mullins
Pat Navin
Liam O'Malley
Brendan Prendergast
Enda Devenney

Midfielders
Ronan McGarrity
David Brady
Pat Harte
Barry Moran
Seamus O'Shea
Barry Kelly

Forwards
Billy Padden
Ger Brady
Alan Dillon
Conor Mortimer
Kevin O'Neill
Ciaran McDonald
Michael Conroy
Aidan Kilcoyne
Trevor Mortimer
Barry Regan
Austin O'Malley
Mark Ronaldson
Andy Moran
Aidan Campbell
Mickey Mullins
Marty McNicholas

That's 39 of a supposed 40. Does anyone know anyone else involved. Interesting squad, don't think there's too many not involved that are hard done by. Quite a few lads brought on from the U21's