Cluiche ceannais na sraithe: Corcaigh v Maigh Eo

[LikeItOrNot]

Watched the game a couple of times since I got home Sunday evening. After reviewing it the game was basically lost in the diamond. 6,8,9,11. Every ball that went into the Cork forwards came from a loose man in this area. The full back line looked ok. There wasn't a lot they could do with most scores because of the brilliant ball the cork forwards were getting. I counted 6 balls McGarrity lost in the second half, 4 which led to Cork scores. The cork defence flooded out our forwards. There were 3 men on any man who got his hands on the ball. Hard to get yourself out of that!  :'

[Lar Naparka]

I'm sure it's not you just you Lar but I dont believe in it for a second. If that were the case we might as well get rid of everybody that played against Meath last August and Cork last Sunday as well. They were fairly traumitised as well I know.
Look, no player gets to the standard these lads play at without both a physical and mental toughness. These lads are not teenage girls with spots reluctant to go to the debs.
Now here's the thing. I posted already that I wasn't surprised by anything that happened last Sunday. How could anybody be? Most Mayo players played to type. Those that stank the place out have been making the same mistakes for some time. And they have been doing it in McHale Park too. It s not a Croke Park thing. As I ve said just above, Trevor hoofing aimless ball ( in McHale Park alone this Spring Trevor wasted territorial possession where a bit of composure would have put others in for handy points, and a couple of goals - of course these things don t get mentioned when we win), Parsons being lackadaisical and getting his pocket picked (that has happened outside Croke Park as well), midfield jumpers naively trying to catch every ball (remember Kevin Hughes breaking every kickout from Ronan last year in Castlebar, but Ronan would still be going for the clean one every time if they were there yet). Aidan O Sé had a poor enough league but I would not be harsh on him. The usual soft explanation was lack of confidance. The real reason was lack of guidance and coaching. It is no coincidence that our best performers last Sunday were the lads who were steadiest all league. Barrett. SOS. McL.
Usually in the league and against teams that are a lot poorer than us these things dont hurt because the opposition cant keep the ball themselves. But we bring this stuff into serious games in Croke park and carnage can be the only outcome. Psychology wont solve what are basic basic footballing failings. I m getting annoyed now but somebody needs to put an end to piseogs fairly quick. Instead of trying to brainwash players about Croke Park try and COACH BAD HABITS OUT OF THEM. Or get rid. This management had no conscience getting rid of others with bad habits ( had to get that dig in). Because if Trevor and Parsons dont stop doing what they re doing, they and we are all wasting our time. And probably end up feeling let down themselves. Now this may sound callous but a way of improving the last day would be to review the tape and drop the lads that made the most mistakes. The proviso is of course that their replacements would make less. No guarantee of that. But something must be done instead of hiring shaman. It s a football, not a spiritual problem. Now I m not blaming Trevor for our defeat the last day. I ve posted before how when he does crazy things the team melts. Looking back at my texts last Sunday I sent 'our captain far too wild. He s like a 16th man for Cork'. I sent that at 16:34 and I could have sent it a lot earlier. And f*** it, I like Trevor and its hard to even consider dropping him. I actually think that he has been let down by it all. Great attitude and talent but every manager he ever had, probably just told him to go out and 'unleash hell'.  He still plays like a kid. He should not be happy about this. He deserved better.
But this management cant hide away from the fact that talking wont solve anything. If they cant knock the silly stuff out of these lads before the Championship it s going to be more of the same. And let nobody say its about form. This is stuff that is endemic in players games at this stage but can still be addressed if anybody has the will and gets somebody in that knows what they re doing. And if players cant see what they re doing wrong and correct it then.... they have to be dropped. FFS our best 3 players the last day were novices at this level.

I accept your frustration, Moysider, I ought to as I've been left shattered year after years for even longer than you. Like you,I've been following the green and red through bad times and worse since childhood and you'll  no doubt agree that it gets harder year after year to watch us fall by the wayside, as we invariably do.


I also accept that all Mayo heads here are well- balanced, sensible and mature individuals who from time to time may discuss the carry on of an equally well-balanced, sensible and mature football manager and his team. Naturally, enough since the said team happens to be the Mayo one, it follows that all of them, down to the bleddy bagman, are also endowed with the same sterling qualities.
Which is why I see nothing wrong with us having three active threads at the moment, all of them more or less devoted to the said carry on of the said manager  and the said Mayo team!
Apart from that, I think we are all perfectly normal; it's just a case of, "Well, I know I used to be a werewolf, but I'm alright nooooooow."
However, I like having the likes of Indiana, Zulu and new arrival, Logan, about; they can think outside the box, as it were, and maybe it's not a bad thing to know what outsiders think of us from time to time. I could say the same about the crafty Meath hoor who lurks in the background and who's quick to get his retaliation in first -as all nasty  Meath men tend to do and I see he has picked up a few langer traits as well.
A blasted spoilsport, if ever there was one!
The same goes for messrs, O'Rourke, Hayes and Bernie Flynn. All three of them are in the Hardy mould and they all write about us a lot. They all have a few Celtic Crosses to boot. They've been there and they know what it takes to cross the finishing line on the third Sunday of September.
Okay, I  posted Liam Hayes preview of the Cork game. He called it wrong but he did gave an insightful analysis of the cause of Mayo's Croke Park blues. Remember he did write:
Their excellent and impressive work-rate through February and March has brought Mayo to this final.
Given that we scored more and conceded less than any other side in Div 1, I go along with him there.
This is part of what Flynn had to say on Monday in the Mirror:

I could not let this week go by without trying to analyse exactly what is going wrong with Mayo.
Yet, just as they did against Meath last year and like they have done umpteen times against Kerry, they fell flat on their faces. The point I am coming to is, there is a serious fundamental problem with the psyche of the Mayo footballer when he walks out onto the pitch in Croke Park.
I believe they have good players in their backline and midfield, but the pressure that's been exerted by the poor display of their forwards is something the backline just cannot handle.
In the last 25 minutes against Meath last year their backs were under so much pressure because the ball was not sticking at the other end.
With the exception of Conor Mortimer last Sunday, the effort of the forwards in going for the ball or trying to win primary possession, displayed an awful attitude. Their lack of physicality in the tackle was a serious worry for me.
Mayo could turn around and beat Sligo in six weeks time with a good performance and I have no doubt that there is a good performance in them in Connacht.
But when they get to Croke Park, they look like a fish out of water. Everyone is looking for someone to do it. It seems they don't have the confidence to execute the pass or the finish.
John O'Mahony said afterwards that his players don't carry the burden of what's happened in Mayo for the last 40 or 50 years, but it seems to me that the years of under- achievement is actually playing on their minds.
There can be no other excuse.
Their second half display against Meath in last year's All Ireland quarter-final was atrocious. Their performance for the whole match against Cork was inept.
Cork took their foot off the pedal and still won easily.

Given that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, I honestly don't think any coach in Ireland could lessen the fears of the older lads- and no head shrink can do it either.
I just pray that the younger lads have not become infected with the same malaise.
Whatever the cause, the problem is increasing; first it seemed to be only Kerry in an All Ireland; then it became Meath in a QF and now it's gotten to facing the langers in the league!
Janey; at this rate if Sligo ever gets us in Croker, Sligonian will be crowing for the next 50 years!

[Main Street]

Sligonian will be crowing for the next 50 years!

It does appear that Mayo have an amount of begrudgers as neighbours.
That's a sign of some standing.

[SLIGONIAN]

Sligonian will be crowing for the next 50 years!

It does appear that Mayo have an amount of begrudgers as neighbours.
That's a sign of some standing.

Hmmm, wouldnt mind getting mayo in Croke Park later in the yr, wouldnt mind at all

If we beat mayo in the Markievicz Park this yr, i certainly wont be crowing about it, its not like we'd be beating Kerry, and anyways it would count for nothing if we didnt go on and at least win Connacht. Therell be no trophy handed out on June 5th.

As for begrudging mayo, theres a very good reason for that and nothing to do with across the white line..

[ross4life]

Quick Question for you Sligonian..

If it was Cork v Sligo & Antrim V Mayo last weekend instead how do you think it would have fared?

[SLIGONIAN]

Quick Question for you Sligonian..

If it was Cork v Sligo & Antrim V Mayo last weekend instead how do you think it would have fared?

Pointless question tbh, but i feel Sligo would of given Cork a better challenge. Some of mayos players didnt even look intercounty standard to me, but that was last Sunday, im sure theyll step it up against us. Like mayo must be better than that.

I think everyones getting carried with last weekend in both ways, the doom and gloom in mayo and the hype in Sligo is crazy at the min. I dont mind people having belief but we are going to have to be very good against mayo to beat them. i dont think mayo will play as bad as last sunday against us. Football is on the day, we have the consistency now so we just have to trust ourselves to perform. I actually beileve on paper weve a better team, and hopefully we'll prove it this summer.

I have to laugh at people who say last weekends mayo result was bad for Sligo, eh no it wasnt, there is huge pressure on that squad and management now, and if they dont beat us theyll probably be linched and it could be JOM last hurrah, that is pressure. We won div3, and anything else is a bonus, so feck all pressure there and most pundits will tip mayo to win so theyll be favourites and mayofans will still expect to leave the Park with a win. Nothing new but no one knows the future, so we can all speculate all we want but really it doesnt make a difference.

[ross4life]

Well IMO Sligo would have got the same beating Mayo got & Mayo would have given Antrim the same beating, & instead everyone wouldn't give Sligo a hope in Hell of beating Mayo!

But in Truth they have a good Chance but Mayo are still Favorites

[Farrandeelin]

I don't honestly know how the game v Sligo will go. I'm not expecting anything from any Mayo team ever again.

[ross4life]

I don't honestly know how the game v Sligo will go. I'm not expecting anything from any Mayo team ever again.

Most Mayo Fan's say that! then they beat Galway & expectations are sky high again

[moysider]

To be honest I m looking forward to the Sligo match big time. This is what the football year is all about. I take Sligonians point about Mayo being under pressure but that pressure would be there anyway. It always is in championship. Nobody was gettin excited about that league final and the way it turned out has dampened expectations around here. So if we had performed against Cork there would be high hopes for the Summer and we could easily have crashed and burned in Markievicz. Now I dunno. A lot depends on how the morale holds up after that beating. If the management lose the players alright its curtains. But they could regroup well and then it s game on. That is the most likely thing to happen, footballers are good at getting back on the bike. Every Mayo player that togs that day will be expected to burst a gut. Some will be playing for their careers. If we lose in Sligo then its hard to see us recovering. Not making any prediction at this stage. We ll see what shape our team takes over the next few weeks. It might be worthwhile to take in a challenge match or 2.

[ross4life]

You Guys really need a Sligo v Mayo Thread 

[mannix]

Nobody in Mayo will be expecting much this year but if Sligo are expecting a handy one because of the league final then they will be surprised. I would imagine that there will be a few changes to how they are prepared for games from now on and that some players will see the bench more than they were ever used to seeing it.Sligonian says Sligo are in better shape and they seem to be, however they have connaught "mental issues" the same as Mayo have "AIF ISSUES". Funny then how sligo have no fear of anyone in Croke Park, there must be a bit of a thing there despite what jom says.