Mayo v Roscommon - Connacht SFC Semi-Final, June 20, Venue TBC

[Bod Mor]

I predict CMort to be on after 20 mins, I can only assume his hand has not heeled 100%?

I reckon what's going to be a key is, Andy Moran from half back letting in lots of high ball in on top of the twin towers early to test the Roscommon full back line. Can't see many other accurate foot passers from out the field to provide that roll. Hopefully we won't resort to a sh*tty short hand passing game that ultimately leads to poor shot selection and wides, which we have been guilty of in the past.

[Barney]

Can't see many other accurate foot passers from out the field to provide that roll.

That is the serious issue. Although I reckon that JOM is looking at quite a bit of interchangeability between various players and that although the fifteen players will line out the actual lay-out of the team will be significantly different with Heaney dropping behind the half-back line in a sweeper-type role, but being around the middle for kick-outs. Harte will accompany McGarrity as a centre-field man and Killer will drop back to the half-forward line and with Dillon, and Andy Moran will be charged with feeding the two big lads.

I'm happy enough with the team and delighted to see Aidan Kilcoyne get his chance - but he must take it.

[mannix]

i agree mort must be still not right, he is our best scoring forward for a while now. good luck to kilcoyne and the rest of the team.
it will be interesting to see if the twin towers do business.
good luck to all involved.

mayo 2 12
roscommon  1 10

[rosnarun]

that team doesnt worry me. ive great faith in heaney . id have him full back but if parsons is out so be it. though i feel for s o se who must be getting fustrated with his lack of oppurtunity.  well miss connors frees against those cheating bastards so kilcoyne will have huge pressure on him. but he has oodles of talent.
having said all that omahony , as befits a blue shirter, cannot be trusted on the team selection. remember the 17 men he lined out in the parade for galway!. dont facy paying a fiver for
this programme

[An Gaeilgoir]

i agree mort must be still not right, he is our best scoring forward for a while now. good luck to kilcoyne and the rest of the team.
it will be interesting to see if the twin towers do business.
good luck to all involved.

mayo 2 12
roscommon  1 10

Kilcoyne must take his chance is right, he has been a bit inconsistent over the last while and it's hard to know where his true ability lies, hopefully Saturday will be his night. Also where will Heaney end up playing, his experience will be critical around the younger players as the Rossies will hit hard from the start. it was reassuring to read what John o had to say about the squad and their attitude and commitment to the cause. Looking forward to the year ahead, hopefully a lot of questions will be answered by late Sat. evening. Mayo by 5.

[SLIGONIAN]

that team doesnt worry me. ive great faith in heaney . id have him full back but if parsons is out so be it. though i feel for s o se who must be getting fustrated with his lack of oppurtunity.  well miss connors frees against those cheating b**tards so kilcoyne will have huge pressure on him. but he has oodles of talent.
having said all that omahony , as befits a blue shirter, cannot be trusted on the team selection. remember the 17 men he lined out in the parade for galway!. dont facy paying a fiver for
this programme

Exactly as I said earlier, cant belive everyone cant see its a bogey team. And your reference to cheating bastards, harsh and unfounded, dont you mean cynical, I seen stated on another thread about Tomas Mannion farmer strength, which is exactly how describe him, but on rossies I would say the same, and thats why theyve been so successful and as they develop a contrasting physicality compared to other counties in Connacht, they would never have the footballing ability of galway or mayo or even us , but they have huge advantage in physicality from minor up which makes up for it IMO.

[Lar Naparka]

Well, it's almost time to begin the campaign once more and, for me, the waiting time is pure hell. It always has been. Maybe by late September, a weight will finally be lifted from my shoulders.
The first game is always the worst. (Forget about New York—I hope all the party had a ball over there but its game on time now as handballers would say.)
Good luck t all concerned and I know none of them will be found wanting for effort.
That includes my dear friend at the helm.
(If he ever finds out who has been abusing him here, there could be trouble ahead, for me at any rate!)
I feel that the team has more of a shape that was the case in the last two years.
Out to number 7, I think we have the best available to us. Midfield surprises me; neither one selected could be described as a grafter. Both can play handball all day but hand passing the ball out of defence is not the only ability a good midfielder needs.
Can anyone here recall David Heaney fielding a high ball?
He could never be slated for lack of effort but he has always been too loose for my liking and moves up front at every opportunity.
I'd have thought one of the big pair would be better placed here and would give us options for contesting kick outs from either side.
I can't see the logic of having Moran and O'Shea playing together in the full forward line. But logic has never been my forte where Mayo football is concerned.
As always, team selection is the manager's call and he is the one who gets praised or damned at the end.
I sure hope it's the former.

[kevmy]

Interesting team.

No real arguments in backs. Cafferkey, O'Malley, Gardiner and Howley had spots nailed down. The only real question was which 2 from 5 of Higgins, McL, Vaughan, Andy and Heaney would get the remaining spots. Great to see Keith Higgins back playing football for the Green and Red again even if it is in the corner.

Midfield I would prefer fully-fit in-form combination of McGarrity and Parsons but if thats not the case I'd prefer Heaney at midfield instead of Harte who does his best work for us in the half forward line. Say what you want about Parsons at CHF or S O'Sé at midfield but neither have been proved in those positions at anywhere near this level unfortunately. Until that changes are two best midfielders are McG and Parsons followed by Heaney and Harte.

Half forward line as expected.

Interesting that he's gone with the Twin Towers option. O'Sé is too talented not to start and Barry Moran hasn't really done much wrong playing at FF for us so it's no real surprise but with Kilcoyne starting (who is talented but inconsistent I think it's fair to say - everyone would love for him to come on and show his full potential for us but as of yet it hasn't happened) and Conor and Austie not we have no free taker from the right hand side.

If any other county dropped their top scorer for the last 5? 6? yrs there would be uproar - out of form or not. I can't see this Mayo team getting as far as it can without C Mort playing. He's been consistently good for 5/6 points a game for the last few yrs. People will argue half of them were from frees but he wins most of the frees himself and after all frees are there to be scored. He's rarely let us down from a free in a kickable position under pressure (Connacht final in 06 an example). I know he's been injured recently and a bit out of form but is he really worse than Kilcoyne or Austie? I reckon we'll see him yet and he will have to show good form if we're aiming anywhere beyond a decent showing in a quarter final

[GBXII]

Flame definitely has insider info. Very interesting team, I was just thinking there that we should be fine as regards a right sided free taker in the form of A O'Shea even though leaving out Mort is still a bit of a risk. Also that full forward line must be the tallest that Mayo have had in years, each one is well over 6ft. Parsons has to be injured (I think he's one of the most talented mid fielders in the country) but Heaney will do fine I'd say. Finally we have two lads starting that can kick a 45' in Kilcoyne and O'Shea and A Moran ain't that bad either. We should have too much for them even without Mort and Parsons and there are some good options on the bench too. Here's hoping the FF line clicks

[rosnarun]

And your reference to cheating b**tards, harsh and unfounded

just trying to draw them from their lair but they must be too busy shagging their neighbors sheep

[SLIGONIAN]

And your reference to cheating b**tards, harsh and unfounded

just trying to draw them from their lair but they must be too busy shagging their neighbors sheep

If your such a brave man then why dont you go on Stolensheep and say it . Micky 51 and counting could do with some company. Theyve started a Sligo V mayo Connacht final thread aswell, you have to love the rossies.

[highorlow]

This is the best Mayo team/squad in years & with one of the top 5 managers in the country we should win on Sat by 5 to 8 points.

Conor Counihan's remarks after they thrashed Kerry the last day were interesting where he mentioned the squad ethic and 30 lads fighting for thier place on the team.

For the first time in decades we are now in the same exciting situation where no player can be singled out and expected to be a 'shoe-in' on the team sheet and that is exactly the formula our players need.

I would firmly believe that we will put on a display of great football on Saturday with all our subs getting 15 to 20mins.

Everyone should be confident of getting to an AI semi final at a minimum. Our record in AI semi's is excellent, all we need is Kerry to get bate up north somewhere in the qualifiers.

Most bookies have us at 25/1 for SAM this year. Value bet IMO.

[AbbeySider]

Nobody has mentioned the price of admission is very steep this time.... Terrace tickets are €30 and stand €35 if im not mistaken.
A bit crazy in these times. I know a lot that are put off by it.

[rosnarun]

Nobody has mentioned the price of admission is very steep this time.... Terrace tickets are €30 and stand €35 if im not mistaken.
A bit crazy in these times. I know a lot that are put off by it.

€30 AND €20 now is it not? there a massive discount for you already

[Azzurri]

Its €25 for the concrete seating.