Mayo V Galway - Connacht Final Thread

[Jinxy]

I'll never understand why teams resort to an overtly defensive system when they are dominating the game.
Momentum is a huge thing in gaelic football.
When you have it, keep it.

[timmyot501]

A few non-fans of Konor Mortimer have given him a bit of stick on here.  OK you can't really argue with 1-2 when only playing one half of the game but he does bring most of the criticism onto himself.  I am not a fan at all.  The T-shirt thing was just stupid altogether, the losing the ball for the Galway goal was also poor but there were 3 other Mayo players at the same rubbish in that move.
But what really annoyed me about him yesterday was when Meehan was taking a long range free in the 2nd half, Mortimer ran to his own 45 and urged the Mayo fans behind the goals to jeer and try to put Meehan off.  A very unsporting gesture and I was just delighted that Meehan nailed the free-kick and ignored the jeers.  This jeering is creeping more and more into the game but I don't think too many Mayo fans would have bothered if it hadn't been for konor.

[muscles magoo]

What a mighty day! No need for negatives today, enjoy this one, because these are the big ones, the famous ones, right up there with 2006 v Dublin, 1999 v Galway, 1996 v Kerry etc. that you have to savour. For the first time since 1967 Mayo have lifted the Nestor Cup in Salthill!

They actually lifted the Nestor Cup that year in Tuam Barney, beating Leitrim in the final so you'd have to go back even further again for our last Final win in Salthill.

[Cosmo Kramer]

What a mighty day! No need for negatives today, enjoy this one, because these are the big ones, the famous ones, right up there with 2006 v Dublin, 1999 v Galway, 1996 v Kerry etc. that you have to savour. For the first time since 1967 Mayo have lifted the Nestor Cup in Salthill!

They actually lifted the Nestor Cup that year in Tuam Barney, beating Leitrim in the final so you'd have to go back even further again for our last Final win in Salthill.

I'm sure I heard somebody say that we have never won a Connacht Final in Salthill before.

[mckieran]

But how many connacht finals were actually played in Pearse before this decade? Hardly any. I certainly dont recall seeing a Galway team playing a championship match in Pearse before this decade.

[Barney]

I think the ref was a bit harsh on us in the second half but I also think we need to look at the quality of our tackling. There was a strong breeze blowing and our approach was correct - spoiling and cynicism were needed to take us over the line.

Thought the Galway support was very small yesterday.

[Hound]

Does that say" RIP Micheal Jackson" ... I feel embarrassed.

Haha "Micheál" Jackson. Fear na gaeltachta a beadh?

No fada on his jersey (clear picture of it on front page of Irish Times sports section), so I'd say its just a case of his inability to spell "Michael".

[rosnarun]

a great win.
i think we saw a new string to mayos bow today in that they proved they didnt need75% of midfield to win the game.i thought barry moran had a great day in doing the job he was asked to do. he not a complete footballer but a nightmare for full backs.
all the usual suspects did well gardiner moran howley dilllion and esp heany what an appitite that man has.
o mahoney did well. my biggest complaint of hid tenure was thee amount of games we hould have have won but didnt. ee seenm to have over ccome thhat for noe
ill refrain today from making any constuctive critism as barney says this was one to be enjoyed

[Mayo4Sam]

what ros i don't believe it, not even a little dig at JOM ]

[rosnarun]

no not today. read the last bit again

[Rossie11]

Great game for neutral to be at. Galway despite been out of it for long periods had their chances and
kicked it away in 1st few mins of 2nd half. Poor shot selection cost them dearly

Mayo were the better team overall for whom Dillon McGarrity and Andy Moran were excellent.

Mayo were cynical from the off. They dragged down Galway in midfield to prevent the quick attacks.
The ref could have produced the book alot earlier to cut it out but didnt.

I dont blame them one bit though. At times they have been accused of playing the game too nobel.
Successful teams have to resort to it and its what Mayo have lacked.
If it helps them land Sam they wont give a damn what the purists think.

[An Gaeilgoir]

Agree with the all so far, a great win in the lion's den. One thing i will take from yesterdays win is there are now men all over the pitch who are willing to be leaders when called on. There is no one man who all the players are looking to pass to to get the score. 10 different players scoring in a championship, when did that last happen. The performances of Dillon, Howley, Vaughan (When he came on), Andy Moran, Mc Garrity, Harte, Trevor. I'm sure i left plenty out. Our bench is strong and each sub that comes on plays to be on the first 15  the next day out. As for Conor, i am not his biggest fan by any stretch, Leave him on the bench and bring him on if needed. All the shit that comes with him we don't need. But if he comes on and scores 1-2 he can't be ignored. At the moment we sholudn't fear anyone thats left in the championship. Yesterday was a defining win, let there be no doubt.

[An Fhairche Abu]

Great game for neutral to be at. Galway despite been out of it for long periods had their chances and
kicked it away in 1st few mins of 2nd half. Poor shot selection cost them dearly

Mayo were the better team overall for whom Dillon McGarrity and Andy Moran were excellent.

Mayo were cynical from the off. They dragged down Galway in midfield to prevent the quick attacks.
The ref could have produced the book alot earlier to cut it out but didnt.

I dont blame them one bit though. At times they have been accused of playing the game too nobel.
Successful teams have to resort to it and its what Mayo have lacked.
If it helps them land Sam they wont give a damn what the purists think.

Not too often I'd agree with a Rossie but although I wouldn't go as far as to say we kicked it away in the 1st few minutes of the second half it was certainly one of the worst periods in the game for Galway, it took a full ten minutes to get a score with that breeze, while trying to pull back a big h/t deficit that's criminal.

Mayo lads are giving out reams regarding the free count but the fact is that they were tactically spoiling all day long, however they won the match and that's all that matters.

[kevmy]

With a bit more distance today and the head a bit clearer we can properly look at performance and not at the pulsating victory it was.

Overall I thought we done very well defensively, the only forward to give us real trouble was Nicky Joyce who took O'Malley for 4 points from play in the 1st half. Keith quietened him down when he was switched over.

Half back line was immense Gardiner showed his experience and kept a cool head, Howley done really well on Joyce and Andy Moran answered a lot of critics

Galway flooded midfield and won a lot of breaking ball but i think it's fair to say both Heaney and McG played well.

All the forwards scored in the first half which I don't think I've ever seen from a Mayo team (along with both midfielders).

We also scored 2-11 of 2-12 from play which is a really good sign - I think it was similar against Ros as well

Only thing I would worry about is corner back - Vaughan could have played himself in there and the fact that we went so defensive (which came from the line when they brought on Ronaldson - even though he done well) in the 2nd half. We should have kept O'Sé FF and the 2 Morts off him with Ronaldson foraging around midfield.

[rosnarun]

your agree with a sheepshagger when he slagging off the team that has just beaten you. that mighty big of you. the galway boys were falling like flies out here and bannon bought it all. an acheivement of sorts