Sligeach v Maigh Eo. 5ú Meitheamh 2010

[muppet]

when o hara went back as a sweeper where did his own marker go?  did not see that as i was behind the goal with a 2 year old child on my shoulder pulling my hair and looking for icecream.

He started at FF and then left Caff and went behind his own HB line. Caff stayed inside on his own for a while effectively leaving our FB line with 3 marking 2 small men. I didn't think it worked very well for them as it seemed to give a poor team too much respect.

[paddypastit]

He started at FF and then left Caff and went behind his own HB line. Caff stayed inside on his own for a while effectively leaving our FB line with 3 marking 2 small men. I didn't think it worked very well for them as it seemed to give a poor team too much respect.

Muppet - just curious, reading this first off, it seems to suggest that the "it" which didn't work very well was the Mayo ("them") decision which gave "a poor team" [presumably Sligo] "too much respect"?  I'm assuming that was not what you meant as the offenecs of being poor and offering too much respect are universally agreed to have been committed in the opposite order by all that saw the game Saturday?

Moving on, what an evening for all from Sligo - both a performance and a result.

Again I was destined to watching on the box for a variety of reasons but it was easy to watch, leaving aside the innane and generally off the mark comments from Tommy Lyons in studio - what a clown, but we'll leave that for another day.

While I felt Mayo were deserving favourites starting out, I felt that we had the game in our hands as early as 15 minutes in.  I thought the decision to play into the wind was a statement of confidence and I wasn't unduly worried about the start. It reminded me of the Tyrone final qualifier in 2002 when we went 7 points to 1 down in the first twenty odd minutes.  Our tormentor in chief  that day was Peter Canavan and good footballer that he may prove to be, Alan Freeman is a long way from Canavan. I really felt in those early stages Saturday that with Sligo always having a mind to take the fight on, (and assuming they hadn't suddenly gone completely against type) that fight would come, which when allied with whatever wind advantage there would be, and the inevitable faltering confidence that would be in Mayo heads if they went in at HT without any sizeable advantage after a gift start and a half with the breeze... well in my mind, there was only going to be one winner.

That said there are things to be worked on. Most of the scores that were conceded came from Sligo errors.  Looking towards another day, with a higher intensity again and a better quality opponent that is working harder to deny space, we will have to be even more intense and focussed ourselves to eliminate errors and be more accurate with the ball.

Sligo clearly didn't have huge self belief at the start but the turning point was the Davey point - it was "is that all ye have to give us" statement. On TV Tony Davis kept emphasising the 'great duel' between himself and Andy Moran, who he (Davis)  reckoned was also "having a great match" Well all I'll say is he must have been doing great work off the ball that would be obvious to someone in the ground but  I didn't see any of it on TV. Johnny Davey for me was m-o-m.

It is rare for a Sligo team to be able to say that it was dominant in nearly every position. Of the 15 that started I'd say that only Maguire and McGee didn't have completely the better of the duel they were in. To give Maguire credit, he kept the head and played his way into the game, working well with those around him.  There is a lot of talk about O'Hara's 'veteran' status but it is worth saying that this is the 14th season of championship football for Maguire (as it is Sean Davey - both played in the 1997 Connacht Final) and the experience shows.

On the day I thought McGee took time to settle - snatched a bit at a few early balls and may have been trying too hard.  His free taking though was immaculate and there was one in particular from a distance and well to the left half way through the second half that was sublime.

Going through the rest of the team, I though Greene was neat and efficient throughout with good kick outs and only had the one mad moment where he over played coming out with the ball and gave it away. That has to be eliminated – only takes one score to win many champoionship games.

Harrison and Donovan were top class and in front of them, Philips did all that was asked, which probabaly wasn't a lot but he can only play what is put up to him. 

I thought Caelan Cawley was a revelation.  I've heard various comments that he was 'raw' and he certainly at least twice he tried to play a bit too much football at the wrong time / in the wrong place. He also wilted a bit as the game went on as he doesn't appear to have as mature a physique as his direct opponent or some of those around the middle of the park... but this guy is a born footballer.  His positioning, reading of the game, comfort on the ball and ability, while he was fresh, to make good decisions and execute them is exceptional. I think he is potentially as good a half back as we have ever seen in Sligo and in my own mind's eye I have to go back to Paddy Henry in the 60's and 70's and then wonder if I'm not seeing that through sepia tone hindsight glasses. I think he is that good and he will be the better again for this game although I don't expect us to see the delivery of that potential for a few years.

The midfield duo is progressing well - the value of having natural midfileders is immense. Taylor was more prominent yesterday as the ball ran but both worked well and it must have been hugely satisfying to see both direct opponents replaced. Taylor's handling of the ball in particular and his kicking style have similarities to his big brother and are of a quality not regulalry seen in bigger players. I particularly like the way he holds control of the ball when under physical pressure. Around them too it is worth nothing that, in contrast to the League final, we won the greater percentage of breaking ball, although there was no danger of getting hurt doing so!

In the half forwards, Costello moved it up a notch again.  He appears to be fitter again than he was in the League final and motored longer which apart from being good in itself, also shows that he is looking to improve so his head is not happy to stay where he is. I think at this stage in his career one has to accept that there will be a certain quota of ball that he will overcarry, or try something too clever with but his vision and accuracy to pass or shoot put more than enough in the bank to offset the errors.

Brehony was his hugely efficient self and Kelly likewise played up to the standard that we have now come to expect - which is a huge tribute to his progress. I was pleased on Saturday for Kenneth Sweeney as it seems to me that despite this being his sixth season in the squad, it is not often that he both starts and finishes a game. Again, I thought he did a lot of ploughing, some of it in strange places (ref that breaking ball referred earlier). Every team needs a few like that who may not get the headlines but without whom the day could not be won.

As for the Master - I think that his display on Saturday while not his most spectacular, most inspired, most creative or even most athletic, was O'Hara's most mature and arguably the most influential ever. He deserves huge credit and will be a very important part of bringing the team on to the next day at the right pitch.  It is one thing to talk about how long he is playing but this is a guy who folk were worried fifteen years ago might not have a long career after a serious shoulder injury and who has also since had a serious groin and (I think) knee injuries any one of which finished many a player – a credit to himself and he totally deserves any praise coming his way.

Thought the management did very well -used their resources really well. Moved quickly to protect the full back line early on and then subtly rearranged the forces to take advantage of the wind in the second half.  Also kept the shape and didn't do anything daft when it was obvious we were going to win (Roscommon in '98 anyone?) I would credit the selectors too for being good judges of the play to contribute to that decision making. One black mark in that direction though was the ongoing behaviour of one selector thoughout the match who kept remonstrating with officials at every decision and generally ranting.  Sure the ref was a bit watery on some decisions but winding up officials and giving bad example in that regard to your own players is not good management - a firm word would not be out of order.

As for Mayo, boy do they have problems. I would have been firmly in the 'one bad game doesn't make them a bad team' camp but now I'm wondering how in the name of god they won all those League games. It is probabaly the most damming thing one could say and I'm not looking to be either damming or spiteful but Sligo while taking satisfaction from the outcome, would do well to forget as quickly as possible that it was Mayo they were playing because that did not feel in any way like a Div 1 / potential championship challenger and there wasn't really a lot to the challenge.

On Sligo vs. Galway? Well despite the best efforts of the Galway lads on here to install us as favourites, I think they still have to start at the shorter odds.  That said, there are a number of sound bases for us believeing that we can succeed there too – something for another day. Plenty of work to be done in the three weeks but it is definitely possible.

[muppet]

I meant Sligo using a sweeper might have been paying Mayo (the poor team) too much respect. When O'Hara went up the field in the 2nd half Sligo took over affairs and showed that they were the better team.

[criostlinn]

Basically Mayo playing with the breeze left 3 men marking 2 in the full back line. Sligo brought O'Hara back because McGuire was struggling with Freeman. So all of a sudden Freeman has 2 men marking him. What do we do, keep booming high ball into him. No plan B. We made no use of the extra man out the pitch when O'Hara went back. We were getting cleaned in around the middle of the pitch but we left the extra man in the full back line.

It was clear for all to see that a lot of the Mayo players were struggling big time. Even though we were 2 points up at half time it was obvious some of the lads weren't at the races. When was the first change made.

[Hound]

On Sligo vs. Galway? Well despite the best efforts of the Galway lads on here to install us as favourites, I think they still have to start at the shorter odds.  That said, there are a number of sound bases for us believeing that we can succeed there too – something for another day. Plenty of work to be done in the three weeks but it is definitely possible.

Latest odds for the Connacht championship:
Galway  4/7 
Sligo  9/4 
Roscommon  13/2 
Leitrim 14/1

So Galway hot favourites.

[AbbeySider]

Basically Mayo playing with the breeze left 3 men marking 2 in the full back line. Sligo brought O'Hara back because McGuire was struggling with Freeman. So all of a sudden Freeman has 2 men marking him. What do we do, keep booming high ball into him. No plan B. We made no use of the extra man out the pitch when O'Hara went back. We were getting cleaned in around the middle of the pitch but we left the extra man in the full back line.

It was clear for all to see that a lot of the Mayo players were struggling big time. Even though we were 2 points up at half time it was obvious some of the lads weren't at the races. When was the first change made.

Like wouldnt you think they would have made Keith Higgins the free man in our full back line as he has far more penetration than Cafferkey. Or even Gardiner.

O Mahoney must have been asleep on the sideline.

[Lar Naparka]

Basically Mayo playing with the breeze left 3 men marking 2 in the full back line. Sligo brought O'Hara back because McGuire was struggling with Freeman. So all of a sudden Freeman has 2 men marking him. What do we do, keep booming high ball into him. No plan B. We made no use of the extra man out the pitch when O'Hara went back. We were getting cleaned in around the middle of the pitch but we left the extra man in the full back line.

It was clear for all to see that a lot of the Mayo players were struggling big time. Even though we were 2 points up at half time it was obvious some of the lads weren't at the races. When was the first change made.

For my two cent worth, there's a standoff of some sort going on inside the camp.
Something happened between the league semi down in Cork and the final in Croker a fortnight later. Whatever it is, the problem is still there.
There can be no other logical explanation for the dramatic slump in morale and form.
Mayo had a string of impressive performances from start to finish in the league;
John O'Mahony and his entire squad seldom put a foot wrong. There had been mistakes made throughout the campaign and at least one stinker of a game- against Dublin in McHale Park of all places, but the team went into that final game with respectable credentials.
O'Mahony's performance that day mirrored that of his team. Without a shadow of doubt, he was outfoxed by Counihan on the sideline. The game last Saturday was almost an exact replica of the league final with the manager lethargic and slow to react and his team just as much off the pace.
Walsh and his entire team work as a unit and he can obviously get the best out of them all. They in turn gave 100% throughout the game and that's all that can be asked of any team or manager. Sligo fans can feel proud of their manager and players and can be confident that they will put the fight up to any side in the land.
I hope they go the full distance and I know that if they don't, it will take an extremely good outfit to beat them; which can't be said about Mayo, God help us at the moment.
What you've pointed out above about Freeman being left isolated and what moysider had to say about Clarkie having to wait for a single defender to turn around to face him for a short free are only two of many disturbing signs of underlying tension I saw that days.
When you see players sauntering back to their positions with hands on hips after being left standing by their markers, you know all is not well with Team Mayo. If experienced players can drop 30m attempts into the goalie's hands, you know they've lost their focus. Some of the unenforced wides were of the Keystone Kops variety- a throw back to the inglorious days when Mayo forwards were famous for their wide scoring exploits.
I often refer to the words of Ballintubber's most famous son. (No; not Tubberman or even Abeysider.) James Horan led by example on the field and he's developed into an astute observer and analyst who is worth a read at any time.
James feels that players are so highly tuned, mentally and physically, that it takes very little to shatter the psyche of any of them. If they don't have clear leadership at times of pressure, they retreat into their 'comfort zones,' where they try to avoid making mistakes and take on as little responsibility as possible.
I think that's what happened in the league final and again in Marky Park.
If there is deep tension within the camp, it's up to the manager to resolve it.
My mantra, more or less is that, since the hoor has absolute authority, he must also accept ultimate responsibility.

[criostlinn]

The whole tactic of leaving the extra man in the full back linepuzzled me the last day. Another issue I had with it. Sligo began to mix their kickouts. Because they had a sweeper they were able to get a man free and play it short if they had to.  But Mayo with the seven men in the back line and getting cleaned in midfield. Well lets keep banging it down the middle where we dont even have the hunger to win a break.

On a side point spoke to a couple of sligo players after the game. Glad to hear that they weren't totally happy with there performance and expect better the next day. Disappointed to hear one of them say he could feel Mayo lads giving up all around him when they equalised. Another one said he was having a right old handy time of it and it was sorry to see his man taken off. This change wasn't made until well into the second half.

[Greenabovethered]

The match was won and lost on the sideline. Walsh was much quicker at making changes and changing tactics than O'Mahony.

It was the same as the League final high balls bombed in on top of O'Shea when he had two men marking him but we continued with this tactic throughout.  No plan B as usual or worse no ability to adapt or think differently on the field by the players. We might as well have took our spare man off as he was marked absent throughout.

While undoubtedly the players have talent the lack of leadership, aggression and player development is worrying. 2 or 3 players have regressed this year into inferior players. We have limped out of the Championship listlessly in the last three years. I think it is obvious now that O'Mahony cannot inspire these group of lads.

Best wishes to Sligo for the rest of the season.

[muppet]

For my two cent worth, there's a standoff of some sort going on inside the camp.
Something happened between the league semi down in Cork and the final in Croker a fortnight later. Whatever it is, the problem is still there.
There can be no other logical explanation for the dramatic slump in morale and form.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the training camp debacle. I wouldn't see it as necessarily the fault of either the management or the players either. Both should be able to deal with issues like that and still deliver Championship level performances (Connacht level anyway) despite off-field issues. But it hardly helps morale when teams train looking for millimetre and millisecond improvements in performances.

[criostlinn]

Im going to try and hold back here.

All this shit about training camps. Is Mayo not a big enough county with enough places to run a training camp. I recently listened to Trevor Mortimer and Paeder Gardiner selling tickets to pay for a future training camp. Come on lads gives us a break. I dont know how many days were spent in Carton House a couple of weeks ago, but if Saturday was the result of it, well need I say more. These lads think they are f**king Real Madrid.

A repeat of an interview Ger Loughnane did on Newstalk in 2005 was played again last night. He spoke about the way the Clare players trained in 1995. The training was done for mental preparation as well as physical.  I reckon some of our lads could do with a bit of this. Find out who really wants to play for Mayo, who wants to work hard for the priviledge of wearing the jersey or who just wants to fanny around the pubs and clubs thinking they have made it because they have played for Mayo.

[joemamas]

"I often refer to the words of Ballintubber's most famous son. (No; not Tubberman or even Abeysider.) James Horan led by example on the field and he's developed into an astute observer and analyst who is worth a read at any time.
James feels that players are so highly tuned, mentally and physically, that it takes very little to shatter the psyche of any of them. If they don't have clear leadership at times of pressure, they retreat into their 'comfort zones,' where they try to avoid making mistakes and take on as little responsibility as possible."

As much as I have tried to analyse Saturdays debacle, Lar Naparka above comments probably sum it up the best. JOM appears to have done less than a stellar job with respect to the confidence building of some players, In particular Tom Parsons (who in my mind is playing so poorly at the present time, he should not be on the team ), but think back to last year, the lad was messed around in my mind by management. I have to believe that the mental scars are still present, in my mind Mickey Harte or Sean Boylan would have handled him and possible others better.

As for the football analysis, watched the game again, some of the tackling/block down efforts (if you could call it that)by some Mayo backs were very poor, some of our backs did not seem fit, were turned once or twice and was unable to get back goalside.

I am trying my best to forget last week, as I have to believe that going through the league unbeaten bar Dublin, should count for something, maybe not. We just seemed to have six or eight ordinary footballers on the field last saturday.

Finally , JOM in my mind has backed himself into a corner in the last few years with his choice of captain and vice captain.

[joemamas]

Apologies Lar poor editing job, these are my comments,

As much as I have tried to analyse Saturdays debacle, Lar Naparka above comments probably sum it up the best. JOM appears to have done less than a stellar job with respect to the confidence building of some players, In particular Tom Parsons (who in my mind is playing so poorly at the present time, he should not be on the team ), but think back to last year, the lad was messed around in my mind by management. I have to believe that the mental scars are still present, in my mind Mickey Harte or Sean Boylan would have handled him and possible others better.

As for the football analysis, watched the game again, some of the tackling/block down efforts (if you could call it that)by some Mayo backs were very poor, some of our backs did not seem fit, were turned once or twice and was unable to get back goalside.

I am trying my best to forget last week, as I have to believe that going through the league unbeaten bar Dublin, should count for something, maybe not. We just seemed to have six or eight ordinary footballers on the field last saturday.

Finally , JOM in my mind has backed himself into a corner in the last few years with his choice of captain and vice captain.

[Turlough O Carolan]

If talk and hot air could win an Ireland, Mayo would win it every year. Forty-four pages of tripe talk on the first round of the Connacht Championship. We are so good at talking about it, that we have put forward a whole army of former players to talk about it on the National stage. They are roled out every weekend on the Sunday Game to talk, M Carney (very much so Marty), K McStay, D Brady, J Maughan, J O'Mahoney (before his current job - and straight away when Mayo get knocked out), and low and behold - Liam McHale arrives on the scene last weekend. We have nearly a 7-a-side team of All-Star talkers... If only it could win all Irelands....

Don't forget Tommy Lyons. Another Mayoman!

[muppet]

Im going to try and hold back here.

All this shit about training camps. Is Mayo not a big enough county with enough places to run a training camp. I recently listened to Trevor Mortimer and Paeder Gardiner selling tickets to pay for a future training camp. Come on lads gives us a break. I dont know how many days were spent in Carton House a couple of weeks ago, but if Saturday was the result of it, well need I say more. These lads think they are f**king Real Madrid.

A repeat of an interview Ger Loughnane did on Newstalk in 2005 was played again last night. He spoke about the way the Clare players trained in 1995. The training was done for mental preparation as well as physical.  I reckon some of our lads could do with a bit of this. Find out who really wants to play for Mayo, who wants to work hard for the priviledge of wearing the jersey or who just wants to fanny around the pubs and clubs thinking they have made it because they have played for Mayo.

You completely missed the point.

I mentioned it, not because of a perceived sense of privilege among the players, but because of the disorganisation it suggests exists off the pitch. Players, as is succinctly put above, train under a mantra of 'every inch', 'every blade of grass','no stone unturned', professional preparation etc and then a trip they may simply have been really looking forward to (note not demanding as a right) gets screwed up a few weeks before the Championship.