Connacht FBD League 2011 Extravaganza - Official Thread Anseo

[SLIGONIAN]

NUI, Galway: Nathan King, Ciaran McDonald, Shane McHale, Keith Rogers, Peadar Gardiner, Ciaran Conroy, Josh Moore, Stephen Gilmartin, Denis Corroon, Fiachra Deasmhunaigh, Greg Higgins, Mark McHugh, Neil Douglas, Aodhan Mullan, Jason Doherty.

Dillon was named on the bench but started. There was another scatter of Mayo lads in the subs. Don't ask me who the were

Hows Mullan getting on for NUIG, did anyone notice? Clubmate of mine up in Derry

Mullan looked ordinary enough, he was being marked by a rookie FB from my club and i thought our fella shaded it. Must be said our fella wasnt tested with long range ball into mullan as NUIG did plenty of damge in the corners and coming from deep. NUIG are a fine side so its achivenment getting his place.

[muppet]

A huge welcome back to the over the top early season infectious optimism.

What's over the top? That some players played well and that we have options?

About Ciaran McDonald? But he's from Tipp, are we at crossed wires?

Did you see the post before yours?

I think so, it doesn't matter where he is from pronouncing him as good as CMcD is imho ott. But that is what sites like this, and being a Gaa supporter are all about.

He has played a few years for the Tipp seniors afaik. I though he was a full back though

And I still think we will win Sam.

How many times have you updated the MWWSI thing now??

This is year two of a two year plan.

[Farrandeelin]

Worrying times indeed for Sligo fans 3 FBD games with no wins & won't get any easier in Divison 2

Doherty looks the real deal whenever i seen him play he has to be part of Mayo plans this year?

I hope he will too, however things don't always end up as they 'should' in Mayo football teams.

[whiskeysteve]

NUI, Galway: Nathan King, Ciaran McDonald, Shane McHale, Keith Rogers, Peadar Gardiner, Ciaran Conroy, Josh Moore, Stephen Gilmartin, Denis Corroon, Fiachra Deasmhunaigh, Greg Higgins, Mark McHugh, Neil Douglas, Aodhan Mullan, Jason Doherty.

Dillon was named on the bench but started. There was another scatter of Mayo lads in the subs. Don't ask me who the were

Hows Mullan getting on for NUIG, did anyone notice? Clubmate of mine up in Derry

Mullan looked ordinary enough, he was being marked by a rookie FB from my club and i thought our fella shaded it. Must be said our fella wasnt tested with long range ball into mullan as NUIG did plenty of damge in the corners and coming from deep. NUIG are a fine side so its achivenment getting his place.

Cheers for the report, Sligonian. Aye hes only 20 and I wouldn't have a clue how strong NUIG are so wouldn't know how he'd be faring.

We'd have him playing out round the pitch more, midfield or half forward line but sure if he's getting his chance with a strong uni team against county teams im happy!

[shark]

Sligonian, asking here from a Westmeath perspective. How did Gilmartins midfield partner Denis Corroon show up? Westmeath destroyed at midfield today.

I have good news, if this wasnt an one off he was immense, strong running, serious presence aorund the middle, won ball clean, scored, he impressed me and those around me, he also got a yellow for fighting costello so not afraid of the physical. He outplayed taylor for us but bear in mind taylor didnt try a leg today. If he was a Sligoman id definitly be optimistic about him.

Good stuff. Has serious potential alright, so it wouldn't be considered a one off. Was captain of Wmeath u21s last year but spent the summer in the states. I would think he is beat placed at the moment in the race to partner John Heslin in midfield.

[moysider]

Mayo Examiner reporter pretty much on the money for me. We started awful poorly. In fact it was terrible stuff but I suppose that can be expected with totally new teams every week.
I felt we were a different proposition when the ball started going through Freeman in the second half. Great to see him bac. I hope he is allowed to get experience playing there now - not like we ve had an alternative anyway. Andrew Farrell knows what to do as well when he gets the ball. Ronaldson was deadly from frees and took his goal well. Some poor shot selection at the end by him when we should have added a few more scores. David Killleen had the better of Shine (who seemed to break or dislocate something in hand/wrist). Richie Feeney also impressed when he came on. Barry Moran had a decent second-half showing as well. Think there were enough successes over last two games to be getting on with.

[moysider]

NUI, Galway: Nathan King, Ciaran McDonald, Shane McHale, Keith Rogers, Peadar Gardiner, Ciaran Conroy, Josh Moore, Stephen Gilmartin, Denis Corroon, Fiachra Deasmhunaigh, Greg Higgins, Mark McHugh, Neil Douglas, Aodhan Mullan, Jason Doherty.

Dillon was named on the bench but started. There was another scatter of Mayo lads in the subs. Don't ask me who the were

Good to see McHale playing fullback. What did you make of him Criostlinn? Or Sligonian if you spot this?

[SLIGONIAN]

Sligo played 2 man FF line of maye and marren, marren destroyed his man all day, maye was well marshalled, couldnt tell who was marking either nr wise tbh.. but marren was wearing 14 so mchale was probably marking him. With 2 st molaise gaels men at 3 and 6 for us i was situated close to Sligo defence both halfs.

[criostlinn]

NUI, Galway: Nathan King, Ciaran McDonald, Shane McHale, Keith Rogers, Peadar Gardiner, Ciaran Conroy, Josh Moore, Stephen Gilmartin, Denis Corroon, Fiachra Deasmhunaigh, Greg Higgins, Mark McHugh, Neil Douglas, Aodhan Mullan, Jason Doherty.

Dillon was named on the bench but started. There was another scatter of Mayo lads in the subs. Don't ask me who the were

Good to see McHale playing fullback. What did you make of him Criostlinn? Or Sligonian if you spot this?

Id prefer not to say to much about any performances. Really was a nothing game with players on both sides well off the pace. Shane McHale is a good player and will have way better opportunities then this game to prove his worth in a mayo shirt.

[AbbeySider]

I was at the Mayo V Roscommon game today and I have to say I was kind of disappointed with some of the performances of Mayo players, particularly in the first half. We should have been bet out the gate if Roscommon took their goal chances in and I think the scoreboard flattered us a bit at half time. In the first half we were having a torrid time all over the defence with a lot of players mistiming catches, fumbling high balls and getting turned inside out by Roscommon forwards. The rustiness was very apparent but in the second half we settled a bit better defensively, with Keegan and Killeen coming into it more although Im not sure was it the fact that we dominated more upfront and the defence had less to do. Killeen to his credit seemed to better get the measure of shine, and Keegan, although playing kind of loose (his man number 10 caused some damage) got on a lot of ball and did Ok.

At midfield we were wiped in the first half and I dont think we won a clean kickout and were losing the breaking ball count badly. Moran worked harder in the second half and Kilcullen distributed the ball well but we still were still well beaten in the air. Jason Gibbons did well when he came on, getting a point and hitting some sublime passes into Varley and Ronaldson. Up front, only Varley and Ronaldson seemed to really standout and had fine performances throughout. The rest of the forwards were washy enough with Cathal Freeman having some good spells, especially in the second half.

The second half was like a different game. I think that Roscommon tired, and that after the goal they hung the heads. Shine going off injured seemed to take the life out of them altogether and we really dominated the last 20 minutes or so.

All in all, playing badly and wining Im not sure how much we learned today but as they say, a win is a win. It will be interesting to see some of the other guys next week. I can imagine that we will see a few more faces.

[moysider]

NUI, Galway: Nathan King, Ciaran McDonald, Shane McHale, Keith Rogers, Peadar Gardiner, Ciaran Conroy, Josh Moore, Stephen Gilmartin, Denis Corroon, Fiachra Deasmhunaigh, Greg Higgins, Mark McHugh, Neil Douglas, Aodhan Mullan, Jason Doherty.

Dillon was named on the bench but started. There was another scatter of Mayo lads in the subs. Don't ask me who the were

Good to see McHale playing fullback. What did you make of him Criostlinn? Or Sligonian if you spot this?

Id prefer not to say to much about any performances. Really was a nothing game with players on both sides well off the pace. Shane McHale is a good player and will have way better opportunities then this game to prove his worth in a mayo shirt.

Ah yeah, that s fair enough. I ve been at the 2 Mayo games and I ve not been critical of anybody I hope. Not everybody has been a roaring success but there has been enough positives - which I have mentioned - that gives me some optimism that we will get a new improved Mayo team this year. Others probably saw other or different positives.
  I also expect to see quiet a few novices make the team for the league and going forward. I don't subscribe to the view that all of the fbd players will melt away come the begining of spring. A lot of these College players are not exactly regular county players either. Douglas was on the periphery of the squad and I dont think Doherty was in the squad, so selection is very much up in the air. Other mature College players can not be assured of anything either. I think there is a level playing field there for everybody and that is the way it should be now.

[mannix]

Looks like Horan has a few good players to work with here. Maybe the nfl will give us a better idea about whats really going on but either way it will be a huge improvement on the last year or two.
Come on Mayo.

[moysider]

I was at the Mayo V Roscommon game today and I have to say I was kind of disappointed with some of the performances of Mayo players, particularly in the first half. We should have been bet out the gate if Roscommon took their goal chances in and I think the scoreboard flattered us a bit at half time. In the first half we were having a torrid time all over the defence with a lot of players mistiming catches, fumbling high balls and getting turned inside out by Roscommon forwards. The rustiness was very apparent but in the second half we settled a bit better defensively, with Keegan and Killeen coming into it more although Im not sure was it the fact that we dominated more upfront and the defence had less to do. Killeen to his credit seemed to better get the measure of shine, and Keegan, although playing kind of loose (his man number 10 caused some damage) got on a lot of ball and did Ok.

At midfield we were wiped in the first half and I dont think we won a clean kickout and were losing the breaking ball count badly. Moran worked harder in the second half and Kilcullen distributed the ball well but we still were still well beaten in the air. Jason Gibbons did well when he came on, getting a point and hitting some sublime passes into Varley and Ronaldson. Up front, only Varley and Ronaldson seemed to really standout and had fine performances throughout. The rest of the forwards were washy enough with Cathal Freeman having some good spells, especially in the second half.

The second half was like a different game. I think that Roscommon tired, and that after the goal they hung the heads. Shine going off injured seemed to take the life out of them altogether and we really dominated the last 20 minutes or so.

All in all, playing badly and wining Im not sure how much we learned today but as they say, a win is a win. It will be interesting to see some of the other guys next week. I can imagine that we will see a few more faces.

I believe it was like a different game because we played a more structured game. We played the game through Freeman and he didn't waste a ball. Moran too was more tuned in second half and grafted a bit and kept it simple. I suppose we all are looking for and see different things but Freeman and Farrell were the pick of the forwards for me. If Farrell can have a good U21 it will bring him along more. Ronaldson was v good also but we were not clinical enough at the end and there was some ridiculous shot selection there from guys that should know better.

[SLIGONIAN]

NUI, Galway: Nathan King, Ciaran McDonald, Shane McHale, Keith Rogers, Peadar Gardiner, Ciaran Conroy, Josh Moore, Stephen Gilmartin, Denis Corroon, Fiachra Deasmhunaigh, Greg Higgins, Mark McHugh, Neil Douglas, Aodhan Mullan, Jason Doherty.

Dillon was named on the bench but started. There was another scatter of Mayo lads in the subs. Don't ask me who the were

Good to see McHale playing fullback. What did you make of him Criostlinn? Or Sligonian if you spot this?

Id prefer not to say to much about any performances. Really was a nothing game with players on both sides well off the pace. Shane McHale is a good player and will have way better opportunities then this game to prove his worth in a mayo shirt.

Ah yeah, that s fair enough. I ve been at the 2 Mayo games and I ve not been critical of anybody I hope. Not everybody has been a roaring success but there has been enough positives - which I have mentioned - that gives me some optimism that we will get a new improved Mayo team this year. Others probably saw other or different positives.
  I also expect to see quiet a few novices make the team for the league and going forward. I don't subscribe to the view that all of the fbd players will melt away come the begining of spring. A lot of these College players are not exactly regular county players either. Douglas was on the periphery of the squad and I dont think Doherty was in the squad, so selection is very much up in the air. Other mature College players can not be assured of anything either. I think there is a level playing field there for everybody and that is the way it should be now.

On Douglas and Doherty if they dont get a chance with mayo we will gladly take them probably why they were so up for the game today in front of the Sligo public and walsh

[moysider]

Looks like Horan has a few good players to work with here. Maybe the nfl will give us a better idea about whats really going on but either way it will be a huge improvement on the last year or two.
Come on Mayo.

It might not be. Remember we are a division 1 team without a team basically. That s the legacy of the last management sadly. Horan has to be brave and good and lucky all at the same time. I m sure Horan has a first 15 in his head already but he ll find that he will have to revise that several times over the next 6 months.
On a different note I got the impression that some of the more 'established' players didn't exactly burst themselves last 2 games. Maybe I imagined last Summer?