Mayo V Sligo - Connaught senior final - July 15th

[Mano]

Met a fair few West Sligos over the weekend including a few xplayers. Their mood varied from hopeful to quiet confidence. There is an emphasis on 'quiet' though. Apparently the hype was savage before the 10 final and the team did not come out of the traps. While quiet I def get the impression that they are expecting to win this - which they should be of course. There will be no fear involved and being from near the border, with parentage from over as well, I ve always got the impression that there is damn all respect either. Not like say they would have for Galway or the bigger teams outside the province. Not that I care or complaining - just the way it is.

I am from a border club also and i don't detect a lack of respect for Mayo. How could there be, Mayo are reigning Connacht champions and Divison 1 league runners up and one of the favorites for the All Ireland. They are also a much different team from 2010. Mayo had many players missing that day and obviously had lost faith in their manager.
Having said that Sligo will embrace the underdog tag. The team were very flat for the majority of the game against Ross in 2010 and the manager got his tactics wrong as a result of a belief that the hard work was done in beating both Mayo and Galway. That will not happen on this occasion and if Mayo let their standards slip and a little over confident themselves we may have an opportunity of causing an upset.

[SLIGONIAN]

Met a fair few West Sligos over the weekend including a few xplayers. Their mood varied from hopeful to quiet confidence. There is an emphasis on 'quiet' though. Apparently the hype was savage before the 10 final and the team did not come out of the traps. While quiet I def get the impression that they are expecting to win this - which they should be of course. There will be no fear involved and being from near the border, with parentage from over as well, I ve always got the impression that there is damn all respect either. Not like say they would have for Galway or the bigger teams outside the province. Not that I care or complaining - just the way it is.

I am from a border club also and i don't detect a lack of respect for Mayo. How could there be, Mayo are reigning Connacht champions and Divison 1 league runners up and one of the favorites for the All Ireland. They are also a much different team from 2010. Mayo had many players missing that day and obviously had lost faith in their manager.
Having said that Sligo will embrace the underdog tag. The team were very flat for the majority of the game against Ross in 2010 and the manager got his tactics wrong as a result of a belief that the hard work was done in beating both Mayo and Galway. That will not happen on this occasion and if Mayo let their standards slip and a little over confident themselves we may have an opportunity of causing an upset.

Its not a lack of respect, its just in football terms we fcking hate ye.

[kevmy]

I think the majority of Mayo people know/expect our 1-8 if all fit. After that there is some discussion. Most, if not all, would also feature Andy somewhere. Personally I'd add Dillon, McLoughlin and O'Connor (if properly fit) to that. In fact I think McLoughlin is the most underrated forward we have - consistent, hard working, wins ball, chips in with a couple of points, pacy.

The issues really revolve around where those 4 should play and who should take the 2 corner spots and the other midfield spot. Personally I'd have McLoughlin and Dillon at 10 and 12 as they seem to play their best football there. Andy is probably our best CF and best FF but can only play in one position. While I think he's more effective out the field but I think he might be more useful at 14 because of the game I think Horan is trying to play.

I think Horan is going for goals. Everything about his teams are set up for taking goals. It's been our Achilles heel for the last 15 yrs - a lack of goals and goal takers especially at crucial times in big games. Watch the drills the forwards will do in the warm up before the game on Sunday. They will do two in particular - roll on the ground and pop the ball up (this is for not losing the ball under pressure of 5 men) and the other will be a 2-on-3 goal taking session involving all the forwards at least twice. This is why he'll pick at least one from Doherty/Freeman in the corner spots. Conor for all his score taking ability down the years was never a great - even good - goal scorer, Conroy from what I've seen is similar.

Andy as has been pointed out is generally great at winning ball (better than O'Connor at this stage) and will be used to win the ball at FF and lay it off for Doherty/Freeman, or go himself, to get goals.

[Crete Boom]

Met a fair few West Sligos over the weekend including a few xplayers. Their mood varied from hopeful to quiet confidence. There is an emphasis on 'quiet' though. Apparently the hype was savage before the 10 final and the team did not come out of the traps. While quiet I def get the impression that they are expecting to win this - which they should be of course. There will be no fear involved and being from near the border, with parentage from over as well, I ve always got the impression that there is damn all respect either. Not like say they would have for Galway or the bigger teams outside the province. Not that I care or complaining - just the way it is.

I am from a border club also and i don't detect a lack of respect for Mayo. How could there be, Mayo are reigning Connacht champions and Divison 1 league runners up and one of the favorites for the All Ireland. They are also a much different team from 2010. Mayo had many players missing that day and obviously had lost faith in their manager.
Having said that Sligo will embrace the underdog tag. The team were very flat for the majority of the game against Ross in 2010 and the manager got his tactics wrong as a result of a belief that the hard work was done in beating both Mayo and Galway. That will not happen on this occasion and if Mayo let their standards slip and a little over confident themselves we may have an opportunity of causing an upset.

Its not a lack of respect, its just in football terms we fcking hate ye.

Good man Sligonian hit the nail on the head with at last some refreshing honesty. I live on the border (the right side thank god ) and when it comes to football there is a fair old hatered amongst my Sligo friends of all things Mayo. I suppose it's similar to the Mayo Galway thing , in that I respect what Galway have achieved over the years and admired players like Joyce , Finnegan, Walsh etc... but deep down come championship time I still hate them. Maybe it's envy of their recent success in Croker or some perceived arrogance/cockiness on their part towards us due to our lack of success on the big day?
Getting back to the game I'd be happy enough if Horan stuck with the same fifteen that started against Letrim with maybe a switch of Freeman to CHF and C O' Connor to the corner forward. Realistically from what I've seen in the league and championship so far I don't expect Horan to do this. Hopefully we'll have one or both of the O'Shea brothers to come off the bench as I'm slightly worried about our midfield up against the current Sligo pairing!
Anyway to keep the flag of honesty flying started by Sligonian , the heart says Mayo to beat the living shite out of the men from bandit country by 30 pts but unfortunately the head says a much tighter affair with only a couple in it either way, maybe a draw!

[Sam2011]

A bit of news here from the Mayo news about the Mayo panel-

THE Mayo senior football team to play Sligo in next Sunday's Connacht's Final will be released to the general public tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1.30pm via the Mayo GAA twitter account.
The squad were put through their paces in a final 'A' v 'B' trial game on Sunday morning in Castlebar with Seamus O'Shea (groin), Peadar Gardiner (foot) and Aidan Campbell (hip) all sitting the practice match out due to injuries.
The Mayo News understands that all three will not be considered for selection for next weekend's game as a result of their respective problems, but Aidan O'Shea and Chris Barrett both lined out and are in contention for places in Mayo's 26-man squad.
Ballinrobe goalkeeper, Kenneth O'Malley, also looks set to be part of James Horan's panel next weekend after he was unexpectedly invited to return to training last Friday evening.
The 2006 All-Ireland U-21 winner was not involved in Mayo's championship squad last summer but has been recalled after Robert Hennelly's surprise decision to leave the panel two weeks ago due to work commitments.
Horan and his management team will finalise their team selection after a training session tonight (Tuesday) in Castlebar.
Among those believed to be pushing hard for inclusion are half-back Richie Feeney and inside forwards Conor Mortimer, Michael Conroy and Enda Varley.
Sligo, meanwhile, have some concerns over corner-forward, David Kelly, as they count down to their second provincial final in three years.
The Tubbercurry attacker has been nursing an ankle injury recently and Stephen Coen, who missed the semi-final win over Galway, is on standby to start in Kelly's absence.
Connacht GAA Council officials are expecting a crowd of approximately 20,000 people to attend next Sunday's double-header at Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon.



   

[Farrandeelin]

Why 1.30 tomorrow? Why not tonight?

[magpie seanie]

Why 1.30 tomorrow? Why not tonight?

I heard both teams were being announced at the same time on the respctive local radio stations. Is that it?

[ballinaman]

Met a fair few West Sligos over the weekend including a few xplayers. Their mood varied from hopeful to quiet confidence. There is an emphasis on 'quiet' though. Apparently the hype was savage before the 10 final and the team did not come out of the traps. While quiet I def get the impression that they are expecting to win this - which they should be of course. There will be no fear involved and being from near the border, with parentage from over as well, I ve always got the impression that there is damn all respect either. Not like say they would have for Galway or the bigger teams outside the province. Not that I care or complaining - just the way it is.

I am from a border club also and i don't detect a lack of respect for Mayo. How could there be, Mayo are reigning Connacht champions and Divison 1 league runners up and one of the favorites for the All Ireland. They are also a much different team from 2010. Mayo had many players missing that day and obviously had lost faith in their manager.
Having said that Sligo will embrace the underdog tag. The team were very flat for the majority of the game against Ross in 2010 and the manager got his tactics wrong as a result of a belief that the hard work was done in beating both Mayo and Galway. That will not happen on this occasion and if Mayo let their standards slip and a little over confident themselves we may have an opportunity of causing an upset.

Its not a lack of respect, its just in football terms we fcking hate ye.

Mayo...Man United and Rovers...good job for Rovers or else you'd really hate me i tells ya! 

[Rossfan]

For the attention of Sligonians - I hear the road works around Tulsk are extended to 20 th July so ye'll be  diverting by Strokestown or Frenchpark.

[neilthemac]

I hope the Gardai have a good traffic management plan in place as a lot of traffic will be coming into Tulsk from both directions

[From the Bunker]

Has to be one of the deadest championship in years for Mayo. Jez, it's mid July and we have not had a real Championshp game yet (No disrespect to Leitrim). It's been a local sports journalists nightmare. You look around at the other counties and they have well tested the water. Keeping players motivated and sharp must be a nightmare. Keeping yourself (as a management team) motivated and sharp must be a nightmare.

Win, lose or draw (and a draw would not be a bad result with our cobwebs!) at least we'll be up on motoring on Sunday. Thanks be to God!

[sligoman2]

Kelly would be a huge loss as i dont think anyone has the pace to stay with him and will takw 2 to attempt to watch him.  The ankle has been injured on and off for over a year which is a tough on him.

[moysider]

Kelly would be a huge loss as i dont think anyone has the pace to stay with him and will takw 2 to attempt to watch him.  The ankle has been injured on and off for over a year which is a tough on him.

Word is that kelly did not take any part in last weekend s challenge but he wouldn t, would he? Doesn t mean he wont start next Sunday. I suspect that they ll try to nurse him through the summer and try to have him for the championship matches.

Probably Keith Higgins will be detailed to mark him. Now Keith has the pace but probably not the instinct/ singlemindedness to contain him. I don t think there s a corner back in the country that would handle him. Except for maybe Eoin Cadogan who would just decapitate him while the ref stands idly by. There s a lad in the Mayo subs that would have the best chance of sticking to him. That s Michael Walsh. But that s not going to happen. Like Kevin McLoughlin a few years ago we have a habit in Mayo of leaving young fellas cooling their heels for a year before their trusted.

[SLIGONIAN]

Anytime we go to the Hyde for big crowd matches we go cliffoney, sligo, roosky, lanesboro and avoid all the traffic, you barely see a car, its a bit longer and road isnt as good but no traffic. Sligeach abu..

[Buckass]

No traffic...until now!!