PRELIMINARY ROUND: New York v MAYO (Gaelic Park, New York, 4th May)

[From the Bunker]

Anybody on this board heading over, already over there or been over for this fixture?

One lad from Ballyvary (Mayo) my home village on the NY Panel. Parke would have been his home club.

[rodney trotter]

Nicky Joyce, Brendan Quigley, Ross Wherrity, Donegal Senior panelist last year, Brian Connor of Offaly,a few decent players with New York this year. Conor Lynam is out injured though, classy player.

[Syferus]

Do we get to go on holidays anywhere next year?

[Captain Obvious]

Do we get to go on holidays anywhere next year?

Ask your parents.

[Syferus]

Do we get to go on holidays anywhere next year?

Ask your parents.

I rang John Prenty but I couldn't understand him with all the cigars in his mouth.

[Rossfan]

Do we get to go on holidays anywhere next year?

Ask your parents.

He'll be preparing for starting Secondary School next year.

[muppet]

Well what did we learn from the League?

We learned that Jason Gibbons has really stepped up but will be sacrificed when we need a change.
We learned that Adam Gallagher is one the fans rate, a bit like Evan Regan, but we mightn't see him again this year, a bit like Evan Regan.
We learned that Enda Varley is our go-to sub in the forwards come what may.
We learned that we find it very difficult to win tight games even if we have a lead late on.
We learned that if Cafferkey goes off, it is extremely difficult for us to defend.
We learned that Kevin McLaughlin shouldn't play in the corner.
We learned that our best midfielder in 2012, is now our 5th choice midfielder at best.

I think our selectors have tough calls to make with a senior player or two.

We learned that carrying the ball into contact is the new blanket defence. Our half backline last year was the best in the country for carrying (Jack McCaffrey excepted) but they seem to have lost their way a bit in the League.

Keith Higgins seems out of sorts but is far too good a player to stay out of sorts and expect I him to kick on in the next couple of months. Alan Freeman is becoming a bit too enigmatic and needs to find some consistency, as when he is good, he is very good.

Finally the new rules have obviously made a difference, for better or for worse. I hope the management really sit down and analyse as many games as possible, played under these rules, as I am sure a bright spark can come up with something new to really take advantage of changes. Packing the square with runners from the HF line while defending (to stop goals) might be part of it but I will leave suggestions to those closer to the game than I am these days. I would love to see something clever done with our attack.

[REDCOL]

What We learned in the league part two.


Lee Keegan has become one of the finest footballers in the country.

Adam Gallagher has a chance of making it, but needs to step up on his U21 championship form

Our own supporters who turned on Rob Hennelly when he missed a few frees, and Enda Varley because he was brought on for Adam Gallagher would want to have a good look at themselves.

Andy Moran may touch the ball 30 times in a game but is he slowing up our game.

Our goalkeeper is an outstanding shot stopper, but is prone to erratic moments.

Ballina supporters will not get over their fixation with Evan Regan, the young lad opted out himself. Move On.

Aidan O Se is a wonderful fielder but needs to stop running into contact, he is taking too much punishment.

We need to try and develop some forwards that are physically bigger and stronger than our current crop

[joemamas]

What We learned in the league part two.


Lee Keegan has become one of the finest footballers in the country.

Adam Gallagher has a chance of making it, but needs to step up on his U21 championship form

Our own supporters who turned on Rob Hennelly when he missed a few frees, and Enda Varley because he was brought on for Adam Gallagher would want to have a good look at themselves.

Andy Moran may touch the ball 30 times in a game but is he slowing up our game.

Our goalkeeper is an outstanding shot stopper, but is prone to erratic moments.

Ballina supporters will not get over their fixation with Evan Regan, the young lad opted out himself. Move On.

Aidan O Se is a wonderful fielder but needs to stop running into contact, he is taking too much punishment.

We need to try and develop some forwards that are physically bigger and stronger than our current crop

+1

Incredibly accurate summation. Especially last point, that stood out to me as I watched both games last Sunday.

A good time to take a time out and refocus at task at hand. I still have confidence in James Horan, even though to be honest it has dropped a little. He has brought Mayo to a new level and he is not the one making silly decisions on the field.

As for E Regan, a pity he has not committed, I hope he does not regret in years to come when he may be one of the best footballers on a Mayo team probably not anywhere near as good as this one.

[Crete Boom]

What We learned in the league part two.


Lee Keegan has become one of the finest footballers in the country.

Adam Gallagher has a chance of making it, but needs to step up on his U21 championship form

Our own supporters who turned on Rob Hennelly when he missed a few frees, and Enda Varley because he was brought on for Adam Gallagher would want to have a good look at themselves.

Andy Moran may touch the ball 30 times in a game but is he slowing up our game.

Our goalkeeper is an outstanding shot stopper, but is prone to erratic moments.

Ballina supporters will not get over their fixation with Evan Regan, the young lad opted out himself. Move On.

Aidan O Se is a wonderful fielder but needs to stop running into contact, he is taking too much punishment.

We need to try and develop some forwards that are physically bigger and stronger than our current crop

What we have learned from the last 63 years is the rest of Mayo need to listen to the wise Ballina football men and have 14 more Stephenites men in the starting line up and we would have 10 extra All Ireland titles by now .
If only we could kick points like we can come out out with shitehawk petty club rivalry arguments ( Ballina men included) even the financial powerhouse of Dublin wouldn't be able to touch us

[Syferus]

What We learned in the league part two.


Lee Keegan has become one of the finest footballers in the country.

Adam Gallagher has a chance of making it, but needs to step up on his U21 championship form

Our own supporters who turned on Rob Hennelly when he missed a few frees, and Enda Varley because he was brought on for Adam Gallagher would want to have a good look at themselves.

Andy Moran may touch the ball 30 times in a game but is he slowing up our game.

Our goalkeeper is an outstanding shot stopper, but is prone to erratic moments.

Ballina supporters will not get over their fixation with Evan Regan, the young lad opted out himself. Move On.

Aidan O Se is a wonderful fielder but needs to stop running into contact, he is taking too much punishment.

We need to try and develop some forwards that are physically bigger and stronger than our current crop

+1

Incredibly accurate summation. Especially last point, that stood out to me as I watched both games last Sunday.

A good time to take a time out and refocus at task at hand. I still have confidence in James Horan, even though to be honest it has dropped a little. He has brought Mayo to a new level and he is not the one making silly decisions on the field.

As for E Regan, a pity he has not committed, I hope he does not regret in years to come when he may be one of the best footballers on a Mayo team probably not anywhere near as good as this one.

People are assuming he would be featuring but with Horan's general conservatism, how he didn't use Regan last year and indeed how he's used Gallagher this year I would be surprised if Regan would even get much time off the bench this year regardless.

The Mayo team in 2015 should be a better one than the one in 2014, in all honesty. Fatigue is temporary.

[macdanger2]

How about this for something a bit different - probably too late in the year now for trying though

Hennelly
Higgins Caff Cunniffe
Keegan SOS Boyle
Gibbons AOS / Moran / Parsons
Vaughan COC McLoughlin
Freeman AOS / Moran Sweeney/Moran/Doc/Gallagher/AN Other

SOS would be more of a stopper than our current options at 6 and his lack pace would mean he'd have to sit fairly deep which mightn't be a bad thing.

[muppet]

How about this for something a bit different - probably too late in the year now for trying though

Hennelly
Higgins Caff Cunniffe
Keegan SOS Boyle
Gibbons AOS / Moran / Parsons
Vaughan COC McLoughlin
Freeman AOS / Moran Sweeney/Moran/Doc/Gallagher/AN Other

SOS would be more of a stopper than our current options at 6 and his lack pace would mean he'd have to sit fairly deep which mightn't be a bad thing.

SOS at 6 is worth a try depending on who we play. For example if it were Kerry nd the Gooch was there we might think better of it, but a Paul Conroy or someone like that might suit him. As you said he should stay at home and cover the wing backs.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Nicky Joyce, Brendan Quigley, Ross Wherrity, Donegal Senior panelist last year, Brian Connor of Offaly,a few decent players with New York this year. Conor Lynam is out injured though, classy player.

I was wondering where the bould Nicky was. Very talented player. When he can be bothered.

[Farrandeelin]

Anybody know why this game is on half an hour earlier than usual? I.e 7.30 instead of 8.00 Irish time? The cameras are hardly going out as well!?