Mayo v Fermanagh, Saturday July 09, 2016 McHale Park

[moysider]

Fermanagh are 7/1. Tasty

Don't just taste. Eat up. Fill your belly and your boots. You don't get value like that too often.

[From the Bunker]

Fermanagh are 7/1. Tasty

Don't just taste. Eat up. Fill your belly and your boots. You don't get value like that too often.

[Farrandeelin]

Forecast for Saturday's a strange one. Very warm with gale force winds and heavy showers. Pretty shit for July, won't allow for quality football that's for sure.

Sounds like the weather in 2003 when the two teams met...

[bucko]

Forecast for Saturday's a strange one. Very warm with gale force winds and heavy showers. Pretty shit for July, won't allow for quality football that's for sure.

Sounds like the weather in 2003 when the two teams met...

I'm hoping that's not a bad omen. That was the evening Maurice Sheridan missed a free when he slipped just as he connected with the ball wasn't it?

[seafoid]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/mayo-might-benefit-from-taking-the-road-less-travelled-1.2712778

Where once there was certainty, now there is only the fog that descends on any man or woman who decides to sit down to figure out what the hell being on the A or B side of the qualifier draw really means. This is very much the road less travelled.

And for Mayo people, the qualifiers don't hold too many happy memories. Their record since 2001 is five wins and five defeats, but their last back-door outing was a defeat to Longford in 2010 which signalled the end of John O'Mahony's second term in charge and still ranks among the lowest moments in Mayo's footballing history.

Some counties, including the one which Mayo face on Saturday, have been able to thrive in the rather strange circumstance of being in the qualifiers. For Fermanagh, getting beaten in their province isn't a shock – in fact, it's happened every time they've ever played in the Ulster championship. As a result, their ability to recalibrate in time for the All-Ireland series is finely tuned.

They will feel they didn't play even close to their potential against Donegal in the Ulster quarter-final, and if they go looking for a line, in horse-racing parlance, they can point to a very creditable draw with Galway in Tuam last March as a sign that maybe they're not too far off Mayo after all. Certainly if this game was being played in Enniskillen, Mayo would not be sleeping too soundly this week.

The Mayo supporters have seen plenty in the last 15 years, but they have yet to experience the rather thrilling sight of your county going on a run through the back door. With games every weekend, pitting you against unfamiliar opposition in unfamiliar grounds, this could be a lot of fun for them.

Painful lessons

But it's predicated on the one lesson that every team that has had success in the All-Ireland series has learnt – study what went wrong, for sure, but there comes a time when you have digested the painful lessons of your defeat to your neighbour, and you have to just let it go. Take your medicine and move on.

The summer was cleaved wide open in Castlebar in June – and opportunity knocks now for both Galway and Mayo. The confidence with which they take their next step could yet leave them both with a big say in the championship this year.

[Rossfan]

Ah sure it's all about Galway and Rhubarbs.......

[Lar Naparka]

Don't like the look of this...

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/all-ireland-draw-almost-guarantees-kerrys-route-to-last-four-but-is-really-really-bad-news-for-mayo/86032

  Mikey Stafford

All-Ireland draw almost guarantees Kerry's place in last four but is really, really bad news for Mayo
However last weekend's results have seen the dust settle and things take shape and it is good news for Kerry.
And very, very bad news for Mayo.
Since 2014 the SFC qualifier draw has been divided in two, the A and B sides. The aim was to reduce the frequency of matches for defeated provincial semi-finalists and finalists, but it has also taken away a degree of surprise from the backdoor route.
It also means that you can chart a county's route and have a fair idea of who the four provincial champions will face at the quarter-final stage.
While the format of this summer's semi-finals has long been established, with the Munster and Leinster champions on one side and the Connacht and Ulster provincial winners on the other, the lop-sided nature of the qualifiers has only just become clear.
Kerry, as Munster champions, and the winners of Sunday's Connacht SFC final between Galway and Roscommon will play the two sides that emerge from the 'A' side of the draw.
The two sides that emerge from the 'B' side will face Dublinthe Leinster champions and the winners of the Ulster final between Donegal and Tyrone.
To correspond with the Munster/Connacht, Leinster/Ulster division, Tipperary and the loser of Connacht SFC final will go into final round of A qualifiers, with Westmeath the Leinster runners-up and the losers of Tyrone-Donegal going into Round 4B.




A
Carlow
Derry
Laois
Cavan
Clare
Meath
Sligo  Tipp
Roscommon/Galway

B
Mayo
Monaghan 
Kildare   
Limerick   
Fermanag
Offaly   
Cork
Donegal/ Tyrone 
Westmeath/Dublin



The upshot of randomly assigning teams to the 'A' and 'B' sides of the draws has seen a very lopsided looking Championship, with the 'B' bracket stacked with at least three Division 1 sides, Cork, a menacing Fermanagh (who face Mayo on Saturday) and presumably a Westmeath side buoyed by a second successive run to the Leinster final.
In contrast, the 'A' side features only one Division 1 side for sure, just promoted Cavan (who will hope to bounce back from conceding five goals to Tyrone with a handy qualifier opener against Carlow). Roscommon may end up in qualifier round 4B if they lose to Galway on Sunday but, either way, it is a far weaker set of teams.
The full cost of Mayo's Connacht SFC semi-final defeat can now be laid bare. If they overcome Fermanagh, they still face potential opponents as menacing as a Conor McManus-led Monaghan, a dangerous Cork and a highly-motivated, highly pissed-off Donegal or Tyrone.
Good luck with that.
Meanwhile Kerry and the yet-to-be-crowned Connacht champions are waiting to see who prevails in the tallest dwarf contest on the other side, with a demoralised Derry, leaky Cavan, far from vintage Meath and the losers of Roscommon-Galway the scariest looking options.
None of which look like great preparation for the Kingdom ahead of a likely All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Dublin.

[seafoid]

Monaghan have one forward.
Cork are not good enough
Mayo would beat either of the Ulster finalists

[ballinaman]

Monaghan have one forward.
Cork are not good enough
Mayo would beat either of the Ulster finalists

We'd take Hughes!

[trueblue1234]

Monaghan have one forward.
Cork are not good enough
Mayo would beat either of the Ulster finalists

Galway beat Mayo so not sure about that. Would Galway beat Monaghan or even Cavan?

[Jinxy]

We'll make bits of Kerry.

[Cunny Funt]

Don't like the look of this...

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/all-ireland-draw-almost-guarantees-kerrys-route-to-last-four-but-is-really-really-bad-news-for-mayo/86032

  Mikey Stafford

All-Ireland draw almost guarantees Kerry's place in last four but is really, really bad news for Mayo
However last weekend's results have seen the dust settle and things take shape and it is good news for Kerry.
And very, very bad news for Mayo.
Since 2014 the SFC qualifier draw has been divided in two, the A and B sides. The aim was to reduce the frequency of matches for defeated provincial semi-finalists and finalists, but it has also taken away a degree of surprise from the backdoor route.
It also means that you can chart a county's route and have a fair idea of who the four provincial champions will face at the quarter-final stage.
While the format of this summer's semi-finals has long been established, with the Munster and Leinster champions on one side and the Connacht and Ulster provincial winners on the other, the lop-sided nature of the qualifiers has only just become clear.
Kerry, as Munster champions, and the winners of Sunday's Connacht SFC final between Galway and Roscommon will play the two sides that emerge from the 'A' side of the draw.
The two sides that emerge from the 'B' side will face Dublinthe Leinster champions and the winners of the Ulster final between Donegal and Tyrone.
To correspond with the Munster/Connacht, Leinster/Ulster division, Tipperary and the loser of Connacht SFC final will go into final round of A qualifiers, with Westmeath the Leinster runners-up and the losers of Tyrone-Donegal going into Round 4B.




A
Carlow
Derry
Laois
Cavan
Clare
Meath
Sligo  Tipp
Roscommon/Galway

B
Mayo
Monaghan 
Kildare   
Limerick   
Fermanag
Offaly   
Cork
Donegal/ Tyrone 
Westmeath/Dublin



The upshot of randomly assigning teams to the 'A' and 'B' sides of the draws has seen a very lopsided looking Championship, with the 'B' bracket stacked with at least three Division 1 sides, Cork, a menacing Fermanagh (who face Mayo on Saturday) and presumably a Westmeath side buoyed by a second successive run to the Leinster final.
In contrast, the 'A' side features only one Division 1 side for sure, just promoted Cavan (who will hope to bounce back from conceding five goals to Tyrone with a handy qualifier opener against Carlow). Roscommon may end up in qualifier round 4B if they lose to Galway on Sunday but, either way, it is a far weaker set of teams.
The full cost of Mayo's Connacht SFC semi-final defeat can now be laid bare. If they overcome Fermanagh, they still face potential opponents as menacing as a Conor McManus-led Monaghan, a dangerous Cork and a highly-motivated, highly pissed-off Donegal or Tyrone.
Good luck with that.
Meanwhile Kerry and the yet-to-be-crowned Connacht champions are waiting to see who prevails in the tallest dwarf contest on the other side, with a demoralised Derry, leaky Cavan, far from vintage Meath and the losers of Roscommon-Galway the scariest looking options.
None of which look like great preparation for the Kingdom ahead of a likely All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Dublin.

Mayo if they win on Saturday could draw Kildare next,Westmeath in round 4, quarter final v the Ulster champions (avoiding Dublin and Kerry  until a possible All Ireland final ) so i'd hold off on the very very bad news for Mayo yet.

[larryin89]

As supporters you have to keep shouting till its over ,that is our job.  We know deep down the dream most likely died v dubs last year, its very tough to accept and a part of you doesnt want to accept.  People from other counties can snipe away and snigger but most of them havent a clue what its like to be up competing with the best.  Personally i will always have a fondness for this group no matter how it ends.  They have played their hearts out.  Them games v kerry in 14 were f**king epic,  12 v the dubs and 13 in all games to the final they were just incredible,  it was surreal v galway and donegal that year AOS was like a f**king machine,  cillian the same.  So my point is after my rant,  very proud of this group of men.  Some fantastic days that will live with me and all belonging to me till we die. 

[seafoid]

Monaghan have one forward.
Cork are not good enough
Mayo would beat either of the Ulster finalists

Galway beat Mayo so not sure about that. Would Galway beat Monaghan or even Cavan?

Mayo underestimated Galway.
Galway would beat Cavan and would probably score more than Monaghan would

[macdanger2]

Most Mayo supporters will be happy enough if we're good enough to beat Fermanagh never mind talking about monaghan or anyone else.