U21 Football Championship

[laoisgaa]

I'd go for Kildare v Kerry and memories of 98 to flood back for Glenn Ryan!

Great prediction from LaoisGAA, would you like to forecast the winner...

If only I'd a wager on that........ Was in Navan today and I have to say I wouldn't be too heartened by how Kildare didn't score for a 19 minute spell in the opening half and luckily for them Down left their shooting boots at home for large parts of this game also, five wides in each half.

Kerry have a strong defence akin with a speedy attack and this will be a mainstay of their play in the final, likewise Kildare - I expect this game to go down to the wire - Kerry to shade it but after a battle hardened Kildare performance. Won't be much between them.

[Jinxy]

I think Kildare will win a lot of ball around the middle against Kerry. Mayo dominated possession there in the 2nd half today. I'd call it 50/50 to be honest. Kildare will need to use the ball a lot better though. Too many aimless kicks out of defence today which went straight to an opposition player.

[Pangurban]

Well gutted about Down result, usual story of poor defending, but congrats to Kildare, they are a good side and have the potential to go on and win it, hope they do

[mayo51]

bitterly disapointed with todays loss as the game was there to be won in the end tho at half time i could not see us coming back into the game.we had a tremendous 2ind half with men standing up to be counted all over the field.to me the turnover by chris barrett, when after winning possession he handled the ball on the ground, was huge as we had just taken the lead and we were about to launch another attack.kerry scored from the free to equilize andthe momentum swung back to kerry momentarily.i think the main differnce was that kerry had more natural  forwards than mayo and found scoring easier.at the end of the day we lost the game and  even with the great second half fight back it is still a bitter pill to swallow.on one last note i think ger cafferky will be full back when mayo play sligo in the connaught semi final in a few weeks time as he is a natural fullback and played well today.finally i think kildare will win the final and i was impressed with their second half display today.

[Farrandeelin]

Well said moysider, management have a lot of questions to answer for Campbell's non-starting. Also, in the first half Mayo had a strong breeze, the players I thought would stnd up and be counted (Parsons and O'Shea and Cunniffe to an extent) were poor. Then against the breeze they all did well. I thought the play was overly condensed in the Mayo half in the first half, the distribution to the inside forwards very poor in the first half and improved, like everything in the second half. Ref didn't do Mayo any favours either. All in all another case of leaving it behind us. Suppose you don't deserve to win games scoring 0-2 with a strong breeze behind you and Campbell and McLoughlin sitting on the bench for the early part of the game.

[SuperDooperCooper]

The ultimate game of two halvef I would say.
First the criticism of Nenagh, no stretcher or ambulance at an All-Ireland U-21 semi-final is a disgrace, Players are entitled to better medical back up than that. Best of luck to Eoin in his recovery.
Second, the crowd was very small for a semi-final, 3:30 on Saturday is not a good day for a game, play in the evening or on a sunday.
Third, that was the coldest I have ever gotten at a game, my hands were still not warm when I got out of the car in Kerry.
The game itself was good, I though it was all over when we went 6 up early in the second half but credit to Mayo they played the better football from when they got the goal, their No.9 was mignificant, my MOTH, followed by the two number 6's.
Overall, I felt the better side did win and I think Kerry will benefit from yesterdays match. Two massive scores from Tommy Walsh and David moran to win the game.
Tommy played full forward for about 50 minutes yesterday but turned the game when he came out in the last ten.

[Barney]

Just got to see a video of the game last night.

Disappointing to win but I think Kerry had that bit more class. Our lack of potency up front was crucial.

Promising to see Cafferkey put in a solid game. He is probably the best chance of a decent number 3 for us.

Cunniffe, Parsons, and O'Shea all stood up which was promising.

We may have shot ourselves in the foot by dropping Campbell but whatever the reasons for disciplinary action you have to stand by the management. The lad has potential and a long-term view needs to be taken to things like attitude etc.

Holmes and Connelly may step down now. They have done a great job over the last 3 years and I think the fact that players like Higgins, Howley, Barrett, Cunniffe, Moran, O'Shea, Parsons, Campbell, and Kilcoyne have all been integrated into the senior set-up is a good reflection on their work and should assist us in a shortened transation from the boys of the late 90s to the present set-up. Whenever JOM steps down we are likely to see Connelly step in.

[mannix]

Good points there Barney.
My one sore point is that Campbell should have started, no questions asked as he will be overage for the next run.
The game is one Mayo should have one,Campbell is a good player and made a big difference in this and the last game, i think management will rue leaving him out for many days to come.

[AZOffaly]

I was up there myself, and a few random thoughts.

1st As superdooper says, it is an absolute disgrace that a lad can do his knee badly in an All Ireland semi final, and have no ambulance people, or even a stretcher, available to cart him off. It looked like Junior B organisation.

2nd, Mayo looked far more comfortable against the wind than with it. When they tried to 'use' the wind by kicking the ball out of defence, the Kerry half back line, especially Killian Young with his brilliant reading of the game, just ate them alive. At half time at 1-3 to 0-2 I thought Kerry would kick on and win by 10 points. Mayo were much more assured carrying the ball into the wind though, and playing the possession game, and they worried Kerry at that stage.

3rd. That Parsons lad in midfield was very good, as was the centre back, especially in the second half when they started to assert themselves after Kerry went 6 points up. Parsons caught great ball, scored a nice point, and really took the fight to Kerry.

4th. I was disappointed with David Moran and Tommy Walsh. they came good when it mattered most, but I thought they were fairly pedestrian until the last 5 minutes. Maybe they were symptomatic of Kerry as a whole, in that it took Mayo going ahead to make them realise they could lose a game they seemed to be coasting in the first half. I thought Tommy Walsh was very casual, letting balls fall, losing possession and not really working hard inside on the edge of the square. Having said that he did lay off the ball for the goal perfectly, and he scored a couple of lovely points, especially the clincher at the end.

5th. I thought the Kerry management made a mistake when they switched Walsh to midfield. That switch itself was fine, and it needed to be done as the Kerry lads were getting overrun, but they didn't put anyone else in full forward, apart from #13 briefly. They left a two man full forward line, and a very congested midfield. It almost cost them, because Mayo were able to swarm around midfield and won nearly any break that was going.

That's just a few random brain dumps. I thought it was a decent game overall, far from a cracker, and I thought Mayo showed great spirit to rally into the wind, although as I say I got the impression they were more comfortable playing possession football anyway. In the end, though, I thought Kerry just got scores at important times a little easier, and were just about worthy of the win.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Why is everyone questioning the Mayo management's decision to drop Campbell and no one wonder what the fcuk a lad was doing on the beer in the week running up to an All-Ireland semi-final? The lad shot himself in the foot and left the management in a very awkward position.
I agree it was nonsense that Kevin McLoughlin didn't start but by and large the management have got an awful lot out of teams in the last three years. The All-Ireland winning team of '06 was very average - so much of that success was down to management (Connelly in particular I think) and two Connacht titles since is a great return. Think we'll see these two in charge of the seniors yet. Worried about Holmes in that regard but Connelly has what it takes

[OirthearMhaigheo]

Why is everyone questioning the Mayo management's decision to drop Campbell and no one wonder what the fcuk a lad was doing on the beer in the week running up to an All-Ireland semi-final? The lad shot himself in the foot and left the management in a very awkward position.

I'd agree fully with that, Campbell should be questioned not the management. If all the other lads were prepared to stay disciplined for one of the biggest games of their lives then so should he. They had to drop him or else he would think letting his team-mates down was acceptable behaviour. You could tell he wasn't right even when he came on, he went from top scorer against Ross to not scoring or indeed contributing an awful lot in any way. In a game we lost by 2 points and were without our best forward, he is the one that should be losing sleep, not the management. I think they have done a brillant job considering the relative drought at minor level and to deliver an All-Ireland and 3 Connachts in a row is a decent return. I hope they stay on and keep the conveyor belt ticking over, they have helped nurture some fine footballers and thankfully there are some big lads on the way. Parsons and O'Shea were very impressive as was Cafferkey. For all the plaudits Tommy Walsh got, Cafferkey did a great job on him all things considered and should be considered for full-back sooner rather than later. Walsh then had to go out to midfield where he couldn't get near Parsons or O'Shea who in fairness are 2 big men aswell so there is no shame in coming second best to either of them. Cunniffe had a fine game aswell and I think Padraic O'Connor looks a decent prospect if he bulks up a little.

[moysider]

Why is everyone questioning the Mayo management's decision to drop Campbell and no one wonder what the fcuk a lad was doing on the beer in the week running up to an All-Ireland semi-final? The lad shot himself in the foot and left the management in a very awkward position.
I agree it was nonsense that Kevin McLoughlin didn't start but by and large the management have got an awful lot out of teams in the last three years. The All-Ireland winning team of '06 was very average - so much of that success was down to management (Connelly in particular I think) and two Connacht titles since is a great return. Think we'll see these two in charge of the seniors yet. Worried about Holmes in that regard but Connelly has what it takes

I agree that management had the right to drop Campbell but when they took that decision they should have had the courage to stick with the decision. They must have realised that dropping him was ruining their chances of winning in the first place.
Secondly I also believe that this group of players underachieved. Their quality is reflected in the number who have already shown they are up for senior level. Questions could be asked of former minor managers why they failed to reach their undoubted potential at that level. How often do Mayo or anybody else have a midfield like Parsons and O Shea. I for one would not like to see Holmes anywhere near a Mayo team again. Connelly may have something to offer but there s more to management than motivation.
While I understand the roving role thay Ciaran Sweeney played it could have been done from the wing. Again we had a Mayo team playing with a gale and no targetman inside just a couple of light lads easily brushed aside. If Joson Doherty was deemed good enough for this level why not the younger O Shea who would have added some presence as a target man. As far as I know this was not even investigated by management.  I dont believe the talent within the county was anywhwere exhausted. It took them so long to play Kevin McLoughlin. Ian Clarke was nt even looked at - a lad with much much more to offer than his fellow clubman and a very good targetman.

[Maradona]

You are being a bit harsh on the Management. I am no fan of Holmes - think he took Mayo back greatly when he was manager, however youd have to say he has been the only man to bring ANY silverwear to Mayo in the last 20 years (League & U21). But I think he had has his stint at senior and that should be it. Maybe he is more suited to the underage.
Dissapointed as I am for the loss the last day when the game was there for the taking, I think this squad of players over-achieved a little. Only a month or so ago I was down in Castlebar to see them playing Leitrim and I honestly left that match feeling I had witnessed the worst demonstration of basic football skills ever from Mayo. To have taken them then close to an AI final from that, you must give some credit to mgmt. Yes there are some good prospects in defence and midfeild, but ets be honest, we have no forwards coming through at all, and thats what ultimately cost us the last day - only 2 of the starting forwards scored. Unfortunately management can only use what is available and remember Hanley, Boyle brothers and Kilcullen all were not available from the minor team equivelant (who were hammered by Down in the final). Not fair to say that they could have used O'sheas brother - I understand he is only minor

[moysider]

You are being a bit harsh on the Management. I am no fan of Holmes - think he took Mayo back greatly when he was manager, however youd have to say he has been the only man to bring ANY silverwear to Mayo in the last 20 years (League & U21). But I think he had has his stint at senior and that should be it. Maybe he is more suited to the underage.
Dissapointed as I am for the loss the last day when the game was there for the taking, I think this squad of players over-achieved a little. Only a month or so ago I was down in Castlebar to see them playing Leitrim and I honestly left that match feeling I had witnessed the worst demonstration of basic football skills ever from Mayo. To have taken them then close to an AI final from that, you must give some credit to mgmt. Yes there are some good prospects in defence and midfeild, but ets be honest, we have no forwards coming through at all, and thats what ultimately cost us the last day - only 2 of the starting forwards scored. Unfortunately management can only use what is available and remember Hanley, Boyle brothers and Kilcullen all were not available from the minor team equivelant (who were hammered by Down in the final). Not fair to say that they could have used O'sheas brother - I understand he is only minor

Doherty only a minor also. We might lack forwards but there was some serious talent in backs and midfield. Campbell is a very good forward. I too was at the Leitrim game and yes they stank the place out but there was never a doubt about the exceptional individual ability of at least 7 players which is a good foundation for any team. Their no show against Down in AI final can only be explained by the management at that time. They did nt play. I would fancy them to reverse that result now. Of course we ll give the u21 management some credit but as regards Holmes and silverware -  well if your lucky enough to manage a good team there is always the possibility they will win something.

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry v Kildare - U21 All Ireland Final - Semple Stadium - Saturday May 3rd - 7pm.