Mayo GAA Discussion Thread

ColeTrain

Was baffled when someone told me the news that McLoughlin didn't get one. Mayo player of the year for me.

Congrats to all the other lads though.

Syferus

Personally thought Higgins was the best Mayo player this year, followed by McLoughlin. Corner-backs rarely get enough credit and Higgins is surely the best marker in football right now and he's just as assured as any half-back moving forward. Decent hurler too!

cgpg5

McLouglin not getting an Allstar is an absolute disgrace. Mayo's most influential player. How Mark McHugh, who spent his whole season in the half back line, got one at half forward is baffling.

Aidan Walsh over Barry Moran too? Not trying too sound overly biased here but that again is poor

Fowler87

Syferus wrote: »

Personally thought Higgins was the best Mayo player this year, followed by McLoughlin. Corner-backs rarely get enough credit and Higgins is surely the best marker in football right now and he's just as assured as any half-back moving forward. Decent hurler too!

He really needs to be deployed as a centre half back to get even more out of his game. Its his natural position

keane2097

Syferus wrote: »

Wouldn't say that. Durcan was always leading that race and it'd always have took a Mayo win for Clarke to overtake him.

This, Durcan was clearly the goalkeeper of the year.

Fireball07

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

As predicted by a poster here last week Donie Buckley is off to Mayo as trainer, according to RTE, good choice I think

I'm a massive fan of Buckley, he did great stuff from Limerick. Bit disappointed, because I hoped he was coming back to Limerick.

Apparently he's been appointed Director of Limerick Underage Football too, so it's a pity he hasn't got a senior role too.

cgpg5

Cillian O'Connor YPOTY 2 years in a row.

Many may disagree but he's the deserving recipient imo, I don't rate McBrearty at all

Fowler87

Great achievement for O'Connor. First ever to win 2 YPOTY awards. Lad has so much potential to be a top footballer

blowitupref

Alan Dillon was MOTM v Dublin,Down that may give a reason why he was chosen instead of Kevin McLoughlin. O'Connor young player of the year again but still no All-star??

cgpg5

O'Connor is eligible to win it next year too!

Always_Running

If Dillon won man of the match in the quarter,semi finals that would explain his All star alright and were Mayo ever likely to get more than 4?

Fowler87

Always_Running wrote: »

If Dillon won man of the match in the quarter,semi finals that would explain his All star alright and were Mayo ever likely to get more than 4?

Read on twitter that the average has been 3 for the runners up the last few years so we've done well. Doesn't take away from the omission of certain players though

Syferus

O'Connor has one of the best big match temperaments I've ever seen, not just in a young player but in any player.

The big problem with him hasn't been any more answered this season than it was last: he needs to find a way to me more active from play. He punishes you from placed balls but it's far too easy to mark him out of games.

Deserving of his second YPOTY, but it's hardly like he had to go up against a murderers' row of candidates this year.

westsidestory

cgpg5 wrote: »

Cillian O'Connor YPOTY 2 years in a row.

Many may disagree but he's the deserving recipient imo, I don't rate McBrearty at all

O'Connor deserving his award indeed. Think you are being a tad harsh to not rate McBrearty at all, he is still just only a year out of minor and has already his AI medal and will improve greatly as he grows into the senior team. Might not have set the world on fire yet though !

Drummerboy2

There's a couple of Mayo lads playing in the Dublin Championship final for Ballymun tomorrow night, James Bourke and Shane Forde.

westsidestory

Drummerboy2 wrote: »

There's a couple of Mayo lads playing in the Dublin Championship final for Ballymun tomorrow night, James Bourke and Shane Forde.

Bourke ex Ardnaree and a fine footballer, where is Forde from and where does he play ?

Drummerboy2

Not sure what part of Mayo Forde is from but he is a young 6'4' full forward.

kupus

Fowler87 wrote: »

Shame McLoughlin missed out but delighted a fellow Ballyhaunis man in Keith Higgins has got a deserved all star. First from the club

Has Higgins only 1 Allstar?
Sounds hard to believe cos it feels like he's around for ages playing solid, in hurling adn football. And is he still playing hurling?

Imo he's a bit like Denis Irwin, unassuming, not flashy, but one hell of a defender.

Always_Running

kupus wrote: »

Has Higgins only 1 Allstar?
Sounds hard to believe cos it feels like he's around for ages playing solid, in hurling adn football. And is he still playing hurling?

Imo he's a bit like Denis Irwin, unassuming, not flashy, but one hell of a defender.

Played yesterday and scored 8 of the 12 points for Ballyhaunis.

kupus

Always_Running wrote: »

Played yesterday and scored 8 of the 12 points for Ballyhaunis.

Im going to take one guess and say it was against Toreen

Fowler87

kupus wrote: »

Im going to take one guess and say it was against Toreen

No lost to Four Roads in Connacht semi

kupus

damn rossies, what was the final score?
So are Ballyhaunis the team to beat in mayo now for hhurling?

Fowler87

kupus wrote: »

damn rossies, what was the final score?
So are Ballyhaunis the team to beat in mayo now for hhurling?

Yeah won county final against Tooreen. 4 in a row. Lost by 9 points to Four Roads. 1:18 to 12 ft

Syferus

You have to remember Roscommon are regularly beating Mayo at minor and u21 in hurling these days so the Mayo champions losing out by that margin is just indicative of the gap that's present at the underage grades.

Four Roads are the sister club to St. Aidan's, this year's intermediate football champions. Plenty going on down Ballyforan these days.

MaroonAndGreen

Are the leagues being re-structured next year?

heard it will be a format like this:

16 senior championship teams play in a 16 team senior league also, and the same goes for the 16 intermediate teams.

with relegations and promotions in the league being decided by championship.

kupus

Syferus wrote: »

You have to remember Roscommon are regularly beating Mayo at minor and u21 in hurling these days so the Mayo champions losing out by that margin is just indicative of the gap that's present at the underage grades.

Four Roads are the sister club to St. Aidan's, this year's intermediate football champions. Plenty going on down Ballyforan these days.

afaik, Rossy teams were ALWAYS beating mayo teams in hurling

Syferus

kupus wrote: »

afaik, Rossy teams were ALWAYS beating mayo teams in hurling

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/roscommon-had-too-much-to-do-against-mayo-2539006.html

keane2097

Anybody who doesn't "rate Patrick McBrearty at all" doesn't know a footballer from a bag of spuds.

cgpg5

keane2097 wrote: »

Anybody who doesn't "rate Patrick McBrearty at all" doesn't know a footballer from a bag of spuds.

He's completely overhyped due to his age. He's nothing special. O'Connor is much better and even young Keoghan deserved one ahead of him. I'm glad whoever chose it saw sense. He's suited to Donegal's style of play yet I can't say he even contributes too much. We'll give him another two or three years and see can he develop

WHat do you find so good about him do you mind me asking or are you just throwing this out for the sake of it

keane2097

cgpg5 wrote: »

He's completely overhyped due to his age. He's nothing special. O'Connor is much better and even young Keoghan deserved one ahead of him. I'm glad whoever chose it saw sense. He's suited to Donegal's style of play yet I can't say he even contributes too much. We'll give him another two or three years and see can he develop

WHat do you find so good about him do you mind me asking or are you just throwing this out for the sake of it

He contributes a hell of a lot more from play than Cillian O'Connor both in attacking link play and defensive covering.

If you've watched much of Donegal over the last two years and are unable to see his influence there's little point arguing over it.

cgpg5

keane2097 wrote: »

He contributes a hell of a lot more from play than Cillian O'Connor both in attacking link play and defensive covering.

If you've watched much of Donegal over the last two years and are unable to see his influence there's little point arguing over it.

COC is a corner/full forward most of the time! His job is to get scores and get on the end of attacks not help start them/prevent other teams starting them

Syferus

cgpg5 wrote: »

COC is a corner/full forward most of the time! His job is to get scores and get on the end of attacks not help start them/prevent other teams starting them

He played plenty at half-forward this year. The knock against O'Connor has always been how relatively easy he is to mark out of games, his worth to Mayo at the moment is almost entirely based upon his excellent free-taking.

McBrearty is definitely a better player in-play but because Donegal is such a machine in terms of how they utilises players he's far less important to Donegal than O'Connor is to Mayo, particularly given their recent history of poor free-taking.

cgpg5

Syferus wrote: »

He played plenty at half-forward this year. The knock against O'Connor has always been how relatively easy he is to mark out of games, his worth to Mayo at the moment is almost entirely based upon his excellent free-taking.

McBrearty is definitely a better player in-play but because Donegal is such a machine in terms of how it utilises players he's far less important to Donegal than O'Connor is to Mayo, particularly given their recent history of poor free-taking.

And out of position might I add.

Even at under 21 he did all his damage at FF, when he moved out CF he wasn't near as effective. I never want to see him played out the field again, he is too effective inside imo

keane2097

cgpg5 wrote: »

And out of position might I add.

Even at under 21 he did all his damage at FF, when he moved out CF he wasn't near as effective. I never want to see him played out the field again, he is too effective inside imo

The point is he has been played in similar roles to McBrearty and has been nowhere near as good in them.

Fr Tod Umptious

I am very surprised that COC got the award.

Yes he has been great with frees this year and he has added 45s to his resume and well done to him, but I still think that he had a good rather than spectacular year.

Last year his 'bursting' on to the scene at the Connaught final with his free taking may have helped him get noticed and get the award.

I reckon the All Star\Player of the year selection committee only watched one Mayo game this year and that was the one v Dublin

O' Conor was brilliant from placed balls and McLoughlin was not noticed as he was missing for a part of the game getting his head bandaged

Caiseoipe19

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Are the leagues being re-structured next year?

heard it will be a format like this:

16 senior championship teams play in a 16 team senior league also, and the same goes for the 16 intermediate teams.

with relegations and promotions in the league being decided by championship.

So I've heard, although I don't think it's official just yet. For a lot of teams near the bottom of the league tables it means the last 3 or 4 matches that are going to be played into December are pointless if the team can't be relegated and are too far behind to get up near the top.

If this is introduced though, doesn't it just make the Michael Walsh leagues even more irrelevant? There'll be the same groups of teams in both leagues, just with a different format.

davegrohl48

16 teams would devalue what would be considered 'senior club' I think.

What was the thinking behind the Michael Walsh league in first place? It created a heavy schedule of games for clubs where there was a game every weekend.
Michal Walsh/N/S/E/W Cup Competition/League/Champ'ship it made for a very long draining season for players.

Often there would be training on a Saturday followed by a game on the Sunday. Every club can only get the bulk of their squad together on the weekend.

MaroonAndGreen

Well the Michael Walsh league is pretty much irrelevant anyway!

Havent heard of the club that takes it seriously yet

westsidestory

cgpg5 wrote: »

He's completely overhyped due to his age. He's nothing special. O'Connor is much better and even young Keoghan deserved one ahead of him. I'm glad whoever chose it saw sense. He's suited to Donegal's style of play yet I can't say he even contributes too much. We'll give him another two or three years and see can he develop

WHat do you find so good about him do you mind me asking or are you just throwing this out for the sake of it

McBrearty probably MOTM at the MAtch for Michaela, only Donegal forward who is impressing. Your standards are fierce high !!:P

Defiler Of The Coffin

Ballagh through to the Connacht final!

seligehgit

Yip I was at the game today,first 15 minutes of the game was outstanding.Best football I'd seen all year at any level.Curry cut the Ballagh defence to shreeds early on,had a couple of poor wides.Superb build up to the goal,missed a couple of guilt edged chances for goals during a big period of ascendancy before the break.
Thought they might rue it.Ballagh were a different beast in the second half,Barry Kelly and James Kilcullen lorded the middle,magnificent goal by Kilcullen.My mind boggles how these lads and MOTM Barry Regan are'nt challenging for starting spots on the Mayo team.Coincidentally thought Barry Kelly should have got MOTM.Mighty effort by the Mayo men especially after the unfortunate loss of another man,David Kilcullen with a cursed cruciate knee injury.Very good competitive game up to 45 minutes.Definitely will have to tighten up the defence for the St. Brigids game.Roll on the final,two weeks time in McHale Park.
Had to laugh at the reporter on Radio 1 talking about some Ballagh player getting a great score for the Roscommon champions

Syferus

seligehgit wrote: »

Yip I was at the game today,first 15 minutes of the game was outstanding.Best football I'd seen all year at any level.Curry cut the Ballagh defence to shreeds early on,had a couple of poor wides.Superb build up to the goal,missed a couple of guilt edged chances for goals during a big period of ascendancy before the break.
Thought they might rue it.Ballagh were a different beast in the second half,Barry Kelly and James Kilcullen lorded the middle,magnificent goal by Kilcullen.My mind boggles how these lads and MOTM Barry Regan are'nt challenging for starting spots on the Mayo team.Coincidentally thought Barry Kelly should have got MOTM.Mighty effort by the Mayo men especially after the unfortunate loss of another man,David Kilcullen with a cursed cruciate knee injury.Very good competitive game up to 45 minutes.Definitely will have to tighten up the defence for the St. Brigids game.Roll on the final,two weeks time in McHale Park.
Had to laugh at the reporter on Radio 1 talking about some Ballagh player getting a great score for the Roscommon champions

Ah yeah, sure we won't even know who that is until the final is played :pac:

nice_guy80

seligehgit wrote: »

Yip I was at the game today,first 15 minutes of the game was outstanding.Best football I'd seen all year at any level.Curry cut the Ballagh defence to shreeds early on,had a couple of poor wides.Superb build up to the goal,missed a couple of guilt edged chances for goals during a big period of ascendancy before the break.
Thought they might rue it.Ballagh were a different beast in the second half,Barry Kelly and James Kilcullen lorded the middle,magnificent goal by Kilcullen.My mind boggles how these lads and MOTM Barry Regan are'nt challenging for starting spots on the Mayo team.Coincidentally thought Barry Kelly should have got MOTM.Mighty effort by the Mayo men especially after the unfortunate loss of another man,David Kilcullen with a cursed cruciate knee injury.Very good competitive game up to 45 minutes.Definitely will have to tighten up the defence for the St. Brigids game.Roll on the final,two weeks time in McHale Park.
Had to laugh at the reporter on Radio 1 talking about some Ballagh player getting a great score for the Roscommon champions

well the club is in Roscommon, and all the players from Roscommon, also the majority of the supporters from Roscommon.

seligehgit

nice_guy80 wrote: »

well the club is in Roscommon, and all the players from Roscommon, also the majority of the supporters from Roscommon.

Ah yeah well aware of that,did not know what the breakdown was in terms of county support.Historicallly Ballagh have played in Mayo,me thinks it is time for a return to the old historical county boundaries or hold a plebiscite to allow some measure of self determination.Time to return Ballagh to it's rightful home and reclaim it from the Rossies:D

Always_Running

Ballagh footballers should have the choice which county they can play for however that would probably mean two teams in Ballagh and they wouldn't reach a Connacht final if that were to happen.

nice_guy80

its time for a club in Roscommon to stand up and put a motion through to the Connacht Council and National Congress

Ballagh is in Roscommon, and should be playing GAA in Roscommon, simple as. If that isn't agreed to, the option to play for Roscommon should be there for club players.

Syferus

Always_Running wrote: »

Ballagh footballers should have the choice which county they can play for however that would probably mean two teams in Ballagh and they wouldn't reach a Connacht final if that were to happen.

There's already two clubs operating in Ballagh. All the hardline Rossies in town declare for Western Gaels, the nearest Roscommon club. Gaels have been among the top three or so clubs in Roscommon for years now and given Frenchpark isn't exactly a population hotspot it's clear the issues in Ballagh have super-charged them somewhat.

It's not a case of Ballagh not being able to compete because of a split, but how much more able would they be to challenge if there wasn't already a split. GAA is as huge here as anywhere in the country, in 2008 alone the Sligo, Mayo and Roscommon senior champions were from the immediate area.

I'm biased and hence in an ideal world I'd want Ballagh playing in Roscommon but it's clear that's miles off happening, if ever. The simplest and fairest solution is to allow Ballagh players to chose which county they want to represent, it's clear much more Ballagh players would have made Roscommon underage and senior teams in the past because the pick is alot smaller in Roscommon compared to Mayo.

ColeTrain

Ballaghaderreen will not be returned, MAYO GAA SAYS NO.

Always_Running

Syferus wrote: »

There's already two clubs operating in Ballagh. All the hardline Rossies in town declare for Western Gaels, the nearest Roscommon club. Gaels have been among the top three or so clubs in Roscommon for years now and given Frenchpark isn't exactly a population hotspot it's clear the issues in Ballagh have super-charged them somewhat.

Those that chose to play for Western Gaels would rather play for the town team they grew up in. In the 90s i understand a second club in Ballaghaderreen (to play in the Roscommon championship) was to be set up but when it came before the Connacht GAA Galway,Leitrim voted against it for some reason?

eddiem10

Kevin McLouglin called up as a replacement All Star. A small consolation but consolation all the same!