Mayo GAA Discussion Thread

realweirdo

Barlett wrote: »

A joke? Cop on , the way you're talking you'd swear we had a long line of glorious all Ireland winning teams . This is the most successful Mayo team we've had since 51. We'd all love a win but slating management & players for losing an All Ireland final after all the sacrifices they have made is quite frankly disgusting.

We played no-one of real note until the final. Donegal were as someone said at about 30% of last year. Tyrone lost 3 big players early in the game and are a shadow of their former selves.

Our one big game was in the final and we blew it.

Beating division 4 teams and teams who played like they were in division 4 is hardly a marker of success.

NewBeefFarmer

Barlett wrote: »

A joke? Cop on , the way you're talking you'd swear we had a long line of glorious all Ireland winning teams . This is the most successful Mayo team we've had since 51. We'd all love a win but slating management & players for losing an All Ireland final after all the sacrifices they have made is quite frankly disgusting.

When you loose a final the natural response is to see why. .

Most of the posts on here are concerning a few players not all. .

And some like myself question tactics aka mgt. .

This only natural. . . how else do we move forward.

LeoB

Sometimes I think after a game its better not to post. I think some are being harsh on Horan and some of the players. They left nothing behind this year or last year. Players on both sides seemed to Freeze a little. When this happens there is very little a manager can do.

On the comments a page or two back re Andy Moran. Firstly its great for G.A.A. people to see him back but not only Andy quite a few players seemed to be out on their feet before half time such was the intensity of the game. Was suprised Ritchie Feehily didnt come on or Barry Moran or another target man was not tried a little earlier when Dublin crowded the miiddle of the pitch. Not sure Vaughan will remain at No.6. Mayo need a stopper there. With men like Higgins, Keegan, Barrett and Boyle there are good options to re structure the defence a little. Up front if Andy Moran get get a touch sharper and O'Connor can stay injury free there are few teams will want to play Mayo. They are a class side so keep the faith.

I like many other Dublin supporters have wore the R/UP Tshirt on many occassions but its nights like these you need to say lets start preparing for next year. This Mayo side will bring a Sam accross the shannon and no Dub would begrude it.

Barlett

NewBeefFarmer wrote: »

When you loose a final the natural response is to see why. .

Most of the posts on here are concerning a few players not all. .

And some like myself question tactics aka mgt. .

This only natural. . . how else do we move forward.

I don't mind that, its people coming posting nonsense like I'd give Kevin McLoughlin 1/10 this kinda kneejerk crap

realweirdo

Barlett wrote: »

I don't mind that, its people coming posting nonsense like I'd give Kevin McLoughlin 1/10 this kinda kneejerk crap

It's not knee jerk crap...he was useless, even he would admit that...Missed two points, consistantly over carried and ran into tackles, gave away several sloppy passes, kicked to men who were marked. He was simply terrible. I would be his biggest fan mostly, but today he was terrible, sorry for being so honest about it.

Barlett

realweirdo wrote: »

We played no-one of real note until the final. Donegal were as someone said at about 30% of last year. Tyrone lost 3 big players early in the game and are a shadow of their former selves.

Our one big game was in the final and we blew it.

Beating division 4 teams and teams who played like they were in division 4 is hardly a marker of success.

Absolute rubbish, there have been crap Connaught championships for years & years yet I don't recall Mayo winning three in a row in the last 50 years . You're basically saying the only reason we win is because everyone else is useless . Any team that reaches two finals in a row is a good team. Anyway no point greeting defeat in a final with the kind of hysteria you are sprouting

Shane St.

Why did ur man not go for a goal at then end??

Fowler87

realweirdo wrote: »

No, he was sh*te...let's be honest here. Missed two point scoring chances early in the game and it went downhill from there. I'd give him 1/10. Harsh but honest. He should have been taken off early.

No he wasnt ****e throughout but his performance dropped drastically which is a worry but he was the main reason McCaffrey was taken off. Yeah he probably should have been taken off along with couple others. But they're only formalities now unfortunately.

realweirdo

Barlett wrote: »

Absolute rubbish, there have been crap Connaught championships for years & years yet I don't recall Mayo winning three in a row in the last 50 years . You're basically saying the only reason we win is because everyone else is useless . Any team that reaches two finals in a row is a good team. Anyway no point greeting defeat in a final with the kind of hysteria you are sprouting

Ok, you've made a number of bizarre posts now which calls into question your credibility, including saying McLoughlin was fantastic.

London reached the Connacht final this year for the first time ever. What does that tell you about the standard? Mayo wiped the floor with them by the way.

Galway, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon were appalling in Connacht this year.

And no there have been many good Connacht Championships in recent times. But this years was one of the worst in living memory.

Syferus

Lads, stop feeding the bridge dweller, ye are better than that.

realweirdo

Syferus wrote: »

Lads, stop feeding the bridge dweller, ye are better than that.

Ah yeh I get it...anyone who speaks the truth, who doesn't say Horan is great or the team was great today is a troll...keep thinking that and see where it gets you in the long run.

Flange/Flanders

So depressing, was sure it was going to be our year. Well done to the minors tho and to the seniors.

Dont think the team need much, maybe one more forward. Wonder can the likes of liam irwin step up or is next year too soon? Was surprised that we didn't stick with the long ball tactic, I thought freeman was doing ok whenever it came in. Higgins is some operator.

seligehgit

I really think it is neither the time or the place to be engaging in so called post mortems/constructive criticism.The lads and management gave it their all today.Nobody is more disappointed than they are.They make huge sacrifices and are all AMATEURS.There will be ample time over the winter to reflect over today's events without adding to their all too raw wounds.
Let's celebrate the minors.

kippy

realweirdo wrote: »

Are you serious? We were a joke today. Our forwards couldn't hit a barn door and weren't fit to lace the boots of the forwards of the '51 team. I'm getting sick of the "we're great, we were unlucky" and all that nonsense.

Let's be honest, we had a few good players today but most players didn't show up. And the management had a terrible day today. It's time for them to go. All I see with this management is Maughan 2.0. Great at getting to finals, tactically naive when there. For genuine Mayo fans, simply reaching finals no longer cuts it. Winning finals is what counts, not reaching them.

Shocked at people calling for an end to Horans era.
yeah things didnt go well today for numerous reasons...prob time for a shake up n the forwards etc but it was a point that we lost by. People would do well to remember that team of 51 had played and lost two ai finals before they won two.
Hats of to Mayo players and staff.....great effort so far. Lets keep it up.

Id say as well fair play to Dublin and their fans. A great bunch of lads in all honesty.

realweirdo

kippy wrote: »

Shocked at people calling for an end to Horans era.
yeah things didnt go well today for numerous reasons...prob time for a shake up n the forwards etc but it was a point that we lost by. People would do well to remember that team of 51 had played and lost two ai finals before they won two.
Hats of to Mayo players and staff.....great effort so far. Lets keep it up.

Id say as well fair play to Dublin and their fans. A great bunch of lads in all honesty.

Why are you shocked? We looked clueless today, especially in the forwards. There was no plan B. Players must take some blame but manager must also take some blame. We could have easily beaten Dublin if we hadn't been so clueless. Like I said, management need to take their share and man up about it.

The 51 team only lost one final btw in 1948 and only after the ref blew up 5 minutes early when Mayo had momentum on their side.

Barlett

realweirdo wrote: »

Ok, you've made a number of bizarre posts now which calls into question your credibility, including saying McLoughlin was fantastic.

London reached the Connacht final this year for the first time ever. What does that tell you about the standard? Mayo wiped the floor with them by the way.

Galway, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon were appalling in Connacht this year.

And no there have been many good Connacht Championships in recent times. But this years was one of the worst in living memory.

Find me the post where I said McLoughlin was fantastic? And don't talk to me about credibility I've been posting on the Mayo forum for a long time buddy & will be long after you've left.

Simply fact is, you've nothing good to say about a team that for the last three years has given us far more good days than bad.

Sure we lost today & didn't play well, but I won't belittle the teams achievements by saying everyone they played was useless except for Dublin.

Losing a final doesn't make you a bad team.

Barlett

Flange/Flanders wrote: »

So depressing, was sure it was going to be our year. Well done to the minors tho and to the seniors.

Dont think the team need much, maybe one more forward. Wonder can the likes of liam irwin step up or is next year too soon? Was surprised that we didn't stick with the long ball tactic, I thought freeman was doing ok whenever it came in. Higgins is some operator.

The only difference between the teams was a top class forward , we didn't have enough fit ones. The loss of Freeman was major

realweirdo

Barlett wrote: »

Find me the post where I said McLoughlin was fantastic? And don't talk to me about credibility I've been posting on the Mayo forum for a long time buddy & will be long after you've left.

Simply fact is, you've nothing good to say about a team that for the last three years has given us far more good days than bad.

Sure we lost today & didn't play well, but I won't belittle the teams achievements by saying everyone they played was useless except for Dublin.

Losing a final doesn't make you a bad team.

I think we have different ideas of success to be honest.
For you success is reaching finals. For me success is winning finals and everything else is failure. I tend to set the bar higher than most people and like to win things, either personally or for teams I support. I suppose I'd be a bit like Roy Keane and the like that way. Success is winning, everything else is losing. It's a mentality that has never really taken hold in Mayo, like it has in Tyrone, Kerry and elsewhere. Mayo people are just happy to reach finals and have a good day out.

So far I see James Horan has failed to win Sam. You on the other hand see him as a success in that he has brought us to finals, even if he keeps losing them.

I guess we will have to disagree on this one.

Fr Tod Umptious

realweirdo wrote: »

I think we have different ideas of success to be honest.
For you success is reaching finals. For me success is winning finals and everything else is failure. I tend to set the bar higher than most people and like to win things, either personally or for teams I support. I suppose I'd be a bit like Roy Keane and the like that way. Success is winning, everything else is losing. It's a mentality that has never really taken hold in Mayo, like it has in Tyrone, Kerry and elsewhere. Mayo people are just happy to reach finals and have a good day out.

So far I see James Horan has failed to win Sam. You on the other hand see him as a success in that he has brought us to finals, even if he keeps losing them.

I guess we will have to disagree on this one.

So what you are saying is that you would make a s***e manger too

Hulk Hands

The RTE panel made the point of the need for a talismatic forward again and again. But it's very true. From Fitzgearld to Fallon, Giles, Joyce, McConville, Cavanagh, Cooper, Canavan, O'Neill and Brogan, every team bar Cork in 2010 has had a talisman. It is something Mayo lack and while they are a superb side, they really haven't the leader yet to drag them to victory.

There are two such players from a certain Roscommon town who could provide that role for Mayo. Sadly one seems to be deprived of his chance through injury while the other is in OZ. Perhaps when/if the latter named makes his return they can finally get over the final hurdle

realweirdo

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

So what you are saying is that you would make a s***e manger too

Not even in the least funny I'm afraid to say. Don't give up the day job.

I'd be referring more to Keane's standards and will to win. In fairness he was a great player, better than you or I will ever be. Managerial he wasn't great, but neither were his players. There's only so much you can do with championship players.

realweirdo

Hulk Hands wrote: »

The RTE panel made the point of the need for a talismatic forward again and again. But it's very true. From Fitzgearld to Fallon, Giles, Joyce, McConville, Cavanagh, Cooper, Canavan, O'Neill and Brogan, every team bar Cork in 2010 has had a talisman. It is something Mayo lack and while they are a superb side, they really haven't the leader yet to drag them to victory.

There are two such players from a certain Roscommon town who could provide that role for Mayo. Sadly one seems to be deprived of his chance through injury while the other is in OZ. Perhaps when/if the latter named makes his return they can finally get over the final hurdle

I think Mayo would be better off bringing in some of this years minors next year who don't have any baggage like some of the seniors. The future of Gaelic footbal as shown by Dublin is pace, pace and more pace. We need to improve the bench as well. It's a 20 man game these days.

Apologies for all the cliches, but a lot of them are true. We just had no Plan B today.

Always_Running

Ah what more can be said? too many mistake throughout the game by the players and managment to ever win that game and in fairness Dublin were the best side really should have won by more. I think Mayo peaked v Donegal same as they did in 2004 v Tyrone or 2006 v Dublin and the dubs didn't have hype/excitement surrounding them like Mayo had.

Just heard on the radio tonight from Andy Moran that the players had their first drink since the trip to Miami, these guys have given huge commitment to cause and will be back again. Next stop the FBD Mayo4Sam 2014?

Big congrats to the minors a fine team with great players coming through.

aidan24326

For all the lack of a 'talismanic' forward Mayo had been racking up impressive scores. I think the Mayo team that lined out today are good enough to have won the All-Ireland this year had they performed on the day. Unfortunately too many of Mayo's key men didn't turn up today.

O'Connor kicked the frees but was no real threat in open play, Freeman was taken off early, Conroy huffed and puffed with no real end product and Dillon was very disappointing. Not the first time he hasn't done it in a final. But those players have shown before that they're capable of much better so it's preplexing that they were so poor today, and all the more galling since Dublin didn't play anywhere near their best either for much of the game and were there for the taking.

W123-80's

seligehgit wrote: »

I really think it is neither the time or the place to be engaging in so called post mortems/constructive criticism.The lads and management gave it their all today.Nobody is more disappointed than they are.They make huge sacrifices and are all AMATEURS.There will be ample time over the winter to reflect over today's events without adding to their all too raw wounds.
Let's celebrate the minors.

If the Mayo GAA Forum on boards.ie is not the place for supporters to engage in post mortems/constructive criticism.. where is??
The Pub?

W123-80's

realweirdo wrote: »

I think we have different ideas of success to be honest.
For you success is reaching finals. For me success is winning finals and everything else is failure. I tend to set the bar higher than most people and like to win things, either personally or for teams I support. I suppose I'd be a bit like Roy Keane and the like that way. Success is winning, everything else is losing. It's a mentality that has never really taken hold in Mayo, like it has in Tyrone, Kerry and elsewhere. Mayo people are just happy to reach finals and have a good day out.

So far I see James Horan has failed to win Sam. You on the other hand see him as a success in that he has brought us to finals, even if he keeps losing them.

I guess we will have to disagree on this one.

I was drawn to your renegade rebel argument until you mentioned the greatest cliché of all time..... "My team lost, I hate losing, Roy Keane is impossible argue against 'coz he is tough and clever and walked out on Ireland and he's Irish and he hates Prawn sambos and played for united.. so I must be like him.."

Don't compare yourself to Roy Keane because you demand Mayo to win an All-Ireland.

StewartGriffin

realweirdo wrote: »

It's not knee jerk crap

I suggest that your entire tirade here tonight is exactly that - kneejerk reaction.

We lost by ONE point.

If the team was the utter disaster you say it was, then Dublin must have been pure Sh~te to only scrape a win against this band of wasters.

Would you be on here berating their mistakes if they had scraped a win in the last minute? One kick of the ball, a deflected goal? I suggest you would be happily celebrating your counties all Ireland win with the rest of us.

No question these were the best 2 teams in Ireland this year, and ONE kick over the bar separated them after 70 minutes.

Who do you think you are demanding perfection from a team of 15, plus the management who worked hard as they did all year?

And to say we need to stop the "sure its a great day out" attitude, were you in Drumcondra before the match? The atmosphere was not jovial, there was not much craic, it was edgy and tense.

In my opinion realweirdo, you are talking out of your arse here tonight.:)

Gerry91

Right going to give this a go

Fair play to the boys. Since sept last year their eyes all fixated on Sam and this was the year in their eyes I believe.

What a year. From demolishing the old enemy to annihilating Donegal. Constantly believed this was the year. Shed a tear in the canal after the match, for the first time in croker. A young man cried in front of me and said to his father in a moment of brief recovery "will it ever happen dad"?

While it's easy to agree, call me a fool but I believe at all times and I BELIEVE mayo can do it next year. The time to show our support is now. When the team is felling down we pick them up. Jimmy may not hang around (:() but believe me the team will be busting their holes come about November with one thing in mind

I'd go into what went wrong but it surely has been done to death (avoided all soc media incredibly)

Now is when they need our belief. We've made two finals in two Years. This was not meant to happen. This was the year. I'm still hoping il wake up. But look I believe in the lads and once they believe in themselves and don't bloody let this get to them they'll become AI champs. As Andy said just look at Murray! A lesson to all. Mayo for Sam 14. Believe!!!

schools rugby

Gonna throw my two cents in .
I really believe Mayo are victims of the dire quality of football in Connacht at the moment. They gain very little momentum in by hammering the likes of London and Roscommon. Yes they had a great win against Donegal but apart from that they never really clicked. I just felt the players were never near Dublin in terms of sharpness and fitness even. They only come with playing quality opposition regularly.

On the otherhand Dublin should have won by more but for a few great saves and missed chances. Dublins bench made a huge impact and the likes of Bastic, O'Gara and McMenamon are all used to coming into situations where the game is in the balance. Leinster is far more competitive than Connacht and i think its one of the reasons Dublin have been so good of late.

My final thought is that unless the standard of Connacht football gets better Mayo wont win Sam for a very long time

Gerry91

But anyway il be there from the first fbd game to every league to champ game in 2014. These guys deserve our support. Will they bounce back?

As Keith said "we've no choice"!

Believe.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Mayo will still be an excellent team next year but I can't see the drive and momentum being recreated. I'll be quite happy if I'm proven wrong however.

Gerry91

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Mayo will still be an excellent team next year but I can't see the drive and momentum being recreated. I'll be quite happy if I'm proven wrong however.

I'm in the same boat but I'm going to believe anyway. I (vaguely) Know how much it means to the lads. They either feel sorry for themselves or improve. They improved each year do far
, they can go one one better (even without James if needs be)

I find it nicer to believe in them rather than to lose hope already but look I've done foolish things before

schools rugby

Gerry91 wrote: »

I'm in the same boat but I'm going to believe anyway. I (vaguely) Know how much it means to the lads. They either feel sorry for themselves or improve. They improved each year do far
, they can go one one better (even without James if needs be)

I find it nicer to believe in them rather than to lose hope already but look I've done foolish things before

Mayo will struggle to win an All Ireland with the same 15. You need new players every year , Donegal tried to do it with the same 19 players used as last year and look where it got them. I guarantee Dublin will have a few new lads in next year to freshen things up

Gerry91

Get out with those rational reasons why we won't win one

Look im a depressed and highly upset mayo man at least let me cling on to a bit of hope

Jaypers it must be a better option than giving up altogether

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Hope is a terrible thing.

I do think there is a chance they'll be back next year but they'll really have their work cut out for them.

Les Ferdinand

As a Dublin fan I just want to say genuine commiserations. The game today really could've gone either way and unfortunately for you the Boys in Blue just about came out victorious. That doesn't deny the fact that you've a fantastic team and there's zero doubt in my mind that you'll win in All Ireland in the next couple of years No county and it's people deserve it more. On a final note I just want to say your fans are without a doubt the best in the country. Colour, noise, loyalty with grace in defeat. A credit. Your time will come. Believe me.

seligehgit

W123-80's wrote: »

If the Mayo GAA Forum on boards.ie is not the place for supporters to engage in post mortems/constructive criticism.. where is??
The Pub?

Just feel it appears to be open season to cut loose on a team and management who gave it their all and are more devastated than anybody else.How many people on this forum would do any better? Easy to be an expert from the comfort of an armchair, hindsight is a great thing.
Lest we forget Dublin have been the outstanding team all year, were favorites today.Everybody had the same concerns that we might be short on forward power.
I'm as sad as anybody but I'm not about to engage in a ritual slaughter of a bunch of lads who left nothing at the well and gave us so much joy this year.Now more than ever they need our support and goodwill.Plenty of time for inquests over the winter,let's give the county as a collective a bit of time to grieve.

yop

Can't say a lot I'm afraid, old failings again perhaps. Great support on the day, very proud of our minors and our seniors. My 12th losing AI final with Mayo and my heads in a spin.

Got spat at down from the premiums level as we left and shouted dogs abuse at, one lad only, stewards stood up looking at him.
On way home then in Drummcondra we had the bus hammered with cans and smashed a window, to be followed up by the same lad pis((ing on the side of our bus. Young kids and elderly people on our bus, brought a sad sad end to our day.

Get our heads together and come back again. It has to happen for us some day.
Well done the minors, you did us proud.

realweirdo

StewartGriffin wrote: »

I suggest that your entire tirade here tonight is exactly that - kneejerk reaction.

We lost by ONE point.

If the team was the utter disaster you say it was, then Dublin must have been pure Sh~te to only scrape a win against this band of wasters.

Would you be on here berating their mistakes if they had scraped a win in the last minute? One kick of the ball, a deflected goal? I suggest you would be happily celebrating your counties all Ireland win with the rest of us.

No question these were the best 2 teams in Ireland this year, and ONE kick over the bar separated them after 70 minutes.

Who do you think you are demanding perfection from a team of 15, plus the management who worked hard as they did all year?

And to say we need to stop the "sure its a great day out" attitude, were you in Drumcondra before the match? The atmosphere was not jovial, there was not much craic, it was edgy and tense.

In my opinion realweirdo, you are talking out of your arse here tonight.:)

I analyzed the game as clinically as I could on a forum like this as opposed to others who just said things like ah well we were unlucky. If I thought you were intelligent enough I would go through the entire game and analyze it for you but you don't want that do you.

Our defense was immense. Our forwards were awful. Our management and several players made a number of very poor decisions, including players in the final few minutes. Our AI final temperament was sadly lacking once more and a number of players didn't show up once more.

Now stop spouting sh*te about knee kerk reactions. I have analysed the game in a cool headed manner, there is nothing knee jerk about it. Like a lot of Mayo fans I'm sick of watching AI finals where management and players make a balls of it. They have no-one to blame but themselves, not the ref, not hawkeye, not the hype, not anything but themselves. It's time for them to man up about it, not hide behind excuses.

yop

realweirdo wrote: »

I analyzed the game as clinically as I could on a forum like this as opposed to others who just said things like ah well we were unlucky. If I thought you were intelligent enough I would go through the entire game and analyze it for you but you don't want that do you.

Our defense was immense. Our forwards were awful. Our management and several players made a number of very poor decisions, including players in the final few minutes. Our AI final temperament was sadly lacking once more and a number of players didn't show up once more.

Now stop spouting sh*te about knee kerk reactions. I have analysed the game in a cool headed manner, there is nothing knee jerk about it. Like a lot of Mayo fans I'm sick of watching AI finals where management and players make a balls of it. They have no-one to blame but themselves, not the ref, not hawkeye, not the hype, not anything but themselves. It's time for them to man up about it, not hide behind excuses.

Nah, every post on the GAA forum you have made has been negative towards Mayo. Your not a fan. Your just trying to rile people, so best you go chat about something you know about.

realweirdo

schools rugby wrote: »

Mayo will struggle to win an All Ireland with the same 15. You need new players every year , Donegal tried to do it with the same 19 players used as last year and look where it got them. I guarantee Dublin will have a few new lads in next year to freshen things up

Fully agree. We need a half dozen scoring forwards in the squad. The contrast between the ability of the minors to kick accurate points from far out the field and the seniors who missed sitters was very stark. Dublin have brought along a lot of minors in recent years and it would be criminal if Mayo could not do the same particularly among the forwards.

There is an AI in this Mayo team but they have to learn from their mistakes and learn to take criticism on the chin. The problem is when someone dares to make that criticism people whinge about knee jerk reactions. That's just a recipe for more of the same.

realweirdo

yop wrote: »

Nah, every post on the GAA forum you have made has been negative towards Mayo. Your not a fan. Your just trying to rile people, so best you go chat about something you know about.

Not true. I've said there is an AI in this Mayo team. I've said we have great minors who need to be brought into the senior team. There are many positives for the future of Mayo football if the thing is handled right. There is no bigger fan than me and I don't question how much of a fan others are.

copacetic

Unlucky for Mayo yesterday, fans did you proud in Croke Park. Commiserated with a few at the end but knew that's not much good to anyone.

I wouldn't be so harsh on the team, Dublin went in to the game having played pretty well all year and with a team with 11 all Ireland winners. They still froze a bit on the day and failed to perform to their best, some of the young Dublin stars really got overawed. No-one here can know what it feels like to tog out from an all Ireland final with the pressure the players are under.

Dublins players were a little more in form going in and we had slightly better reserves which made the difference. Not having to find form on the day made the bigger difference in the forwards especially.

On a day when both teams didn't play their best there is often on,y a kick of the ball, a save or a decision that make the difference. It will go Mayos way eventually.

StewartGriffin

realweirdo wrote: »

If I thought you were intelligent enough I would go through the entire game and analyze it for you but you don't want that do you.

Ok, sure, I'll have a go. Please enlighten us with this full game analysis. (or is that just more empty rhetoric?)

Maybe the players and management might read it and learn a thing ot two from you.

Seriously, lets have it.

Syferus

Caff, Boyle, Keegan and Higgins are certs for All-Stars. Seamie O'Shea deserves one but politics means it's likely to be Cavanagh and MDM in the middle. COC still in with a live chance too, though he only slotted over simple enough frees yesterday.

theequaliser

Commiserations to Mayo fans on their heartbreak yesterday but it would appear to this neutral observor that the management made a mess of it again. The substitutions were 100% bad---where was Richie Feeney? Why was Aidan O' Shea left on the pitch?
Unfortunately poor leadership will never yield a winners medals in any walk of life.
Mayo need an outside manager, problem solved

km79

theequaliser wrote: »

Commiserations to Mayo fans on their heartbreak yesterday but it would appear to this neutral observor that the management made a mess of it again. The substitutions were 100% bad---where was Richie Feeney? Why was Aidan O' Shea left on the pitch?
Unfortunately poor leadership will never yield a winners medals in any walk of life.
Mayo need an outside manager, problem solved

Jack o Shea.....Mickey Moran.......
The team picked was good enough. Individual Players underperformed for one reason or another. Freeman's illness deprived us of our main ball winner and goal threat in Dublin's weakest area. I really feel its one that was left behind.......and that's why its hurts sooooooo much BUT we are by our nature optimistic people ......the team is young......need another forward or 2 ........mayo for Sam 14 :-)

realweirdo

StewartGriffin wrote: »

Ok, sure, I'll have a go. Please enlighten us with this full game analysis. (or is that just more empty rhetoric?)

Maybe the players and management might read it and learn a thing ot two from you.

Seriously, lets have it.

Ok, point 1 - The preparation of the Mayo team looked to be simply appalling.
The world and his dog knows Cluxton takes short kick outs and yet Mayo never got near one of them the entire game. This was Dublin's plan A and it looked like Mayo had no plan to counteract it. It played a major part in Dublins victory, ie, the winning of clean primary possession.

point 2 - the decision making of the forwards was appalling. poor shot selection, running into tackles, sloppy hand passing, unable to even master soloing.

point 3 - the decision making in letting the ball in early was appalling

point 4 - why was Freeman taken off, our one genuine target man who was capable of causing havoc in the dublin defence when the ball was let in - instead mayo brought on conroy and the ball was given to him in blind alleys out the wing.

point 5 - Dillon and McLoughlin were not up to it, this was obvious from about the 20th minute - both were off their game and should have been brought off - in contrast Freeman looked a genuine danger and has a proven record of getting goals.

point 6 - mayo were lacking in the basics - even Horan admitted this - 3 years into his reign and we are still lacking the basics - seriously..this is unforgivable.

point 7 - the timewasting by Mayo players killed the game - usually it should be the other way around.

point 8 - the decision by O'Connor to go for a point instead of a goal defies belief. The ref told him 30 seconds were left. Given it takes 15 seconds to take a kickout at least, did he expect Mayo to score a point in 15 seconds? This was just school boy stuff.

I could go on and on about other issues.

My fundamental point is the team were sent out on the field unprepared. There was no plan B. The decision making of players was poor and its the one of the jobs of top managers to turn players into better decision makers. I know you won't agree with this point. We shouldn't be making basic mistakes in AI finals, well prepared teams don't do that.

Sorry for being so negative and I know I will be attacked for being negative. I saw a game yesterday we should have won. There is no curse or supernatural reason for Mayo losing. Its quite clear to me why we keep losing, poor tactical decisions which the manager must take responsibility for.

jmayo

Have to say fair dues to the minors.
They richly deserved it as they played some of the best football all year.
And they have some real sweet forwards who can do the business.

Stoner wrote: »

Great stuff. It wasn't a great game, but bar the Mayo backs being so good everything else turned on its head.

I full expect this mayo team to win All Ireland titles.

Sorry but I think you are ignoring the elephant in the room.
We do not have the forwards and expecting Keegan, Boyle, Higgins, Vaughan, etc to carry the load coming from defense is too much to ask.

Dillion at best now is a squad player and was nowhere yesterday.
How he lasted so long is testament to a management failing.
McLoughlin should have been subbed very early.
He missed two good chances and telegraphed some of his passes so much a blind man would have intercepted them.
Conroy exhibited the old failing of wildly huffing the ball miles wide when he should never have taken the shot.
That one incident was writing on the wall and harked back to other All Irelands lost.
Carolon, Doherty added nothing.
I don't think Freeman can't be relied upon.
Now I know he was supposed to have flu so could explain a few things yesterday.

O'Connor playing showed two things.
Firstly it showed his committment, but it also highlighted how little depth there is in forwards available.
My only complaint from yesterday about him is he should have got a move on for the last free and not bloody taken 40 secs to slot it over.

Fair dues to Andy Moran who made a huge recovery after last year, but to me he looks slower.
A lot of people before yesterday were calling for him not be on, but I thought he played well and gave it everything.
And to have done it a year after that terrble injury is even more remarkable.

But it all boils down to the fact we simply do not have the forwards and expecting the rest of the team to carry them is a bit much.
And it wasn't just yesterday.
It happened against Tyrone and it took the backs to show the way.

Every team that wins an All Ireland have a couple of forwards that can really deliver when the pressure comes on.
We had too many passengers and another year probably won't change that.

The one plus is that a few of the minors look class, but can they be developed into senior players is the question and will there be enough of the curent senior panel midfield/backline around by then.

Will the team be back next year ?
I doubt it.
Everyone is saying how you never see a team winning it back to back because of the committment, intensity, etc.
It would be expecting even more to expect the runners up to make it 3 three times in a row.
That is a huge ask.

km79

The only decision I really strongly disagree with was to take Moran off. It left us devoid of on field leadership which proved vital for the last free......