Mayo GAA Discussion

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948820#Comment_121948820

Do you think if we all start saying we'll win the All-Ireland, that means it will happen?

I think that's been tried before....

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948820#Comment_121948820

Thats very unfair. You could apply that thinking to Mayo's failure to win big games where they appeared to be the better team (e.g. Meath 96, Dublin 2016, Kerry 2014, Tyrone 2021) but there is nothing to suggest that Mayo currently have the players to go much further at the moment. There was plenty of anger amongst Mayo supporters after those defeats.

Even disregard the opinion of all Mayo supporters and you will find that we are not rated highly externally. Whereas other years we were when we had top class players.

RedDevil55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948820#Comment_121948820

The team we have now is just as strong as the 2020 and 21 sides which reached back to back finals. Galway reached the 2022 final and we've an excellent record against them. Obviously Kerry made last year's final despite us hammering them earlier in the championship.

I don't understand why expectations among many supporters has suddenly reduced to a Connacht title or semi final being a great year.

It does strike me as a loser's mentality tbh.

Why did everyone want Horan gone if it wasn't to go one step further?

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950605#Comment_121950605

Very questionable to say we are as strong as 20/21. We had Keegan and Mullin that time as well as a fully fit Paddy Durcan and Diarmuid O'Connor. The latter 2 are now suffering from recurring injuries. Tommy Conroy has since had a cruciate injury and has not performed at the same level since. Sam Callinan is probably the only player of that quality to have emerged since then.

I haven't seen anyone say a connacht title or semi final would be a great year - more a realistic goal.

RedDevil55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950660#Comment_121950660

Mullin was injured when we beat Dublin in 21. We also lost Cillian just before that championship but other players stood up and we rolled on.

I wouldn't be that worried about Paddy or Diarmuid at the moment.

We're much stronger in midfield now with Flynn and Carney. Ryan is a far better player too. Tommy was very good in our last 3 championship games last year so no reason that form won't return soon.

McBrien and Callinan have come through in defence.

Someone on the previous page said a semi final would be a job well done for Mayo. Nonsense IMO.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950717#Comment_121950717

I disagree with nearly all of that. You will have to do a lot of searching to find a journalist or ex-player working in the media that sees us as better than a semi-finalist. You believe we will make the AI final then?

RedDevil55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950844#Comment_121950844

My point is our aim should always be beating any team we came up against.

In 2019 Kerry and Dublin both beat us by 10 points in the championship. I doubt any pundit/journalist was predicting big things from us after that, yet we came back with a much changed team, won back to back connachts and reached 2 AI finals, beating Dublin in the process.

Nobody was expecting anything from Galway around this time 2 years ago and they almost won Sam. Tyrone this time 3 years ago as well.

That is always the aim in Mayo. Trying to convince yourself that reaching semi finals is a success, I just don't understand it.

Westernview

That's incorrect to say it's always the aim to just get to semi finals. I certainly didn't think that way after getting to the final in 2012. I expected to beat Tyrone in the semi final the following year and we did. I also expected us to beat Tipperary in 16 and 20 to get to the final and we did. I believed we could take Dubin in the 2019 semi final but we were outplayed. I couldn't see us beating Dublin last year and that's what transpired. But I fully expected us to beat Cork last year but we flopped. Its about giving a realistic not a losing attitude.

You remind me of comments ive seen on the Mayo gaa blog giving out when people predict Mayo won't win a certain game. Its as if they want 100 percent of people predicting a Mayo win every time regardless of who they are playing which is just plain daft and would make a poll meaningless.

RedDevil55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121951032#Comment_121951032

I'm saying our aim should be to win every game, not just getting to semi finals.

I couldn't care less what result people predict. If we were playing Dublin in Croke Park this weekend I obviously wouldn't be putting money on Mayo to win. However, we'd have a chance (as happened in '21) and you just don't know how the championship will pan out.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121951128#Comment_121951128

The only people who can "aim to win" are the players and management and I'm sure they aim to win every championship match they play.

Supporters can't aim to win a match because we have no bearing on it (don't start that 16th man shite).

We can give opinions on if we think we'll win, that's different to aiming to win.

RedDevil55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121951209#Comment_121951209

Again, I don't care whether people predict Mayo win or lose.

Just don't understand how so many supporters would seemingly be satisfied by reaching a semi final when James Horan got slated for months on end after losing AI finals in 20 and 21 - with a team no better than the current side IMO.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121951308#Comment_121951308

It's not worth getting worked up about. Its just opinions.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948820#Comment_121948820

The old tired BS again.

Do you seriously think that what I say here has any effect on the performance of the Mayo team?

I'd bet if I posted that Mayo were going to win the All Ireland the likes of yourself would be on here telling me I was a fool for hyping them up.

I think Mayo getting to an All Ireland semi final and performing is a good outcome because I've seen them blown out in two quarter finals in a row by teams that they used to be competitive against.

I've seen them lose to Roscommon and Cork last year when winning would have set them up much better.

I've seen them have an average league.

I'm being f***ing realistic.

As for your comments about Kerry, I've lived here (Kerry) long enough to know them and know that there are times they are not brimming with confidence either.

Squatman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121949828#Comment_121949828

i remember homecomings for losing finals and semi finals. it has become engrained that 2nd place is the pinnacle of mayo football. thats the cultural mindset that needs to change.

Squatman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121951697#Comment_121951697

im glad you gave the pre-amble, it really let me know what to expect in the following sentences…

Kerry poepl can be confident or not confident, but when they arent winning, heads roll. They are held accountable, and a bad loss is not acceptable. in mayo, its acceptable, it has been celebrated, and that culture inside and outside of the team needs to change. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” Peter Drucker.

Westernview

I agree with the homecoming bit. I haven't been at a homecoming since 1989. Embarrassing for all concerned. That doesn't change the fact that the Mayo senior team are clearly not good enough to win the all Ireland. No left footed free taker, a midfield unable to contest for primary possession and only 1 AIl ireland level forward ROD. Boland and Tommy Conroy the next best but not top level.

It's only when we start putting more emphasis on developing winning underage teams full of big skillful players that any mindset will change. Dublin, Tyrone and even Kerry have realised this. The current Mayo team can have all the winning mindset they want but its not enough if they are not good enough

Squatman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953320#Comment_121953320

yae, but the mindset will drive the winning football ability, not the other way around. cultural changes will drive ability to execute strategy, with accountability.

blowitupref

Wouldn't be judging Mayo too much based on league form, seen what happened last year after winning it and this year the focus was clearly targeting certain matches for wins and retaining Div 1 status which was done with a few games to spare. Winning Connacht will put Mayo into a group without the three provincial winners (probably Derry,Kerry,Dublin) and topping your group will be easier done then and 1st in the group will mean you'll likely avoid those three in the All Ireland Quarter final and the group winner gets a week rest before their last 8 match and their opposition will be playing their 3rd match in 3 weeks an advantage that can't be underestimated

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953334#Comment_121953334

We will have to agree to disagree.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953240#Comment_121953240

I used to think that of homecomings, back in 2006 in particular.

But my tune has changed, because if you look at a homecoming the majority of people there are kids.

These guys are heroes to kids, they are role models and they love to get every opportunity they can to see them.

So why deny the kids such opportunities for the sake of adult sensibilities about some concept of "losers mentality" etc.

Incidentally there was consternation in Kerry last summer about the homecoming for the losers of the All Ireland final.

People were upset that they only went to one of Tralee or Killarney, I can't remember which, and not both.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953395#Comment_121953395

.......put Mayo into a group without the three provincial winners (probably Derry,Kerry,Dublin) and topping your group will be easier done then and 1st in the group will mean you'll likely avoid those three in the All Ireland Quarter final and the group winner gets a week rest before their last 8 match and their opposition will be playing their 3rd match in 3 weeks an advantage that can't be underestimated

All that could have been achieved last year in 15 or 20 mins by not losing a six point lead to Cork.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953334#Comment_121953334

What does this accountability look like?

Who's head should roll ?

You suggested that heads roll in Kerry, again your mistaken because they don't.

Eamon Firzmaurice was given another year in 2018 after a poor tenure up to that.

I know he won an All Ireland but he failed to beat Dublin and in 2017 lost a replay to Mayo after being in a winning position in the first game.

Peter Keane didn't go anywhere after a disastrous 2019 final draw and an even more disastrous 2020 exit to Cork.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953334#Comment_121953334

Do you come up with corporate strategy bullet points for a living by any chance?

Sebastian Dangerfield

Derry's kickout so impressive. They found space and exploited it so many times - cant remember the last time Dublin gave up so many goal chances.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121959860#Comment_121959860

Yes they did well on the kickouts. But a top class midfield allows them to vary it and keep the Dubs guessing.

Good mental resolve to win it after seeming to blow it in normal time.

Barlett

Not nonsense about a semi final being a job well done, just realism, because at the end of the day we were humiliated in Croke Park by Dublin last year , now we’re going back with pretty much the same team, playing the same football & expecting a different result?? Like we go missing in games far far too often to compete at the top. We’re too passive, too lateral & nothing suggests that is going to change anytime soon. I mean I don’t know how anyone could think we’re anywhere near an All Ireland based on our current approach.

Also 2020 & 2021 were completely different formats, so not much of a comparison to now.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960585#Comment_121960585

This is so true.

Apart from a good full back line that for the most part had a good league, Mayo have absolutely nothing new to offer this year.

Plus, Dublin and Kerry have got no worse and Derry have got better.

PressRun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960585#Comment_121960585

Have to agree with all of that. I also think the psychology is not great with the current crop. The heads drop far too quickly if a game takes a turn against them. There is a flakiness about them, I fear.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960585#Comment_121960585

The lateral passing thing really has me baffled. Regardless of the players available we have always been at our best when we attack and bring about a bit of chaos. Maybe it's some sort of admission that we haven't the players for that anymore or else it's a ultra-careful approach so as not to get overturned and vulnerable to counter attacks. Whatever the reason it's not an easy watch.

Barlett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960647#Comment_121960647

Exactly, 2011 - 2019, we played some brilliant football, I saw rewatched a bit of the second half of the first game against Kerry from 2014 recently, it really was phenomenal stuff , light years from where we are at now and we really have become very difficult to watch. Derry remind me so much of Mayo 2011/12 before the demolition team of 2013.

But all that said, this is a very young team, so a semi final would represent progress. Two semi finals for Derry in the last couple of years & they’ve pushed on again now.

For me getting to a semi final has always been a big deal because you’re winning a knockout game at a high level. Look at Donegal , after 2014, multiple failures at the quarter final & then they just faded out. If Big Jim didn’t come back, god knows where they were headed . Getting to semi finals regularly, puts you in the conversation for AIs , Mayo won’t be making finals every year but semi finals should always be in reach.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960785#Comment_121960785

Yes and even go back further to 06 when we had quite an average team carried by McDonald. We threw caution to the wind and scraped by against Dublin. Unlikely we would have got through that by playing safe.

irishgeo

Last year everyone was complaining that we were too open at the back and coughing up goals. Now we seem to have got on top of that the same people are complaining that we don't have an attacking threat.

The same people are also saying we peaked too early last season by winning the lead. Now the complaints are we don't look ready at all.

Ye can't have it both ways.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960916#Comment_121960916

Its not about having it both ways. We were open at the back last year because we played a forward at 6 who didn't understand the position. That has been addressed with personnel and defensive formations not through ponderous attacks.

We did peak too early last year. I think most people agree with that. That's a separate issue to attacking issues.

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121960639#Comment_121960639

I think you need to ask that point more of some supporters?

Legs go to jelly as soon as things are not working for the team.

Used to be lads throwing headbands on the ground outside Hyde Park when we didn't win a Connacht final. I guess the modern equivalent is lads being comically negative and having mini meltdowns online.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121961051#Comment_121961051

Yeah throwing headbands on the ground is what makes all the difference. Nothing to do with coaching standards and player development.

Barlett

I agree with a lot of this but it’s difficult to have much of an attacking threat when we keep players midfielders/defenders in forward positions. It may have been a challenge game in all but name but it was depressing to see Mayo start 9 defenders against Monaghan made worse by the fact that they had named a genuinely exciting looking team on paper a couple of days before.

Anyway as I said, they are definitely capable of last four and who knows from there

BandMember

Personally, I think our current position can be summed up in 3 sentences:

From 1-8, we are good enough to win an All-Ireland.

From 9-15, we are not.

If anything happens to O'Donoghue, we'll have a very short summer.

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965080#Comment_121965080

I agree with you. Our attack is so basic without Ryan O'Donoghue.

Just out of curiosity, who do you think is the number 8 midfielder that is All-Ireland quality?

Oldtree

In the St faq it says:

"You must purchase tickets to 6 Championship games in Football to qualify to buy All Ireland Final tickets" should mayo qualify.

Couldn't get a coherent answer from hq, if New York automatically counted as one of those for those of us that can't make it there.

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121971983#Comment_121971983

Last year would have needed to buy a ticket to all championship games bar one (opt out) to qualify for a ticket.

Also the NY game hasn't been considered a season ticket game since ive first bought one and I'd wager since the beginning.

Any season ticket holders heading to NY will need to source tickets elsewhere.

BandMember

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965372#Comment_121965372

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121971983#Comment_121971983

Before I reply, can I emphasise that the key words from my original post are "current position". At the moment, Carney is our number one midfielder because he is the only one fit and in form. Is he good enough to win an AI? Yes, I think so. We have other midfielders who are also capable of being one but are nowhere near it at the moment for one reason or other:

Ruane - POTY 21 in the bag only for the final. Form fell off a cliff since and rightly dropped, possibly later than he should have been. Showed a glimpse of a return to form v Derry (his best game in 3 years) and could be an AI winner. If he finds form, does he start at 9, 10 or 11 though?

Diarmuid - has barely played all year and currently injured/recovering from injury. An absolute definite AI winner when he is in form, but does he start at 9, 10 or 11? Personally, I think he should be at 9 as he needs to be in the middle, he always played his best games there.

IMO, they are 2nd and 3rd (but in what order at the moment?) for MF when fit and in form. Then, in no particular order, you have the likes of Coen (can play in a multitude of positions and could do a job at 9), Flynn (better at 12), Tuohy (one for the future, not ready for 9 yet), McBrien (needed at 3 or 6), Loftus (injured, but a half forward anyway), AOS (that ship has sailed) etc. Are they good enough for midfield in an AI final? Some yes, some no. But feel free to disagree! 😉

The NY game has never counted towards your attendance on your season ticket. This game was never a ticketed game until this year (due to the anticipated crowd), it was always first come, first served on the gate for a number of reasons e.g. unfair on those who couldn't travel over, number of Mayo ST holders bigger than capacity of the ground etc. Sure there wasn't even an option for ST holders to purchase (they went straight on general sale), so how could you buy one? In other words, don't worry about it. 😁

Oldtree

Previously the ny v Mayo game in ny would not be included as the first championship game ticket, which was included with the ST. We had one opt out after that.

Now it's 6 games to qualify for an AI ticket. I was just wondering if it was counted as the 1 of the 6.

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972200#Comment_121972200

The NY game is not included.

After that it's 7 games (if no replays) to get to an All Ireland.If you include one opt out that leaves 6.

That may be where they are getting that figure from.

MacDanger

U20s well beaten by Leitrim. Probably need a win now against Sligo in the final game

TsuDhoNimh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972156#Comment_121972156

Wouldn't have expected Donnacha to be too high up the list of possible midfielders at the beginning of the year, but the job he did on Enda Smith would have him right in the conversation too depending on the type of matchup needed.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972308#Comment_121972308

Very disappointing night for the 20s. Never looked to get near the pace of the game and never got a handle on the Leitrim tactics (the man v man looked great and exciting versus Galway but left us badly exposed against McNulty & Honeyman). Andy, knowing a lot of our lads well, went after their weak point in the air and made hay with it. Honeyman, McNulty, Guckian, Oberwan and Cox all having superb games for them.

Makes the group fierce exciting & wide open going into the final rounds (Galway finishing up next week and the rest of us the following week). Interestingly, Roscommon the only undefeated side. You could still make a genuine case for any of the 5 finishing in at least a semi-final spot, with everyone having it in their own control to manage if they win their remaining games, so all to play for.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975186#Comment_121975186

I was pleasantly surprised with his performance as well. Wonder what height is he?

It would be great if he could be developed into a midfielder as he seems effective both defensively and attacking wise.

TsuDhoNimh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975436#Comment_121975436

He doesn't look to be quite at Aidan's 6'4" but looks clear of lads like Jack Coyne listed as 6'1"…. so probably 6'3"ish or just shy of it. Interestingly, he's one of the player profiles on the official site that doesn't list a height.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975780#Comment_121975780

Might be just tall enough if he's good enough. Probably needs a few rough edges polished but he's still young.

irishgeo

It's looks packed solid at the gealic grounds.

Music Box

The porta-loos behind the goal look to be in constant use. Must be a few weak bladders out there