Mayo GAA Discussion

Green&Red · 30-01-2023 12:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120176615#Comment_120176615

Don't get me wrong, I completely understand his reasons for transferring and I don't think anyone could blame him, its a massive commitment. We had similar when Kevin O'Neill went to Na Fianna. I think in both cases they might have waited if they could see a county title the following year

HBC08 · 30-01-2023 1:06pm

Robbie transferring is a win win for everybody involved.

The first choice GK for Mayo gets to extend his playing career and hopefully is fresh,enthusiastic and injury free.

Breaffy have a serious young GK talent and they get to develop him and let him make that position his own.He has a good chance to go on and succeed Robbie for Mayo in a few years too.

Breaffy supportive of the move in general aswell which is not the way it usually goes.

All in all a good thing for all involved.

Squatman · 30-01-2023 2:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120173188#Comment_120173188

main concern id have for the forwards is the lazy play. Galway pull plant and stop people progressing, as they have done for 10+ years. Mayo forwards got into positions and waited for the ball to make it to them. which is lazy and selfish gameplay. go back 3/4 years and you'd always have Andy Moran making runs, creating space, and offering options for forward play. This hasn't happened since he left, and with new management, hasn't been instilled yet. Galway have the exact same strategy for a decade, and we haven't been able to come up with a comprehensive method for cracking it. I personally think it culture in the forwards rather than skill.

flasher0030 · 30-01-2023 2:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120176213#Comment_120176213

That's only one incident in the game. Players switch markers the whole time. Orme shouldn't have been last man back. But doesn't mean you can just pin it on Conor Loftus. At the end of the day, in those type of scenarios, the keeper has the advantage as he has forward momentum, whilst the attacker and defender are generally back pedaling. Keeper should be coming out all guns blazing and taking ball and man.

I was watching the Sunday Game. I didn't hear them mentioning anything about Loftus. Maybe I missed that part.

Green&Red · 30-01-2023 3:38pm

Their point was that he should have been sweeping. I'd go back a set further and have it as the No. 6s job to arrange who is marking who and where.

FWIW I think Loftus looks great when we have the ball and think he could add a lot from 6 but he needs to up the defensive side IMO.

It's amazing to think he was scorer in chief on several underage county teams, we seem to be coaching it out of some players

muddle84 · 30-01-2023 4:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120177811#Comment_120177811

Just on the comment about coaching the forward out of the player. I've heard it said before that if David Clifford was born in Mayo he'd be a half back and if Lee Keegan was born in Kerry he'd be a forward!

Audioslaven · 30-01-2023 6:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120177811#Comment_120177811

I don't think it was coached out of Loftus. He just couldn't move up into IC level as a scoring forward. It is not as if he didn't get enough chances as he got played alot in the forwards. But he is no different than lots of other guys, who find it hard to nail down a position in the forwards and deliver consistently. We really only ever have a few forwards who can deliver scores in a consistent manner ..COC, ROD, Andy, McLoughlin etc.

This is far from easy to get guys to do this. Andy was in his mid 20s before he started to do this if I remember correctly.

MacDanger · 31-01-2023 12:32am

Best of luck to Hennelly. I doubt anyone would grudge him moving at this stage in his career, esp when there's an able deputy coming up behind.

I think McStay is right to give gametime to Reape & Byrne but unless one of them really steps up, Hennelly is probably still our championship starter

PARlance · 31-01-2023 1:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120178686#Comment_120178686

It is kind of mad to think that a guy who couldn't nail down a place in the forwards generally due to him not being strong enough to win/hold onto the ball has ended up playing midfield and now center back.

I thought he did quite well in midfield and can see the thinking behind him at CB... but I do think we're missing a trick somewhere. The guy was an extremely talented forward underage.

If you told someone five years ago that he'd be wearing number 6 for Mayo, they would probably call the men in white jackets... Not the umpires.

I thought he would be a player that McStay would look to get playing further up the field again.

Blackjack · 31-01-2023 10:29am

Apparently Loftus has been playing at that position for Crossmolina. Don’t know how true that is maybe someone closer to that scene can confirm.

I don’t think he did too bad, could have kicked it more which is where his strengths are in my view. We do need to work on a sweeper - remember we used McLoughlin there before though I know he would be more used to a defensive role for his club too.

ChippingSodbury · 31-01-2023 10:45am

I'm not from Mayo or Galway but decided to bring my lad to the game on Saturday. Ended up standing beside Hennelly on the terrace. I made a bit of small talk at half time and told him my lad was also a goalkeeper. He spent the rest of half time talking to him about tactics, explaining what Mayo were doing for kickouts, where the goalie was standing and why, asking him what he thought, what were his tactics etc. That was, of course, all while stopping every couple of minutes for pictures/ autographs with kids etc.

What an absolute gent...

Green&Red · 31-01-2023 11:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120180975#Comment_120180975

I saw them play Parke in the league and he was 11 as far as I remember

GBXI · 31-01-2023 1:42pm

Interesting comments on Orme. Yes, he works very hard. Yes, he is a solid ball winner and a good passer. But he is not a good shooter. He lacks belief in himself and that is hard to coach.

I think Towey should start the Armagh game because he has complete confidence in his own abilities and it's scoring forwards we need. He deserves a chance. By the way, I defended Orme to the hilt for taking the last second shot vs. Galway last year in Castlebar - he was dead right to shoot. Forwards should always be encouraged to shoot.

km79 · 31-01-2023 1:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120180275#Comment_120180275

He is definitely our starting championship keeper ! And I assume for second half of league whenever he is fit .

Green&Red · 31-01-2023 1:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120181969#Comment_120181969

I'd disagree on whether hes a good shooter or not, I've seen enough of him to know that he is, he just hasn't shown it yet.

The belief is a funny one, he had the belief to kick that, and I'd agree he was right, he has almost the exact same kick against Castlebar in the championship last year and kicked as well. Missed both but I think if the same situation arose he'd back himself again

Agree on Towey, has looked great for Charlestown anytime I've seen him, looks like he could be a 6/7 point a game man

GBXI · 31-01-2023 2:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182055#Comment_120182055

Maybe conviction and not belief is the right word. Orme knows when it's the right time to shoot (which is great) but he doesn't score enough of them. He's just not accurate enough. He's definitely getting picked for all his other attributes and not his shooting because Towey is well ahead on that front. Towey played 3 championship games for Charlestown last year and was just shy of the top scorer (that was Regan who made it to the final) award. He is prolific. However, he's probably not at Orme, ROD, Cillian, or Conroy's level defensively. Too much emphasis on defensive duties though for inside forwards in my opinion.

spakman · 31-01-2023 2:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182092#Comment_120182092

Towey could be like Dessie Conneally for Galway - prolific scorers for their clubs, but doesn't have the physicality for intercounty.

GBXI · 31-01-2023 2:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182168#Comment_120182168

Yeah, maybe. Though I'd like to see more of Towey at IC level before I decide. Dessie also, I think, will be good for Galway too if they persist a bit more. He'll get more space from the other teams and he's deadly accurate.

HBC08 · 31-01-2023 2:59pm

Good points being made on here on both sides of argument about Orme.

I'm not sure what to think,he wins good ball and is not afraid to shoot which I'm happy to see.He does need to improve his accuracy though, hopefully that will come.

I'd like to see Towey get a chance aswell,no doubt he's accurate but would his size and lack of space at IC level count against him? Only one way to find out I suppose.

MacDanger · 31-01-2023 3:05pm

I think the upshot of it is that both Orme & Towey (and a few others incl. Carr) need some additional coaching and gametime to see if one or more of them can make the step-up to being a reliable regular for us

Green&Red · 31-01-2023 6:47pm

Towey definitely deserves more time, you'd imagine it's easier to coach the defensive but rather than the sharp shooter element

flasher0030 · 31-01-2023 6:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182168#Comment_120182168

Towey scored 1-17 in some game over in the US last year. And I understand it wasn't a bunch of junior type footballers. Standard was decent enough I think. That's a score approx every 3.5 mins. Crazy stuff. He's only 22. I have a feeling he could come really good soon. I'm not an expert but it seems he needs to work on speed to progress along.

happyoutscan · 31-01-2023 11:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183584#Comment_120183584

I think the standard must have been pretty poor, how else would one player manage to get on the ball that much during a game? Nonetheless it's a pretty staggering tally for a single game!

PARlance · 01-02-2023 9:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120185079#Comment_120185079

Standard would have been fairly good. The US Championship was packed with intercounty players last year. Style of play definitely a bit more open than we see here, they wouldn't have all year to work on blanket defences 😬

"Up against a star-studded Chicago Parnell's side, that featured players like Conor Meyler, Michael McKernan, Ryan Johnston, Rian O'Neill, Connaire Mackin, Barry O'Hagan, Ceilum Doherty and Dylan Ward."

1-17, 1-07 from play. But he still lost.

It would be great to see if he could push on and break into the team.

TsuDhoNimh · 01-02-2023 1:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120185079#Comment_120185079

He was the same coming back home to the club championship last year, though obviously the total scores at a lower level with the higher standards.

Finished the year as the 3rd highest scorer in the Championship (1-23 total for him for Charlestown vs Evan's 4-18 for Ballina in 1st and Niall Tracey's 3-18 for Davitts in 2nd) including a 10 point game against a very solid Garrymore side.

His total for the year even more impressive given in one of his three games he came up against a ferocious Mitchell's defence that were in no mood to let him play ball. Donnacha McHugh put in his best performance I've ever seen on man marking Paul and was kept off the ball nearly entirely that game. I'm tempted to say he was held scoreless from play but without checking I couldn't be sure. He was certainly kept very quiet by a very solid Mitchel's defence having one of their best days of the year to pip that game by a point (11 to 10 on the day iirc).

Put him into a Westport/Ballina/Castlebar/Knockmore side where he'd be getting more of a supply or more opportunities from dead balls and he'd be putting up some huge numbers here at home too.

Was impressed last night with Conor Dunleavy for Galway in the Sigerson. Had only ever caught him play a few times for Balla but surrounded by county players on both sides last night he looked right at home in that Galway defence. I'd be surprised if he wasn't among those cut when they trim the squad but nice to see him performing at that level and one with a lot of potential for the future.

(Saw flashes from Jack Coyne and Eoghan McLoughlin on the UL side. They were the two looking to inject a bit of pace and tempo into the UL side early on when it wasn't quite clicking for the team.

Eoghan relatively quiet by his standards but given UL pipped the midfield battle against a Galway side with Paul Kelly, Mathew Tierney and Cathal Slattery around the middle he can be happy with his shift.

Jack seemed to have been earmarked for attention by Maurice last night. Think something like 7 of his first 9 possessions ended in a free for UL where Galway [smartly] just wouldn't let him get running at them. Looked to be the touch of class for UL early on before their forwards finally clicked into gear, driven mainly with the introduction of Paul Walsh who looked very impressive off the bench.

Still surprised Frank Irwin isn't making it into that UL side. Not sure if he's carrying a knock or anything but from what was on show last night he could certainly be adding something for them as a ball winning forward in the same way Walsh did.)

PARlance · 01-02-2023 7:29pm

Great update, but I just can't get over the madness of these guys playing Sigerson in between the League. Injuries just waiting to happen.

tanko · 01-02-2023 7:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188624#Comment_120188624

Would it not make more sense to play the Sigerson before Christmas?

PARlance · 01-02-2023 9:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188651#Comment_120188651

Probably impossible to please everyone, that would basically mean that an intercounty player wouldn't have any sort of a break all year.

It's never going to happen, but I think the least worst solution would be for county managers not to be allowed play Sigerson players.

charolais0153 · 02-02-2023 12:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120189168#Comment_120189168

You’d have lads that wouldn’t play singers on them cos inter county managers wouldn’t let them

Sebastian Dangerfield · 02-02-2023 9:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120094423#Comment_120094423

Or just choose not to pick them for the greater good - not everything should have to be dictated. Interview with Colm o'Rourke on Radio One he implied that he had told the Sigerson lads to go play and come to him when they were ready.

PARlance · 02-02-2023 9:29am

Not sure how it works but I'd say players would have to play Sigerson if they were on scholarship/deals. And I assume most county players in college would be.

HBC08 · 03-02-2023 7:56pm

I've two spare tickets if anyone needs them just pm

Martina1991 · 03-02-2023 10:07pm

First time heading to Armagh.

Any tips or suggestions for parking around the area would be appreciated 🙏

HBC08 · 03-02-2023 10:10pm

My first time setting foot in Armagh too,isn't the league great!

Cartman78 · 03-02-2023 10:35pm

Good luck travelling to Armagh... haven't been there by myself but was stuck in the middle of a bunch of them in Croker last year so I'd be prepared for a passionate welcome 😁

DDC1990 · 03-02-2023 10:35pm

I parked at the Armagh City hotel and walked to the ground in less than 10mins last year. Was a bit of slow to get out of after the match but handy all the same.

Probably my favourite ground that I went to last year.