Mayo GAA Discussion

I was thinking about this one - I didn't get to see the other games you mention. The one I've linked is from 2017 right enough.

I've addressed this earlier - but you simply cannot apply this "Culture" nonsense to a sporting group - for many different reasons.

Mayo have been one of the highest performing groups in this country in the past decade - to suggest otherwise is just pure nonsense. You don't get to as many AI finals as we have withouth a high perfomance attitude.

Again, we are all trying to scramble for reasons that we didnt win again - reasons that can be addressed in a real manner, not some "culture" nonsense.

Are you gonna blame "culture" if this Tyrone team dont win next year or if Dublin return?

Wouldn't have been a penalty as O'Connor wouldn't have miss hit the free. Also if Cillian had played O’Donoghue wouldn't have scored 0-8 as he wouldn't be the main free taker.

2013 AI final was a 1 point defeat for Mayo . I seen a lot of simliartites on Saturday with very similar team performances by Dublin and Tyrone.

They would beat Tyrone by 10 points pulling up

Its time to lay off the players.They had to get up and go to work on Monday.Some "fans" reckon they can throw all sorts of sh1t at a player when he does not perform to his usual standards.If this same player was receiving 250,000 per week as in other PROFESSIONAL codes perhaps then it would be ok to point out his short-comings (but at the same time to keep it clean and not personalise it).It should not be done to lads that did their best and unfortunately their best was not good enough on the day.We all know the question is already being asked of who will Mayo play in next years final....beacuse we will be there or thereabout again.The Mayo team (the players that is) and the fans have contributed more finance to the GAA economy in the last 10 years than all other counties added together (except for perhaps Dublin,due to the population and jersey sales etc.).There are an awful lot of "hangers on" making money out of the "success" of the team,and it is a success,eventhough we did not get over the line yet.

Unfortunately the GAA still has the biscuit tin mentality and why change,it has served many "administrators" well,they have rasied families on it,forgone criticism when things go wrong (as is the case now!),how many of them have come out in the past few days and stood up for the players that have been ostracised? They sit back and let the players take the flak.Yes,we all know there is the "some are more equal than others" mentality in the GAA,(thats no different to other walks of life really!),should it happen,no it shouldnt,but it does.It happens in the squad as well but do not point it out or you will be torn to shreds by ignorant people.The cash cow is delivering to the same group of sh1ts over a life time and its not going to change anytime soon....those sh1ts that have been on County Boards for a life time (and I'm not talking 5 yrs here),everyone knows who they are ,they dine off the "fatted calf" every year and then go hiding when the lads out on the field have an off day.Those people are spineless leeches and at this stage have made a good cash living at the expense of the poor players.Its past time they stood down...and please do not reply with the same old line of "why dont clubs put officers forward ,blah,blah.blah and those sh1ts would not be around.........................

I completely disagree on the pooling of commercial income. I'm going to use AOS as an example here as he is the biggest brand on the Mayo team at the moment. Why should he share his earnings with the likes of Colm Boyle who does little to no social media work or public endorsements. At the end of the day AOS is getting all those interviews and endorsements because of the amount of followers he has on instagram or the likes. He doesn't have that many followers solely because of what he does or doesn't do on the pitch, its because of how active he is on the platform which takes time and effort!

No i think you phrased it well enough, I get your point. The profile is there from the team I agree, if AOS was a postman he wouldn't have the opportunity to build his brand! But at the same time, Emilyn Mulligan doesn't have nearly 6k twitter followers for his teams playing exploits so why should he have to share out earnings with his team mates when its him that puts in the effort? Maybe I'm just a greedy so and so and that's why i think that way! :)

If I was lucky enough to be in the position I would in all likelihood be a greedy so and so myself :), but if it came to being a member of a team and seeing a small group enjoying the commercial benefits, I would most likely be a disgruntled so and so as well as I would see myself as putting as much effort in training and performing that has got us the commercial interest as those that are reaping the rewards.

As I said, as a supporter I do not begrudge amateur GAA players a single red cent they make. Don`t get me wrong I`m not even suggesting or implying it may be a problem within the Mayo squad, but with a team that is at the level where the margins between winning or losing the ultimate prize are so fine, it is something if I was the manager, I would be very wary off.

I think a lot of the criticism has been way over the top, to be honest. There's no issue with pointing out where certain things have not met expectation. However a lot of what has been said - particularly by one columnist has been very personal and way over the top.

Then you have the dregs of social media and that is just out of control altogether.

Presume you mean Brolly and yes he goes over the top and personalises it. I don't agree with that approach.

If he stuck to a general point about culture without picking out names that would have been better. And when he brings up the commercial activities stuff, its just nonsense.

Like all controversial pundits he makes the odd good point but then ruins it with some over the top crap.

Yes, and when someone takes that approach, it's usually because they're talking through their hole. There's a narrative in the GAA that we must somehow his word should be treated as gospel because he won a medal. I was otherwise occupied when the football was happening 28 years ago when he won his, by all accounts he was a bit of a passenger on that team. If he had all the answers, he'd be managing some teams, which he never has and he never will. He hasn't the stones for that.

His point on culture is certainly over egged and Brolly has a history of talking through his hole about Gilroy and others - e.g. the Story about Daragh McAuley's boots before the Donegal game etc. How anyone gives that amadán an ounce of credibility is beyond me.

The last thing I wanted to do was to be critical of any player in any county, that was not my intention if I came across that way. There is no doubt about the passion in Mayo same as Louth, Leitrim Carlow Wicklow.

I disagree about the level the players are at. Durkan, Keegan, Ruane, O'Hora, Conroy, Mullan and a few other are the among the best in Ireland. Looking at Dublin team and squad there are a good few players who dont particularly stand out at club level. They are good players no doubt but what they have in a very strong mentality and ability under pressure to do very simple things well. As I pointed out Mayo should have bet Dublin twice and Kerry should have beat them once. I believe Mayo are better than what we saw in final.

Has an air of doubt got to this squad? I cant put my finger on it.

How on earth should Mayo have beaten Dublin twice? In 16 & 17 Mayo were getting beaten in their province, were drawing with the might of Derry, Cork, Roscommon etc, struggling over Fermanagh. Dublin were wiping the floor with everyone else basically. Mayo turned the finals into chaos and matched up well with Dublin and Dublin underperformed their ability. Only once did Dublin play up to themselves against Mayo in the last decade, the 20 mins after half time in 2019 when they tore them asunder. You're delusion if you think the talent levels in the respective squads was or is comparable.

Of the players you mentioned, one is currently at the very top class (Durkan). Keegan is one of the greatest of all time but has taken 3 roastings in 3 years. He's still excellent granted but needs the right matchup. O'Hora wasn't good enough to start this year until age 28, him being amongst the best in Ireland is laughable. Ruane had a great year but only a headcase would put him on the same level as Fenton or McCarthy. Even the likes of Enda Smith is a better player than him still at this point. Same with Conroy, very classy for a young lad but you'd be sectioned if you put him up with Clifford, Con, McBrearty etc.

How many Mayo forwards would make the Dublin team? Conroy probably and you're struggling after. Same with Kerry, you be hard pushed to say Mayo's second best ROD is better than Killian Spillane (a sub). Tyrone had two forwards on the bench the last day that you could argue are more talented than any mayo starting forward.

If you're going to somehow convince yourself that it's a team full of superstars despite no underage or club evidence I fear you're going to be disappointed year after year no matter how well the team perform on the whole, such as this year

Isn't that what Cillian is though?

Sorry it was i that missed you!! I agree we don't have enough of them! Half forwards not scoring in an all ireland final is not good enough!!!!

And I also feel some sympathy for AOS.

He's moved around, full forward, centre forward and occasionally midfield. This is a big ask for any player in one game as they are 3 different roles. That and when he is sent in to full forward, the ball isn't sent into him.

I think he has a four year contract! I wouldn't say losing an all ireland final like that should result in earning anything!!!

Some muck. No critisism of GAA players is fair. Players out slogging in the crap weather - training and getting fit. Giving up their own time. And very little out of it except obviously self-satisfaction, and a few commercial add-ons along the way. And you think it's ok for someone to come along and critisise them for effectively carrying out their hobby.

Why didn't you get off you h@le at a younger age and put in the hard graft needed for intercounty level. It's not like these players were just born with a Mayo jersey on them. THey had to work for it, and put in massive sacrafices - some of them year after year. And then to listen to armchair "experts" like yourself, having your pizzas and beers. They are the real heroes in this. Those having pops at them are cowardly keyboard warriors.