Mayo GAA Discussion

not really too worried about the result. A lazy tackle from a tired aiden cost us the draw. neither team played very well. however, and correct me if i am wrong, if we want to win the league, we will have to play kerry again. and if we want to win Sam, we will likely have to beat them again. 2-1 against kerry in the one year is okay with me. Mayos shot selection will need some more work, unusual to see paddy durcan so far off the mark, so i think next weeks training should involve reminding players where the high accuracy range is on the pitch. Diarmuid o'C had an uncharacteristic shot saved, which would have sealed the deal for us too, so all in, not too bad.

I tend to agree. We don't have the fire power up front to really win an All Ireland this year imo. The loss of Conroy is a sickener because I think he was due a massive year and I'd feel a lot more confident about our chances if he was there. We just lack the personnel and I don't see how it's going to change between now and championship. Cillian won't be right on time imo and Jason Doherty is only back from two serious injuries so I wouldn't be over reliant on him either. Orme is still a year or two off what's required imo. Currently O'Donoghue is carrying the forwards and it won't last.

I'm also not thrilled about what's going on with Oisin Mullin and his positioning. He would have been as well to go to Australia if he's just going to be wasted in the full back line.

Any word about on Darren McHale? The injury that was niggling him the Knockmore run still have him out of action?

Hasn't gotten name dropped like O'Conner, Coen, Carr or McBrien when James was discussing injuries or at least not that I've heard.

The lack of minutes among options as inside fowards (outside of Ryan and Aidan basically just Towey and Irwin, and even Irwin tends to be used in a deeper role) starting to be a concern.

Theres a class article on the 42 that dismantles mayos loss to donegal and tyrone. basically saying that Mayo wont employ a sweeper, and have a poor conversion rate from play (think 36% was bandied) Jim Mc predicted it in advance of the final nearly 10 years ago, and logan/dooher did the same. no amount of darren mchales could compensate for that.... a very interesting read. PS. not to be dismissive, but I wouldnt rate McHale as highly as you seem to. is it a case of the freemans - the longer hes out the better he was?

if you can locate that article again can you share it?.

On Darren McHale - I think Green&Red has a natural bias towards his own club man which is understandable. I'd rate Darren McHale but I would fear that he may go the same way as a number of other forwards we have had - outstanding on their first few games but then fade off a bit as a results of injuries or whatever. I'd give Fionn McDonagh and James Carr as 2 examples of that, both outstanding in their first few games and now struggling to get a game. That may also be down to the opposition not having any intel on these lads in their first games to be able to counter them, but then getting wise to their strengths and weaknesses.

I'd certainly have Darren in there and for now he'd be ahead of Carney who I also rate quite highly - we're somewhat fortunate with the depth we have but we are short of prolific scorers which Darren is worth a few scores in a game. What I had heard of his injuries last year were fairly serious stuff that would take a good while to get back from but that was rumour and heresay so G&R is closer to the man than I and better able to give an indication as to where he's at.

dont ahve teh link, as i read it on the phone. the title is Horanball, the system that transformed mayo into contenders - and why it now needs to change

Still no sign of Cillian...

Very odd team selection. We should be focusing on getting closer to a championship team as this year there isn’t much of a gap between league and championship. I just don’t see the point of such experimental team so late in the league .

if we are truly going with that team, then it looks like we will be strategically losing the game. for what reason i dont know.

That’s such a strange squad

really worried about Cillian now but good to see doc back

I'd be interested in how you've come to that conclusion?

Glancing at that team I have literally no idea how we're going to set up strategically this game (Where's Aido playing? Sweeping in front of their inside forwards, anchoring the half back line or pushing on as a midfielder as he normally plays but without us losing a forward? At what times will he vary and float to transition between those roles? Is he taking up a forward or operating as a free man as Tyrone drop a man off for defense? Are we playing 2, 3 or 4 men up inside ourselves? Who's taking up man marking roles? Tyrone don't play a traditional 1-15 setup, not that anyone really does these days, so the numbers on our lads are even more meaningless than normal for this one) if we line out as listed and nothing about it suggests we're planning on losing the game to me.

1, 2, 5, 9, 13 and 15 probably the only names that would be shocked if they didn't make the starting team in the Championship so 9 of the starters that will be going full tilt trying to win or secure their spots. We're not carrying anyone in this game. I'd imagine Donnacha McHugh or David McBrien probably the furthest of those lads from a Championship start (says more about the strength of our defense than their qualities)... and neither of those are too far away at all.

Delighted to see McBrien getting minutes. Fingers crossed it goes well for him after the recovery. A bit of competition for full back and some different physical attributes to put to work there can only help us long term. Doc back too a nice positive. At this stage getting lads through safe is nearly as high priority as performances or results but if we can get all 3 that'd be super.

Mod Edit

Warning issued.

Very poor so far. Matty, Jordan and Aido probably our best. We keep trying to run it down the middle only to get dispossessed around the D, nearly identical to last September.

Need to make some big changes at half time.

Unfortunately there is a serious lack of physicality with a lot of the newer lads. A few of them are a good two years away from what's required imo. They're getting killed on the turnovers which was the same story down in Tralee and will be the same story into championship because that physical strength isn't going to come overnight.

Has Doherty touched the ball?

Mayo should be out the gap this half but for some really poor forward play.

I've seen nothing from Orme over the last few games to suggest he's ready for senior.

That’s a bit harsh. I think he’s a ahead of a few others at this point, I’d have him ahead of Towey for a start.

Haha, no. Nothing about the selection suggested we were going to see.... THAT.

A real struggle to pull a positive from that showing tonight.

Byrne was solid, though never really tested with a strong press on the kicks. McBrien wasn't awful, though looked raw as to be expected. Carney worked hard coming in. Jordan hit a nice score. Matty had a couple of nice bursts.

McLoughlin as bad as I've ever seen him in the Mayo shirt. Orme looked well off the pace and turned down even trying to look for some scorable opportunities. McHugh, Boland and Towey were so far off the strength and pace needed in the first half it was painful to watch.

Tactics looked way off, execution way off, energy levels off and even the determination and spirit didn't seem to be there. I really hope that was a strategic loss after running the legs off the lads in training as if not it suggests we have some problems. An absolute shocker.

I wouldn’t be wasting time or effort trying to make sense of that going by previous posts.

Agree with all this, feel sorry for the people who travelled up to Omagh to endure that. Horan has to take a lot of the blame for this one.

Mod Edit

Warning issued.