Mayo GAA Discussion

Yeah, some of the frees were soft but we shouldn't have let it get to that

Was up at the game.

Plenty to be positive about despite last few mins.Even with the young lads (who are gaining brilliant experience ) we are still near enough top tier.

The way the league is going though means we'll need two wins to stay up, then the real stuff starts.

Hennelly is the most underrated player for Mayo.If he played in the championship last year v Galway we would have won (4 long range frees/45 missed) Walshs 3 45s won the game.

Byrne and Reape are decent club keepers,we were spoiled for choice for years with Hennelly and Clarkie.

We need him back ASAP and as I understand it he will be back for kerry.

A draw snatched from the jaws of defeat at home.

A draw snatched from the jaws of victory away.

Talk about a mixed bag.

Eoghan McLaughlin just isn’t a natural footballer and it’s costing us when the pressure is in game after game

He is obviously very fast but his decision making is abysmal. I don’t know if he is worth persisting with. That may be harsh but I thought it last year , last week and today was the final nail

Yep,no harm to have a 2nd choice keeper with a few mins under his belt.Id have him in front of Byrne.

He's definitely worth persisting with, but I wouldn't say he's a starter.

He might be better coming off the bench when the game might have opened up and he can exploit it with his pace

Stop, I'm still not over 2017....

In fairness he hasn't progressed as much as I thought he would since his breakout seasons in 2020 and 2021.Definetly needs to work on composure but at the same time he's one of our top 10 players (just)

im just frustrated with him the last couple of games I suppose

I was thinking more Colm Mcmanaman, but maybe that's just showing my age

Both great additions to a team,hard men,neither could kick the ball!

Colm Mac had a mean right punch on him aswell, the only Mayo man (besides Noel Connelly to give a good account of himself in the brawl in 96) He boxed the head off some lad in a 97 connacht match v Leitrim aswell but can't find any footage of it.He was just coming back from a 6 month ban the previous year,was sent off and banned again was just back in time for the all ireland final that year!

That was some haymaker thrown by Connelly in fairness!

I feel like there has been talk about Eoghan McLaughlin needing to improve on the basic skills and shooting for about two years now and there doesn't seem to be any evidence of him doing that. He is a great athlete for sure, but he completely lacks composure and honestly vision. He's just not a smart player and not really a natural footballer.

Very Harsh on EML...I think sometimes you can't win. What EML gives is what Coen cannot do. For example EML attacks at every opportunity while Coen is the reverse and does not attack. I think Coen is actually afraid to do it as he will lose the ball. We all see things differently

EML does not look fit as well and looks like he is carrying a bit.

Yes I know the kick was brutal but COC was slow when he got the ball and should have drove on faster or released it earlier to EML. I think when EML got it, he was under more pressure. I know that you can be critical of his kick but come to CP, you need guys bombing down the wing... there is no better man imo.

Yesterday, AOS was really brilliant and us falling down was when he was empty. This is grand on a heavy pitch in February but come CP in a semi or final, we need guys with power and speed. AOS does not have speed, Coen does not have it. We potentially have a really good full forward line if ROD, COC and TC are back to full strength, so we need guys who play at speed and deliver ball fast and early. EML is one of these guys. It is high risk but there is huge reward as well. If EML frustrates you, Coen does it for me with his lack of speed, playing the ball back when he meets an opposition player and lack of attacking threat.

That is it and when he received it, he had an Armagh lad coming so the kick was rushed. Orme played a similiar kick last year and everyone praised him for taking it on and blow up with the same for EML. The difference was Orme was to draw level while EML was to extend the lead. EML had a bit of latitude as it was not the final kick.

We will not beat the big guns for the big prize with this slow play. AOS while great on Sunday will not get that time and space in the heat of summer. He is very slow mentally as well releasing the ball. I just can't see it working in CP. I hope it does but this works for slower heavy pitches. Coen needs to start to cop on as well for such an experienced guy. If I remember correctly he went to take a guy on and lost the ball which lead to panic in defence and a point given. We will have a full forward line that can potentially do damage but we need fast ball and fast play to beat the bigger teams.

We all see things differently but that is great about this Mayo GAA board

Unless I'm going mad, I think there was a fair bit of criticism for Orme's late attempt against Galway last year. I thought the general concenus was that he rushed it and he should have worked it to a better position. But there was an element of giving him leeway as he's a forward, was new to the team, and was willing to take it on. Orme's decision making/shot selection was also questioned versus Galway in the league game last week, so I don't think it's a case of EML being singled out.

There's a big difference between chasing a point and protecting a lead as well. Someone had to take that pop at an equalizer vs Galway last year. I think there's a good argument that we could have just held onto possession and played the game out on Sunday rather than kicking when EML did. I think CO'C was playing for that as well.

For me anyway, I think we've seen enough from EML to suggest that kicking isn't his strong point. I would be looking for him to focus on his strong running and simple handovers.

We're probably not going to change each others mind at this stage though.

Circumstances were completely different between EMl kick and Orme kick. For Orme, it was essentially shlt or bust. A score down, and Mayo may not get a better chance in that last minute. For EML, all Mayo had to do was hold on to the ball for a minute and they would have won. Instead he made the complete wrong choice and ballooned it wide and gave possession back to Armagh. To see out a tight game needs composure. It is something that has let Mayo down a few times in the past. Complete panic set in on Sunday. And unnecessarily. Awful pass by Reape as well. Gave the defender no chance. Better off kicking a 50:50 ball down the line - get it out of danger anyway.

Stephen Coen hasn't progressed at all. He always gives the impression that he lacks any confidence, but I could be wrong as I don't know what kinda mindframe he has. He will never take a shot unless he is absolutely forced into it i.e. standing on his own with ball in hand in front of opposition goal. In my opinion, he doesn't offer enough to the team if the team wants to make sufficient progress to mix it with the big boys. I was watching Jack Carney closely at the Galway match last week. I just wanted to see what type of off the ball runs he made and his workrate. I noticed several times that he'd go to make a run for the ball, give the shout but then stop and fade back into the crowd. It was like a half attempt to look for a pass, but didn't really want it. But wanted to be seen to be looking for it.

Anyway, I just noticed that everything I've said there is negative. So I'll stop now. Not a good way to start off the week!!!!!!

Some crazy comments on EMCL. Yes, he needs to improve decision making but he is a nailed on starter come summer. You can't coach that level of pace and power. Not one comment here on the turnover he made early in the 2nd half where he hunted down the Armagh forward, stole the ball and Mayo went up and got a crucial score from it. Two point swing. That was pure pace and and then disciplined tackling - which he is improving at, by the way. He hasn't improved as fast as many would have liked for one reason only, injuries. His most recent one was very serious. I could see him winning an All Star before he finishes playing. Mayo have back problem with who to play 6, Loftus has continued to show that he's just not that great. Coen, beyond me what he brings to the party. Maybe it will be Hession, Paddy, Eoghan.

On AOS being too slow to make decisions. Did you not see the speed of his hands against Armagh? Maybe they were too quick! AOS can be weapon in Croke Park too. Just need someone to track the full-backs' runs forward. Also, I don't get the Jack Carney thing and I think we need a ball-playing wing forward to compliment Flynn and Touhy - someone like Fergal Boland would be ideal! :)

Kerry were 6 points up on Donegal last week and ended up losing the game.

It was a very bad collapse but maybe we need to accept that there's going to be a few mistakes made / lessons learned under any new management team as the players get used to them. A few more of the experienced heads that either aren't around or weren't playing would probably have helped see the game out as well.

It's never a bad thing when you're not losing games but still have a lot to work on.

Am talking to myself there as much as anyone else.

It was you stated that

''Armagh pushed up completely in the last 10 minutes, goalkeeper included. I watched it back and I think we only crossed their 45 twice in that time. ''

That indicator me that Mayo did not push forward enough and got sucked back defending a lead. They obviously had no players forward as an out ball.

It was even commented on in the highlights that AOS was ery farm back for the last quarter insteast of staying inside as FF

Ya great start by Roscommon. There start has put the cat among the pigeons. I had them and Monaghan as the most likely relegation candidates. However another two points will probably see them safe. They have Armagh, Mayo and Donegal at home I think and are away to Monaghan and Tyrone. I would have said they were safe if the Monaghan match was at home.

Any team could get relegated now if the have a few bad results. Six points might not even be the safety net.

I am still thinking Monaghan will go down, they should have been relegated last year and Kildare should have survived.