Mayo GAA Discussion

To be honest, I find this post a bit disingenuous. Are you telling me that nobodies arm comes into contact with the side of someones neck when they go up to fetch a ball in any hugh fielding attempt in open play? Are all those frees too?

You are talking about watching it back, well I have done the same and still seen the same things. I think you are annoyed with the team going into blind alleys in the game, and so are now punishing them in your own way by refusing to acknowledge what is the common consensus basically everywhere except here, that the ref had a bad game and gave a huge amount of tight calls to roscommon.

Im not making excuses either - we might well have lost anyway, but Im not going to pretend it didnt happen either. The ref was poor in the game and his performance aided roscommon - whether you want to hear it or not doesnt concern me.

We have had better weeks

Listening to Ah Ref here. Your man Enda having a rant about supporters not being kept updated on injuries... That's never been the case and I can hardly see it changing.

They're also suggesting a mix up that's needed in middle third. Diarmuid O'Connor to CB. Carney and Flynn midfield. Ruane to half forward. RO'D to 11.

I agree a change is needed but wouldn't be putting Ruane in the half forward line.

They had a right cut at Sheridan as well. Squad selection, style of play and his availability to look at players all coming under fire.

They used the example that Galway played just one of their all Ireland winning minor team (as a sub) for their U20's this year... Whilst we seem to have taken on the full minor squad from last year and ignored a team of 19/20 year olds who have been playing senior/intermediate football for a couple of years now. A year or two of players who have been overlooked and not developed.

The style of football was the main thing for me. I'm nearly sure that every sideline ball and free kick went backwards yesterday. Frustrating to watch.

Mayo losing doesn't make that a bad decision IMO

Ruane can’t field a ball. Big problem. Tyrone exposed it in the final that time big time. Maybe if he was at wing forward might take the pressure off him a bit And something has to be done about centre back. Loftus and Doherty are not defenders. Diarmuid would be suited to that role

Wouldn't mind seeing DOC there to see how he gets on. Coen could also do a job there imo - frees up a wing back spot for Hession/McHugh/McLaughlin. If Swannie got back to some form & fitness, I wouldn't mind giving him a go there either

Also agree on Coen rather than Diarmuid!

The Loftus project reminds me of using Kevin McLoughlin as a sweeper!!

I actually liked McLoughlin as a sweeper!!

No, I don't see any huge positives from Loftus at 6 and plenty of possible downside (although I don't think it has really been exploited yet)

The most important thing in bringing players through at that age is not that they are winning games, its that they are following a development programme that will leave them ready to make the step up to IC, when needed. We have seen that Callinan and Touhy are both nearly there and at this stage of their development and would be much better off having been on the bench last Sunday than playing last night. And as it transpired they would have been just what was needed off the bench. With McBrien and Hession out, Callinan could have been an option on Smith or Murtagh. Would have been a great learning experience following on from his league final performance. I think and Touhy could have helped the midfield issues as even though he is not fully developed physique wise, his fielding and mobility would have been a great asset off the bench with the way the match transpired.

No point in having him on the bench then.

I think Bob was played in midfield in one of the latter league games (Monaghan maybe??). And it didn't work out for him at all.

Completely bossed by the opposition.

What Touhy offered was ability to win primary possession from kick outs. And a kick passing option. Would he have made a difference, maybe not. Would his development have been better served facing a confident Roscommon team that playing alongside a bunch of barely 18 year old's in their first competitive game outside minors, definitely. For one he would have gotten high octane championship experience in what was essentially a game that did not matter.

There is a group of quality players who have come through post 2018 who have never got out of connacht at U20. Mullin(😪), Hession, Touhy, Callinan, E.McLoughlin, Coyne, McBrien etc... It shows getting integrated into development squads and getting game time with senior panels does a lot more to bring through inter county players than winning a couple of u20 games.

Lads one loss and you are falling apart. I taught this team was the best thing since the sliced pan.

I think people got inflated with hot air with the league performances and league title win. Mayo looked jaded last sunday and understandably so after the previous sunday, but we are not a serious contender for SAM and while we may make the latter end of the championship, we will not win it unless we have savage luck. We need all the guys back in particular hession who could play CB instead of the suggestions above who lack pace. We have problems breaking down defensive teams and most likely will play our best football in CP, but I still think we will come up short.

what was the average age of the dublin squad when they won the 5 in a row.

i do still think Mayo are AI contenders this year, maybe we don't have the best team we ever had, but neither has any other county. i think generally the standard has dropped to the point where we should be looking to steal it.

Sligo had only 3 U17s from last year on the panel: Ethan Carden (goalie) and Ronan Niland (late replacement for injured James Donlon) both started and Dillon Walsh came on as a 2nd half sub. Bob Touhy is a big unit when you see him up close. I thought he was going to destroy our lads on his own but during the game I couldn't say that he stood out. I know he scored 2 points but his opposite number Dylan Walsh (the other one!) scored a point and gave a near man of the match performance. Mayo's biggest issue was the speed (or lack of it) they moved the ball. They did a huge amount of sideways/ backwards passing with nobody breaking the Sligo defensive line. Sligo were somewhat guilty of the same but to nowhere near the same degree as Mayo and fairly often managed to pass to a runner who made good ground. The Mayo kickouts were also poor but you can't put all of the blame on the goalie. There are two sides to every kickout: the kicker and the receivers; the receivers didn't exactly make it easy for the goalie.

yeah but he was on the same side as the lad that put on the curse !!!

Ref seemed to think they'd get a week away

Interesting to see Tyrone yesterday, IMO probably highlights the case that the top teams in Connacht and Ulster won't be concentrating on winning their province

They fully deserved that too in all fairness. You'd hope that a 2 in a row provincial winning group will strengthen Sligo's senior ranks and that they'll be tooth and nail with Big 3 in the next while. Coming back from 2 points down late in the game away in Tuam is the sign of a mentally strong group too.