Mayo GAA Discussion Thread

seligehgit wrote: »

Can't fathom out the switching of Keith Higgins! Mind boggles.

Have to agree here. He's the best no. 4 in the country. Leave him there FFS.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Hold on
I thought after the all Ireland that it was an accepted fact that Higgins was the future of the half forward line ?

What has changed ?

The black card rule is the major change and the other is that our full backline is shipping serious scores in games.
Chris Barrett/Cunniffe may return but it would better to be settling the team now and not hoping Barrett/Cunniffe fix it.
Also Adam Gallagher being a good option for half forward.
Yes last season it looked like a good call, I though that too. I just think the direct impact of having Higgins breathing down the neck of oppositions best corner forward is more valuable this season than last season.
Three rounds of league 1/2 are pointing towards shoot outs in the summer. So your forward line can indeed play well and rack up 1 - 17 but lose to scorelines like 2 - 15. Keeping the opposition scoreline down is now much more about skilled pacey defending and Higgins is one of the best in the country at that. Counter attacks will be coming through quicker than ever before (Black card - Bodychecking/Quick free prevention) meaning defences won't have much time to set and organize so it will be pretty regular that guys in the full backline get isolated 1 on 1 against Division one standard forwards. Needs a serious defender to save the day in that scenario, under these rules.

padd b1975 wrote: »

I wouldn't worry too much about another stroll through Connaught.

Didn't really cause that many problems last year apart from a sluggish 20 minutes against Tyrone.

You could say they strolled past the rest in Connacht because Mayo hit the ground running last summer and then arguably peaked against Donegal.

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Worryingly, with the form Galway are showing, Connaught looks like itl be a walkover again. A tough Connaught Final would be useful...

Lets not have this silliness of trying to find a challenge where one does not exist again this year.

Mayo know themselves how good or bad they are, they don't need a bad game against Galway or Roscommon to tell them.

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Our best 15 imo is:

1. Hennelly/Clarke
2. Barrett/Cunniffe
3. Caff
4. Higgins
5. Keegan
6. Vaughan
7. Boyle
8. Aidan O'Shea
9. Seamus O'Shea (ran close by Gibbons)
10. McLoughlin
11. Moran
12. ?????
13. O' Connor
14. Freeman
15. Conroy

There is a vacancy in the half-forward line that someone needs to grab, at the moment Adam Gallagher looks the most likely to do so. Alan Dillon when he makes his return will have something to say about it though (find it astounding hes being written off by some without even seeing him yet this year). But the likely solution IMO is Keith Higgins to be played in the half-forward line with Cunniffe and Barrett taking the two corner-back spots when they return to the panel.

Im not convinced by Adam Gallagher yet, yes he has the talent, but is a little light. And its alot of pressure for a 19 year old in his first season.

Love to see some means of accommodating Barry Moran in the team. Agreed Alan Dillon is more than likely going to be used as impact substitute this year. Is there a possibility any of the Mitchels lads can force their way into the team? The success or otherwise of the team as always will
be dependent on whither we can resurrect sufficient quality in the forward line.

Listening to the game on mid-west and they seem dominant.

oooh Hennelly caught out under a high ball by the sounds of it. Goal for Westmeath. That can't be good for him

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Already we seem comfortable Lee Keegan what a player to have But Westmeath are struggling big time This looks already will be twelve points win easy AOS n half backs are flyin Mike Sweeney just goaled 2 - 4 to a point Scratch that this is going to be a twenty point win

Easy there tiger.
According to Mayo GAA FB its now 2-07 each with 33mins gone, that's not good.

Edit : HT Westmeath up by 1

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Ya its a ridiculous turnaround Higgins has to be put back on Dessie Dolan

Exactly, Higgins won't work at half forward under the new rules...shocking the amount we're leaking every game

Drake on for Keane n Boyle goes back in full backline I dunno thought Boyle had shown corner back doesn't suit him

Nobody wants to defend in half back line only Boyle. The black card rule is suiting forwards and our full back line is under enough pressure because of this. we will win but nothing to be getting excited about

km79 wrote: »

Traffic mental so said I'd post my thoughts !
Hennelly is a massive worry now . Every high ball is panic stations. It can't have been missed by managers and he will continue to me targetted in the summer.
Harrison is a good addition but it's time to get Higgins back in his best position.
Half back line is best in the county. Keegan is a joy to watch.
Not fully sure of gibbons is up to championship level but a decent cover option.
Forward wise it's time to forget about Varley and Conroy ! What do they offer ? How many more chances will they get.
If we need a score to win an all ireland I would not like to see either coming on.
Conroy can not seem to go for a ball without sliding to the ground. Cost us the 3rd goal.
And Varley is generally anonymous.
There are other options now who deserve a chance more than them .
The 2 gallaghers , Sweeney, Tom King , Evan Regan are all pushing for a squad place ahead of them. Or should be ......

Yeah I'm still in the dunnes car park, have moved about 2 car lengths so far...