Mayo GAA Discussion

blowitupref

On RTE a few moments ago the Mayo PRO has said that he expects Keegan,Mullin to play for Mayo next year so more BS from that Con Telegraph?

PressRun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119894768#Comment_119894768

Mullin hasn't been played in a position that would allow him to show what he's really capable of imo. I'd play him midfield and see how he gets on. He's not a natural defender. Last year was brutal for him for injury.

muddle84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119895136#Comment_119895136

Agreed, he shouldnt be played in full back! I woukd say the same about keegan too!!!

flasher0030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119894768#Comment_119894768

That's some comment about Oisin Mullin. He joined the senior set-up in 2020. Was young player of the year for the WHOLE country for 2020 and 2021. Won an All-Star in 2020, poutting him the best in the country at senior level in hi position.

And you're saying he hasn't really imposed himself on games.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896389#Comment_119896389

No, I dont think he has - not with any consistency, even within games.

Maybe it's down to injuries, or uncomfortable in the position he was played, but I don't think he has been the dominant player many hoped/expected he would be.

Obviously it's still very early in his intercounty career (or maybe it's already over).

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119894463#Comment_119894463

This is so true about Keegan. He will never down tools over any coach. He doesn't need to as he has full belief in everything he does. He never looks for excuses and has said many times that we were not good enough to win in finals lacking that few percent. All the time we stuck him on the key players against teams and he does this to the absolute limit...brilliant, unselfish play, a unassuming leader.He must be an absolute pleasure to manage for any manager or should I say he can manage himself.

km79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896441#Comment_119896441

As much as we don’t want to hear it this is the truth.

It is most likely as he has been played out of position however …….

PressRun

It's definitely due to being played out of position imo.

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119897236#Comment_119897236

I think we were putting him in problem areas for the team. Cant blame him for wanting to go and taste life over in OZ as a professional footballer. We have replacements for him in defense, but this is not our problem area so if we lost ROD, the impact would be greater on the team as we lack quality forwards.

Hope Keegan waits as he still has a place but maybe it's his time to move on and we start to trust in new guys. The same with AOS as we need to move on and find new replacements. Croke Park at latter end of championship will not be kind to guys like this.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119902932#Comment_119902932

When players hit 30+ they have a limited timespan left. In Mayo's case where reconstruction of a team.is required you ate probably better off bringing in younger players. OM is a much more serious loss than LK, as his race is more or less run. He may fill a gap( have something to offer) for a year or two, but you have to replace him then. There is 2-3 other players similar to that on the Mayo team.

TBF Dublin is making that mistake. The bringing back of Cafferty and Mannion is only showing there dearth in younger talent. Even if they win in 2023 where will that leave them. The return of JC & PM has only probably encouraged 3-4 older Dublin players to give it another year

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119902932#Comment_119902932

defense, but this is not our problem area.

I would not agree with this.

I think defense is our biggest problem area.

V Kerry in the QF our back 6 was

Keegan, Mullins, Hession

Durcan, Coen, McLaughlin.

Even though they are essentially being played out of position, who would you fill the full back line with without Keegan or Mullin ?

O'Hora is a fine athlete, and imposing, but he's not a pure defender.

Brickenden has been tried a FB but I do think the jury is still out on him (note I have not seen his games for Westport this club season).

We have not had a proper FB since Ger Cafferkey.

Who is there to fill two places in the FB line ?

MacDanger

McBrien will hopefully mature into one of the FB line positions

I'd like to see Adam Naughton get a look with the county also although I'm not sure he's really a man for the FB line

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119905433#Comment_119905433

When I think of Keegan going, it is the loss of more than just playing football. It is a loss of our best player over quite a substantial number of years who has been nothing short of absolute outstanding. I think that loss is significant from a team who depended on him... loss of an era. He was really our true leader on the pitch over the last 10 odd years, but he never captained the team, which for me as a supporter is disappointing even if I hear he never wanted to go there.

Tbh with Mullen, there are rumours he is going, he is staying, then going, contract signed and all that kind of rubbish, that make you go... i have enough of this muck.

I agree with you on the Dublin situation especially since the guys disappeared for a fair period.

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119906435#Comment_119906435

I would think we have not had a proper full back since Kevin Cahill and that's going back a while....Ger Caff was a nice footballer.... We have more options defensively with O'Hora, Brickenden, Plunkett, O ' Brien and I am not sure who else has been sitting on the development squad over the last year or two. We will have to trust these guys if Keegan retires and Mullen goes. I have questions over Coen in CB as well and maybe it is time to look at the likes of DOC to provide that attacking CB role as his scoring rate has declined.

I think this is more solvable than the forwards as we clearly lack forwards who can score. Outside of a returning Conroy(assume he gets back to a decent level), ROD (returns with the bite and stays on frees), improved Carney and COC back to chip in, I am not sure who is going to win scores for us. It is harder to get forwards than defenders and Mayo always seem to find quality defenders. In todays game now, forwards track and fill the space when teams attack so are expected to help defensivly. We lack forwards who can score imo.

PARlance

Do they even make proper full backs anymore? Half joking / half not.

I think the way the game has gone, be it sweeper systems, packed defences or lateral passing... The joy of seeing a good FB/FF battle is almost non existent.

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119909916#Comment_119909916

You are right for most of the time until a team plays the full forward in front of goal and starts landing ball in. This is when you need that full back and/or drop in your sweeper. It is a more collective approach to defending now but to get scoring forwards is a problem imo.

crusier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119909916#Comment_119909916

If there's one place on the field you need someone of quality and a cool head it's at full back. Mayo have great halfbacks but try to play them in positions from 2 to 15. Management need to develop players in the correct positions. Mayo tend to play their best 15 players but not their best teams imo.

PressRun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119909568#Comment_119909568

Agreed fully on Keegan and Mullin. Seems like there has been and continues to be tremendous messing around Mullin situation. Wouldn't know what to make of it. On Keegan - he's a leader and the level of consistency in his attitude and performances hasn't really been matched by anyone else. A pleasure to manage and work with by all accounts. He's the best player Mayo have ever had and it would be a huge loss givsn he still has plenty to offer.

blowitupref

Mullin confirmed gone.

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/1250455/mullin-to-join-the-cats-for-2023

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918451#Comment_119918451

We saw the same 12 months ago and it never materalised.

Not saying it won't happen, but I'll only believe it when he is there and signed.

PARlance

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918521#Comment_119918521

I'd be fairly sure he has signed given that Mayo GAA have also confirmed it.

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918541#Comment_119918541

And training starts next week and he's said to be on his way over already.

Carol25

Should I the GAA start paying to level GAA players and management? It seems unfair that the top teams are still all ‘amateur’ in name, and might help retain top talent. Mayo could buy a few forwards in the transfer windows :-)

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918541#Comment_119918541

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918654#Comment_119918654

Yea I see that now in this mornings news

km79

Best of luck to him

MacDanger

Yeah, good luck in Australia Oisin, a big loss for Mayo but a no brainer for a young fella

muddle84

Good luck to him! We were lucky to have him as long as we did! Is this as big a loss as Pierce?

spakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918983#Comment_119918983

I don't think so because Pierce was a quality forward, which we're always lacking in, more than defenders.

Also, with Pierce we probably would have won at least one AI from 2012-2017.

Not sure we'll be close enough for Oisín to be the difference in next few years.

Audioslaven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919217#Comment_119919217

I would agree with you. I don't see the loss as significant as other posters. He is injury prone as well for such a young guy but he is right to go if that is what he wants... best of luck to him. I am happy there is an end to this. Fair play to Keegan for coming out and stopping the circus but this is typical of everything he does.

Regarding PH, he really did look the real deal for the year he was in. In regards to forwards, it really is a strange one that we struggle to get quality forwards. Our biggest issue is the consistent deliver of performance from our forwards.... one day they play well, the next day totally out of the game - Carr/Boland are good examples... tonnes of potential in the guys. It also begs the question around coaching at underage level in the scoring aspect but it is not easy to find replacements for COC/KML who have been really consistent over a long period of time.

Compo82

Best of luck to him and I hope he does well from his personal point of view, but however I don't think he will make it over there. He's 22 having never played the sport, it's a bit late starting out, usually the lads that go are about 3-4 years younger than him. I think he will be back with Mayo in a year or two.