2019 All Ireland Senior Football Championship *Mod note: Post #1*

Tomás this morning talking about how Kerry weren't really tested in defence last week (true) and despite all the talk after the game about it being a second coming, that Donegal would naturally be a different proposition.

Now, it's not the most in-depth analysis, but he's bang on the money. I was wondering how people seemed to forget their performance v Cork because of last week.

Does anyone remember what Tomás said on TSG last week as I didn't watch it? Would it marry with his statement this morning or is it a Damascene U-turn as the game gets closer?

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

No one in the media has been "bigging up" Mayo got years now.

Since the ousting of H+C and the loss to Galway in 2016 the national media have been declaring them finished.

They were underdogs v Tyrone in 2016
Dublin were expected to walk to 2016 final
They were underdogs v Kerry in 2017
Kerry were expected to "learn more" from the first game and win the 2017 replay
Dublin were expected to walk the 2017 final.
Sean Kavanagh said they would not make the last 8 in 2018.
Brolly said they were finished after the Roscommon game this year.
He said they were finished last Sunday
If they get out of the group and face Dublin he'll probably say it before then too.

Mayo have been finished since they lost the lead late in the 2014 SF first game.

To be fair everyone is underdogs against the Dubs the past few years so I wouldn't really put that down as them being underrated or not being made out to be AI contenders. Cavanagh although he was proven right I think his comments came from a slightly spiteful place initially given how his 2016 ended against Mayo with a sending off.

Brolly is one man, not the entire media this year, if you looked at the article I linked you'd see RTE, who were the only place I remember seeing a proper ranking system like this done this year, have Mayo 4th, above Tyrone, Galway and Roscommon even after Roscommon had beaten them and Galway had gotten to a connacht final and Tyrone being last years AI finalists. If that isn't making them out to be AI contenders by ranking them 4th in the country then what is.

I understand I said brolly isn't the media, and rte isnt the entire media either but at the end of the day noone has come out and called a spade a spade other than Brolly and we all know that Mayo have been referred to in much the same bracket as Kerry, Donegal, Tyrone all year after a successful league campaign when realistically they're at least a step below them and 2 below Dublin if we were to tier things.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

No one in the media has been "bigging up" Mayo got years now.

Since the ousting of H+C and the loss to Galway in 2016 the national media have been declaring them finished.

They were underdogs v Tyrone in 2016
Dublin were expected to walk to 2016 final
They were underdogs v Kerry in 2017
Kerry were expected to "learn more" from the first game and win the 2017 replay
Dublin were expected to walk the 2017 final.
Sean Kavanagh said they would not make the last 8 in 2018.
Brolly said they were finished after the Roscommon game this year.
He said they were finished last Sunday
If they get out of the group and face Dublin he'll probably say it before then too.

Mayo have been finished since they lost the lead late in the 2014 SF first game.

Was it after the 2016 final when all the combined panellist's were asked on the Sunday Game could Mayo come back the following year and everyone of them said No! Not asked could they win the All Ireland next year but could they come back to the level of that days final which they had just lost by a point! Thought it was a ridiculous bit if analysis at the time and subsequently shown to be.

Here's my tuppence worth:

I think Donegal have been in cruise control so far. Won division II in third gear, and much weakened team for the game against Tipp which had some pundits writing them off for the year - go on, check it out!


No one has laid a glove on them in Ulster, and despite Meath briefly edging ahead last week, it was disturbingly (for a Dub) reminiscent of how Dublin occasionally find themselves in such a position on the scoreboard, before giving themselves a shake for five minutes and putting it to bed.


As said above, and as I mentioned here at the time, thought evens was great price when it was put up for the Kerry game. 6/4 imho is one of the bets of the championship so far. Donegal by 4/5.

I would be very surprised if Mayo dont beat Meath by 8+ points. Croke Park suits Mayo and they always seem to trive playing up in it. Added to the fact Meath are the worst team left in competition by a long shot i just cant see it been a close game at all

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I am not sure about that Meath seem to be be slowly improving, I think Mayo are going the other way.
Plus I cannot get out of my head how poor Mayo were against Dublin in the league.
It was one of the worst team performances I have seen in Croke Park ever.
And Aidan O'Shea was that bad I had to check the programme to see if he was playing at all, a few times!

Mayo are a team capable of doing nothing in game - being extremely lazy closing down thier opponents and expecting things to 'just happen'.
If they do that against Meath (as I think they will) Meath will beat them.
It was a bit of a fluke/miracle to me that Mayo ended up winning the league.

Horan was training them hard in November/December
the Dubs started back in March/April
Roscommon didn't have a manager in November!

beggars_bush wrote: »

Horan was training them hard in November/December
the Dubs started back in March/April
Roscommon didn't have a manager in November!

The game was in late February, it is real indication to me of what Mayo are capable of - pure laziness and disinterest?
I don't know what the word is.
They did the same thing against Kerry in that first Super 8 game.

It is in the Mayo team's make up I think.
That is why I am glad I am not a Mayo supporter, I would be driven mad by them.

risteard7 wrote: »

Ah, has to be a wind up

Bookies have the handicap at 4, so its hardly that crazy a prediction.

Bonniedog wrote: »

Here's my tuppence worth:

I think Donegal have been in cruise control so far. Won division II in third gear, and much weakened team for the game against Tipp which had some pundits writing them off for the year - go on, check it out!


No one has laid a glove on them in Ulster, and despite Meath briefly edging ahead last week, it was disturbingly (for a Dub) reminiscent of how Dublin occasionally find themselves in such a position on the scoreboard, before giving themselves a shake for five minutes and putting it to bed.


As said above, and as I mentioned here at the time, thought evens was great price when it was put up for the Kerry game. 6/4 imho is one of the bets of the championship so far. Donegal by 4/5.

A large part of that cruise control Donegal had in Ulster was being in the happy position of being able to, bar Odhran McNiallis, to start their preferred first 15 pick.
Last Sunday against Meath they were missing Paddy McGrath, who along with his defending abilities, gives them an extra attacking threat. In both areas his absence was obvious imo and we do not yet know if he is fit to play Sunday

Against Kerry they will now be without Eoghan Ban Gallagher who like McGrath gives them that extra attacking option, but with his speed has left opposition teams up to this with a bit of Hobson`s Choice. Double mark his flying partner in the half-back line Ryan McHugh to stop him running at them, and they leave Gallagher free to do it anyway.
I feel that a lot of posters have overlooked what both McGrath and in particular Gallagher has contributed to Donegal`s progress this year and how vital both are to Donegal`s attacking system of play.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

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He said on TSG that the cynic in him does not think Kerry are as good as they were v Mayo and the truer test would be v Donegal

Thank you. Pretty much exactly what he said this morning. Danke.

charlie14 wrote: »

A large part of that cruise control Donegal had in Ulster was being in the happy position of being able to, bar Odhran McNiallis, to start their preferred first 15 pick.
Last Sunday against Meath they were missing Paddy McGrath, who along with his defending abilities, gives them an extra attacking threat. In both areas his absence was obvious imo and we do not yet know if he is fit to play Sunday

Against Kerry they will now be without Eoghan Ban Gallagher who like McGrath gives them that extra attacking option, but with his speed has left opposition teams up to this with a bit of Hobson`s Choice. Double mark his flying partner in the half-back line Ryan McHugh to stop him running at them, and they leave Gallagher free to do it anyway.
I feel that a lot of posters have overlooked what both McGrath and in particular Gallagher has contributed to Donegal`s progress this year and how vital both are to Donegal`s attacking system of play.

I accept that Gallagher will be a loss and will be interesting to see how Donegal compensate for that.


Still think Donegal will have the means to curb Kerry up front, and to honest, I don't think the Kerry defence is up to coping with Donegal, Dublin or Tyrone on a going day.

But, that's just an opinion and we will know more on Sunday.

White lighting wrote: »

I hope Meath do but i just cant see it tbh. Meath are improving and they are a very young side but lets call a spade a spade they are a poor team. They were brutal against Dublin who didnt come out of first gear only scoring 4 points. Clare should have beaten them and an under performing Donegal team still beat them by 9 points last weekend.

I would love to see Meath beat Mayo but as i have predicted i can see them been beaten by 8+ points this week

Yeah, but Mayo are no Dublin/Donegal I can't see a 8 plus points at all.
Meath did well in the first half against Dublin and gradually ran out of petrol and fight.
I suppose it depends on how Menton plays in midfield for Meath.
Meath by 3 is what I think it will be.

White lighting wrote: »

I dont hide the fact i dont have any time for Mayo. But you are miles of in claiming i am trying get people to say Mayo are finished thats bull. Mayo are on a downward curve but they are still miles better than Meath even with a few injuries.
What have Meath done to have people thinking they can beat Mayo. They struggled over Offaly and Clare and could have lost both. Had a good win over Carlow and Laois fair enough but were hammered by Dublin and Donegal FFS

You could more or less say what have Mayo done to have people thinking they can beat Meath? They lost to Roscommon, scraped by Down and Armagh and could have lost both, even got lucky against a poor Galway side where the difference was a goalkeeping error and then got hammered by Kerry?

liatroimabu wrote: »

You could more or less say what have Mayo done to have people thinking they can beat Meath? They lost to Roscommon, scraped by Down and Armagh and could have lost both, even got lucky against a poor Galway side where the difference was a goalkeeping error and then got hammered by Kerry?

They won the League, They lost to Roscommon a D1 side by a point in a game they missed numerous wides. They Beat Galway a D1 side. They beat Down and Armagh both sides are better than any team Meath beat. They were hammered against Kerry yes but as i have said already Mayo last few years have only started to hit form playing in Croker.


Time will tell anyway whos prediction is right or wrong