Mayo GAA Discussion

Good team but the 6 forwards apart from COC are very lightweight.

Even at that, Ryan O'Donoghue might not be that tall, but would you really say he is lightweight? He seems to be well able to handle himself from what i've seen of him!

The game has moved on a bit from packing teams with big lumps of lads.

The one thing we don't really have to worry about is the strength and conditioning. We've been up there with the best of them for some time now in that regard.

An interesting selection which I pretty much think could deliver Connaught and maybe get to AI final. Personally I would not pick Hennelly, time to move on to alternatives. Another thought is that I do not see COC \ ROD both in the team for me its one or the other. I think COC's absence allowed ROD to shine last year, COC has the experience while ROD has youth. Finally Knockmore have won last 2 County titles so would expect them to have more representation, maybe Reape should be considered for goal

You think we shouldn't play both ROD and COC!? Well, I thought you were a WUM previously, now I don't know what to think. Are you afraid we might have too much of a scoring threat or something?

It's a conundrum alright. We need to really freshen things up in the squad.

How about COC and ROD in the full forward line and go back to playing a sweeper, maybe King from Knockmore? Put Tommy C, Darren mc Hale and Fergal B in the half forward line.

Why would you limit it to Europe?

Africa surely could find 6 fellas to mark any forward line😂😂

Messing aside, is Aiden an impact sub now? When you look at the players in contention across the field. Its a very mobile panel bar Cillian, but he has a very specific role!

What you actually said is that players would wear the wrong studs and snap ligaments.

What Maher is saying is that the pitch is hard and no elements make it a faster game meaning longer recovery as the body is more fatigued.

Interesting part here for me is looking at potential alternatives...

1. Colm Reape*1
2. Eoin O'Donoghue
3. Niall McManamon
4. Sam Callinan*2
5. Ciaran King
6. Caolan Crowe*3
7. Enda Hession*4
8. Aidan O'Shea
9. Jason Gibbons*5
10. Kevin McLaughlin
11. Fergal Boland
12. Connell Dempsey
13. Frank Irwin
14. Darren McHale
15. Evan Regan

1. Luke Jennings pushing hard and one of the players I'm most excited about watching this year. Genuine 3 horse race for the #1 jersey in the next couple of years... or potentially this year.
2. Sam was the (one of very few - McHugh did great too and Irwin worked hard without ever shining) highlight of the Galway game. Reminded me of watching a young (though much older than Sam is now) Keegan togging out for his debut in a challenge game back in the day. Huge potential there and his consistency throughout the league showed maturity beyond his years. Technically should probably be left in the U20s to develop this year... hat tip to Enda McGearty pushing the players best interests on that one... though given the holes he can fill at senior and that pace he brings I'd understand the urge of him being brought right in.
3. Caolan right up there for club player of the year this year (Ciaran King possibly pipped him, just) in my books. Utterly outstanding in some of those games. The way the Breaffy game swung when he was moved off Aido onto Connor, and swung back again when they reverted the switch, about the biggest compliment a defensive defender not making rampaging runs forward can receive. He seems to delete his opponents. If we're picking a stopper to allow the likes of Paddy/Eoin/Enda/Oisin/Lee to get forward Caolan is the form player in that role in the county. By a country mile. Has matured into a fantastic player later in his career, P'OH style, hopefully the age doesn't needlessly rule him out.
4. Fingers crossed Enda is our ace in the pack. So hard to combat pace like that and when it comes with a tigerish determination and natural skillset it becomes a huge threat for opposition teams. Dublin really struggled with him in particular this year. Has covered everything from 2 to 15 for club from man marking threats to scoring the goals himself and I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up doing similar for Mayo too. The ultimate problem solver. Imagine in time the biggest issue we'll hit with Enda is like Lee and Aido in their prime with debates where/how best to use him.
5. Going on club league form, Jason was the outstanding midfielder in the county at senior. I'd be hoping to see Padraic Prendergast get a few minutes during the league at some point given his club league form, he looked dominant at intermediate (until the injuries gutted them against Ballyhaunis) comparatively to Flynn and Loftus for Crossmolina, but given he didn't get a look in the FBD that's probably unlikely. Was probably our most problematic line last year with a lack of depth if/when injuries hit (or the lads were off their game - both Aido and Conor hit some poor patches in big games) but with options there between Ruane, Aido, DO'C, Mullen, Dempsey, Loftus, Flynn, McDonagh and some of the younger lads pushing through as options (Hession, Irwin x2, Henry, Carney) hopefully won't cause us any big problems this year or going forward.

That said...

Conor Diskin (Claremorris), Luke Doherty, Conor McStay, Ciaran Treacey, Dylan Thornton, Jack Irwin (Ballina), Liam Og Horkan, Cathal Slattery (Garrymore), Paddy Heneghan, James Durcan, Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar), Thomas Fahy (Kilmaine), Conor Flynn (Knockmore), Ruairi Keane, Ethan Henry (Mayo Gales), Jack Carney (Kilmeena), Padraic Prendergast, Padraic O'Malley (Louisburgh), Paul Towey, Matty Lenehan (Charlestown), James Kelly (Belmullet), Conor Loftus, Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina), Mark Moran (I'm assuming he was carrying an injury in the league - looked well off his normal level so caveat on this one assuming he's back to full fitness), Rory Brickenden (Westport), Darren Coen (Hollymount/C), Seamus Cunniffe, Sharoize Akram (Ballaghaderren), Bryan Walsh, Michael Plunkett [as a forward, where he actually played well all league, not a defender] (Ballintubber) all pushing hard for inclusion on their form this year and I could easily have chosen ahead of what I did.

Probably missing 20 other names too that put in incredible performances too given I almost forgot the two lads from Garrymore who were fantastic this year. Lots of names there still in their early 20s and bags of potential left... so lots of things to look forward to. Fingers crossed we see a few more break through in the next few months. Along with some of the younger lads like Ja Mullen starting to push.

@TsuDhoNimh Luke Jennings isn't even in the panel which is unbelievable given what I've heard about who hes playing in Sigerson.

Theres a lot of hype around Sam Callinan, I'd like to see him have a couple of seasons behind hime before hes considered for the county team.

On Crowe and Gibbons, both had excellent years but unlikely both are going to be coming back in at this stage. Shane McHale was the best player in Mayo this year, outstanding, Seamus O'Shea in his prime but not going top be brought back in either.

Don't think Evan Regan is coming back, Justin Healy might be a better call.

I think Darren McHale has proved himself to be worth a starting spot on any Mayo team. Dempsey is apparently pulling up trees with UL. King is unlikely to be a Horan type player, if Rochford ever comes back (I'd hope he does) then I think the defence is built around King

Civil war in Breaffy?

You know who not happy with how Daddy is being treated.

That's pretty much all I know, he's rumoured to have left the WhatsApp group and wished them all the best for 2022.

Daddy was the subject of an attempted shafting but remains.