Mayo GAA Discussion

You can't play all attacking half backs though. You need a player or 2 who will sit and cover the full back line. Tadhg Morley is one of the first names on the Kerry team, yet you don't see him bombing up the field. Cian O'Sullivan played a similar role with Dublin for years.

I think Stephen Coen gives a lot to the team. He's great at competing for kickouts and breaking ball. Unlike a lot of our backs, his first thought is kick passing the ball. Also, despite all the stick he gets, his scoring return is decent - especially in big games.

Personally I don't see this Loftus experiment working long term. SC at 6 with Paddy Durcan and EMcL either side is still our strongest HB line.

Fair enough. Good points.

I think Coen does a lot of unseen work and covering off the ball. His positioning is always very good, passing very strong too. Scores the odd one but is rarely into the opposition 65 at the same time. He's very strong and a good tackler, rarely gets dispossessed himself.

Hugely underrated, probably precisely because he doesn't score very often and does a lot of the less spectacular work.

I have to disagree on your last point.

I think Cillian understood if we held the ball for 30 seconds, the game was over. He passed it off to Eoghan and then was looking for it back off him - he looked very frustrated to see him shooting.

I was there live and haven't watched it back, but from memory, a few Mayo lads had broken forward, and I'd be pretty confident that they could have passed it around for 30 seconds then worked a handy chip over score. If they did, it's game over.

Ah come on, he has plenty of end product. In the championship last year he got a point vs Galway, a point vs Monaghan and 2 points vs Kildare. That's aside from all the frees he wins by running from deep.

He has made 2 sub appearances so far this year. No need to panic yet about his scoring return.

Not sure what you think Dublin, Kerry or Tyrone would have done in that situation. Yes the keeper was outfield, but plenty Armagh defenders were back covering. The correct move was to hold possession IMO and try wind down the clock for 30 seconds.

I dunno, sounds like a very good argument but I just don't see it! As someone else said if another talented half back comes along, might happen next year with Sean Morahan, you could see him on the bench. Mayo's peak half backline was Keegan Boyle Vaughan. They're all really attacking players.

Coen's passing is fine but it's not like he's John Daly with the foot passing. He doesn't get turned over because he takes absolutely no risks. He actually makes great runs in attacking positions but it all just looks like he's trying to take his man out of the game rather than score/create a goal. Anyway, the managers love him so they obviously see something I don't.

New jerseys

No pushed on the red. The keepers one is awful though.

My brother has a ticket for Saturday for sale.

Face value, 18 bucks if anyone wants it.

Just walk up, no ticket needed

I expect Kerry to be at much fuller strength than their first 2 games. SO'S to play and D Clifford to be brought on for a good run out would be my thinking.

I think they'll have targeted this as the real start to 2023 for them.

i really think we are in for an eye opener. As you say SOS and DC will be on, and they will run riot against our inexperience. Would be great is KMCStay has a plan, but i think mayo are a shadow of their former selves, and Kerry are back to themselves. League final last year is the sort of margins im expecting

Anybody hear anything about Tommy Conroy lately? Had heard he had a setback/wasn't going too well, but have no idea how true it is.

He played last night in a game against the U20s. Scored a couple of goals, recovery seems to be going perfectly. Thank god!

I hear where you are coming from, but I'll add a little glimmer of hope.

I think the defense has hardened up a bit this year, and the influence of Buckley can been seen all around the field in the tackling.

So even though I think Kerry will win, it won't be as one-sided I hope.