Mayo GAA Discussion

Seems to be a very muted reaction to the win, which is no bad thing either. It's good to win and still have improvements to be worked on.

Reape was excellent yesterday, if there was the slightest bit of doubt about the number 1 position, it's gone now. I still think (the speed of) his kick-outs are an area for improvement, a minor thing really and he'll get better the more he has to cope with a frenzied high press... He didn't get that yesterday with Galway's defensive tactics.

McBrien kept the DSP completely under wrap for much of the first half. Any word on why he had to come of? DSP started to get on the ball a bit more later in the first half, wouldn't be surprised if it was after an injury to McBrien.

Callinan and Coyne were very good. Callinan is a serious player for his age. I was fairly wrong about him initially, after his first few appearances this year I didn't think he was at the level required but he has had a great league.

Defensively we were excellent when our defence was "set". Some unreal pressure, discipline and great tackleling. However I'd have serious concerns about open play. Against a better team yesterday, we could have easily been carved open. Loftus at 6 is something I think will come back to bite us in a big game. We're just too easy to run through in open play.

Ruane was and has been worryingly average this league campaign. He needs to step it up big time.

It's great to not have to be lamenting about forwards. They seem to be gelling well and if Conroy can come in at full tilt in a few weeks, it'll be a massive boost. If Cillian can get to the stage where we have him for 20 mins to close out games, we'll be in a great position.

I would expect McDonagh to lose out once we're at full strength. I go too negative on his clubmate at times but McLaughlin (and management) need to figure out a way to play to his strengths. He shouldn't be doing any long range passing, it'll cost us in a big game. Run hard and pass simple should be the mantra.

Diarmuid was quietly phenomenal again, I think he's the best player in the country as it stands. Was delighted to see Paddy Durcan at the end, a great person and player.

Bring on the Rossies

What’s dsp

just to hone in on what would happen against a better team.

Yesterday we dismantled the 2nd best team in the country right now. there is no one better. Bask in the glory, and stop pondering the what ifs.

For context. mayo arent the finished article in April. Neither are kerry. Kerrys weaknesses are far greater than ours, and the aim is to keep it that way as the championship progresses. there is nothing to suggest they will overcome their issues sooner than we will, and vice versa. Take solace in the fact that mayo are the least flawed team in Ireland as of today.

The likes of the Cooke chance, the Maher one etc. were one's any keeper should be saving. Still had to be saved, but the only time they really cut us open was the Heaney one. Sometimes we talk about goal chances like you are not allowed have a good goalkeeper.

Was talking to a lad about McDonagh this morning, did he do a lot of defending? Kelly has no interest in full back, he was more like a half forward and I think McDonagh was picking him up a lot of the time

Eoghan McLaughlin is really not a fella who can afford to miss a lot of football, his ball skills are poor at the best of times but when hes rusty they go out the window completely

Yeah I've been critical of McDonagh, but I thought he was very good yesterday. A lot of the time, he was playing sweeper, or blocking the space in front of full back line, whatever you want to call it.

Actually saw a Galway player eyeing up the pass inside, but saw McDonagh and had to pass backwards instead. I'd say his role is the unglamorous hard work.

He does a massive shift of the dirty work every week but has been right on the verge of the glamorous stuff a couple of times this year too. Games where he could have had 1-2 or 1-3 more on the scoreboard with a tiny bit more composure or touch more luck on the day. Very fine margins. Looking forward to the game where it finally falls in place for him. He's earned it.

Hopefully someone on the coaching team working on the final execution with Fionn and Eoghan in particular. If we can get those two with their powerful direct running getting on the end of the finish or providing that killer final ball for others it could make a real difference to the year.

No point O’Shea playing 14 in April Mcstay knows this. In the big semi final or whatever. If O’Shea waits inside. He only only needs a few good balls to cause wreck.

At the game & watched it back on TV but I'd very much doubt the 'knowing more' end of things.

He played a deeper role than most of his games this year alright. Galway don't leave much space to kick it inside (the first 15 minutes you can see how many times Durcan, Flynn or DOC were looking for space inside and having to recycle instead, despite a lot of movement inside which was being well tracked - Ironically enough Aido himself probably the only one executing good kicks early in the game as he found Ryan with a couple of lovely kicks to put him in behind or earn a mark or two despite the heavy pressure) so I'd imagine the goal was leaving him in and around 11 or midfield at others was aiming to get him more ball and influence the game while leaving more space inside for Carr and ROD to try and exploit. He did his end of things there incredibly well, sadly Galway defence did a solid job on stopping goal chances for the other lads (Carr with the one big chance rattling Gleeson's dome with his left in the second half).

He was a magnet for free kicks as they were completely unable to stop him legally (and the issues they've made of complaining about the refs performance seems to have brought a highlight on their questionable tackling techniques that could go on to bite them later in the year as other refs will be more inclined to notice it given Cawley correctly did), laid off some lovely passes the odd time he wasn't fouled and did a fantastic job on the press or defensively all game.

Wasn't quite at the level that Reape and Coyne hit for MOTM kind of thing but that was mostly a question of how often we were able to feed him where he barely put a foot wrong the whole game.

I think it can actually be distilled down to 1 win in a knockout game 21+ years

They beat Kerry in the opening group stages QF in 2018, but that was not a knockout game.

They beat Armagh on penalties in 2022, but technically that was a draw.

So their only win in that sort of environment was the SF win v Derry in 2022.

Hard to argue with that but Galway football has been largely in the doldrums between '01 up until PJ took over. There was a period there, apart from an occasional sporadic flicker, when a few seasons went by when they didn't play there at all. Simple fact of the matter is if you're good enough up there, you will win.

But c'mon, Mayo calling *our* record in CP 'interesting' for the past 20 years...????!!!!

Probably a similar enough team for next Sunday. If I was McStay I'd drop Ruane, theres only so long he can keep underperforming, a kick up the hole might do him no harm. Flynn/Carney to the middle and McHale in the half forward line

Ruane was close to man of the match vs Donegal and Carney was no better than him yesterday. With all due respect, McHale has done nothing to warrant a start.

That's simply not true. The standout forward for the past 3 years has been O'Donoghue.

You could also make an argument for Conroy as he was nominated for two All-Stars in that time.

McHale has never performed close to those levels at county level irrespective of what he has done for his club.

Not a scoring thing for me re Ruane. He's loose in possession, runs into traffic far too often and is too easily turned over for a man of his size and athleticism. I don't think he imposes himself on games enough anymore. Maybe it's a form thing or maybe most teams have his number now, I don't know.