Mayo GAA Discussion

There are so many things wrong with this post.

Mayo didn't bottle it in 2021, you just over-rated them before the final. Just because Tyrone weren't a generational team it doesn't mean that they weren't as good as Mayo. It was a 50/50 game. Tyrone performed better on the day, Morgan gave a masterclass in modern goal-keeping, and ROD missed a peno at a crucial time (not to mention Loftus' and O'Shea's first half goal chances).

Your point about Mayo players not getting special attention should they lose a final (whatever that has to do with them actually winning one, I don't know), could easily be argued against by saying no county team players get more special attention when they lose a final. "Higgins has now lost this many, Brady cannot do it on the big day, goalkeeper this, forwards that". You don't think that the Mayo team of 2011 to 2017 wasn't challenging each other? Jesus, Dara O'Se called the 2017 team one of the all time greatest teams. That any team that gets to an AI final doesn't have the drive? You're just ranting.

"We are spending good money supporting those guys... we need to let them know when they've let us down". This is the most outrageous part of this post. No you don't! As if the men's senior team owe you something because you pay into the games they play in! Unless you are a family member or close friend of someone in the squad, they couldn't give two hoots about you and nor should they. They play for themselves and each other. If you don't like the outcome, don't go.

In the 2017 AIF Mayo played as well as I have ever seen a Mayo team play. A generational team beat them by a point because they also performed very well on the day and had depth from the bench that we didn't.

We didn't play consistently well in any game in 2021 - the fact we beat the Dubs overshadowed that somewhat.

What's most galling is that Tyrone didn't need to play that well to win that final - when you compare it to 2017 when we were immense and still lost, its sickening.

I didnt believe McStay was the answer, still hope I'm wrong but doubt it. After 12 months its still not clear what way he wants the team to play. nominally I suppose in theory its a "quarterback" type 6 who can land fast ball into a mobile full forward line. But that isnt working at all, instead we have a team that goes over and back and a 6 that cant really defend. I think we would have all dealt with last year being disappointing if we could see a structure and thought we might need a few more pieces of the personnel puzzle fixed and could drive on from there but I dont think were any further along in 12 months which means some of our older top players have another year under the belt with nothing gained, and our younger lads haven't really progressed on learning a system of sorts.

Others have said that we seem to be trying to play some sort of Rochford model that he used in Donegal, which was terrible and got them nowhere.

What are we at would be the main question I would have on Mayo

Ya, there's a lot of negativity; but I am very optimistic from McStay's first year. People forget very quickly, but Mayo looked down and out in the previous year. Most players didn't look like they had any desire. And there was a raft of retirements of the older stock. There were comments before last year that Mayo football was gone, and it would take many years to build again. Instead, a couple of months later, they won the league, and played some beautiful football. And got to the quarter final of the championship where they were beaten by the eventual winners. But all that sticks in peoples minds is a bad second half against Dublin, and that Aidan O'Shea shouldn't have taken a free at the end of one of the Cork match. But overall it was a promising enough year in terms of developing new players, and as TsuDhoNimh, there should be many more coming through from successful underage teams (that is of course if they have the desire and committment for intercounty football).

I’ll be happy if we win Connacht tbh

No real expectations for this year! Last year started good and ended weak. The good start was always tempered with a lot of caution for me, as we were clearly ahead on training. Going into 2024 with that same feeling of caution, will we see another year of failed attempts to be solid defensively.

On one hand I get it, he's hardly going to launch the season saying 'we're sh1te and have no hope'.

Part of me thinks McStay is no fool and must know how far we were off last year. And yet they rolled from game to game in bad form and very little seemed to have been done to correct what went wrong the previous time out. There seems to be no solution to the meltdowns that happened going back to Horans last days. The whole thing seems to be based on crossing fingers and hoping we have one of those days when everything clicks, on the right day.

I try not to be too negative and cant wait for it all to kick off, fingers crossed he's got something up his sleeve.

Mayo were a total write off with injuries in 22,they won the league in 23 but went off the boil later in the championship, had injuries and couldnt replace the two best and most influential backs leaving in Leeroy and Mullin.

If Mayo can stay injury free they will be there or thereabouts.

Reape/Hennelly

Sam Callinan David McBrien Enda Hession

Paddy Durcan Stephen Coen Eoghan McLaughlin

Matty Ruane Diarmuid O Connor

Jack Carney Jordan Flynn Ryan O Donoghue

Aidan O Shea Cillian O Connor Tommy Conroy

Subs

Reape/Hennelly

Jack Coyne

Padraig O Hora

Bob Touhy

Donnacha Mchugh

Conor Loftus

Darren McHale

Paul Towey

James Carr

That team can beat any team in Ireland on their day,a bit of consistency and you never know what could happen.

Don't see why you think he has lost the plot. It's factually correct that we were in 5 national finals in that time. We have been operating at a certain standard even if we are struggling against the big 2. He will be well aware of the disappointing performances as well. Noting wrong with starting the year with a positive message.

I agree. Ideally both should be strong bench options at this stage.

Yes a connacht title and significant progression of younger players in year 2 of the McStay term should be the minimum goal this year.

I don't think winning connacht and giving a run out to young players is mutually exclusive. I don't think a lot was achieved in player development last year by going the less direct route. It may not be what it was but connacht is still a direct knockout competition and winning a first connacht medal would surely mean a lot more to a young player than any fbd.

Interesting selection.

As you mentioned, injuries will be key. If we can keep the likes of McBrien, Hession, Durcan and O'Conner fully fit (all have had numerous niggles/serious injuries in recent years hampering them) it'd be a huge boost.

Throw in defensive options with Coyne/Brickenden (hopefully can take another step up from his fine performances last year pre injury)/O'Donoghue (assuming he can get back to form after his travels)/McHugh/POH (Coyne and McHugh would be very close to my starting 15 but with horses for courses depending on what we're up against and how lads are showing in training) and gives us lots of interesting options back there. Any of Callinan/McBrien/Hession/Durcan can fill that 6 role they were trying last year bringing pace and 1v1 defensive strength we lacked a bit last year (outside of the Kerry game where Sam played the role) so wouldn't be worried if we end up sticking with the same +1 setup at the back.

For all the giving out done around our midfield last year it's starting to look pretty solid on paper now around that middle third.

Tuohy has been fantastic for Mitchell's this year, that beaut of a left foot carried them through a few games. Starting to look and carry himself more and more like a young Aido. Carney similarly for Kilmeena carried them through a few games. He's starting to look like the leader and driving force we all hoped he might become. Hopefully a huge year ahead of him where he can take another step or two forward.

We all know what O'Conner, Flynn and Ruane can bring to the table, so fingers crossed they can get near their best again (hopefully the new psychologist can hit the right note with Matty and get him back to full confidence. Frequent hassles from the sideline can't be helping there, too often we seem to forget the 'support' part of supporters). McHugh has played some great games around the middle for Castlebar too, so a new option to add to the mix there, along with young Conor Reid (blew me away in the Crossmolina game this year. Coming off the bench, half injured, to completely dominate midfield and swing the game) showing decently well in some recent hammerings in Sigerson/challenge game (hard to judge an individual while the team is getting hammered, so caveats around those showings).

Up top, I've been crying out for Evan to be back in the panel for years so delighted to see him involved. Fingers crossed it's more than just making up training numbers and he's actively involved throughout the year. Has turned into a devilishly clever and dangerous forward, worthy of a spot on any panel in the country, IMHO. Start him or bring him off the bench and he'll score/earn scores.

RO'D, Conroy, O'Shea, CO'C, Regan, (K)Quinn, McHale, Carr & Towey is a lot of potential fire power, though potentially a little short on pace outside of Tommy and James. Young Darragh Reilly looked a ball of pace and energy in the challenge game so might be a nice addition to the mix. We're likely only going to see a maximum of 3 of these 'attacking' lads out at any given time (including O'Shea in that. He got breached too often last year defensively. I'd be very worried continuing to bring him back on the press.... tough thing to say given he was so great at turnovers with those long paws even in recent years... and just lock him on the edge of the opposition square making it a 13/13 game when using him) given we'd have a few of the grafters like Carney/Flynn/O'Conner/Tuohy pushed into the HF line too.

No big gaps in the panel and plenty of options all over. As with every team in the country we need our big players to perform if we're going to match the Dublin/Kerry/Galway/Derry (and potentially /Donegal depending how well Jimmy's new setup ends up working when others catch their fitness levels. We won't know for sure until May/June). We're more fortunate than most in the potential game winners and if we keep the key lads fit in with a decent shout of challenging anybody in the country on our day.

With the very young panel and quality of younger lads yet to come through for the next 6 or 7 years I'd consider this the low point for the next decade rather than the 'make or break' some make it out to be. I wouldn't expect us to win it this year.... but I wouldn't be shocked if we did either. Neither Kerry or Dublin are anywhere close to the best teams of the last 20 years. It's wide open again for anyone that can get their setup and their heads right for the year.