Mayo GAA Discussion

I'd say it's just different ways of describing the same thing.

I've seen many Mayo teams lose finals to teams with a lesser football ability, eg Tyrone in 21. I see your point about getting to the final not being "underachieving"

It's not playing to your potential on the big day that's the issue though, whether you'd describe that as underachieving or not is up to yourself.

When all is said and done we did not qualify as a result of what we did on Sunday v Donegal.We lost out because we did not give Cavan any respect in the opening game.Lee Keegan even said in the weekend papers that we did not give Cavan any respect,similar to the way we didnt give 'lesser' teams any respect back in his day.He said it wasn't done purposely but psychologically it was done! Of course Cavan targeted the Mayo game for a win and have done nothing since,losing by a cricket score to both Tyrone and Donegal and it will be more than likely a hammering for them again at the weekend v Kerry.Their fans are not travelling to games either,even home ones.As one lad put it :its harder to get off the Cavan team at the moment than to get on it!

The new rules were supposed to re invigorate the Mayo team (maybe it would have the team of Keegan et al back in the day…they had energy), but this management team has more or less totally ignored the 'new rules' which was very evident in the early part of the league until they copped on a little bit but when Championship came we reverted back to the ludicrous 'back and over' stuff which is now marked as the 'arc'….the Mayo players see it as a cow sees an electric fence and turn back when they reach it rather than take a shot on,so what if it goes wide…at least try.Donegal had many wides on Sunday but it didnt bother them.Mayos wide count has dried up unbelievably since the new rules came in…because they are not taking shots!! ( They got a 'bollocking' in training for taking on shots that were deemed not worth taking on!)

The local newspapers are full of 'new manager' stuff today….does that mean we will have a crowd of players 'un retiring' if a certain manager comes back again,again and again….or will the Co.Board go for broke and do something different…different to what some of them have been doing for the last 40 years?

It is notable that the Golden Goose has finally laid all the golden eggs …..crowds have been down unbelievably this season…even the crowd quoted for the packed Connacht Final was supposedly 'doctored' so that it had a few more than the sell out Connacht rugby match back in March v Munster.

With ticket sales now instant,Croke Park HQ know what is coming in on the spot not like the old days when 'cash was king' and it took a few days to count and send 'a few bob up' to Dublin. Infact if marketing was correct there is a great opportunity now to 'push sales' if the crowd figures in the days preceding matches do not look great.Thankfully the day of the 'biscuit tin' and then the leather 'saddlebag' is no more ….but sure didn't some build houses and rear families on it….oh,that's shocking!…but do not tell anyone wink wink!