Mayo GAA Discussion Thread

Hidalgo wrote: »

The problem with the 2 games Mayo have played thus far being so uncompetitive is that they won't have learned anything from them, its conceivable that they'll be in an All Ireland Q final without a proper challenge. Ideally you want to have your team challenged in the province and build from there.
None of the above is any fault of Mayo's, they were streets ahead of their opponents in their two championship games to date.

That is true, but I actually think that this years Connaught Championship is better for Mayo than last years

This time last year they had not even played yet, they were straight to a semi final where the hammered Leitrim and then on to the final.

This year at least they have had two games before the final to work on things.

I also think that the management have been well aware of the fact that they would not be tested in Connaught and thus have planned around it, rather than bemoaning the fact.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

That is true, but I actually think that this years Connaught Championship is better for Mayo than last years

This time last year they had not even played yet, they were straight to a semi final where the hammered Leitrim and then on to the final.

This year at least they have had two games before the final to work on things.

I also think that the management have been well aware of the fact that they would not be tested in Connaught and thus have planned around it, rather than bemoaning the fact.

I don't think and doubt that Horan is looking at working out kinks prior to a Connaught final, more the bigger picture.
The worry I'd have if is those kinks will still be there when they get to the All Ireland series
I thought between Galway and Roscommon ye'd get something a challenge.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

It would be lunacy from Leitrim's viewpoint to agree to a final there anyway. If I was Leitrim manager, I would not agree to it in a million years.

I guess it will not happen but is it possible for the Connacht final to be played outside Connacht? I remember Armagh / Tyrone played in Croke Park a few years ago cos both agreed to do so and demand for tickets was so high.


Do you think the Mayo team will prepare for the Connacht final with the mindset that they will hammer their opponent?
No, they will not. They will approach the game with confidence that they will win.

If they approach the game that they will hammer their opponent, and that their opponent are useless, they could be in for a shock. That is what happens when you see shock victories. There was almost one this weekend in the hurling between Laois & Galway. And the history of sport is littered with such examples

Confidence -> Believing in your ability to win
Over Confidence -> Not respecting your opponent and believing you just need to show up to win.

I actually do not think the current Mayo team are over confident. They got stuck into Roscommon with some good intense tackling from the start yetserday (Roscommon had so much possession early on but Mayo did not give the time for them to use that possession). Mayo did not go into the game expecting to hammer them - they knew they had to earn it. And they did just that!

So which is it
Are you saying I , a fan, am over confident, or the team is over confident ?
There is a big difference you know

The team will prepare for the final in a professional manner, they will know what the opposition strengths and weakness are and will have a proper game plan
But as you saw from Horan's post match comments yesterday he will not be a happy camper if they do not put away the chances they have on the day, and I can imagine those chance will be plentiful

i was never as bored at a mayo game as i was yesterday,par the first 10-15 mins where i thought ros where going to put it up to us.
It did take us a long time to settle and get hold of the ball,or 1st attack nearly turned out to be a goal so the writing was on the wall.


i was in the middle of a good gang of ross heads at the match and by talking to them they where some what confident that they would be able to stay with us.at half time a good few had gone, now i dont no if they went to the pub or just home.

i dont no what Senan Kilbride was at he kept running in to players and kept loosing the ball,after the first 10 times he did it you would think he would learn.i was expecting a lot from him with what i have read on here but he was piss poor he was marked out of it as well.

or back line is very solid and was very impressed with them.not sure what the craic is with clark i heard a lot of people say he done his hamstring but if he did do it,he would not have being out wit the rest of the mayo team in bosh after the game.
also heard that dillion is carring an injury that he picked up in training,nothing major but its annoying him.he was poor enough yesterday as well.
freeman,feeney and o she where very good.

ColeTrain wrote: »

What did everyone make of the referee?

Listening to the Rossies beside me, you'd believe he cost them about 13 points!

he was blow happy never let the game flow,but hes know for it.
there was a good few ross heads beside me saying the same thing about the ref

naughto wrote: »

he was blow happy never let the game flow,but hes know for it.
there was a good few ross heads beside me saying the same thing about the ref

He never let the game flow,I found it infuriating on several occasions he could have played the advantage.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

I am saying that you are overconfident.

I do not think the current Mayo team are. I think they are very well grounded.

Ok so, me predicting that Mayo would hammer Roscommon (done), will hammer Leitrim or London (very very likely) and will get to an All Ireland final (not that far out a prediction) is what you call 'over' confidence.

You should come down here to Kerry, you would be horrified by the locals.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

Also, you state that you are confident Mayo will get to an all-ireland final. But you have no idea on who they will actually play in the quarter final or semi final yet. So can you be confident about this? The only way you could be confident about that is if you believe Mayo are the best team in the country - do you? I would have them in the top 6 (just as Spillane said on Sunday) but I certainly wouldnt have them at number 1 in that 6.

Very good point clearly he sees Mayo as at least the 2nd best in Ireland now and that is confidence.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

The fact that Mayo did hammer Galway or did hammer Roscommon is irrelevant. Fans going with the assumption that they are going to hammer them is over confidence. The team should not go in with that attitude so why should supporters?

In Galway's good times, I do not remember Galway being tipped to "hammer" any team by their fans in any match. Actually, in the '98 & '01 all irelands, it was quite the opposite where people were saying that Galway would have to be at their absolute best to win those matches.

Also, you state that you are confident Mayo will get to an all-ireland final. But you have no idea on who they will actually play in the quarter final or semi final yet. So can you be confident about this? The only way you could be confident about that is if you believe Mayo are the best team in the country - do you? I would have them in the top 6 (just as Spillane said on Sunday) but I certainly wouldnt have them at number 1 in that 6.

Mayo fans wonder why people think they hype up the team. The reason is that certain fans from there start talking about all-irelands in June! You wont hear Kerry people talking about all-irelands until August!

Anyway, I think we are just going round in circles on this. And that we are not gonna agree!

Ok lets break it down.
Realistically one of the following teams will be opposition to Mayo in the quarters, semi or final.

Kerry - No where near where they were, and very much a team hanging on to the last vestiges of the glory days.
Even though Mayo have a poor record v them in Championship they are a team that a younger, fitter, stronger Mayo should no lonegr fear, my opinions about this current Kerry team I habve made clear on the Sam 2013 thread if you wish to read it.

Cork - Not really sure where they are at, the Munster final should tell a lot, but again a team that Mayo should not fear, beat them well in 2011.

Kildare - Mayo are a better team and should come out on top

Tyrone - Have been taken down a peg since their defeat by Donegal, only beat Mayo in the league by a injury time penalty, again team that Mayo should not fear.

Donegal - OK if Mayo and Donegal keep winning they meet in a semi-final. As I have said on the Sam 2013 thread I think it would take a monumental effort by Donegal to win two in a row.
Mayo can certainly beat them in they meet in a semi-final, or earlier. It will be interesting to watch them over the coming months and see what they are like.
It's also worth nothing that since the qualifiers started,Armagh in '03 are the only team, outside of the Kerry team that got to 6 finals in a row, to get as far as the final in the defence of the All Ireland, all the others have gone out before that.

That leaves Dublin, if Mayo and Dublin keep winning they meet in the final, and it's one I hope Mayo can prevail in.

Obviously I am dismissing all other counties other than the ones listed above as I believe Mayo are well capable of beating them all.

InchicoreDude wrote: »

And my point is that there is a happy medium. I do not think they are rubbish but I also would not say they are all-Ireland finalists either.



Ok, so according to your reasoning:
- Tyrone are beatable because Donegal beat them.
- Cork are beatable because Mayo beat them in 2011.
- Donegal are beatable because they are all-ireland champions

None of that makes any sense! Christ, if that is not hype, I dont know what is!

Currently, Mayo are not good enough to beat Donegal (for example). The games they play before they could play Donegal might make them good enough. For example, a competitive game against Kildare in a QF could do that.

But I sincerely hope that the Mayo team have a different attitude to the one you are displaying. They are currently not at the level of All-Ireland champions or finalists. No team is in June. And to suggest that they are is simply ridiculous.

Can you just tell us why you DO NOT think Mayo are possible finalists or Champions.
I am saying why I think they are, so lets have your side of it.
Who do you think are finalists ?

And I am not basing any of my opinions on what I have seen in June , I am basing them, on what I have seen in the last few years.

And I do hope the team are thinking the same way as me, I'd be very p**ed off if they were sitting in the dressing room at training tonight being told by Horan and Co that are not good enough to beat Donegal (for example).

And I am beginning to think that you may just be a very disappointed Galway fan, seeing Mayo on the rise while your own crowd cannot even keep their discipline or put up a fight at home in a championship opener.

he is a galway head so let him eat sour grapes.no doubt he is just trooling.no point in feeding the trool Fr tod.check the galway thread to see

tacofries wrote: »

2 teams have to be in the final and fr tod is making fairly reasonable points (bar the donegal one) of why he thinks its gonna be mayo.

On what logic do you think mayo wont beat leitrim or london well? Theres nothing cockey about it at all, except for coincidence that he is from mayo. If a dublin man tipped mayo to win you wouldnt be calling him cockey...

Back to back All Ireland's are very hard to achieve. Only one team has done it since 1990 and no team has done it since 1990 with the same manager.
The hunger that is there the first time is not always there the second time, that is only natural.
It's a big ask of the Donegal players and management to put in the same dedication and work in 2013 that they put in in 2012.
You could see that in the league and even though McGuinness was always saying it was always only about May 26th (gave v Tyrone), that was only for public consumption, they were relegated and that is not a good way to be going into the championship defending your title.

That why I said it will be interesting to see how they preform in the coming months, with Tyrone out of the way they will be expected to cruise through Ulster, not to the same extent as Mayo are doing through Connaught, but be comfortable all the same. But if they only grind out wins and fail to put up the performances people expect of them then it's a sign that they are there for the taking by better opposition than what is left in Ulster
Think back to Dublin in 2012, they were sluggish enough in Leinster and v Loais, Dublin fans told us they were waiting to paek for the big games in the semi and final, but they only got going in the second half v Mayo, when it was far too late.

Even though they beat Mayo by 4pts in the final and Mayo never got the gap closer than 3pts there was not a whole lot between the teams in the final.

In a semi-final, or any other game, there is no reason why Mayo could not beat Donegal.

tacofries wrote: »

I'd say McGuinness will use the fact that noone done the two-in-a-row since 1990 as a strength, not a weakness.... I do think we can beat Donegal as well, but I do think that match will purely come down to day..

Kerry have in fact won two in a row since then, in 2006 and 2007. It's still extremely hard to do however.