National Forum

Writing Off Mayo?

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Replying To johndsands:  "There is a lot of miles on this team but watching the Donegal game I feel that Mayo have blooded three new players.They really stood up when needed,Conor Loftus,Stephen Coen and Eoin O Donoghue.Loftus and Coen have been in the panel the last couple of years brought in from the under 21 panel.I was very impressed with them,not an easy place to get a result.Loftus didn't put a foot wrong with his frees.Coen was solid in defense.O Donoghue took that point like a veteran.Don't know if that's enough but they keep proving us wrong.Time will tell."
I agree with you, those 3 younger lads were excellent against Donegal. The problem is that they will be dropped for the older lads come championship time. For example, COC will walk back into the team at the expense of Loftus. Mayo are not the only team who do this, teams look to the tried and trusted rather than letting the young lads at it. Coen may keep his place if Lee Keegan is not fit.

Mayo seem to play well in adversity, which is works against most teams but not Dublin. However if they get as far as meeting Dublin in the latter stages of the championship they would be capable of beating them. I definitely wouldn't rule them out but if they keep going back to the well with the same players every year, the wheels are going to fall off the wagon in spectacular style. I really hope Mayo can do it this year, they play a great brand of football and are just so enjoyable to watch.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1874 - 29/03/2018 10:55:59    2089277

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Replying To kiloughter:  "That could be the perception but in reality they additions are monumental. Sean Andy, Peter Cooke the form of Eoghan Kerin and Eamonn Brannigan. Sometimes it only takes one or two additions to bring a team on. Remember also Cillian McDaid gone to Australia and he would be a cert for the half back line not to mention the loss of not having Daithi Burke with his hurling commitment. No doubt we are evolving but not all Ireland contenders yet. Very few from what I can see are saying so and the media if anything led by Brolly and O'Rourke have already predicted our downfall."
Won't be long before teams learn to play against our defensive style tho ,doing very well so far brilliant in fact but might be a different story when a top team not missing a lot of players play us in big open pitch in croke park

Galwayjoe86 (Galway) - Posts: 258 - 29/03/2018 11:09:06    2089285

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Many have written them off year on year only to be proven wrong, great attitude to keep coming back, they maintain the level year on year is remarkable however are the same players capable of improving that couple of percent to win Sam,? couple of the young fellas seemed to step up last week, but will they be trusted in the heat of the championship.

longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 324 - 29/03/2018 11:13:54    2089287

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I do not think many people will right off Mayo completely but it is a major clash against Galway so early in the championship year and one of their lives could be wiped out straight away.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 29/03/2018 11:21:05    2089289

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Members of the 2016 Mayo U21 winning team who finished the game v Donegal last weekend:

O'Donoghue
Hall
Coen
Loftus
D O'Connor
Boland

How many of the 5 non-regulars is Rochford actually going to turn to come championship time when the chips are down? I wouldn't say too many. Loftus has been earmarked for two seasons now and he has had little impact in the summer/has been given little chance to make an impact. The fact is Mayo need 2 to 3 players to burst onto the scene similar to what players like McBrearty, Fenton and O'callaghan have done.

I know every player breaking through isn't going to challenge for YFOTY or an All Star but that is what you are up against in terms of expecting an impact from a new player. Once Mayo's regulars are back fit and available for selection then by and large we'll be seeing the same 15 as last year. If Mayo lose against Galway then I really don't fancy them going into the qualifier minefield where they have proven already that they like to ride their luck.

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 206 - 29/03/2018 11:52:34    2089294

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Replying To TrueBlue35:  "Members of the 2016 Mayo U21 winning team who finished the game v Donegal last weekend:

O'Donoghue
Hall
Coen
Loftus
D O'Connor
Boland

How many of the 5 non-regulars is Rochford actually going to turn to come championship time when the chips are down? I wouldn't say too many. Loftus has been earmarked for two seasons now and he has had little impact in the summer/has been given little chance to make an impact. The fact is Mayo need 2 to 3 players to burst onto the scene similar to what players like McBrearty, Fenton and O'callaghan have done.

I know every player breaking through isn't going to challenge for YFOTY or an All Star but that is what you are up against in terms of expecting an impact from a new player. Once Mayo's regulars are back fit and available for selection then by and large we'll be seeing the same 15 as last year. If Mayo lose against Galway then I really don't fancy them going into the qualifier minefield where they have proven already that they like to ride their luck."
Its not necessarily getting lads to start, we have a good starting 15, what has let us down is the subs coming in and they havent been up to standard. O Donoghue, O Connor, Loftus are good players O Connor will start and Loftus might start but if he doesnt him and O Donoghue are good options to bring on now. Coen will start if theres injuries but I dont think he is good enough, hes too slow. Adam Gallagher got a bit of time in the league and didnt look too out of place so he could be another option.
What we defintly lacking is pace in the forwards, its always been our downfall, and we dont have anyone coming through with pace. Would it be too daft to try Keith Higgins in a free role around the full forward line?

tommy132 (Mayo) - Posts: 601 - 29/03/2018 12:20:58    2089302

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Replying To centerfield:  "Galway team that were beaten by 8pts by Kerry last year are now All ireland contenders with much the same team"
Sean Andy, Sean Kelly, Eammon Brannigan will all be starting come Mayo, so not really the same team Vs Kerry. Also they players who did start against Kerry last year are (relatively young) and have now come through a full season of div 1 games. Also add in new coaching and its very lazy to say the same team that lost by 8 to Kerry.

Also, no one is making Galway AI contenders

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 706 - 29/03/2018 12:21:04    2089303

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IMO the best thing that can possibly happen (other than Lee's shoulder miraculously healing itself in a couple of weeks) is for the media and opposition fans is to keep writing us off. Mayo have often produced some of their best performances lying in the long grass, and it might keep a lid on expectations from some our more excitable supporters.

The league is a very bad indicator for championship form in general and particularly so with this Mayo side, who have consistently battled relegation to the final day over the past 7 years or so. Granted, the performances were mostly very poor, but Mayo were missing 8-9 of the starting team from last September's All-Ireland final for long stretches of the league. I don't think any side (other than possibly Dublin) can manage such an exodus without performance levels dropping off significantly.

As some other posters have mentioned, we did actually manage to integrate a few new players during the league, between Crowe, O'Donoghue and Loftus. Hopefully Cian Hanley can fire up our half-forward line somewhat, though this is far from a given.

Maybe this is an off year, maybe not, but best to reserve judgement til after the championship finishes.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 29/03/2018 12:24:50    2089306

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Its a bit of Hyperbole really, i cant see Mayo not making the super 8's, even if and i think its a big if that Galway can beat them in Castlebar wit the place hopping. I dont see many in the backdoor who could stop them, maybe an Ulster finalist but thats about it. Nothing to see here for me Mayo will be there at the business end for me.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 29/03/2018 12:34:41    2089308

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Replying To TrueBlue35:  "Members of the 2016 Mayo U21 winning team who finished the game v Donegal last weekend:

O'Donoghue
Hall
Coen
Loftus
D O'Connor
Boland

How many of the 5 non-regulars is Rochford actually going to turn to come championship time when the chips are down? I wouldn't say too many. Loftus has been earmarked for two seasons now and he has had little impact in the summer/has been given little chance to make an impact. The fact is Mayo need 2 to 3 players to burst onto the scene similar to what players like McBrearty, Fenton and O'callaghan have done.

I know every player breaking through isn't going to challenge for YFOTY or an All Star but that is what you are up against in terms of expecting an impact from a new player. Once Mayo's regulars are back fit and available for selection then by and large we'll be seeing the same 15 as last year. If Mayo lose against Galway then I really don't fancy them going into the qualifier minefield where they have proven already that they like to ride their luck."
Bit harsh on Loftus there- he arguably kept us in the championship last year with a screamer of a goal against Derry in the qualifiers, and also played well against Cork in the qualifiers and Kerry in the replay. He does need to be claiming a regular starting berth, though.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 29/03/2018 13:24:14    2089324

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Replying To Mayonman:  "
Replying To Llaw_Gyffes:  "[quote=Mayonman:  "If any other team were performing like Mayo at the moment, no-one would get them a hope in hell of winning anything.

However because it is Mayo and they have proven to be a top table team after disastrous leagues every analyst I have heard is giving them a punchers chance.

So who exactly is writing them off?????"
Colm O Rourke, Marc O Shea, Tomas O Shea, Ciaran Whelan, Bernard Flynn, Sean Cavanagh.........."
Have u actually read any of their articles. All of them are giving Mayo a chance. All of them are saying Mayo will be a different team when they get their front liners back."]Yep I have. Marc O Shea for instance said "Mayo are fraying at the edges, there is no hope left for them at this stage". fairly unequivocal i would imagine. Tomas restrained himself to "cracks are appearing" but left us in no doubt that he agreed with the brother. Whelan went along the same lines. Flynn felt Mayos display against Kildare was perhaps a "dying kick". Cavanagh I will ignore because in his case it just seems to be wishful thinking. I can't recollect what O Rourke said but I remember being surprised at him being so dismissive of our chances. And I forgot to add Brollys opinions but then it's easy enough to forget about Joe.

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 29/03/2018 20:40:04    2089417

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Most peope write them off every year to be honest, but only in the sense that they dont win the All Ireland.

I usually back them each way every year as more often than not they will be in the final anyway and you'd be a fool to think that they are anyway lower than the 2nd best team in the country at the min. With the exception of Dublin & possibly Kerry - when July/August comes around there's no one anywhere close to them.
I dont think theyll win the All Ireland but they've gotten the max out of the players they have and this year won't be any different

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 30/03/2018 11:49:00    2089513

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