With a few alterations to the team and another 6 weeks training I really believe we can push Roscommon to the brink this year. I understand the gap between playing Div 4 and Div 1 is probably going to be to much to gap this year but there's no reason we can't really compete with them which will give us a boost going into the qualifiers and next year.

Firstly, I'd stick with McCrann in goals. He might not be the long term solution but currently I do feel he has a better range of kickouts then McKiernan.

Conor Cox is some addition to the Rossies. He is strong and can kick off both feet. Personally I think Fergal McTague is the only defender in the county strong enough to cope with him. Michael McWeeney will have to improve on the league final if he is to maintain his position if he does I would put him on Diarmuid Murtagh and that would leave Aidan Flynn on Cathal Cregg or Ciaran Lennon whoever starts for them which he has proven this year to be well capable of marking.

Shane Quinn and Ray Mulvey are both guaranteed starters at wing back and the big change I would make is to put Paddy Maguire to number 6 to man-mark Enda Smith.

At Midfield I would go with Shane Moran and Pearce Dolan. I thought they were our best combination throughout the league and if used more Dolan could be an asset with the mark rule. Shane Moran has been our most consistent player all year.

In the half forward line I'd go with either Cillian McGloin/Dean McGovern Mark Plunkett and Jack Heslin. Plunkett in this position can transform the team. He can drop deep to support the midfield and leave space for Heslin and is also a brilliant foot passer to link the play. Heslin was a huge loss in the league final. His ball carrying can be a game changer for us. Than the decision is between McGloins pace/skill or the power of McGovern.

Finally, In the Full Forward line I'd go with Ryan O'Rourke, Gary Plunkett and either Darragh Rooney/Evan Sweeney. I think these 3/4 are all well able to win their own ball and can all be deadly finishers.

We do need to sort out our free taking as it let us down in Croker. Mark Plunkett or McCrann are capable of hitting the long range ones then between Ryan O'Rourke and G.Plunkett/Rooney they need to nail down the close in ones.

Would be great to keep on the momentum that we have gained throughout Div 4 and really take on the Rossies in the Hyde. Hopefully none of the players pick up injuries with their clubs.

McCrann

Flynn McTague McWeeney
Mulvey Maguire Quinn

Moran
Dolan

Heslin Plunkett McGloin/McGovern
O'Rourke Plunkett Rooney/Sweeney

LeitrimWay (Leitrim) - Posts: 66 - 09/04/2019 13:03:49    2178204

leitrim4sam (Leitrim) - Posts: 644 - 09/04/2019 15:09:46    2178230

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2156 - 09/04/2019 15:35:19    2178236

Mayo are clear favourites to win Connacht and should go all the way this year especially when COC is back. No test from NY or Ros especially. Galway are good but Mayo lost the last 7 or 8 outings against them so I expect Mayo to do it finally.

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 09/04/2019 20:34:42    2178283

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2156 - 09/04/2019 20:45:31    2178284

dublin5 (Dublin) - Posts: 30 - 09/04/2019 21:00:24    2178291

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 10/04/2019 10:51:19    2178335

dublin5 (Dublin) - Posts: 30 - 10/04/2019 11:45:07    2178341

Connacht is wide open, the way its structured this year it looks like a Galway-Mayo Final in Salthill with both sides looking for a win to secure a super 8 spot. Galway can improve more than Mayo.

suckvalleypaddy (Galway) - Posts: 1667 - 10/04/2019 21:07:21    2178403

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1826 - 10/04/2019 23:52:54    2178420

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 11/04/2019 20:53:20    2178501

Its looks like the most competitive Connacht championship in years
we have had galway mayo and Roscommon play in div one,
with mayo winning the league and galway in contention right to the end,
Roscommon put in a good shift too in div one and were hard enough to beat,
while leitrim got promotion and reached div 4 final

rhudson (Galway) - Posts: 1478 - 11/04/2019 22:15:02    2178509

This is one of those years where Galway and Mayo play London and new York so you give them no chance. There will be some mayo crowd over in New York for this one.

Sligo have been terrible and I give them no chance.

Roscommon while relegated will be no walkover and I give Leitrim a small chance. It's now a Div 3 vs 2 team fixture.

It will be a Galway vs Mayo/Roscommon final. Both Galway and Mayo in flying form. As of now I'd tip Galway but mayo very close behind and Roscommon not far after that. Great championship ahead

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 12/04/2019 07:31:40    2178528

Mayo senior clubs allocated 10 tickets, inter clubs 8 and junior clubs 6....for the nyc game. Talk of between 3-4,000 heading over and add that to the huge Mayo diaspora over there it's like an all Ireland final ticket hunt...amazing

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 12/04/2019 12:36:04    2178566

@Jack_Goff (Meath) it won't be Div 2 v Div 3 fixture until 2020. We come into this championship having played Div 1 football while Leitrim Div 4.

We are too inconsistent to take any team for granted and our neighbours with their tails up should be respected. So from me no mention of any semi final until we first overcome Leitrim. We have got a handful of players back that played little of no NFL football this spring and hopefully that will strengthen our panel for the summer ahead.

As for others, Sligo are in a bad place that will probably two games and two defeats. Galway will be aiming to win back to back Connacht titles (a while since they did it) and another AI semi final if one of those are not achieved it will probably be the end of the road for Kevin Walsh. It will be seen as a failure if Mayo don't at least reach the AI semi final and there will be big expectation for them to win their first provincial title for 5 years after winning last months national title.

All in all makes for interesting Connacht championship.

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2487 - 12/04/2019 20:44:32    2178621

Fintan cregg, John mc Manus, Brian stack, diarmuid murtagh back in full training none saw league action bar diarmuid 20 minutes.
That leaves Ciaran murtagh, mc inerney, Compton missing from probably our strongest possible championship squad offset to a degree by return of 3 dalys and cox joining us.
I would think we will be to similar standard to last year panel wise but probably a lot more physical condition done and may have a more defensive minded setup come some championship matches especially away from home games.
Our best 15 should be to strong for first opponents seen as all will have played multiple years in division 1, quarter finals, won two division 2s connacht medals etc.
The game after will be a different matter altogether especially away.
U would be looking at a starting 15 along lines of
Lavin
Mc Manus Daly Murray
Daly Daly mulhooley
O Rourke enda Smith
Stack donie Smith harney
Cathal cregg cox diarmuid murtagh
With fintan cregg, killoran, Ciaran Lennon, kilroy, Devaney, Patterson also in the mix that's a pretty strong panel and it should be remembered we didn't have a manager till end of November so although relegated with the players available throughout league we did a lot better than expected.

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1764 - 13/04/2019 10:52:51    2178654

@OhtobeARossie

Still three major losses, Ciaran Murtagh Roscommon's most consistent scorer over the last few years, Cathal Compton the best midfield Roscommon have and him going off injured in the Connacht final last summer was turning point and McInerney the best defender Roscommon probably had.

Wasn't all three Dalys on the panel last year? will Brian Stack,John McManus,Fintan Cregg be match fit after all not playing for their county since last year? could have done with all for the NFL.

As for the topic of thread my predictions are as follows.

Galway and Mayo to beat New York and London by 15+ points.
Roscommon v Leitrim - the Rossies by 6+ points

Semi finals

Mayo v Roscommon - Mayo by 4-6 points
Galway v Sligo a 10 point win at least for Galway

Final

Galway v Mayo - Mayo by 2-3 points

Sligo to win no game in the qualifiers, Leitrim to win one game, Roscommon to make a championship exit at round 3 or 4. Galway and Mayo to reach and lose All Ireland semi finals.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3338 - 13/04/2019 15:11:08    2178671

I think maroondiesel is in dreamland if he thinks
Mayo are going to win Connacht and go all the way
because Cillian OConnor is back ,The reality of it is
they were lucky to beat a poor Kerry team in the league
final Kerry could have stole all of a sudden they are going
to win the AI Cillian is not a positive for Mayo all he ever
was a decent free taker and he is no longer good at that
if i was a betting man Galway definitely win Connacht and
could win the AI remember when Mayo last won the league

wfkerry (USA) - Posts: 933 - 14/04/2019 19:40:16    2178809

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 14/04/2019 23:27:40    2178859

The last time mayo won league, Galway won all Ireland and roscommon beat Galway and mayo to win connacht championship.

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1764 - 15/04/2019 12:30:27    2178918