Folks, I have to say I feel profoundly for Rob. He's been hammered in all sorts of media. This was a terrible day for him and it will take some time to get over it. The fact that Rochford will get it on the neck for putting Hennelly in the team will not make him feel any better, probably worse.
So I sincerely hope that all close to Rob help him through this and that the media give it a rest sooner than later.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8586 - 03/10/2016 00:41:21    1921701

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 03/10/2016 08:50:40    1921725

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 03/10/2016 08:52:32    1921727

I was nervous when I saw Robbie got the nod as I would have Clarke as a steadier pair of hands but the management had their reasons it didn't work mistakes were made but nobody died and the world keeps turning. I would give credit to the Mayo players and management in so they are brave people and that the management made a brave call. We have got to finals before where we sleepwalked into hidings thinking we could just turn up at least the management were able to come up with a strategy for Dublin that in the end we with them all the way. The whole of the county are with Robbie and are showing him their support I hope he can take solace from that. There doesn't need to be any inquiries about it we were close all game and in the end the better team won and it wasn't one mistake that cost us everything we don't have as good forwards as dublins in the end we struggled to get score when Dublins defence closed up shop. Draw a line under it dust ourselves down learn from our mistakes and work to improve ourselves so that we finally earn the right to bring Sam home across the Shannon!

Spoddgy (Mayo) - Posts: 660 - 03/10/2016 09:42:57    1921741

He made a couple of mistakes but I think the amount of mistakes he made has been blown out of proportion.

From what I could see he only hit one bad kick out, leading to the Keegan black card. Although to entirely blame him for the loss of Keegan and to absolve Lee himself is pretty harsh in my opinion. The other kick outs were long and fairly 50/50 so to claim he was totally at fault is nonsense.

The mistake for the peno was terrible but these things happen.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 03/10/2016 10:31:15    1921758

Robbie Hennelly is a great keeper but he was put into an awful position by Rochford. It was a bizzare decision to change your keeper for an All Ireland final. As it wasn't for an injury or for playing badly Clarke must have being bitterly disappointed & this in turn heaped even greater pressure a much younger man than Clarke having to deal with the pressure an All Ireland final brings but having to justify his managers decision also. It also appears that Dublin seemed to know well prior to game time that this change was going to happen so it must have leaked. What is even more dissapointing & perplexing is Rochford's interview in this mornings Irish Independent where he lays the blame on Robbie also, that was disgraceful. I think Hennelly should be rallied around as he alone did not lose this All Ireland, there is a full panel that did not play to their potential also & if anyone should shoulder the blame it's the manager who tactically was poor on both days esp the first day where Dublin didn't show up at all.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 03/10/2016 10:36:38    1921763

He's not a great keeper he has cost Mayo too many games now to be even considered to start on this Mayo team. I feel for him and his family no one deserves that but Hennelly is just not good enough, crazy call from the manager probably the worst call I've ever seen in all my years playing and watching GAA. Clarke dropped cause of 3 bad kick outs wtf the man made two savage saves and is rock solid under high ball.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 03/10/2016 11:02:11    1921777

I know this could've been seen as a genius move if it worked out and Mayo won, but to me it seems like one of those incidences where management try to make a name for themselves above the team. I'm not sure if there's ever a time and place for this, but it's certainly not the All-Ireland final.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12116 - 03/10/2016 11:07:06    1921783

Of course you would have to feel for the guy. I'd imGine he will spend hours looking at the ceiling wondering how it went so wrong for him.
As others have said, it seemed a crazy decision to change goalkeepers as not alone is it one of the most important positions but Clark hadn't done much to warrant replacement. Played well in first game I thought.
Rochford must accept that he got that one wrong.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 03/10/2016 11:09:20    1921785

100% agree with Breffini's post.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 03/10/2016 11:20:58    1921793

Give him a break.

He is only human.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 03/10/2016 11:45:55    1921807

Anyone think it was noteworthy that the O'shea's didn't seem too interested in supporting Hennelly at the final whistle considering they are club mates?

It was a mad decision in hindsight but I guess it was Clarke who had problems last year in the Dublin replay as I remember, maybe I'm wrong but don't think he deserved to be dropped on his performances this year anyway.

realman2 (Kildare) - Posts: 464 - 03/10/2016 11:49:40    1921811

I know it's probably too soon and the dust hasn't settled but I've got to ask: Will the Mayo players look to oust Rochford now?

I would argue that they were closer to beating Dublin the first game last year than they were over the two games this year. The decision to oust the previous management was based on the lack of preparation. They looked more than prepared for this final this year. Tactically they looked smarter this year, their defence was excellent against Tyrone and especially Dublin.
But, as Tomas O'Se said, their shortcomings are mainly up front. I won't regurgitate Tomas' article but I do agree that Mayo lack a good enough game plan up front to beat the best teams. Ok, losing Keegan was always going to have a massive impact on their game plan but all teams need to adapt. As close as the game was, I never felt that Mayo were going to out score Dublin or to get a number of points on the trot in the last 20 minutes to overturn them. It was mainly a number of soft frees that kept them in it in the last 10 minutes or so.

I don't mean to knock Mayo when they're down but I for one have never been a fan of player power or the excuses that are made for thinking that players know better than the manager. I'm sure people could point the finger and say it works had Mayo won on Saturday, but I'm thinking about Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly here. I wonder how they would have fared on Saturday, would they have dropped their keeper, would they have sacrificed Lee Keegan as a man marker when his forward running is probably more devastating than some of the forwards?

We'll never know but at what point to the players might stop believing in Rochford and do the same to him.

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 03/10/2016 12:01:53    1921818

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7885 - 03/10/2016 12:04:00    1921819

Its been blown out of all proporiton in my opinion, its a questionable decision in hindsight, Clarke had a fine year, but his short kick outs were clocked in the first game. To play Mayos defensive strategy, they always needed to get the ball forward to their forwards to outscore Dublin, they also needed the ball in from of their defense to get into their defensive shell. I got see the sense behind the decision.

What hasnt been outlined is that Dublins fielding in the middle when it went long was fantastic, Fenton, Flynn, Kilkenny and McCauly when he came on won feilding ball rather easily or ball they shouldnt have. I think part of the responsability needs to be shouldered by the Mayo midfilders, half back and half forwards, Dublin won high ball far to easily.

RH was rattled as a result and didnt know whether to go short or long and his confidence ebbed away. His mistake for the penalty can happen to any player on any given day, indeed the greatest goalkeeper of all time in Cluxton has had the "meltdown" tag thrown at him on more then on occasion this year, its highlighted more in keepers.

Listen the lad has given up his life from the winter onwards and sat on the bench for the majority of the year, he deserves respect and support. Im not sure hes wholly culpable, i think the poor feilding from Mayo had a lot to do with him feeling the pressure and it should be a team responsability. If you watch the game back, it was the lack of options and poor fielding that let RH down and heaped the pressure on him.

Its part of the game you have to force errors and with all the talk of Cluxtons kick out it can work the other way as well.

Sincerley hope he bounces back and is the benifit of the brilliant Mayo support over the coming months.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/10/2016 12:08:09    1921821

Sorry don't quite know what the mod did with the heading of the thread which I simply named Rob Hennelly.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8586 - 03/10/2016 12:15:26    1921830

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1902 - 03/10/2016 12:27:16    1921839

Rochford made the bad decision about the keeper which is stunning considering how good Clarke is. Hennelly, COC, AOS all made blunders, best team won for sure

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 03/10/2016 13:11:53    1921861

Feel extremely sorry for the guy - very disappointed for him, especially after his public backing towards the Cork u21 goalkeeper earlier in the year.

Lads, if you think he's good enough or not that's your opinion and your certainly entitled to it but surely today is not the day to be hitting the internet with it to be honest with you. Have some kind of tact at least.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 03/10/2016 13:20:54    1921866

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 03/10/2016 13:42:41    1921880