I know it started last week but time the best of the Provincial Championships had it's own thread.

Could be very open this year. Leitrim have already shown they do mean a bit of business this year. Sligo have a tricky trip to Ruislip to negotiate. The Sheepstealers are on ice until semi final time. And then there is the small matter of Galway V Mayo in a mere 10 days time.

Not a bad game to really kick start this season CSFC.

Hopefully the U21 win will give the seniors a bit of a boost and the feelgood factor can be carried onto Salthill when we face the Green and Red...The ambush is waiting to happen!!!

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 09/05/2013 10:47:28    1380972

Sorry tribeinbrum but I believe it's Mayo to win it this year.........final appearance for Leitrim very much on the cards.

Solo_Run (Leitrim) - Posts: 227 - 09/05/2013 11:21:16    1380984

Galway will be the coming team in a couple of years time but I think this year will be a bit too soon for them. That said the Galway v Mayo game could well be a lot closer than people think. Leitrim might fancy their chances of getting to a Connacht final with only Sligo on their side of the draw.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2551 - 09/05/2013 13:21:45    1381082

MAyo will win it at an absolute canter lads. !!

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 09/05/2013 13:45:25    1381105

Tribeinbrum, will you be at the game or will you be in vaughans watchin it? will be alot tighter if mayo dont have b.moran, a.moran,a.dillon, k.higgins, m.conroy.

saddam (Mayo) - Posts: 414 - 09/05/2013 14:09:20    1381128

Ive been hearing galway are coming team for last five years, they have yet to arrive.
Mayo to win id say

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 09/05/2013 14:15:03    1381133

Unfortunately Saddam i won't be making the trip over. The joys of children i'm afraid.

I'm an Emerald man myself - Vaughans is too far over for me. A small but dedicated crowd and the Galway Mafia will be out in force!!!

Wayno - Mayo, on paper are the best team in Connacht. But once that wind starts turning in Salthill the paper will be blown away and maybe, just maybe we can get the job done.

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 09/05/2013 14:16:17    1381134

Mayo and Galway have a habit of knocking each other over when the other is on top. Prime examples are 1996, 1998, 1999, 2007
I am beginning to learn towards a draw....Galway have the u-21 boost to the county and the Mayo injury list has been mounting even though Andy is back on the bench which is a huge moral boost.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12122 - 09/05/2013 15:05:12    1381173

I wouldn't be surprised in Galway turned Mayo over in Salthill in a few weeks time. The form book can go out the window in games like these. If this happens, I think Connacht is wide open. Galway have not exactly been the most consistent over the last few years, Roscommon could spring a shock, and whoever comes througfh Sligo/ Leitrim could raise it for Connacht final day.

On the other hand, if Mayo can escape Salthill with a win, I think they will win Connacht at a canter

petejoeduff (Donegal) - Posts: 329 - 09/05/2013 15:16:19    1381180

Yew-tree - Is this one of those injury lists that will magically have healed all of a sudden in time for team naming next week I wonder???

I have no doubt in my mind that maybe only Conroy will be missing for Mayo next Sunday - And Moran will get a good 20-30mins depending on how the game goes.

And that's how Galway would want it. Beat the best team Mayo have - won't be a proper ambush otherwise ;-)

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 09/05/2013 15:17:53    1381182

tribeinbrum - Well I saw Conroy and Varley carried off the field at club games myself. Also doubt's over Doherty, Barry Moran and it remains to be seen how fit Dillon and A Moran will be. Colm Boyle also had a knock but should be ok.

You can hardly keep calling it an ambush now....an ambush suggests the enemy have no idea.....Mayo are excepting the battle of Salthill ;)

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12122 - 09/05/2013 15:33:01    1381204

But you wont have done tribe, we will be missing conroy...

As regards a moran, I seriously doubt he will feature at all. If you read the entire interview and not just the headline on the HS article you will see that he hasnt even taken part in a training game yet and has only just returned to full training. To go from that to intercounty championship football? It isnt going to happen.

What I will say is that whatever connaught teams go through the qualifiers this year, I hope they can do themselves justice for once. Too often we seem to lose all interest and fall away. Sligo last year for instance put up a solid show in the Connaught final only to show absolutely no form in the next game. We are better than what we have been showing.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 09/05/2013 15:33:14    1381205

Will agree there Master. Once any of the Connacht teams head the backdoor route it seems to be curtains for them. I mean we've been chief culprits in that we've been in winnable positions a heap of times and just throw it away in the last. It would be nice to have two or three Connacht teams in contention for 1/4 final places.

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4155 - 09/05/2013 15:41:23    1381210

Ive been hearing galway are coming team for last five years

Not sure where you've been hearing it but not from Galway anyway. We do have a lot of young talented players but they are still very young and the vast majority of them are just not ready yet. Especially as unlike in 98 they don't have a strong group of veteran players to help them blend in.

Marooned (Galway) - Posts: 2551 - 09/05/2013 15:55:31    1381224

Mayo All Ireland finalists last year, had a decent league, playing higher quality teams, all the other teams pretty poor last year and had poor enough league campaigns, so can't really see past Mayo. Will be tight enough in Salthill, but think they will have too may experience for Galway, after that think they will have it comfortable enough

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 09/05/2013 17:13:41    1381284

Rosineri1: Agree for the most part. I think Mayo's inability to score goals will be the only thing keeping it close in Pearse, but if they can shake that bugbear, they'll walk it.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3154 - 09/05/2013 17:27:55    1381297

festinog
County: Galway
Posts: 1417
I think Mayo's inability to score goals will be the only thing keeping it close in Pearse
--------------------------------------------

+1

killer_88_ (Mayo) - Posts: 2040 - 09/05/2013 18:32:09    1381323

I would go for a Mayo v Sligo final with Mayo winning 3 in a row.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1800 - 09/05/2013 18:42:24    1381332

Didn't Mayo score 3 goals against Fermanagh last weekend? anyways any team that can score 0-16 against Dublin twice this year probably don't need goals. I expect a good tight game in Salthill the last time Galway played Mayo in that venue was 2009 when a last minute score won the match and Connacht title. I expect Mayo to win this game by 1-3 points and then talking themsevles down for the next game.

Sligo should have enough to beat London however i have feeling Leitrim in Carrick will defeat them again. So for me Mayo v Leitrim Connacht final and Mayo to win their first three in row since 1951.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4397 - 09/05/2013 18:57:19    1381339

Mayo to beat Sligo in the Connaght final!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 10/05/2013 14:56:01    1381722