After this longest of long closed seasons, inter-county action finally resumes this coming weekend. Our National League Division One opener is against Dublin at Croke Park on Saturday evening where throw-in is set for 7.30pm with Down’s Paul Faloon in charge. The match is live on TG4.
Saturday’s game is our first appearance at HQ – which, back in our heyday, became a sort of home from home for us – since 2023. That was when, in case anyone needs reminding, Dublin hammered us out the gate in the All-Ireland quarter-final, inflicting on us our worst championship reversal since the All-Ireland final shellacking by Kerry in 2006.
Our penalty shootout defeat to Derry in last year’s All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final at Castlebar meant we never got a run-out on the hallowed Croke Park surface at any stage in 2024. As an aside, I was blithely telling all and sundry that I hadn’t darkened the door of Croke Park myself at all last year but was then reminded that I’d been to the Interpros on both evenings as recently as November. The mind does play funny tricks on one betimes.
During the period from 2011 onwards when we regularly were able to beat every other team in the land, we could never best the Dubs. We could draw with them, we could stick with them all the way to the finish line but we’d always come up short against them.
Our recent League record with them is, though, pretty good. After that storied All-Ireland semi-final win over them in 2021 we then beat them at Croker the following year in the League. We were on our way to the Division One final that spring – where a chastening trimming from Kerry awaited us – while they were on their way to Division Two.
Goals from Jack Carney and Aiden Orme saw us record a five-point win over them that February evening. It was our first League success against Dublin at Croke Park since 1971 and it remains the only time we’ve ever beaten them in a regulation League fixture played in the capital.
It was a closer game down in Castlebar last February. In a match where we hadn’t played all that well for long stretches, what seemed to be heading for a draw was transformed into a delicious win when quick thinking by Ryan O’Donoghue saw him pick out the unmarked Fergal Boland who fired over the winner from distance.
They went on to contest last year’s Division One final against Derry. In that decider, however, they suffered the same fate as we subsequently did in the championship against the Oak Leaf County.
After their untroubled passage through Leinster and our fumbled Connacht final loss to Galway we ended up in the same group as the Dubs. If someone told us, back in the halcyon days of the previous decade, that ourselves and Dublin would face off in Dr Hyde Park and fail to sell out the fixture, they’d have been greeted with funny looks but that’s what happened last summer.
Our inability to close out a game we’d done enough to win – just like the Connacht final – was as frustrating as it was predictable. Kevin McStay likes to talk about fine margins but there’s little sense in doing so when we’re the ones always found wanting. This point was underlined forcefully following the Dublin game when a Derry side came to Hastings Insurance MacHale Park all but begging to be put out of their misery and left the victors on penalties. More fine margins, I guess.
And so now, in what feels like aeons since that championship exit, we’re back in competitive action once more. Back under the Croke Park spotlight, back butting heads against Dublin.
But, of course, all has changed fundamentally since the days when Mayo/Dublin was the hottest ticket in town. Both for us and for them and, indeed, for the rules by which the game is now played.
It’s hard to predict what sort of team we’re going to name for Saturday night, it’s virtually impossible to predict Dublin’s starting fifteen. As to which of us will adapt best to the blizzard of ‘enhancements’ ushered in by the FRC – which I reckon could simply lead to a game of handpassing on steroids – well, your guess is as good as mine.
Which, I suppose, leads us nicely to the concluding question of this piece: how do you think Saturday evening’s match against Dublin will go?
How will we do against Dublin?
- Lose (47%, 209 Votes)
- Win (44%, 194 Votes)
- Draw (9%, 42 Votes)
Total Voters: 445
Jerry Mcguire says:
January 23, 2025 at 3:12 pm
At least they won’t be able to go sidewards and backwards with the new rules. But I’m sure they’ll find some way of avoiding taking a shot at goal ?
JP says:
January 23, 2025 at 3:28 pm
Competitive at midfield and a left foot freetaker scorer. That's what I'm looking for in this league. If we get that it's a big boost.
Thedarkyfinn says:
January 23, 2025 at 4:09 pm
Went for a win even with all the absences, we have a few games for new and the more recent panellists to step up. I expect a new look midfield and forward set up for the first couple of games, even if they don't win I'd hope for reasons to be optimistic from the performance's. There should be a sprinkle of new starters and subs being used..
Ever the optimist says:
January 23, 2025 at 4:40 pm
Both sides will be relatively nervous playing under new rules, and neither will be fully loaded with their respective squads. Can't call it at all.
Jimmy McGuiness is claiming the new set up will set football back 20 yrs...and all that without a ball having been kicked. Just no pleasing folks, I guess.
Cp says:
January 23, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Any word on the new captain.usually get announced by now?
Gizmobobs says:
January 23, 2025 at 5:48 pm
TheDarkyFinn, you'd like to think so, but so far in general they've been very conservative in selections. I wouldn't be surprised if there was only one or two newbies, and given our difficulties in midfield in challenges and last year they could go with a more experienced midfield pairing.
But hope I'm wrong.
Thedarkyfinn says:
January 23, 2025 at 6:48 pm
I get you Gizmobobs but there is an element of McStay's hand being forced here too. Aidan, Jack C, DOC, Paddy, Tommy, Jordan, Conor L are all not available (maybe a couple of more, they are just the ones that I know for definite) plus those that have left the panel. It looks like we'll definitely have a few new faces staring and on the bench...
Thedarkyfinn says:
January 23, 2025 at 6:50 pm
faces starting ! (not staring I hope anyway)
TsuDhoNim says:
January 23, 2025 at 7:29 pm
@Thedarkyfinn: D McHale & Tuohy the others expected to be missing.... but until throw-in, who knows.
Wouldn't say definite new faces starting, though. Still plenty of lads we'd know well from last year, even with the ~9 missing (that'll be back in later rounds).
You'd not be shocked with something like:
Hession/Brick/EO'D
Callinan/McBrien/McLaughlin
McHugh/Coen
Reid/Boland/Ruane
RO'D/Carney/Towey
And any of (D) Duffy, Quinn, Kelly or Irwin who'd have been around last year too.
(Personally, I'd give it a better than 50/50 chances we'd see at least 1 of McHale, Neary, Thornton or McLaughlin. You could make a very strong case to start more than that to help hold a little more experience to bring on later to see the game out.)
WestKerry says:
January 23, 2025 at 8:50 pm
Intercounty is back thank god.
We are all behind Crossmolina on Sunday aswell it's only football but the community could do with a lift hope they get a huge crowd.
Looking forward to the Mayo game hard to call it at this stage but it would be a massive 2 points.
Don't fancy us for a win on Sunday at all but hopefully we can uncover some new players.
JoeG says:
January 23, 2025 at 9:25 pm
Looking forward to Sat evening. Thankfully driving conditions should be pretty much OK. Much as I think the future of Mayo will be in the hands of players like Callinan, Kelly, McHale, Morahan and McMonagle, I believe any players still involved in Sigerson should be left to play gor their colleges and not kill them at this time of the year.
One gripe is the lack of fanfare for the start of the GAA year. All other sports across the world would be flooding tv time with ads and previews. Other than the likes of this blog followers and other diehards you'd never know the season was on top of us. As an association we really could do much better in promoting our games.
Hill16 says:
January 24, 2025 at 12:20 pm
First safe travels to everyone travelling up from Mayo and other counties. My thoughts on the game, it'll be very hard to call. I know you guys will be missing a lot of players. And from our point of view we know about the recent retirements, with more rumored to go. Also the Cuala contingent I imagine will not be available We have drafted 16 new players on to our panel. There are good young players in the county, but inexperienced. Factoring in the new rules, and the fact the last 2 All Ireland's have gone to div 2 teams, it feels more like a pre-season game to me then a competitive one. I think it'll be a good game of football. Best of luck and see you tomorrow
Supermac says:
January 24, 2025 at 1:15 pm
@Ever the optimist
...tbf if you had read past the headline McGuinness saying it sets football back 20 years is a positive in his eyes, as the games will be more relentless and fast moving
Rumour Mill in Dublin going overtime...hearing of 3 more huge names opting out this year who are back with their clubs, if those are true I'd be firmly tipping them for relegation
Sean Burke says:
January 24, 2025 at 2:30 pm
Is there a James Carr interview in the Irish News today ?
What did ye make of Kevin’s brief piece on video yesterday , maybe I’m picking him up wrong but does he (twice now ) seem to indicate that some of the rules won’t be in place for championship ?
You Three says:
January 24, 2025 at 3:04 pm
https://www.irishnews.com/gaa/theres-probably-a-narrative-out-there-that-that-goal-went-to-that-fellas-head-hes-never-the-same-since-but-you-dont-realise-how-little-that-impacted-mayos-james-carr-on-football-family-and-farming-7HXLNVIOZRCJRN3SWJKZ64DUEM/
It's there but pay walled for me
Wouldn't read too much into McStay's comments on the rules, bit of early season bluff I'd guess
Sean Burke says:
January 24, 2025 at 4:47 pm
Read it there , just adds to the downbeat mood that surrounds mayo at the moment if I’m honest and brings up the nightmare finals of the past 21 in particular.
Apart from that James seems like he’s retired even though he says maybe come back fresh in 26 but also says maybe not . His injuries have really plagued him personally to state the obvious. Total respect for the lad , as a supporter he really excited me in play , I adore his type of style , just love that type of flair in a forward . Best of luck to him in life and I hang to the long odds hope of seeing him in the green n red again someday . Grma and especially them goals against Galway , special moments .