Thanks WJ.
Parking advice anyone - coming from Dublin.

Fully expecting a big response today. Looking forward to seeing a few new faces too. Monaghan struggling with absences but always a tough opponent in Clones.

I agree wj, win and Andy can focus on his championship panel. Some positions not yet nailed down.

Im not so sure we will win this because if they lose they are more than likely relegated. This is not going to be easy.

Ready to hit the road to Clones. I am expecting a big reaction to last week's damp squib of an effort against Donegal. We need to get the two points to be safe and then we can concentrate on getting our championship squad ready for battle. Looking forward to seeing Kobe in action to see how he handles the big boys game!

Best of luck to Mayo today really hoping to catch a look at Kobe McDonald before he heads off to Australia. I was at the Galway match last night and it was my first time seeing Daire Cregg in person. He turned down the move to Oz, and on that performance he looks like one of the top players in the country right now. It’d be brilliant to see more lads follow his lead, though you can’t begrudge anyone taking the opportunity abroad either. Two points today should see Mayo safe, while we Galway supporters might now be staring down the barrel of a relegation battle. Safe Travels

If anyone wants a spare ticket, give me a shout at irishlol85@hotmail.com and I'll send it on when I land in Clones.

I really hope to see a performance from the team today to get the win and of course to see Kobe McDonald been brought on. Its eveywhere on social media about him being named on the panel!! Some pressure for a young 18 yr old. Monaghan will be desperate to get a win too so this game wont be easy by any means. Some comeback from the Rossies last night against Galway!! Best of luck to the lads. Up Mayo

Excited for today's game. Real opportunity for the players to bounce back and show what they can do. Delighted Loftus is back and would be nice if Kobe was to get some game time

Sorry but is the TG4 App different to Spórt TG4 on You Tube?

God Bless you WJ, you have done a great service for us down through the years with this blog. Your patience and dedication to the cause is outstanding.
I say this today when I see your comment on how "we’ve shown alarming profligacy in front of goal" recently.
It's not the first time or the 50th time you've mentioned this failing in this blog, I reckon.
If we had only 1 wish, this is the failing we most need to change. Best of luck to Andy& co making us a team who consistently make the most of all our scoring chances.

Stuck in work. Good luck to all.

It's also time for boland and towy if he gets a chance to put there hands up for a starting position. It hasn't really happened yet for both of them

Totally agree with the headline here. We certainly could do with winning this one. There is a few lads on subs id certainly be starting. We need to learn from mistakes. After the wind been taken totally out of us last weekend a big bounce back required. On paper there is not a lot between them which makes this one hard to call.

Hard place to get a win but we need to win this or get in dog fight to stay up. If we can't defeat Monaghan in a game that's nearly a must win, them we have to accept we are not in the top 10. Should win if players give 100% for full game.

Mcgeeney talking about Piggery around the middle..I bet if the old rules were still in use he wouldnt mind as much

Yes, the TG4 App is different from Spórt TG4 on YouTube. The app provides the full, official TG4 player experience with live TV, catch-up, and boxsets, whereas Spórt TG4 on YouTube is a dedicated channel for sports highlights, clips, and specific live-streamed events.
The game is being broadcast live by TG4 on their TG4 Beo 2 Player as well as the TG4 Player app.

https://tg4.ie/ga/player/seinn/?pid=6384195220112&series=TG4%20Beo%20%5B2%5D&genre=TG4

Not all that confident of a win today. Do or die for Monaghan, not so much for us.
There'll need to be a lot more battling and, as Pat Spillane likes to say, "intinsity" than we saw in Donegal. If the attitude is right, we should win.

Best of luck today,a game we should win safe travels to everyone and hopefully no injuries to either team

@fortheloveofmayo. Easiest way might be to use Internet app on your TV. Do a Google search for TG4 Beo 2
This will take you to where game is streamed live
Should be streamed ten minutes before kick off. Hope that helps

@Alan Headford. Daire is on fire at the moment and long may it last. The common narrative is that he turned down the AFL. This is not true, he attended numerous trials in Dublin but was never offered an actual contract. That is very different to Kobe McDonald’s situation.

@ Catcol plenty of parking at the back of the stand

That’s not true Western View Cregg turned down a offer to Carlton

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2025/01/09/daire-cregg-i-didnt-grow-up-wearing-a-carlton-jersey/

“ Cregg attended AFL trials in Dublin last summer but didn’t tog out or participate as Roscommon were preparing to face Mayo a few weeks later. However, Carlton scouts subsequently watched him in a challenge match for Roscommon and also that championship encounter against Mayo – which was enough for them to try persuade Cregg to move Down Under.”

Any way back to Mayo, hoping to see Seamus Howard give a run out around the middle and Cian McHale and Kobe to get a proper run out up top today. The starting team excluding Beirne looks to be pretty similar of what we have previously seen. Weather could be a big part today, wind isn’t great.

If there is a late announcement of McDonald starting i think the TG4 app will get a lot of traffic haha, im hopeful we will get the win today good luck to the lads.

@Ontheditch Thank you!!

What are conditions like in Monaghan? Wind? A lot of league games are won by teams playing with the wind in second half.
I would like to see more of Howard too. He's holding his place on the panel, a win today would give Andy an opportunity to experiment

@Clare Best of luck to Mayo. From all in Galway and beyond.

Light breeze, from left to right on TV cameras towards the hill. Shouldn't be a major factor

Best of luck to the guys today . Monaghan wont be easy.

No changes to starting team.

Am I missing something or did monaghan only get one score? I could be wrong

Much better balance about the team this week

Already more than the donegal match and not half time

Fergie Bs two two pointers could be huge scores after playing with a strong wind.

Amazing Fergie B

Willie Joe, you might have to change your pen name to Bob Tuohy the way this is going. Unbelievable performance at midfield.

Jordan Flynn has been playing well .Yeah Fergal boland some scores from him .

Looking a bit more put together today. However, Monaghan much poorer than I thought they'd be.

Tuohy lording it at midfield. If I was from Monaghan I would be very annoyed with ref. He will probably even it up in the second half. They also will have a good breeze but we should.be able to win it from here

Good man Fergal Boland, a couple of great scores there. We should be winning by a country mile here, but Monaghan not done with yet! They mightn't be as good as a few years back but they're famous for their 2nd half fightbacks, and I think they'll have the wind in the 2nd half too.
Still all to play for...

I think Bob Touhy will break the record for clean catches this afternoon. Great display and making him a staple in the team, and Boland is showing what his about. Himself and Darragh Beirne knows were the post are. With Cian McHale and Kobe to come on our forward line is taking shape

Tuohy has been sensational, 10% looks to have nailed down a place, long may it continue, Boland two 2 pointers before halftime could be crucial, need to keep it tight first 10/15mins of second half to take sting out of it and tag a few scores, looks like a strong wind.

It will be interesting to see how much Monaghan can claw back in 2nd half. Wind definitely a factor.

Will Beggan be brought on to kick the two pointers??

Don't want to see any easing off & trying to protect this lead in second half. Need to keep going for scores which they did well in the first.

@Swinford1951, im concious Mayo are playing Monaghan and no one has any intetest in Daire Cregg. But again, he was not offered a contract. Its simple as that. Different to young McDonald.

That's what we need from Aido! Banging in good goals.

Kobe on

Who?

And pops a lovely score over

Thats a brilliant goal from aidan the movement and the finish, the perfect type of game to introduce kobe and hes just scored biggest cheer of the game.

ah lads, when have we seen the likes

Local businessmen
Get the cheque books and courtesy cars out
It’s not too late

I'm in heaven here after watching Kobe get that goal!!!

We need to cut all diplomatic and economic ties with Australia immediately. Apologies to any Irish people over there but you’re just going to have to be considered as collateral damage.

Sit back and enjoy it while you can. Kobe is a ray of sunshine

Absolutely criminal that this player is being let go.

1-4 in ten minutes has to be some sort of a record. This kid is beyond special.

Jasus lads...
How in the name of God is he going?

Good God ye ate them up and spat them out like bullets, I fancied mayo today but I thought it would have been a tighter one than this. Great debut from young McDonald he’s clearly a special talent, health and joy to him always. This result will see ye playing top flight ball again in ‘27 which is a great opportunity for Andy and the lads to give plenty of time to the fringe players in the remaining games. Armagh and Kerry are two great teams to be facing with six points in the bag, good times for mayo and congrats to all

Right, who’s starting the Go Fund Me?

Brilliant stuff all round and a big welcome to the boy wonder !!

Don't let him go

Seriously, he has to be given whatever it takes. Its just unconscionable to let him go.

Feic the AFL lads!!! He is going to be such a huge loss to us. What a joy to watch.

We can’t let this lad go to Oz - he’s like Clifford On steroids. My god

Kobe is just class...

Bob Touhy though is well really coming good fair play to him .

If there is any hope of keeping him in the country he has the ability to be another Clifford.
Seriously though, and I know Monaghan are struggling, but that’s some scoring.
Bob Touhy my MOTM.

I see Kobe had a sensational debut. Whats the story lads, is he definitely going to Australia to play the aussie rules or is he available for as long as Mayo are in the Championship. Taking my Maroon googles off it would seem given Mayos need for a prolific scoring forward to play alongside Ryan that he is a must keep. I cannot say that you would begrudge a young lad a career but can it be deferred for say 2-3 years or is he going down under deal done?

Let the hype begin....

Its deal done i am afraid Chesney.....going g the way of Hanley and Mullin all huge losses

Ye think Kobe is good now wait till ye see Oisin Deane at 10 feeding him ball. Whats that Jimmy McGee once said about Maradona different class

Agree with a lot of comments its criminal that we are going to lose a lad of that talent. Bob touhy man of the match hes started the season brilliantly in a position that we badly need a player.

It's worse than losing Hanley and Mullin. He's a completely different gravy and what we've been crying out for for literally decades.

What a battle for man of the match , Towey was class , jordan flynn at his very best that's the level hes at for Crossmolina and I did say with kobe and Conor in team with him , he might just mature into same role he does for Cross .
All talk will be about the boy Kobe , again anyone whos seen him rip it up with club football won't be surprised but even to that effect this is Roy of the Rovers type debut .
Conor was outstanding the heart of all things good superb distribution and use of the ball ..if there were scoretype passes stats on him , hes guaranteed 100% postive use of the ball .

Paddy D and Mchugh were class and working their way back to very best , hession far better and Sam Callinan was awesome , even better for him is having Loftus next to him to act as foil for him off the shoulder.
Carney and Mcbrien solid , Rod his lively self, Beirne such a composed performance, class act .
Boland worked hard and is profiting from flynn and co running direct , boland has a brain and feeds off the lads direct running .
Aido got his goal and worked hard and wil be a great foil for the squad but after Kobe s showing and Cian Mchale still held in reserve , he has a battle on his hands .

Very exciting and lovely to see only concerns is for second week in row Jack Coyne is roasted , hes a very good player but going through a ball spell.
Rob Hennelly and high ball dont go well together, he really needs to settle him under the high ball also with kobe on field , think kobe or ROD for long kicks off the ground .

Such a difference it makes to have some left footed forwards.
More or less playing with a full deck today.

I'm with you Glorydays. Deane needs to be fast tracked too. Jordan Flynn and Bob Touhy were excellent today as well.

POTM poll is up!

Great performance from the lads after last week. How long can we realistically expect to have Kobe on the team before he heads down under? It would be great to get one season out of him at least! The ink is surely long dry on the contract I assume so no turning back there.

I think people forget how good Pearce Hanley was and we lost him when we where competing for all Irelands and ive no doubt we win 1 or 2 if we didn't lose Hanley.

Save the key boards and stressing yourselves folks. He has signed a contract and thats, that. Its a great opportunity for the young man. The Australians are very good to let him play for the next few months with the risk of injury etc..

Brilliant Performance from Mayo Today. Just what we needed after the Donegal Match. Andy is building for the future. Maybe Sam is a bit of a stretch this year but We should be winning Connaught and straight to a an All Ireland Quarter Final. Who knows after that? All Round a Major improvement from last week. One word on Kobe ….CLASS.

Touhy best game
Boland best game
Beirne best game
Flynn best game this season
Conor loftus great display, Durkan and Callinan too
And then Kobe best debut ever!!!

Hard to pick but Touhy by a hair

Great performance, but Jack McCarron had a field day on Jack Coyne. All at sea on the diagnol balls in. Lacks aggression