Happy Christmas to WJ and to all who make this site so entertaining for us all, and a thought for all who will have a vacant chair at their table this Christmas.

Happy Christmas WJ and to everyone on the blog.
Let hope spring eternal once again for 2025.

Merry Christmas All

Great stuff again W J throughout this year. Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas.

Happy Christmas WJ to you and your family and all who contribute to this wonderful place.

Happy Christmas and a huge thank you for all the incredible work all year (John, Mike, Rob, Colm, frequent & infrequent guests on the pod & all the valuable insights & comments on the blog).

From Andrew Quinn's screamer of a goal or some of Kobe's breathtaking points at 17s right up to senior, with Eoghan Mc's screamer of a goal in January until Cross's outstanding run through Connacht at the end of the year, there's been plenty of enjoyable highs to cling to all year. Fingers crossed we've plenty more and on even bigger stages in the year ahead, with even half as much craic with the lads discussing it all on the pod.

Happy christmas all! And thanks @willie Joe for all the work you put into this blog we are so lucky! And to everyone who contributes..!

Happy Christmas to one and all.

Haven’t dipped my toe in the pond for a few months, well not since Armagh kicked our arse in July last but that’s big days in Croker for you…..
I hope all here have lovely Christmas and a safe healthy and a happy 2025. Safe travels to all the games and let the memories and not the results be the light of all our memories. God Bless all

Huge coup for swinford to get John Reilly as coach and S&C.junior very open next year with swinford, bonni,eastern Gaels, kiltimagh and even a killala or northern Gaels will fancy there chances

And shrule/ glencorrib might finally get their act together.

Happy Xmas Willie Joe
Looking forward to the new year of football !

Happy Christmas Willie Joe, all who help in putting this blog together and all who contribute with their comments. It's a wonderful facility and allows us all to let of steam and ease our frustration. As ever, we will start every new year full of hope and optimism, however unjustified.

Merry Christmas to WillieJoe and his team and to all contributors to the blog. Hope ye all have a wonderful time with your loved ones.

A very happy Christmas to you,Willie Joe and family,best of luck for next year

Bah humbug

Happy Christmas all - hope you're all enjoying the day

Merry Christmas to everyone and a happy New Year!

Happy Christmas to everyone. Here’s hoping for a very happy and successful New Year.

Happy Christmas Willie Joe and everyone on the blog that help out, give out, contribute or just read and keep their counsel. Special shoutout to those of us that lost loved ones this year better days are coming wont be long till theres a stretch in the evenings

Happy Christmas Everyone and a successful new year. Up mayo!!

Et Tu Willie

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Willie Joe and all

Bit late to this one so happy new year is nearer .

If there is one thing I’d say we as Mayo supporters should try and do more, it’s putting a positive spin on things rather than accepting a negative .

I’ll give an example, the general narrative out there is our nearest and dearest have overtaken us this decade , I don’t accept that at all . It’s 2025 next year and so far this decade , we have contested two all Ireland finals 20&21 . Galway have contested two also . Neither county have won it . We have knocked them clean out of the championship three times ,20/21 and 23 , they’ve never got one over us in that way yet , we’ve also grabbed a league title in Croke park against them in this period . I’m simply illustrating that the narrative can be spun that we still have the upper hand . So when we beat them in castlebar and lift the nestor cup next year , let them know Mayo media , make a bit of noise , we’ve gone a little too tame in the chest beating imo .

Happy New Year to everyone on the Blog. Looking forward to the game v Monaghan on 4th January.

@SeanBurke . Totally agree with your post .
Also remember we have no God given right to win the All Ireland.
We have had better panels of players in the past that failed to do it .
The blog since the Mayo News came on board seems to focus alot on the negatives and past and present management teams .( just my opinion WJ , not a personal swipe )
Looking forward to the league and some new and old faces getting their opportunity to showcase their skills and good analysis from posters here .
Let's get behind the lads in 2025 and let a new journey begin.

My Ball - I don’t understand that reference of yours to the Mayo News having come on board. I’m now involved in the podcast (which has no link to the Mayo News) with Mike (who no longer works with the Mayo News) and Rob.

Happy Christmas to you WJ and all on the blog
Maigheo Abu.

Are mayo gaa tv showing the monaghan game?

@Sean Burke I wouldn't be certain Galway will even reach the Connacht final in May. They have to overcome the rossies first who have 5 or 6 starters returning to the fold.

Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh go leir. Go raibh maith WJ don spas speisialta

MO2023 ,Will ya stop, Galway will beat the Rassies by 6+

The positive thing for Galway in 2025 is the additions to the back room team.
People often give Kevin O Brien, Stephen Rochford and even Joe Canney credit for Corofins list of All Irelands ( which of course they deserve) but the single common demoninator was always Dave Morris, he has an absolute huge reputation as a coach and I never expected Joyce to get him .. Mickey Graham will add a lot too..
But the fact that that all players are back , hopefully any outstanding niggling injuries are cleared and a few exciting additions to the panel and I have high hopes for 25

@MO2023 I agree with you there Galway might fubd it hard.

I just don't know if they can bounce back from that final loss so quickly who knows it could be a Rossie v mayo final if we are lucky enough to get there.

Still weary of sligo but we should beat them.

See Kevin McStay, expecting a good 2025. Be a little concerned on such talk, even before throw in in the league, never mind championship. Hope he right, but need a massive improvement, from what I seen last year.

New pod up on Patreon - Mike chatting with Stephen Drake about his decision to retire from club football and his hopes for Mayo in 2025.

Paddy Power has Mayo at slight favorites for connacht - which I think is fair given we've the easy route and home advantage in a final. It was only a point in salthill this year.

Galway are way ahead of us in the All Ireland, which I think is fair as well. First year where I truly believe that Galway are closer to an All Ireland than us, and I tipped Galway to reach the Final last year.

Interesting odds for the league, looks like the last 2 winners will be favorites to go down.

On a lot of Mayo Pods, during the year, different pundits said you need 2-3 yrs in the panel and be in the age bracket of 23/25 yrs to be ready to play county football. Why is this the case? While Meath are way down the power rankings at the moment, on their team that beat Mayo in 1996,nearly half their team were in the 19/22 yrs bracket.

@Paddyjoejohntom Galway really should have lost to Sligo in Connacht this year lets not forget.

Mayo man in Meath, the S&C now v then is on a different planet. A team from the 90s wouldn't live with current teams. Just way the sport has evolved, same players if born now in same environment and set up could be better than present teams but the games changed in the 20-30 years.

Wouldn't be surprised if the Rossies beat Galway either @MO2023.

It takes alot of resiliance to bounce back from that kind of final loss where it was there for Galway but bottled it.

Looking forward to the charity match is it on mayo gaa tv?

Nice to see we are slight favourites for connacht we seriously need to win it next year 3 years without not good! Definetly don't underestimate Sligo though.

Interesting year ahead with it so wide open..!

Late to these posts so Happy New Year to all. Thanks Willie Joe for your tremendous work in maintaining this blog and keeping all of us in order - no easy task!

Come January I'm full of hope each year. 'Hoping' this January will be no different.

Happy new year to all on the blog-especially to you, Willie Joe. Hope you had a good Christmas.

Any idea if Saturday’s match will be streamed? I’d think there would be a fair amount of interest as the first game for both sides under the new rules.

In the city, I doubt game be streamed as that would eat into the charity fund as would cost near €1,500 to €2,000 to do it.
They will want people to attend to maximise revenue I presume. Would have been advertised by now as well.

We've another challenge game before that as well on Thursday so busy few days.

@Gizmobobs good to know do you know who the other challenge game is against?

Thanks WJ and the team for a great year on the pod and blog. Happy New Year all! cant wait for the new season to kick off

Roscommon I led to believe. Retrocut has the core of current panel listed on twitter for those interested. Ballinrobe very well represented again ..

Very strong Connacht Championship this year with both Roscommon staking claims for sure.
Mayos season will depend on how much management will give players their head on the field, imo. Players like McBrein, Callinan, Carney, Flynn and others have one more hurdle to jump in their progression and that is give leadership on the field. If they become driving forces, then the sky's the limit...

Happy New Year folks,

Firstly a thank you to Willie Joe for a great GAA blog, You run a tight ship.

2025 and hope springs enteral.

We all have questions over us and there are no clear certs so I think that's a good place to be.

The league looks ultra competitive.

Roll on the new year.

@Gizmobobs any venue throw in time for that challenge v Roscommon on Thursday?

Thanks @Gizmobobs for that info!

Roscommon is a great challenge game!

See we are 8th favouritea for sam next year with paddy power suppose that's pretty fair after our awful year this year.

Though we are at our best underdogs & under the radar to.. If mullin comes back in 26 what a boost he was some man before he left but he is even better & fitter now..

@clare. I think mullin should come back this year 2025 rather than leaving it another year. This year could be his last chance to play with Aidan who must be nearing retirement. Happy new year to all.

Has Oisín said on record that he is calling time on his AFL career in the near future? His progression in the game continues to be on an upward spiral.

@Jimbo yeah agree but guess he has signed the contract till end of 25.

@ontheditch no not on the record but it was said on the podcast that there are alot of rumours going around that he is going to do one more season with cats then come back...

I heard it a while ago to wont say exactly what I heard but I would not be surprised if he came back sooner then 26 by the sounds of it!

Happy new year all here is hoping for a better season as always!

@Clare realistically, if he wants to feature this year, he'll have to be home soon enough. Does the AFL season begin around April?

Happy Nee Year all!

Hope 2025 will be good to all.

I fear it will be awful tricky on the pitch. Staying in Div 1 and a Connacht title would be a serious achievement with 2/3 big finds for the future.

Think we will see our drop off in support plummet further.

Hopefully our faith in u20 management was warranted because this is a very able group

Happy Nee Year to all. I see Paddy Poeer has us slightly favourites to win Connacht and also 8 th favourites to win Div 1 of league, in other words favourites for relegation. Actually wouldn’t be surprised if we are relegated as availability of players is an issue in the early part of league While I am glad to hear K Mc being positive I can’t say I share it but hope springs eternal