Ah..why is Neary on bench.This impact sub stuff wearing thin.Start your best 15.
Of course this team wont start...so many teams think it is clever to change personel on the day.Don't see the point myself.Donegal at it too with McBrearty.
I really hope Mayo pull it off but I would be pleasantly surprised.

I would urge all Mayo supporters to rewatch the last 3 minutes of the 1st half of the Tyrone match. We held on to the ball for the full 3 minutes in a totally controlled and composed manner and this eventually led to Darren McHale’s crucial goal. The Mayo players would not have been able to carry out this period of play had the game been played at MacHale Park. After about 30 seconds the inevitable shouts would have come from the crowd…’Will ye kick it in’ ‘Put your hand down Hession’ etc etc. The players are human after all and this crowd pressure makes it so much more difficult to control possession.

While there is a strong argument that we have engaged in slow, lateral play far too much in recent times, the reality is that every single serious contender left in this year’s championship engages in it at times. Even with the new rules, there are times when it is necessary. The few of us that made the trip to Healy Park largely understood the need to hold on to the ball at that particular time. I hope that when a similar time comes in the Hyde, the extra Mayo supporters that will be in attendance will also understand this.

I tend to disagree Padraig, think we are too obsessed with the starting 15 in Mayo, it's been years since we have got any type of lift from the bench, we are way behind the other top teams on this. but Nearys thrilling cameo in omagh was integral for that final push and so I would spring him from the bench again.

Armagh are masters of this, if stefan Campbell was in Mayo we'd have statues built of him but Armagh using him when they can get the absolute most impact

Obviously Tommy Conroy still has some way to go to get back. Thought he might have been in the reckoning for the 26 this weekend.

Rober, he's 'close' ,by all accounts

Very hard to know what team will start, but definitely we need an impact from bench, if we still within touching distance with 15 mins left, then we need an impact! I’d love to know what’s the story with Tommy C, we’ve been listening all year, he’s close!! Anyway I know you all feel the same so sorry Willie Joe for mentioning it again!! Looking forward to Sunday, handier drive than Omagh!!

Anyone notice that donegal have named a different sub goelie?? Obviously patton is named, but the guy who played as his replacement up to now, cannot think of his name, isn't the sub goelie this time. Is Jimmy up to something with the goelies/kickout strategy??? Might be added 2 n 2 and getting 5 here, but....

That's absolutely correct, Moyside. Gavin Mulready was Patton's (shaky) replacement but he's not even in the 26 for Sunday.

Niall o'donnell and caolan mcgonagle 2 very good players missing with injury

I wonder if patton is fit to start at all at all? If he isn't fit or they start patton n he has to go off injured again its high stakes with the sub..putting in an untested keeper is a high stakes game is dangerous...no more than ourselves if anything was to happen to reape...

Weren't we doing the goalie business with Vahey? He was a shoo in as substitute, then suddenly he disappeared and Phillips is the man in the gap, not that he has seen much action.

Do Mayo name the 4 replacement Subs or is it only known on Matchday

There's a bit of jiggery-pokery going on with both managers. All part of the fun.

Good to see Diarmuid O ' Connor & Donnacha McHugh on the bench .

Looks like we won't be seeing Tommy C this year even if we get passed Sunday .

He's so unlucky with injuries .

We’ve been getting pure spoof about Conroy. Ok, mgnt aren’t obliged to disclose info but don’t flippin tell us a player is close, when they’re not OR if you do, and the player suffers a set back, then say so.

@MD, I understand the point you’re making. I was behind the goal for that score at the end of the first half. Now, it was a pure fluke. It was sailing wide had the keeper just let it go, but we pounced on it. We aren’t very good at the slow build up/patient/lateral, call what you will, stuff compared to other contenders because our two point scoring is non-existent. We are significantly more effective when we look to strike very quickly. I do think had that game been in MacHale Pk that there would have been an understanding that we were playing down the clock to get a shot off. Remember, we were in control and leading. That’s the key point. It’s when we are playing shite at home (Sligo, Cavan) that the crowd understandably get frustrated and impatient.

A.I. allowed me to make a podcast (Google Notebook LM Pro)using text I posted on this blog after the Tyrone game. It’s just to show the power of these new tools.
It can be a ton of fun.
https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/d4d2baa6-2fc7-4c4a-91eb-248efc3db4db/audio

Showing my age now but I'm definitely in the camp where I'm more comfortable with AI as an agricultural acronym rather than a tech one!

Bonus pod up in Patreon now. Rob with Nigel Reape chatting about the team announcements, group permutations and more.

Willie Joe, I agree about the agricultural AI, and I’m so pleased about a podcast to listen to now!

Willie Joe, has there ever been so little comment/posts on the blog the day a team has been announced...its amazing, people are obviously delighted with the team named or else they have given up!!

Have just listened to the podcast with Rob and Nigel Reape. It’s brilliant.

Moyside. Probably because nobody believes the team announced is the one that will start anyway. I for one can’t remember when they did that.

True nephin, but has always been a bit of a buzz about it regardless...anyway, maybe everyone us so focused on Sunday n are conservating energy for that!! Even Clare hasn't commented...lol

Tut tut....I obviously didn't look through the comments closely enough....of course she has...lol

@Moyside

What? I commented once on this thread .

Of course Moyside. I always keep looking for the team sheet. Usually to see the subs and lately always hoping to see Tommy amongst them. Still, delighted to see Diarmuid and Donnacha listed. Would have been nice to see Eoghan there too.

Great to see diarmuid and mchugh on bench, pur depth is great going into to this, keeps donegals planning at bay

@ clare, relax, I'm only pulling yer leg...

@Moyside fair enough..

Not going to talk too much about the team named as I think there will be our usual few changes before throw in.
I've heard from a reliable source that should we get to a quarter final both Conroy and Eoghan Mcloughlan will be available.
These two along with Davitt Neary coming off the bench for impact would be brilliant.
There's no stand out team like Dublin were.
There's an all Ireland there to be won.
I expect Mayo to win by 1 point.
Pure chaos and heart attack stuff coming down the stretch

I think that's the team that will start for us. No reason why it wouldnt. It goes without saying but the performance of our midfield will be massive. We're never going to get it as easy there again as we did against Tyrone. I just hope the lads are primed for that. We're not going to be able to hold onto possession as easily as we did for that 3 minute spell against Tyrone at the end that first half as those lads were pure flat and just stood off us - Donegal won't do that for sure. However, what gives me hope is that Donegal might not want to fully empty themselves against us knowing that more than likely they'll be out again in a week's time in a preliminary quarter final as they can't finish top if Tyrone beat Cavan no matter what they do -whereas we have to go all in for this - a win puts us top and a 2 week break (again assuming Cavan don't win).

Donegal didn't score for the last 14 mins of normal time in the Ulster final. - and only 3 more scores in extra time

They didn't score for the last 8 mins v Tyrone and couldn't win a knockout.

There high speed counter attack style results in a lot of tired legs in the last 10 mins.

So Mayos bench (early use of many players) will decide if Mayo are able to close out the game like Tyrone.

Armagh say in their own defence shape in the last 10 of Ulster final and didn't go after the game when Donegal were out on their feet.

Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Rory Brickenden, Stephen Coen, Paddy Durcan, David McBrien, Matthew Ruane; Conal Dawson, Jack Carney, Darren McHale, Diarmuid O Connor ; Aidan O’Shea, Jack Carney, Ryan O’Donoghue

Subs: Adrian Phillips, Bob Tuohy, Davitt Neary, Jordan Flynn, Dylan Thornton, Fenton Kelly, Fergal Boland, Seán Morahan, Jack Irwin, Paul Towey

Would like to see
Morgan, Flynn and Neary coming on around 40-45mins and Touhy, Irwin/Thornton coming in around 50/55.

If we are holding 3/4 subs until the last 10 they won't have enough time to punish a fading Donegal

@MD “ The few of us that made the trip to Healy Park largely understood the need to hold on to the ball at that particular time.”

There’s a scenario in my head (however unlikely) where Mayo win Sam in 2025 and, just like every republican who later claimed they were in the GPO on Easter Monday, every die hard Mayo fan will claim they were among “the few, the happy few” who travelled to Healy Park for the Tyrone game when all the rest of us had fallen by the wayside.

Well I’ll be honest here, after forty years of attending every Mayo championship game as long as I was in the country, I lost faith. Or, I could argue, my uncle who I go to the games with, lost faith. (There’s a subplot here, where he claims I nearly dozed off driving back from the Cavan match in the middle of all those bog fires and he didn’t feel safe driving with me. That’s not entirely untrue - long story - but basically he lost faith and after forty years I didn’t feel like going on my own.)

Anyway, my uncle’s faith in my driving abilities are miraculously restored now after the result in Omagh and we’re heading to The Hyde from Dublin on Sunday. I’m not saying Mayo will definitely win the All-Ireland this year, but it could happen. And if it does, will I regret that I briefly lost faith? Nah, I’ll just tell everyone I was there. You can’t prove I wasn’t. This comment will self-destruct in 60 seconds….

I don’t believe that Team will start. We need big Men in Midfield and Forwards. Donegal have power and strength. We need to physically match them if we are going to compete. Frank Irwin should start along with Diarmuid and Neary as this is going to be a battle. I would leave Dawson, Mc Hale in reserve. Bring these lads on with 20 to go along with Boland. We need to bring Physicality on Sunday and go for it. Goals will win this game. Surly by now the plan has to be Aido on the square and kick in a few bombs to him and Irwin. They can cause Cause in the Donegal back line with ROD and Neary swarming around. Mayo must go out and play like demons win the Breaking ball and the kickouts and We can’t afford to let Donegal build up any steam. Mayo to win by 3.

Can cause havoc.

Finally the high ball ball into the FF line is happening. Do what others do not expect you to do - keep it simple and lets see what happens. It has to continue on Sunday - we wont beat Donegal by being too careful. Also man mark Murphy and Langan for the whole game as tight as possible. Sacrifice one of our own lads to nullify at least one of these two key players.

I have listened to commentary at different times in the last two years by at least four AI winners talking about the long kick to FF. This includes T O'Se and P Canavan - both proven winners. Donegal can be beaten in the Hyde.

Tirawley if we get away with that team it will be some achievement though not sure Donegal will be happy with us playing 16.
Really nervous this could be the end of the road for us this year. The head is saying Donegal but the heart is saying Mayo. Mayo by 1.

And not to underestimate the role of the seventeenth man in this one, might just make a difference.

2 hops, this is excellent!

How much are stand tickets was offered one but don't want to be ripped of either