Strong team named. I wonder is Beirne injured. Hope not.

No complaints really i suppose. Mchale is a straight swop for beirne. Would like to see Dawson get a run soon I'd like to see what he's like now in a mayo jersey.

Would not be surprised if there is a change or two to the starting team and 26 before throw in.

Would like to have seen Diarmuid Duffy, John McMonagle, and Conal Dawson in the squad.

Strong team . Good to see Cian McHale get a go he is really promising. Yes hopefully just resting Darragh Beirne .

No complaints with that lineup. Hope the weather doesn't spoil what should be a cracker against one of the top teams and one of the ones I have a soft spot for. Whether up in Armagh or Castlebar their fans are fantastic friendly, passionate and knowledgeable.
Tbh they could easily be coming into this one with full points or at least unbeaten. If we get anything on Sunday it'll be hard earned!

@JoeG

Definetly agree there also have a soft spot for Armagh supporters so friendly & great craic ! It will be a tough match .

Strong team. Looks like Andy is intent on getting Division 1 insurance points and leaving nothing to chance and also trying to get an idea of where we stand, against good opposition. You can see the overall framework of the Championship team beginning to take shape, with McBrien at midfield, McHugh at 3,Conor at 6 and, possibly, only the full forward line really open to changes. Win this and we can give game time and opportunities to others.

I’m glad to see McHale in for Beirne, as far as I’m concerned the no.13 jersey is Darragh’s at the minute so let’s see if McHale can lay claim to it.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see another change or two… does Aiden need to play again after playing the last 2 games, full 70 mins last week?
I agree with comments about the Armagh crowd, they’re a friendly gang on the whole, a different breed from some other counties followers.

@ GlasagusDearg, I wouldn't say things are that sown up, but the championship team will not be a million miles away from Sundays line out.
Andy and co. have been very shrewd in addressing problems as they arise from game to game. Two softish goals conceded against a weak Monaghan team? No changes to our back 6. We will hopefully get improved performances from them as a unit. Im glad Durcan remains at 7, his best position. Sneaking into the action and picking of his points. Similarly with Callinan.
Jack Carney has a big game in his locker, needs to cast off the shackles of old rules around the arc and start aggressively taking on whats in front of him. Flynn to back up last weekend outstanding performance.
Im hoping we'll see a bit of Carr, deserves another chance. I expect Dawson is being rested after a hectic season with mayo senior and u20. westport senior and u21, and UL.
Strong team, its a game that could go down to the wire.

Any sign of Cillian or Mattie at all?

Imo, this is one of those years (like waiting for a rare eclipse), where there's a "handy AI" in orbit. Kerry are treading water and Dubs are scrambling to reach the required level. So, at the moment Donegal look the best of the rest. Can a Galway or Mayo step up on performances to become serious challengers? No doubt either team can.. Mayo are now showing a core set of players with serious leadership qualities. Galway at the moment are struggling - but never write them off. It's all to play for.

Jack Livingston
Eoin mcgreal
Brickenden
Morahan
Plunkett
Coen
Kelly
Diarmuid
Ruane
Dawson
Towie
Conroy
Beirne
Carr
Cillian
Not a bad 2nd team to be able to call on and kobe,mcmonagle.howard.and a few more to add to the mix.

I don’t think Kobe should be involved until the championship - or league final at the earliest. He has the leaving cert coming up and there’ll be no niceties on Sunday. Also let him and all of us bask in the the glory of his debut, after all it’s only a week and the possibility of going from hero to zero in that short time might not be in the best interests of the young lad.

Strong team listed , but missed opportunity in my view to for younger lads their opportunity , Dawson, Morahan, Irwin , Howard, Kelly ….and let Kobe go back to U20’s with Beirne …we know what they can do….why do we persist with giving game time to lads that have been there for years and unfortunately haven’t produced on the big day for the last decade ….i thought this is what the league was for ….anyway I expect we will win and I hope I’m proven totally wrong but I don’t see us giving our younger lads an opportunity to shine

I don't agree with the let Beirne & Kobe go back to under 20s. Even Andy said he didn't think it was to young. Sure one of Donegals best players last year was only 18 and he played in semi final . Also lets enjoy kobe while we can . Kobe proved on Sunday yes Monaghan were well beaten but proved is well able for it .

@mayomanforlife saying “we know what Kobe can do” is a mad statement. He needs exposure to Senior IC football if he’s to make an impact in the championship. Armagh is a different proposition to Monaghan.

What will we learn on Sunday by starting Hennelly, Carney, Flynn and O'Shea ahead of Livingstone, Finbar McLoughlin, Dawson and Carr

'Let them back to the U20s' is talk for young lads who need the extra long term development to prep for the senior team a few years down the road in my opinion.

If they are good enough for senior they're old enough. These lads have shown what they are made off and are a breath of fresh air for what Mayo football could be. Make no bones about it they'll be pushing for jerseys when the big boy championship starts, never mind just being in the trimmed down squad.

And there's others currently on the u20s who will benefit from the extra game time with the freed up spots.

I'm sure Andy, Colm and Keith have it well discussed about the finer man management and player welfare aspects off it all, and have a plan/agreement but when push comes to shove fans in mayo want one thing. A successful u20 team along with it would be great, but is by no means the ultimate.

With O Loughlin, Dawson et al being minded I'm sure they'll be frustrated and chomping at the bit to get going. There's some of the old stock we have seen little/nothing off yet and they'll be on borrowed time in this squad if they rely on their reputations from past outings. I think what role he has pencilled in for Ruane (start/impact sub) will dictate where McBrien ends up. He's badly missed further back, but if there's a plan to move him back to help shore things up late in the day then fair enough.

Competition is a huge asset for this squad - ironically our biggest issues now seem to be at our historically strongest part of the field. How much would a prime Keegan, Boyle, Barrett, Higgins add to that back line....

I think with Armagh's greater need for the 2points at the weekend, and it likely being a pig off a game :) a strong experienced team was probably the right call in hindsight. If no changes to the team, which have been few to date, I guess he's using this as potentially the last yardstick to suss where we truly are in the pecking order. If we can put in a performance against a decent team who need the win I'd say everyone would be content enough. Armagh won't be far off when they tighten up their attack, and the day they catch fire, they'll bury some team in the Championship.

I would still have liked a bit of variation on the bench at least but I think that will surely come after this weekend and let the lesser seen boyos stake their claim for the final few jerseys.

No doubt in your 2nd team still no place for

John McMonagle
Hugh Loughlin
Seamus Howard
Nathan Moran
Adam Barrett
Kobe McDonald
Finbarr McLaughlin
Frank Irwin
Tom Lydon

Hurley and Clarke maybe next year,

A lot of competition for forwards position

For the next few games i would like to see the u21 to U23 instead of the U20 at least the U20 will be playing ball. McMonagle Hugh McLoughlin Howard Dawson and Iwin McHale Finbarr McLaughlin can get start or come on. Several of these have no problem
Playing with each others

Strong team, not sure about Coen only in subs but a good man to end a game anyway with his experience and Connor seems to add something with his runs and vision. Also not sure about all the time Aido’s getting, we know he can do a job, why not give Carr or Irwin a chance. Agree on goalie, our no 2 could do with game time. Maybe if we get to 7 or 8 points Andy will ring in the changes. Important to stay in Div 1 as 2 is the most competitive it’s been in a long while and any team could slide down from it. If McHale has to go off the only natural leftie up front is Aido. Ruane and Darren McHale might struggle to get back in when ready, ditto Eoghan Mac.
Heard a comment above on Kerry, I don’t think they’ll struggle at all come summer as Jack eyes 2 in a row but Cork might nobble them early in the campaign. Once the 2 Cliffords are playing they will be a force to be reckoned with. We shouldn’t get carried away yet, Connaught is a 3 way race with no obvious favourite.

Clearly not experimenting at this stage and Moran is trying to give as many of his championship team a run together as possible.

Centre Back and Corner forward are the 2 positions that seem to be variable at the minute.

If Ruane makes it back and earns a spot ahead of Loftus, it'll be McBrien back to Centre Back.

Cian McHale is getting a chance to nail down the left foot corner forward position, with Bierne rested as he has probably shown enough to start championship.

Still think we need to look at a forward line with Dawson and Irwin in it.
O Shea wont be able to play 70min week on week come June.

While the lads did well against Monaghan , particularly in the second half and deserve to get picked .However this is the League and. I have to admit that I was soo looking forward to seeing a new goalkeeper and up to 4 outfield changes,,, this is the ideal game to give other lads an opportunity to shine … Hopefully we learn lots from the Armagh match , regardless of the result. We will need it all in Connaught , which will be very very competitive

Charlie ..

There are no handy All Irelands..

And Kerry are treading water.. 🤣

Just on the Kobe discussion,

Hes still in school people need to settle down a small bit that hes "ready"

Hes not a fully grown man yet so to say hes ready is heaping far to much expectation on a lad in school.

Andy is giving him a taste of what that jersey means which is fairly cute on his part.

Id keep him in the seniors like Kerry did with Clifford and Seanie but both Kerry lads took a few years to really develop so the people need to set their expectations accordingly.

Without meaning to be condescending we know supporters in Mayo tend to get excited about their football and their team but give this kid some space to do his exams and enjoy his football.

Andy even said he is ready for seniors. No one is getting overly excited as we know he is heading off to Australia and fair play to him.

No one is heaping expectation out of an 18 year old either .

We all know he is just a kid and still in school. Hence why Andy is minding him and introducing him slowly. Also why Jordan Flynn took him straight off the pitch and away from the crowd after the game.

I was impressed by what I saw from Fenton Kelly, he has a lot about him. He's still raw but has huge potential.

I think people are getting very carried away with Kobe. He came on against the worst team in Division 1 and scored 1-4, fair play to him but he has been held scoreless from play in schools games and also in club games.

Clifford scoring 1–05 against Galway, 1–03 against Monaghan and 2–06 against Kildare
He ended 2018 with an All Star and as Young Footballer of the Year.

There is no comparison between Kobe and Clifford. Clifford was and is the best player to ever play the game. He was the main man for Kerry in his first year in Senior at 18/19 and Kobe just isn’t on the same level at all.

People here really need to see it for what it is, if he came on against Donegal then it would be totally different conversation and I think he’d struggle if he started against Armagh.

Those Mayo Folk wouldn’t be ones to get carried away very easily would they……….

West Kerry I agree with your points on kobe as ye have first hand experience of dealing with the very similar situation of David Clifford.Andy Moran can hardly say that kobe isn’t ready for senior football and then play him

Clare - "no one is getting overly excited"
Wouldn't agree with that at all. Look at the comments here on the blog alone since last Sunday.
Look at the media coverage as well - mad stuff.
Kobe is still only 18 - no one in the Monaghan game laid a hand on him. If he is playing come summer and he is been marked by intercounty defenders who have 7-8 years of s and c done - that will be tge real test

@southmayo exile

Fair point. There is hype and he should be minded for sure . He only just did his mocks sure. Armagh is a very big test for us in general let alone throwing kobe into that .

@sean
I am not sure what school and club games you have been watching where Kobe was scoreless?
Please name them
@south mayo exile, he came across some strong defenders in senior championship last summer. Take a look at ballina and Westport game and note his performances
If he comes on tomorrow, he will cause havoc v Armagh

Kobe is ready for this team and I'm not having "Monaghan were so poor on the day" stuff. Take a look at the scores he gets again on video it's all about skill and movement accuracy no matter who you're playing. Ok play him in fits and starts for now and let him off to the U20s but when it comes championship (leaving cert aside) start him and let him shine. These are the type of one off players that are match winners in tight knock out games when it really matters. He will be even better with better players around him in this new look Mayo front line.

A once in a generation player.

So he might as well be ready, because in 8 months time we might not see him in a mayo jersey again for a very long time

There seems to be a lot more discussion outside the county in the national media and on podcasts about Kobe than inside. I live in Kildare and attend most Mayo games. From my experience (non Mayo) GAA fans that follow football from any part of the country like to think that Mayo fans get excited easily or “loose the run of themselves “ at any sign of improvement. I don’t think we are any different to any others serious footballing county, to be honest as supporters I think in general we are more knowledgeable and realistic than most.

Good man West kerry, totally agree with you. Let the lad live a bit

@North Mayo to kildare

Great comment . It always seems to be whenever we are going well or whenever we see any improvements whatsoever we are loosing the run of ourselves or getting carried away. Or if we have a great young prospect coming up we are hyping him up to much. Fully agree. On Sunday kobe looked like he was really enjoying himself. And everyone is letting him live a bit @T2S .

Claire, my granny would have enjoyed herself against monaghan last Sunday

T2S. You need go get Andy or Dianne to give your granny a call up.

Biblical rain promised tomorrow!! It'll be shocking conditions for a competitive game. Bring the golf umbrella. Is the stand open to all for league games? I take it you need to get in early doors?

On Kobe, not the first time a new player shoots the lights out on introduction. Fionn McDonagh did very well in the league in his 1st season. Mark Moran also made a great Cameo vs Galway. Kobe’s skills look very impressive but agree on S&C in a big game. Unless he has blinding pace to the extent markers can’t catch him he’ll be hit hard by stronger men. I think it was 1 point vs Balla the other week and the Balla midfielders did well on him from what I heard. That might be that possession was imbalanced going by the scoreline. I would give him another chance or 2 off the bench as he could be very useful come summer. He’s tall but not strong build yet so let’s hope he has too much pace for opponents. Giving him game time is keeping off other lads that need game time who are staying so it’s a balancing act. Giving him a chance to shine may change his mind, contract or not.

@shuffly deck no it wasn’t 1 point Kobe scored against Balla.
So we have @Sean saying he has had scoreless games (incorrect) and you throwing out incorrect scores.
He was top scorer against Balla playing in midfield in the most awful conditions. Conditions so bad that immediately after the game the next match due to played straight after was cancelled.
Your opinions on Kobe, like Sean’s , are inaccurate in my opinion but they are opinions and we are all entitled to them. However, get facts right about scoring, it’s very strange fellow mayo supporters wanting to belittle the incredible talent of a teenager but at least don’t lie or talk rubbish about his scoring when doing so

Solo and Go,

Nobody is belittling the young man from anything i have read its nothing but giddy excitement and supporters daring to dream.

Thats the brilliance of sport.

Some of us are just saying that people are getting a little carries away with a young man still in school.

No matter how good you think he is, he is still a young lad.

Referencing club games is irrelevant as they are not remotely the same as intercounty.

I hope to see Kobe again this evening on league Sunday if he gets a run and I hope he has you all on your feet with giddy excitement.

It's time to move on from incessant Kobe debates and arguments. Let's give the lad a bit of peace and room to breathe.
With today's weather looking so bad it might be a case of the old dogs for the hard road. Maybe a lesson in pragmatism in this one which would be no bad thing because teams have to learn to cope and win in different ways.........Now where did I leave my rainproofs?

Agreed Joe G
Just when you have posts saying he was scoreless in school and club games or that he got 1 point I don’t think that should be posted without correction
It is false information and disrespect to him

No rain in castlebar as of yet anyway lads so maybe weather predictions might be a bit ott,.. hoping so anyway.

Solo and go, I stand corrected on the Balla game, that’s what I heard from relatives but I wasn’t at the game myself so I take back the comment.
However the rest of my post was on keeping balance regarding great cameo debut appearances which we’ve seen before. There’s a difference between a game where our opponents were not at the races and a hard championship game where there’s so little time and bigger hits. Clifford didn’t always shine in his early year or 2 with Kerry Seniors, the odd marker kept him quiet enough and several others didn’t. Had an off day in one AI vs Dubs and marker did well on him. We all knew of his talent beforehand as people are aware of with Kobe too but Clifford is a slightly bigger built lad. If Kobe is faster (Clifford is quick too) it kinda nullifies that he hasn’t Senior level S&C but if not, his inexperience could mean he doesn’t shine come summer. There are parallels between the 2 players but Clifford got 4-4 or 4-5 in an AI minor final.
I’d be very happy if he plays and shines this summer as an impact sub but it’s no guarantee and I’d be saying we temper expectations. If he can come on and make the difference of getting us over the line in a few tight big games I think that would be the realistic bonus territory we’d like. Expecting him to score 3 or 4 from play every game at senior level isn’t realistic yet and I hope I’m proven wrong. Today will be a wet one, not an easy day for forwards to look good.

Maybe some of us actually know what we are talking about and are not away with the fairies.

“The soon-to-be St Kilda Australian Rules baller was well-marshalled all throughout by Donnacha Forde, who stuck to him like glue and didn’t afford him a sniff of a point from play.”

I’m not saying he isn’t a serious talent because he is! All I’m saying is the talk of him being better than Clifford is genuinely laughable. Clifford was getting cricket scores in schools games, then first year senior he won An All Star, Young Player of the year and was Kerry’s man man. Clifford by his two full seasons in GAA was the best I ever seen just at 20 years of age, Kobe is just nowhere near him.

We’ve had loads of guys in Mayo and across the country have great first games or even great first seasons and it just didn’t materialise long term.

I wish the lad all the success in the world and I do hope he’s the best Mayo player ever and much more but the talk is just crazy tbh. He’s a good young player but put him in a real tough game and I think he will struggle.

@Sean Foley

We shall today wont we if he will struggle like you says if he goes on. He is only a young lad needs time to get good experience so of course he might struggle sometimes if he comes up against guys with 6 / 7 years of experience. Clifford is a great player but not the best ever tbh .

Rory Brickenden in for Donnacha McHugh and Paul Towey for Fergal Boland. Conal Dawson and Diarmuid Duffy added to the subs bench.

Clifford is the best ever and there is no debate on that. Without him Kerry football would be in a very bad place. No one is near him, he’s way ahead of the second best in Spillane.

@sean
Never compared him to Clifford. I pointed out that people are wrong saying he was scoreless in games which isn’t true
Clifford class . But there’s no clear way to measure who if the greatest ever
Kobes father a better player to watch
Kobe on a totally different planet to anything that’s come through mayo and anyone who had watched his progress in under age and beyond will know that
Even if you seem to be suggesting only you know what you are talking about

And just to point out @sean foley
Inspite of your arrogance to say some of us know what we are talking about
He scored from play so you are either lying or you don’t know what you are talking about
Either way you posting false information

And just to point out Sean
He kicked the winning points today
Just before you re-write history again
But as you say some of you actually know what you are talking about

@Sean foley

I think you might realise now on that remark over young kobe that you are in fact very wrong about him after today!

Remember Clare
&sean foley is the self proclaimed man who actually knows what he’s talking about

@solo & go

Yup how could I forget that one haha

Fair play to kobe what a talent. He looked delighted at the hooter at the end of the game to ... I see Armagh ones saying kobe is the real deal and the hype is justified. But yes he is only young so glad Andy only introducing him slowly & looking after him !