6 Mayo lads starting for UL on Wednesday. Good Showing

Mayomac where did you see this info? How did they get on I saw a few clips of Darragh Beirne getting a few nice scores.

@CDR: DB was playing for the UL Freshers 1 League QF last night, rather than the Senior League QF game (against the same opposition) Wednesday. A stream from ULGAATV was available for the Freshers for €6.

The Senior UL lads had a solid 8 point win (2-22 to 0-20, with 1-18 of that coming in the 1st half - so conditions likely playing a huge part on Wednesday) and into the League Semi-Final now.

Not a great night for the UL Fresher lads, or the Mayo ones. Though our 3 that featured did all have some great moments and flashes of what they're capable of.

They've an absolutely stacked side, looked at times in the first 15 minutes like they'd rip through Maynooth Freshers but things never quite clicked, some chances went begging and Maynooth did just enough to beat them in the end.

Dara Neary our only starter for the evening, but an unfortunate head clash between two UL players meant DB & Aaron Coggins (temporarily) were introduced early.

Aaron & Darragh combined nearly instantly to create a good goal chance, but the Maynooth keeper made an outrageous save to prevent DB goaling. He'd another decent chance where he successfully rounded the keeper but had his shot cleared off the line by another great save from a scrambling defender. DB had one tap over free that you'd have put your house on him burying that ended up further wide to the left than I thought possible, so conditions potentially far more difficult than they appeared at a glance on the camera.

He did score a couple of typically impressive DB style scores (pretty sure he finished top scorer for them on the night, potentially tied with Paddy Lane for that, with Neary not far behind either), especially one coming up to half-time where he picked it up in a relatively harmless position around 11 with a set defense in-front of him but just drove right through the center of them for a score. Though those flashes a little rarer than he often manages.

A night filled with handling errors, balls touched on the ground, sloppy turnovers, lads looking a few yards off the pace and great players only hitting 4 or 5/10 by their own lofty standards (for UL in general - they:re a fairly stacked squad with lads like Kerry's Lane, Kirby & Moynihan). I'd expect to see them as a different beast come Freshers 1 Championship where you'd expect they'll be among those pushing for sure.

Thanks for the detailed report TsuDhoNim. Good to see how the younger lads are getting on.

Tsu, your info, analysis and inputs on the blog are remarkable. Thank you.

Good to see the mayo development team gave the southerly neighbours a beating. Doesn't matter what time of year or who is playing on either team, it sure is always good to beat them..

Ya great to see some of the players involved and nice to be able to have county juices slowly stirring again even if it's mickey mouse stuff at this time of year though I know there are a few on here who think talking about it for games like these have cost us all irelands in the past. BTW are they allowed play this time of year or are they breaking rules.

No doubt. Think they allowed to collectively train from November 21st.

Yeah I agree even though it was only a challenge game it's good to beat the neighbours any day of the year ! Also great to see new players and some great talents from under 20s being given a chance .

TsuDhoNim
Have you heard anything on Conor Diskin or Oisin McLaughlin of late? Both didnt feature for Claremorris and Westport in championship, but are 2 players that are good enough for Mayo if injury free. Diskin doesnt seem to have played much since he done ACL.

I don't get it. Not allowed train together till November 21st but had a challenge game last night ?
Whats the difference.

Couldn't they be having 'challenge ' games amongst themselves 3 times a week if thats the case

Thanks @gizmobobs..If that's the correct date then their either breaking the rules or someone was tampering with my calendar.

How did Meath get to an All Ireland semi final after both their Senior and intermediate champions being beaten by huge scores by Kildare opponents.
Is it belief?
Perhaps our management change may work.

21st of November is the agreed date for return to collective county training & 1st December is the agreed earliest date for official county challenge games.

Glancing at the players named for both those Mayo and Galway selections (where none have ever played a competitive minute of league or Championship football) I'd imagine whatever that game was classed as must fall outside the official GPA/GAA agreed terms and restrictions I've mentioned above.

I can't imagine either Mayo or Galway would risk losing home advantage for a league game by stepping outside of the agreements, so hard to imagine there isn't a nuance to whatever that trial/challenge/selection game we're (and I certainly include myself in that) not aware of.

@Achill75: Oisín Mc got a shoutout on one or two of the streams this year, down in Oz doing some travelling. I've often said he'd have been my first call if I'd been in Andy's shoes, so was especially gutted when I'd heard. Some player. Electric pace and so often makes the right decision at the right time.

Conor sadly hit with injuries and awful timing on them again this year. He'd have been such a huge boost for that young Claremorris side too. A perfect focal point for the younger lads to play off up top. Fingers and toes crossed that the niggles behave for him next year.

@Seamus Sullivan: I don't think anyone is underestimating the step up from club to county.

The counterargument there is if a lad is consistently outstanding at club level (be it a Regan or a McLoughlin or any of the younger lads breaking through like a John Mac) aren't good enough for county due to that fabled step up what would that suggest of lots of the lads being less impressive at club where the standard is so much lower?

We need to use something to judge current talent and potential ability for players when making calls on panels or dev panels, with performances at club playing a big part in that yardstick by necessity. Having open trials where clubs can nominate or players can self-nominate is a great option, but at a certain point if you want the best lads on the grass you'll need to add to that with some head-hunting, arm twisting and inspiration of someone that might have otherwise been on the fence to get them to a position where a more nuanced call can be made with competitive minutes in the right context. Without having someone in for that trial or a few sessions no informed call can be made, whether that's including or excluding them.

You'd imagine Murray, Regan and Golden (along with Ryder, Moore & Mulchrone) wouldn't be too far away from some of those conversations in back rooms at the moment. I'd half expect we might hear 2 or 3 of those getting a run out in a trial/challenge/few training sessions.

Ballina wont go down as a great team now.Have been embarrasing in Connacht.Got too much respect from Mayo teams.

Sam og not sure about that, they just have a very strong midfield that's able to deprive most other clubs of possession.
Their forward play is pedantic and predictable, but if get as much primary possession as they do it's hard beat them.

The worry is two of their middle third are contenders for Mayo in same position.

Did kiltimagh win

On penalties