WJ.....you mentioned earlier in the week that we need to stop framing every Galway game in terms of the rivalry (paraphrase a bit).I didnt think you believed that
Listening to you on the podcast just now I think i was right first time I think i ever heard someone smile through Audio 😅😅

WillieJoe. Just a small bit of housekeeping .the Dublin game is down as a 1.45pm throw in, in the fixtures section of the blog.

The Gaa website has it as a 1.30pm start.

Full back line needs big improvement before we meet King Conn next week. No natural full back, so McBrien has to be played full back for a few games to see if he fits in there. With him and Coyle and D McHugh should be good line, Hessen more suited to half back line also,

Above all else the 2 points gained could be vital later on.
1. 5 two pointers
2. More forward kick passing and
3. Good shift by some of the new lads, particularly Darragh Beirne
All very positive.
However the total collapse around midfield and further back in final quarter very worrying. Last ditch defending plus large slice of luck got us the win in the end. Allowing an 11 point lead be cut to
4 in a few minutes means lots to work on.

Well lads,

I hate to say I told you so but I did say Mayo would be bouncing in this league.

What brilliant entertainment for January.

I know he broke your hearts but Jim Gavin deserves huge credit.

We just about won in Killarney.. a wins a win though.

Well done to ALL. Great start. Now keep er going. Scoring is the way to go. And moving forward, at speed.
Andy the man. Fear no one. Respect yes, but fear, NO.
Up Mayo.

The full back line got skinned, 13 for Galway was very effective.
We were lucky to hold out.

Yes Jr, back line had nightmare in first half, Galway could have punished them. If that was Clifford and Co. Or the Dubs!!, we'll have to shore that up big time.
What's the matter with Mayo? We keep tuning out when in a winning position? Fitness?, concentration? Accumulated mental scar tissue?
It was scary today how easily Galway could cut through us in the final quarter. Still a win is a win is a win and sweeter against PJ.

Our full back line is a real cause for concern now is the time to learn that though and fix it id be suprised if Paddy Tally doesnt strengthen it for the visit of the dubs

Both Galway and Kerry seem to have unearthed sky scraper fielders of the ball in their full forward line and players who carry a scoring threat . Would be good to see more success out of our big man inside

Looking ahead next week, and over the course of the league, I’d love to see a prolonged run for Coyne, McHugh and McMonagle, in the full back line. 3 lads who are really good at 1-2-1 defending. Half back line of Callinan, McBrien and Hession would give real thrust from half back. Huge depth there with Morahan, Plunkett, Brickenden and Diarmuid OConnor all viable alternatives.

In midfield Tuohy has earned another start next week and id put some physicality in Jordan Flynn in next to him

Up top, bring Dawson into 10, ROD and Carney in the half forward line. Give young Beirne a rest and let’s see C McHale from the start (appreciate he has Sigerson). I’d complete the line with Tommy Conroy and James Carr

I think we have not sorted centrefield. The backs will be under fierce pressure if mid field collapses which I think happened today.
Even tho Aidan scored a goal I do think he is not mobile enough. He goes backwards instead of forward. He holds onto the ball instead of quick offloads and consequently gets turned over quite a bit. Let the young lads in. Sam Callinan at centre field? The whole backbone from full back to full forward needs attention.

Did AOS get turned over today....I cant remember it.Not sure he gave the ball away either from play

Crowded out once or twice and free against.
I thought his distribution was good though when he had possession,as it generally is.

A lovely win, well done Andy and the lads. 6 or 7 years ago Galway would have nicked that on us.

Warning though, only for Rob, Galway could have got 3 more goals.

Galway have found a superstar in Ciarán Mullhern at 11. What a replacement for Johnny Maher. He's their big playmaker, will need man for man marking if we meet in championship.
On the positive side, we created a lot of goalscoring chances.
The period in the second half when we couldn't win a ball in the middle of the field has got to be fixed..

I think every team has stages of games where momentum is against them and they “can’t win a ball at midfield”.
A small positive for me was whoever started the row between the teams with us 4 points up with 7 left on the clock. It broke the Galway momentum.
It looked like Galway had all the momentum, I was screaming for someone to go down injured (they would have done it to us)

In fairness to Callinan, he showed today he has something in the belly. That block for Walsh the way he never gave up on it was really incredible. I believe he done the same in the first half, Galway player through on goal- he came back narrowed the angle and he ended up fisting over the bar. He also took the ball bravely out of dodge on a number of occasions and drove us forward.

Agree with previous posters on Galway 11. Wow! A playmaker and a wand of a left foot.

The strange thing for me is that the Galway 11,13,15 all played in Tuam and were arguably more impressive yesterday than the FBD.

It’s great to be defensively abysmal and still come out with the win

Just goes to show clubman51, the pressure that's on the lads to perform in fbd and respectfully not having the same quality around them .
Once put in with better players they thrive and well done to mulhern, he looks a humdinger.
The other midfield option to Bob who's earned his start the next day , delighted for him and great to see such drive and bite in him aswell as confidence.
The principle of McBrien being the holding midfielder is good but , he just so badly needed at 3 or 6 at the moment that , I think we should try someone else there .
Carney is thriving at halfforward so best leave him there and to combat Tom Lahiff, Bugler, the large Dubs men around the middle we need to fight fire with fire and i think Moran can do a job there in center of park .
Joyce looked class but is more of a Jordan Flynn type midfielder, hes definitely one for the future .
We need a big tackle, compete aerially and move ball simple and quick.
Agai its the league and like Mulhern and Mcdonaghs , let's try some of our FBD guys in the first team environment to see if they look even better .

Little bit too much analysis for an opening game lads, IMO. There's a visible amount of work gone into the team already, and surely it'll be augmented with more games as the league moves on. There's no team that won't be somewhat gassed come the final few minutes at this early juncture. I thought over the whole game Mayo looked to be the better prepared team, the last few nervy minutes notwithstanding.

We'll know more after the Dublin game. We need to see a few games to get a trend. We needed to work on our forward play and that seems to be the objective, great to see the lads taking a chance even if it doesn't work out. Anyway we have no choice, all big scores racked up at the weekend and only the 1st weekend of the year!

Good points, thought forward play was generally good, Tommy C, and Darragh Beirne, ran down a few blind alleys, but I been very picky. Scoring goals, so important, we scored alot of our chances in this regard, as oppose to galway conversion rate, had alot of chances and only took two. This a worry, didnt like what I saw in first half, defenders playing well infront of their forward, worried about their pace, this ok defending like this in Junior football, dont see it working at inter-county level. Subs didnt help our flow of the game, and made big difference to galway turn of fortune. Midfield overall won their battles, but last 15 mins were poor. Cant win ever ball, but cant be so loose when we do loose ball. Happy for Robbie, but kick out a few stinkers as well. Wont get over carried away, alot of sharks in division one, that could take a big bite of us, but positive to win, and hopefully a couple of more follow, so can use last few games ironing out problems and giving guys a chance. Were going to need a big panel, that what Galway done over last 4 years, and didnt think we were same level of sub to bring on in that time period.