Solid team but as always we can expect a few changes prior to throw in .
Derry should have beaten Donegal last time out and this will be another great test of the panel .
I'd gladly settle for a good performance, no injuries and a Draw.
League a learning curve re rules and panel .
Championship is the only priority.
Won't make it myself for this one but safe travels to all

Strong enough team still no subs I don't get this tactic. Wonder will paddy durcan be on the bench this match or v Donegal.

I don’t think durcan will have much of an impact tbh if he comes back. Like coming back from an acl is difficult and takes a couple of years to get over. Will durcan merit his place on the panel? Amazing player but it’s very hard for a player to make an impact after such a long injury. Same with conroy

Derry 26 out now too.

https://x.com/Doiregaa/status/1900621702100549797

No Rodgers, McFaul, Gilmore or O’Donnell named (yet - at least) who've all been struggling with injuries recently (along with McKinless & McCluskey likely both out for the year).

McEvoy, Toner & Murphy all named to come back to action after some recent issues had left them touch & go for this one.

@Plynkett yes that's true. They are never right after an ACL Tommy conroy was never fully right after his.

Though McStay did say Durcan was coming along well maybe he will still have his best years ahead of him like Andy Moran did who knows

I would prefer to see Carney / Ruane combination at midfield. Unfortunately the management continue shooting supporters in the foot by not naming starting team and subs.
At this stage we should be looking at a reasonably settled championship team.
Very hard to see Conroy and Durcan playing a role v Sligo.

Disagree Plunkett, it's mostly down to character and Durcan (like Andy) has bags of it. Maybe he'll lose a bit of pace but he's a nailed on starter when fit again.

Is this the chance to give a run out to the sub goalie.. I'd imagine there will be a couple of changes before throw in.

Hard to read too much into the subs etc. The team must be submitted by Wednesday night and most counties will have a session on the Thursday evening, so, you're subs bench is still up for grabs.

Bonus pod up on Patreon: Mike chatting with Colm Boyle about the Derry match on Sunday and Monday's Hogan Cup decider.

Just question remember all the way back to Willie Jor sports talkshop, I think was offical title, we never named subs in the 90s 2000s or even now did we ?
Subs were always left as per the programme.
At times we had surprises like david Brady wearing 30 , one of first times I remember the no30 on display.
But ya in 90s we named 1 to 15 on Wednesday night anf that was all I think

Bit surprised, with Derry's strength in midfield, that Carney is not named, but maybe he will start anyway.

TsuDhoNim says:
March 14, 2025 at 7:18 pm
Derry 26 out now too.

https://x.com/Doiregaa/status/1900621702100549797

No Rodgers, McFaul, Gilmore or O’Donnell named (yet – at least) who’ve all been struggling with injuries recently (along with McKinless & McCluskey likely both out for the year).

McEvoy, Toner & Murphy all named to come back to action after some recent issues had left them touch & go for this one.

------------------
Very much a weakened Derry team compared to the one that faced Mayo twice last year and of course no Mickey Harte now who always had a good record against Mayo. Derry looked so dejected in that defeat to Donegal really a match Mayo should be winning by 3 plus points.

Doubt Derry have thrown the towel in just. They were being touted as possible Al winners this time last year. It'll be tight.

On subs and panels, It’s my clear recollection that for the 1989 final, the team and subs were named on the Sunday night before the match; that’s a full week beforehand.

Catcol. You are spot on . It was named the previous sunday and the big suprise was Greg Maher starting. The county was in full party mood in the week leading up to final. I came home on hols. from london that sunday to get in the mood for the final. I was a winnable final for us.

It was probably more of a surprise when Greg Maher came on the semi final against Tyrone as an unlisted sub .i remember alot of confusion in the stands

I expect Derry to start all guns blazing tomorrow as it's a must win for them. Not quite a must win for us but a point at a minimum to reach safety. Probably a couple of changes before throw in. We need to keep our high press on their kickouts and move the ball quickly in attack. There to be won especially as Rogers missing from the middle.

Free ticket available if anyone interested.

Rogers out swings my prediction to Mayo. He caused havic against us in castlebar, especially in ET. Our panel v close to full strength while there missing key components and 1 eye on championship in a fortnight

Poor Leitrim, they dead right to prioritise U20 lads may enjoy that.
https://x.com/LeitrimGAA/status/1900884184501031115?t=Wdu8ToBqYuQWxQdXLXFy3Q&s=19

Real case of the haves and have nots.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41594020.html

The death of the provincials is nigh. We lucky we in the handful of counties with realistic aspirations of winning Sam. Numbers and money. The day of the big shock are getting fewer and fewer. Especially now you can lose so often.

[Deleted].

The disrespect coen gets is crazy

Ah here Stephen Coen honestly don't know why he is so disrespected.

He scored a class 2 pointer is well deserves more respect.

If Steven Coen doesn't start at midfield I'd imagine it's because Jack Carney does and SC will move to wingback in place of Fenton Kelly. That would be really disrespectful to do that to Kelly again so I hope team starts as named.

Watching Ballina v Knockmore how Pearse Rutledge wasn't given a run out is amazing. Miles ahead of the rest.
Evan Regan popping 2pt frees for fun. Albeit the frees given very soft.

Joemamas - that's just trash-talking. Comment deleted as a result.

Mayo should have enough to get a win tomorrow. Then we see if Donegal decide to rest players or not for final game

Willie Joe,
First time I have been accused of trash talking.
My first point alluded to the constant practice of naming a 15 that will either not start period or will most likely not start in the position selected.
My second point was based on an observation from watching the highlights of the Mayo V Kerry game two weeks ago.
I should have prefaced my comments as I usually do with respecting the time and effort that everyone on the panel puts in.
Apology if if came across any other way.

Ah, the semi-final against Tyrone in '89. One of the great ones. Not the purest football ever played, but we got to a first final since '51. And Willie Joe? And his headband? As someone said in Mick Byrne's on the Monday night after, the bloodied headband should have been framed, hung up and treated like the Turin Shroud.

Apology accepted, joemamas. The problem was with how you'd phrased the criticism but thanks for responding.

Bog man I will have that ticket if it's still available

The way Armagh are playing tonite the National League Division 1 is now been totally disrespected.Gaa are the only ones to blame with there current format.National League Final should go, top team should be automatic champions and the Championship needs to shortened and get rid of the nonsence round robin games and have straight knockout, And there should be a month break between the National League and start of championship.

Stephen Cluxten in goal for the Dubs.

Yes blond 64 Dublin are ahead after a shaky start

It looks like it David

Dubs really putting Galway back in their box for now anyway.. Never write off the Dubs even with guys who have retired they are still contenders

Walsh could be hooked at HT after that “performance “

I agree with you Clare Dublin are looking good

Dublin has scored the first point of the second half

Dublin 1.13 Galway 9 PTS .45 mins gone

Dublin 2.13 Galway 9 PTS 46 mins gone

Question. Does a player need to call the forward mark before playing on? Darcy for Galway fielded a great ball and played on without a signal and was pulled for overcarring and a free out. I was of the understanding the ball would be brought back for a mark and a tapover score. Did the ref mess up or is he on top of his game?

Good question .No doubt

Comer has looked a complete handful since he came on for Galway.

What was the final score

Comer still back to his best even though first match back but Dubs really took it to Galway.

Clare what was the final score

2-19 to 2-13

Good open game, hopefully no serious injuries, the heavy training over the last two weeks showed.. Think we left 3 09 behind us, shots off the post etc..
Comer looks terrifying when it's kicked in to him...
I see Donegal have named a complete changed 15 for tomorrow's game..
It really is the league that no one wants to win!

It looks like Stephen cluxton can step back into this Dublin team whenever he feels like it .very strange set up especially as alot of his kickouts went astray.i doubt you will see comer left one on one in front of goal again and Padraig Joyce must be very frustrated with Shane Walsh .he seems to want to over complicate situations.very strange series of posts here this evening

@James Fleming Dubs : 2/19 ti Galway 2 /13

@ @Tuamstar every team ' overtrains'

From rumours within galways camp pretty sure ye were hoping for a league final..but sure no one wants to win it..

The top 8 teams in the country playing a competition none of them want to win. Something very wrong there. Scrap the final and two weeks break before championship. Can't fault donegal or galway not wanting to win it. Different for Dubs or Kerry, they have no opposition in their provinces. But again short sighted by GAA, doesn't take much to make it a level playing field

Galway fought well in the second half, kicked serious number of wides. Will they want to beat the Yerras or switch a number of players and lose but avoid a league final. Both Galway and the Dubs will go far in the race for Sam.

Win tomorrow and we have a chance of reaching the league final but no guarantees of achieving that win tomorrow in what will be a good test for who ever lines out for the green and red.

It was a funny game, we showed huge resolve to keep at it when it looked like the Dubs would win very easily. Conroy, Finnerty, McHugh,Walsh all off but Comer looks sharp and caused the Dubs problems. Hard to know what Joyce will do for Kerry, best to rest a few few lads in my view, the league is about avoiding relegation , shouldn't bother with a final just top at end wins it. O Flaherty played very too, the widest are a concern to me but better to kick them now, gives time to work at it.

@Mikey seriously hope we don't reach league final.

Sligo are laying in the long grass for us.

As someone said above, it's time to ditch this extra game league final nonsense. If you top your group, you are the winner, end of. Then, give a 2 to 3 week break and let the champioship begin.

A Galway friend messaged me saying “ah heavy training” yet when I said the same to him after they hammered us and a depleted team I was laughed at….everyone can spin a narrative this time of year.

It’s all about championship though. I honestly couldn’t pick an all Ireland winner yet. Dublin, Donegal or Kerry would be my guess though.

Agree it’s a “league” so the team that finishes top should be handed the trophy and be done with it.

We know that Steven Coen is a very good footballer, brave, confident, great leadership qualities. Genuine fans knows all of this, also that along with Keegan he showed balls in the Tyrone final. They also know that he is off the pace for an elite county footballer. He is also the best reader of a breaking ball in the county panel, not as dramatic as other stuff, it seems lucky, it isn't. BTW he is not an automatic pick on my team but he has his role.

@No doubt: You don't need to call it (and never should). Once it's a kick from outside the 45 to inside the 20 it's all automatic from there, intentionally so to encourage the first thought to be go for goal.

Can't remember that specific play (despite watching the game)... but the only things I can think of:
- Kick was from inside the 45
- Catch was judged outside the 20
- Wasn't a clean catch (subjective if a slight defender touch meets this - I haven't seen enough contested to know what the consensus is among refs)
- Player signalled taking a mark but then played on [or attempted a S&G] (actively detrimental in all cases to signal an advanced mark & this would be a breach itself, free out for this rather than steps)
- Player committed an aggressive foul (Section 5 of the rule-book) rather than a technical one (Section 4) (free out for this rather than steps)

If none of those apply (which sounds the case from your description), I'd imagine a slip by the ref to miss that it should have been pulled back for the advanced mark. Still a whole lot of new for them too, so I'd be surprised if we don't see a few slips like that.

I was in Croker this evening and the one thing I take from it is that the fitness required now with the new rules is off the charts. There were some seriously fit lads out on their feet this evening. The solo and go means that there is no break for a breather just constant up and down the pitch. You could see McDaid, O’Flaherty for Galway eating up the ground and other athletes like Lahiff and Scully. I could be wrong but I was sitting there thinking this is made for Donegal, Morgan, Ryan McHugh etc. Time will tell

Ticket still available James.

What injury has Tommy conroy got. We need him for championship.

That game could have gone either way with the missed goal chances Galway had. Can't agree Dublin will be in the mix for Sam....too many big players gone, youthful and inexperienced defenders (in the main). Galway didn't look too phased about it and the same regards Armagh in the earlier fixture.
Kerry had the summer game face on, and looked a different animal altogether, but that wasn't the Armagh we'll see later.

Safe travels to all supporters today,hopefully a great game,we should win by a few points to leave us safe for another year

Really looking forward to todays game now - it’s actually quite important now when you take in yesterdays results. How nice would it be to be safe with a game in hand. This will be a huge test early on, Derry absolutely will going all in for the win and that could be dangerous - Kerry similarly last night needed the win on their home patch and the game was over early - could we see a return of Tommy or paddy today or next weekend? Would be some lift. Safe travels to everyone making the journey!

@Mangochutney: No guarantee of safety with a win today. At the moment Tyrone (v Donegal & Dublin), Armagh (v Derry) & Kerry (v Galway) can all get to 7 points or higher (& likely with better score difference than us) too.

We'd need a Tyrone draw (or loss) later in the afternoon (against a highly rotated Donegal side) for a win today to be enough on its own before R7 throws in.

I am just after hearing about leitrim not fielding a team today against fermanagh. It is absolute nonsense. Surely there are 26 footballers in leitrim that would play a home match today. I wonder will they forfeit the connacht championship game against mayo (provided we beat sligo). It is sad times for the gaa in leitrim. They should play the game anyway.

@Jimbo heard they have slot of injuries and players who didn't want to play for Leitrim this year. I can see how they wouldn't have enough players.

It's a sad case. As another person said we are lucky to have so many players wanting to play for mayo as we are one of the counties with a realistic chance of winning sam and have money to makes the difference.

Hi bog man can you email it please

https://x.com/MayoGAA/status/1901237955001196820

Link to subs