Mayo U17s All Ireland Quarter final v Offaly confirmed for Hyde Park Sunday June 8th at 2pm

Best of luck to the hurlers and footballers this weekend and to all the supporters who will be travelling to Croker or Healy Park Omagh to support their county. Also best wishes to the management teams of each group. Just go out and do your best. No more can be asked for or expected.

I must be crazy but I think we're going to beat Tyrone. It won't be pretty, but this has the makings of 2016 (in the quarter finals against said county) all over it. If I'm wrong, so be it. Maybe it's the belief slowly creeping back in after the defeat against Cavan. We know the team can do much better than that.

There's a chance Tyrone had last weekend earmarked as their biggie. Are their eyes off this one? It'll be a draw.

Very difficult lead into the weekend, it'll be great to get back to the football. Crazy that we could be 2 games away from the end of 2025. We can win it, but going into really just hoping to see a good performance, if we're going out, go out with a bang!

It's a funny old game really. Rochford's last game in charge being a Cavan-like defeat against Kildare that saw him shunted out. Now after a similar debacle he's given the reins again (even if temporarily).
Not sure if there's a lesson or a moral to this story but I'm sure Saturday evening will give us a few pointers. Will we get the "New manager bounce"? Much as I'd like to think so, I'm afraid everything points to another defeat.

Tyrone will see this as the game that will put them to top of the table. There will be no lack of motivation.
Hopefully Durcan can start but it will be a tough decision for Rochford.

I still think we will see a big reaction from the guys . It's been an awful 2 weeks for mayo all bad news .

I hope the guys go out fighting do it for McStay .

Do it for themselves restore pride for themselves and for Mayo . If we go out so be it but as others said go down fighting.

Would a draw and a win get us through

@Michael131 tend to agree on a win here. Pure gut feeling and nothing else.

We need a big reaction…if we don’t get one after everything that’s happened id be seriously questioning these players character and mentality. Train hard all year only to go out on a whimper….why bother if that’s the case?

Have to agree yew-tree - why train and commit all year and not go all out in championship. That's what it's all about. Whatever 15 are on the pitch at anytime on Saturday need to show true leadership, not just 1 or 2 everyone. If not this will be the longest winter in our history.....

I think we could see some positional changes and some lads used in the league back in.
Defense needs to be shored up after the Cavan game.
Surely the forwards can't be as bad again.
Long kicking by Reape.

We are easy pickings for Tyrone this week. Big win for them last week, u20s in the AIF, home game, Mayo in a mess on and off the pitch... Canavan poor last week, our manager taking time out, our forwards lacking confidence, chance for them to top the table.....

Mayo by 3

If I was a Mayo player id want to put my chest out and shoulders back.

Walk out in Omagh and do it for themselves and do it for Kevin McStay.

Give it a rattle and see how the chips fall.

@Mayoallstar: If the win was in the final game against Donegal (locking them to 2pts max) yup. That would guarantee going through.

If the win was this weekend against Tyrone and we drew with Donegal there's the (small) potential for a 4 way tie on 3pts & all 4 positions in the group going to Score Difference. So nothing certain in that scenario.

At the very worst case 3pts in any scenario guarantees us going to Score Difference at least, as would any win against Donegal regardless of results in the other 3 remaining games in the group.

Anyone expecting a turnaround this weekend is probably being overly optimistic. Even though Rochford might now be the official figurehead, he’s always been the main voice from what i could see during warm ups and matches, so I don’t see much changing tactically. We might get a few personnel switches, but I think it’ll be more of the same as previous games. I’m expecting a gutsy Mayo performance, but like so often before, it’ll probably fall short.

The body language between the sideline and players during the Cavan game didn’t sit right with me. And while it’s easy to point fingers at Kevin McStay, I don’t think he’s solely to blame. Personally, I’ve checked out for the season on having any ambitions —and judging by what we saw two weeks ago, a lot of the players looked like they had too.

Going against all known form I'm expecting a close game in Omagh, a 1 score game either way.

Few reasons for this, 2 week break for Mayo will definitely be advantageous after Tyrone had a gruelling battle against Donegal last week, how can Tyrone rise themselves to that level again in 7 days. I expect a natural dip in their performance levels.

There has to be a reaction from Mayo, there simply has to be! A lot of these Mayo players have been backed now for about 2 years by this management regardless of form so it's time for the players to sh1t or get off the pot. There's reputations on the line here. Easy for management to be the lightning rid fir everything but the players need to step up here

Looks like Brian Kennedy and Paudie Hampsey will be out, 2 huge losses

Durcan is surely ready to rock by now, he's our most important player after ROD so start him

I'm also going on the (possibly baseless) assumption that somebody other then ROD starts to score

It's going to be close. Gonna give Mayo the nod and set us up for a box office final day...

Tyrone 0-21 Mayo 1-20

One thing you can always say about McStay is that he is a gentleman.
I would imagine players like him.
Difficult to have a manager and a former manager on the management team.
Time for players to step up and not waste all their great efforts over the year.
Who would be a County player or manager.
Thanks to one and all.

Having followed Mayo since the sixties ,I have never expected to lose a game, I won't start now,MAyo to win by five

Playing Tyrone in championship always brings back memories of 1989 .Willie joe with the bandaged head .Eugene McKennas goal which seemed to have turned the game in Tyrone’s favour.Noel durcan bringing us back level .Kevin mcstay putting us two up and the incredible emotion at the end at witnessing mayo reach their first all Ireland final in 38 years

Sobering to hear Michael Gallagher on OTB this morning talking about the abuse towards the dugout towards the end of the Cavan game. Whatever the reason for any performances, effort, sacrifice and desire for success should never be called into question. They are people like us all and can be sure we all want the same thing. Some need reminding of old adage "if you've got nothing good to say, say nothing at all"

Michael131: you _are_ crazy. We’re going to get hammered.

It will be a close game we won't get hammered.

@ Joe Clarke, you need a little touch of madness to follow Mayo. The season is effectively over on Saturday night if we lose, so unless the players want a holiday in the US, I would expect a performance. Head says we will be hockeyed, Heart says we will Hammer the Hammer.

You'd like to see mayo run them close..maybe with the u20 final this eve it'll take Tyrone's eye off the ball a little but hard see anything other than few points win for them. They'll want to top group and give them an easier route straight to quarter final

We need to show two things.
1. Thick unreasonable Mayo shteel. Spirit of the cattle crush. Seamus Moore transit van. Just raw unprocessed Mayo.
2. There's 12 players whose job is to win ball and get it quickly to Darren McHale, Ryan O'Donoghue and Aidan O'Shea.

There'll be no hammerings. Can't see it anyway.

@Jr…several players walking might counter that (about all players liking him). I’ve no idea but it doesn’t look good and several citing not enjoying it.

@tonyfreeman. Leave your badge on the desk and close the door on your way out.

@Mayonase, you are assuming Kevin was the problem

Love it Corick Bridget.

I'll have some of that coolade!

I hope i am wrong but the capitulation v Cavan suggests to me the bags are backed and ready for America as soon as the whistle goes in the Donegal game. It does not appear as if the players are buying into the management plan or else there is no plan or they are not good enough to implement one.

I dread this game. I hope there is a bounce but I expect 7 or 8 point defeats against both Tyrone and Donegal.

Tyrone haven't a notion of taking their eye off the ball. They did the hard work in Ballybofey and it's icing on the cake time in front of home supporters.
Mayo fans expect too much at times. Be realistic, we are a team in the making and will gain valuable experience in Clones provided we grit our teeth against the ods.
I wouldn't be risking Durcan against Tyrone, but maybe he is up for a rigorous test.
And it's not over, regardless, until we play Donegal(hopefully in Roscommon)

Beating Tyrone would defy all recent form and given the instability of a sudden managerial change, hard to see us winning. But football’s a funny auld game, all the same.

Pod Fan - the days of GAA players going to America and getting paid to do fcuk all once the county is out could be gone. How to they square that at US immigration? Trump has already suspended all J1s today.

yew-tree - a number of players have their flights booked from a few weeks ago. On the face of it that may look bad but if players are considering it they need to book flights well in advance but have the option of cancelling / moving etc. as the season develops I assume. However today's news on visa's could effect their entry and alter plans now. I know quite a few around here arrived out there on J1's last week without issue but a week is a long time in politics and in Mayo GAA to !!!..

The new diktat from Emporer Trump doesn't apply to visas already granted, or to People who already have a confirmed visa appointment date.

Anyway, that's a side discussion. I'm expecting a big effort for the first half at least. But if Tyrone start pulling away, which is quite likely on form, you could see some lads start to watching the planes flying overhead and daydream of cold beers in Chicago.

"Good-bye, good-bye, I wish you all a last good-bye.." I remember back in the day, Jarlaths supporters used to sing that verse with great gusto.. so cruel.. I hope it doesn't apply to Mayo the next day. We're all rooting for Connaught.

@ Jr, well he’s (was) the manager, the boss, call it what you like. The Buck stopped with him. Cillian, Michael, James and Pádraig all walked away at the end of 2024. James and Cillian would have revelled in the new rules. Two of the most natural scorers in Mayo. It would have given Cillian a new lease of life and Carr would have caused havoc with greater space and his ability to run at defences and unleash goal shots. Carr and POH both made it clear they weren’t enjoying it at all. On the pod, POH was fairly scathing in his overall assessment of the strategy, set up and how Mayo are going about business in the senior panel.

McStay seems like a nice, decent man and I’d say many players like him, but the exodus over the winter would certainly put a question mark over it. What’s fairly certain, the vast majority of not all of our senior squad look like they’re not buying into it one bit. I still expect a backlash next wknd, but as POH says, it changes nothing.

@Charlie

May happen to Galway v Derry also. Derry will fancy their chances wouldn't write them off.

Mayo are 50/1 to win the all Ireland same odds as Roscommon.Tyrone are 3/10 on to beat us on Saturday.i don’t recall such odds on a mayo team in a long time.some are expecting a reaction from the players and I think there almost certainly has to be but after the poor performance against Sligo it was followed by an even worse display against Leitrim.it’s very often when nothing is expected that a reaction comes.Anyway I am confusing myself now because I simply don’t know what to expect but the bookies have certainly made up their mind

No doubt this weekend is going to be a huge challenge. My biggest fear is the form of McCurry and more so the underperformance of Darragh Canavan. Is he going to have 2 bad games in a row? Highly unlikely. It’s going to be tough for us to keep them quiet. Whilst their midfield is big, I don’t think they are amazing players. Donegal midfielder Michael Langan scored 0-9 last week off the Tyrone midfield. But Tyrone have better depth in their squad too which is a concern. We have to give a better performance than we have done all year. Is it possible to overturn them? Yes but I’m not sure how likely. The fact that Kevin took ill, could be a huge motivation for the group and I would like to hope it would be. Hopefully they do him proud at the weekend

We are closer to Tyrone than the odds imply...........maybe its the day everything changes.
I remember talking to one of the 96 players and him telling me that they turned the corner that year in a game against Monaghan in Scottstown of all places.........
He joked that if you believed everyone who said they were there that night it was a sell out crowd........he said it didnt seem like that from the field though!!!!

The team of 96 had Mortimer Cahill connelly nallen Brady McHale mcmennimem Horan Sheridan Dempsey Casey. and should have won an all Ireland

I was at the original game in Scotstown, ref got injured so game abandoned, linesmen were not refs in those days.

Great to see the blog get mentioned in Anthony Hennigans column in western people WJ

Amazing after all the slating Mayo players and management got in the last few weeks for not being good enough, disinterested, bags packed for America, dressing room lost etc etc on top of Tyrone coming up with their best performance for years against highly fancied Donegal and their messiah of a manager, some people are actually tipping Mayo to win!!! Football is a funny old game alright.

@Magpie I saw that…a few of us got a mention!! Ha!

It’s good to see an article in Mayo media voicing what so many fans think.

On the topic, Bekan is Connacht GAA’s and is very poorly located as an option for Mayo. Bohola isn’t a million miles better but what else have we. We’ve been let down for years by Co board inadequacies and desperate decision making and so are being left behind. Hennigan makes the suggestion of strategically located facilities (mini COE’s, for want of a better phrase) rather than one large one ; unless more centrally located. He also makes a point that a COE doesn’t necessarily bring success but I think it creates a much more unified and professional-like approach. He’s right in a way though. It’s not just having the infrastructure. You must have the right personnel and leadership to implement correct coaching structures. Even Horan mentioned our academies being well behind the curve.

We need to start winning stuff underage including schools. Sure, player development is the focus but let’s take a leaf from Tyrone’s book. Success breeds success and instilling a winning mentality at a young age must help!!!

Yes Mayonaze you got the nod from Anthony,but its true, alot of knowledgeable people on this blog.mayo supporters primarily of course but good football folk who know what their talking about and more importantly who see the need for change. It kind of beggars belief that Horan was sraping around looking for pitches to train on in his second tenure in a football mad county. Something seriously wrong with that

Does anyone know where and when the Mayo v Donegal game will be played

Where has that great bard Revilihnio dissapeared to? I havent seem him post on here for months. We need a piece of prose or perhaps a sonnet to lighten the mood and asess the situation

Anyone hyping up Mayo's underage talent should have a look at what's coming thru from Tyrone! Different level.

Tyrone are some county you got to give it to them as I watch them here pulling away from Louth with ease…

Won their first senior all Ireland in 2003 and have been ever present since. All started with their underage development which continues to this day. They produce high quality players and winning teams consistently.

With our current state off the field I’d worry if we will ever see an all Ireland in our lifetime in fact it’s more likely we won’t. This debt and club Levy’s has created bad blood and it’s not going away. A visit from Jarlath Burns won’t make it vanish.

Gallagher was right in some of what he said. I also think for many fans it’s sunk in that we missed the boat in terms of an all Ireland. It’s not fun for most people anymore which is a shame.

Of course we all strive for a win this weekend but the reality is it only delays the inevitable.

@james fleming mayo v donegal on weekend of 15/16 of June. No venue yet,hopefully in hyde park. Even if we loose to Tyrone a win over Donegal would probably do us.

Thanks Jimbo you a gent

I really hope that any Mayo training session planned for this evening by the Mayo management was cancelled so they can watch the young lads from Tyrone play football.
As a 50 years supporter of Mayo football it hurts to see the shocking set up with Mayo football at the moment
Good young footballers forced to play Nonsense football
It's little wonder that certain players opted out of the squad.
We need now more than ever to support Mayo and hoping for a Miracle in Omagh.
Maigheo Abù

Firstly I’m hoping Kevin makes a full recovery and the best of luck to him and his family.
I believe Mayo will beat Tyrone. There are a number of factors
1 players should play for Kevin, abandon the puke football and just play the Mayo way.
2 Pride. Go for it from the start show pride in the shirt, in each other and our great County.
3 Surly we can’t play as badly as the last day, surly it’s time the players cut loose and stood up for themselves and the County.
4 Remember 21? We owe Tyrone a beating in the AI Championship, this should be a red flag to a bull for any Mayo Player.
5 Mayo Fans . It’s time now to roar on the lads, we are the best Fans in the Country, let’s go to Tyrone and take the roof off. Now is the time we are needed.
Mayo by 5.
Best of luck to Rochford and the Team.
Believe.

That defeat to Louth in 20s might have been a blessing! They took some beating tonight.
Tyrone look to have some serious talent coming through over the coming years.

I don't remember Tyrone attempting a singular 2 pointer...who needs them when you can score goals for fun I guess. McCurry mk.2 is on the way.
Hard luck to Louth...a step too far.

@the heather is rising we dont have the players. Cavan cleaned us in midfield and only the much maligned Coen had the cahunas to shoot for 2 pointers. I dont think Rochford will abandon the system of cautious play and lateral passing

Did anyone listen to the Interview with the Tyrone Manager at the end as he said The Message from the start was Football, Football, Football and win ,win ,win.
OMG
Imagine if that was the attitude for Mayo football.
I think I'll Go and have a Little Cry.

@Glory days. I fully understand your point however We can’t be as bad again! I don’t care what system Rochford puts in place surly the Players know by now how to kick a ball over the bar and also the quickest and most direct way of doing this. The Players I believe have to abandon the lateral game and just go for it. Rochford is not out on the field!

Mike H. Your spot on with Tyrone and Paul Devlin. And then their centre forward was interviewed and he was on about taking the defenders on in a one v one and running off the ball and the cut back. I was in awe. Tyrone are going to be at the top table for a long time.

james the mayo v donegal is saturday 14th no other details yet

The heather is rising. The players can’t just go rogue and ignore the sideline and it’s hardly as simple as that the players know how to kick the ball over the bar .How are we going to get possession with a non functioning midfield .although it will interesting to see they do actually set up for this game

Well 1985.
If we don’t then I think we’re goosed. It’s my only hope of a result. Rochford won’t change and neither will the outcome if we don’t do something drastic.

@GBXI that’s exactly the point I’m making. Our underage teams are way over hyped. It’s ridiculous. Not their fault. Literally blue in the face saying it for years…until we get the academy structure right we haven’t a chance. I think there was the head of the academy on a pod about 18/24 months and it was all hot air…going on about developing personalities so lads are well rounded young men(or words to that effect). Ffs that a parents or teachers job. The academy’s objective is or should be to develop footballers and ideally winning footballers. It’s a competition sport. It’s about winning and you can bet your bottom dollar the young lads would much prefer winning. Ah it’s so frustrating. I said a few times Tyrone would easily beat Louth. We should have beaten Louth but management didn’t set us up correctly. They failed to sort out our defence and imo could have gotten more out of a number of players. I do believe we produce as many natural ballers as Tyrone…of course we do, but our schools and underage structures are miles off theirs. That’s just plain fact.

We need a proper leader to head Mayo GAA. Someone to sort out the mess.

Well how would that work out in practice with basically no one in charge.i have been critical of the style of play this management has implemented and I am not convinced it’s going to change now but let’s wait until after Saturday night to pass judgment.i imagine that Stephen rochford realises this is last chance saloon.it is strange how philosophy on football changed so dramatically from his first spell in charge when at times we played brilliant football to some of the absolute borefest displays we have seen over the last 3 seasons.The odds are we will set up in exactly the same way but who knows maybe Aidan o Shea might line out at full back again

@mayonaze ..that sort of Management/corporate speak Jim Gavin used to go on with drove me mad..giving guys the environment to become better people etc..haha, it's football not life coaching youre right. Teach them when to pass, how to create space and scores , become two footed etc..not how to become "better people"...codology stuff.

We’re all assuming it was Rochford calling the shots in 16/17. Maybe McEntee had a big say at the time. We’ve had 3 years of Stephen now and we haven’t seen much innovation like putting Aidan to full back. There was some thinking outside the box then but definitely not now.

Nephin I suppose everyone assumed rochford was calling the shots in 2016/17 because he was the manager.no doubt Mcentee had an influence and McHale leaving when saying he was surprised Kevin adopted this style of play.anyway maybe we will all get a big surprise Saturday night

Remember Charlie that Kevin McStay once donned the great Blue and White of Jarlath's with pride and many other Mayo sons also. That place produced some of the best.
Hope he's got time to relax and reminisce this week on those good old days.
"Blue is the colour,
Football is the game
We're all together
And winning is our aim
So cheer us on
Thru the wind and rain
Cos Jarlath's, Jarlath's is our name.

Come to the field and
We'll welcome you,
Wear our Blue,
Sing us True,
Sing out loud til the day is done
Sing Jarlath's everyone

1985.
Indeed I did too until I saw what has happened in the last 3 years. Then I started to wonder. I’ve no idea how a management team works, but surely a style of play would have been discussed before anyone would commit to being involved and not wait 6-9 months before deciding it’s not what I want to do. On your last point, we all can agree that is what we want to see.

Best line I’ve seen in a long time from JP (1.47pm) re what we need from Mayo:

“Spirit of the cattle crush.”

Priceless.

Someone involved in coaching in this county messaged me last night and said Mayo are a million miles away from where Tyrone are in terms of coaching and infrastructure. That’s 3 all Ireland u20 titles from the last 4 years for Tyrone. Imagine if that was us we’d be in hype overdrive. No such danger in Tyrone. Meanwhile in Mayo we seem to be tearing ourselves apart. I don’t think I’ve ever been as disillusioned with Mayo football.

I've never been as sure as I am now that this championship is as wide open as can be. I was sure Donegal were leaps and bounds ahead of the team that contested the semi against Galway last campaign, but not so with Tyrone's valiant performance last weekend. Armagh, I had down as a team that couldn't possibly repeat last yrs heroics, yet again, not so.
Kerry will always be in touch, a simple fact that history bears out. Dublin were deservedly seen as a lesser outfit to their forebears but they could yet take out a big favourite.
This weekend is probably the most important one for so many teams, and I couldn't foretell you one possible outcome.

A lot of comments from the blog included in an article published in the Western People. Make sure you are happy to stand over whatever you post!

There are only 3 teams, Clare, Down and Cavan surprisingly bigger prices than us in the betting for Sam and the Bookies don't make too many mistakes. So just hope we give it a lash against Tyrone and play a bit of decent direct football and enjoy the game.

Tyrone u20s have a serious production line of ballers coming through, and it's almost all with a focus on skills. All 2 footed, skillful, all the tricks, goal hungry. They aren't too worried about them having the physique of a wwf wrestler as long as the skills are there. It's very impressive and great to watch.

Mayo would be building a statue for that grimes lad if he had scored 2-06 in a final for us, but as he is slightly built he realistically probably would have been discarded at the development stage in Mayo

New pod up on Patreon. This is a bonus one, in which Rob is joined by Edwin McGreal and Colm Keys to discuss Kevin McStay's decision to step back from the post of manager and Monday night's extraordinary county board meeting.

Great memories, Maumtrasna. Some great coaches - play football and enjoy it.

Mayo should copy the Tyrone under 20 way of playing football, great game last night against Louth. Real Gaelic Football.

@Glorydays, I asked where Revellino was in October/Novemver. Like you felt we needed him more than ever this week. I don’t think he has posted since August last year though. I always loved his contributions. I hope he is well.

You're spot, Sinead37 - last August was the most recent time. I hope he's well too, he was always an interesting contributor to the debate.

That u 20 final was an enjoyable game to watch as have a huge amount of u 20 games this year. It is some achievement for Tyrone to win 3 of the last 4. They have got a fantastic under age structure up there and it should only be a matter of time til it transfers into senior level ( possibly even this year). But Louth deserves huge credit too. Much lesser resources you would think than Tyrone in a county with 2 League of Ireland clubs and where soccer is strong. I thought they played well last night and were very unlucky with 2 goal chances in the second half. Then they had to chase the game and were outscored by 3 7 to 0 4 in the closing stages. I thought Louth were good in semi v Mayo but were a bit open at the back and no better set of forwards than Tyrone to punish them. Senior panelist McElhome ( not sure if that’s right spelling) was brilliant and corner forward Grimes outstanding. We have some good u 20s coming through ourselves as well

I find our U20’s (and the minors actually) very exciting to watch. I don’t think our underage is as gloomy as some posters think. I think we can be too high when things going good and too low the other end. Is it from all our rollercoaster rides over the last 15 years?! Quite possibly. Maybe we have had the wind knocked out of our sails once too often in big moments. I don’t remember being like this pre 2011ish and def more like this since 2021. Maybe it’s social media being too easy at hand to instantly put our emotions somewhere - complain or instantly buzz together!!! Who knows?! But we are definitely a different breed to all other supporters now. We were before in light of all the AI losses. However since 2021 we have taken a turn a bit closer to the dark side!! So impatient and intolerant. We were spoilt really spending our summers in Croke park for a decade. Not getting what we want anymore. Not that we fully did get what we wanted but I’d go back and do all those summers again rather than having nothing. They say it’s the hope that kills you but I think for us it’s the no hope feeling that’s killing us.

I’m hoping we have a reaction on Saturday. It’s hard not feel a bit despondent(partly not to get hurt!) but as the team performances tend to mirror us topsy turvy supporters I’m hoping the lads have a completely over the top reaction again but channelled in the right direction this time. Last game was drowning in completely the wrong direction. I find it hard to go completely negative on them so I voted for a win. Glass half full. They are well able if they put their minds to it as a collective and don’t take their minds off it as a collective. Tyrone will go for the Mayo minds though. If we get past them hope will be resurrected. And Mayo football needs that right now.

@Sinead , good post....I think another reason for the collective worsening mood among 'supporters' after a loss especially in these last few years is that punters are gambling more on football outcomes. Lads I would have known to have the occasional flutter on horses or dogs are betting much more on football results now.
It started with premiership accumulators, but now gaa games are being covered. So when it goes south,they lash out at someone they perceive to be to blame... even our good friend poor 'Joe 'got caught out by Mayo's result to fill his accumulator..(it's an ill wind eh).
Not a scientific study or anything close but just something I've taken notice of.
I tend to wait until we make a final .

Good luck to Mayo V Tyrone, it’s not an easy ask but if mayo bring a bit of the hurt that has been visited on the collective I think they will give Tyrone a real bellyful. I listened to the O Hora podcast and it was very evident that there is a very strong emphasis on tactical theory within the managements preparation practices. White board preparation is part of every outfits game plan and is very necessary in the modern game. This part of game prep however must be managed and given the appropriate percentage of time necessary in a training schedule. From listening to him it was clear he is more of a doer and a less enthusiastic listener, in saying that one can’t draw conclusions that the entire squad shares his preferred approach.

It is the job of modern management to keep things fresh and interesting for the entire group and that’s no easy task in today’s pressurised environments that top county managers live in. Some very high profile players chose to step away this year which I’m sure added to the number of high stool experts who always tell of whispers they heard “from the horses mouth”. Every county with aspirations of high performances and success will result in their management coming in for intense scrutiny and Mayo, Kerry, Dublin and a few more depending where the tide has their boat floating are champions at it.

I’m not condoning it in any way and nobody has the right to abuse or interfere with the personal life of someone who commits so much time and effort to a cause on a voluntary basis. The issue with this is that with high expectations some supporters lose the rag after a below par display, and when there is a continuance of these performances things get more tense and when you have a sporting finale so to speak like Mayo had against Cavan the pressure valve blew and it was a free for all in pubs, clubs and worst of all on hidden keyboards. I would be confidant that most people who posted inflammatory statements or personal targeted insults would have been more measured if they waited til the red mist had settled but in todays world of social media unfortunately it will offer that percentage with malignant intent a direct avenue to the eyes and ears of some players and management.

Anyway back to Tyrone, they are a good team no doubt but Donegal suffered greatly as a result of the forced absence of Seán Patton. McGuinness is also a manager who spends a huge percentage of his training schedule on the white board. It is all about systems with him and with pattons loss their kick out strategy was hugely disrupted which impacted significantly on their game plan. Donegal will have a big say yet in this years championship if they get him back on the field. Mayo I pray will just go fit it this weekend and throw caution to the wind. Every big performance ye had this year was when ye went in as big underdogs or when ye found yourselves at a huge scoring disadvantage in a game. Ye were like synchronised swimmers who found themselves in a riptide, ye just had to bloody go for it and to hell with instruction or pre planed strategy. This is the Mayo that won the hearts of all the neutrals, the likes of Boyler, Higgins, Keegan bursting out of a skirmish with ball in hand and heading towards the oppositions worried defence. There are still great players on that team but too much over analysis sometimes results in paralysis and I hope for all concerned that ye bring it ”TheWar” to Tyrone and show the ones with the inked pens and the poised fingers what the real Mayo football looks like again.

I’m not a huge fan of Kevin McStay to be honest but that only relates to football and his punditary and his game approach. I know nothing of the man outside of the game and I most sincerely wish him and his family good health and happiness going forward and I pray his recovery is full and fast.

I found this hilarious
Moose79 says:
May 28, 2025 at 9:51 am
We are easy pickings for Tyrone this week. Big win for them last week, u20s in the AIF, home game, Mayo in a mess on and off the pitch… Canavan poor last week, our manager taking time out, our forwards lacking confidence, chance for them to top the table…..

Mayo by 3

Reminded me of an old ad where a Louis Walsh kind of guy was assessing a young band. “ You can’t sing,you can’t play,you look awful …..You’ll go a long way “

2 hops: Great point. I had no idea but that could definitely up the ante with some people.

@ Food4thought its the type of wit we are missing and sums up Mayo to a tee. Wonderful stuff

Or maybe it's just my circle @Food4thought but unlikely.

Hi All,

Hoping the team will go to stay in Fermanagh or nearby this Friday night. Might help on a few levels? It has worked in the past before playing in Omagh.
In a way it is exciting just to see just how events unfold. It was said there were too many cooks in the management set-up. It does seem more adult to me to let the players decide how to react/respond on the field and management be responsible for substitutes.

Best wishes to the team, management and supporters.

Over analysis leads to paralysis. Well put Gamechanger 10....it kinda captures what we've seen of Mayo in most of the games this year. They seem afraid to step out of line or to show any signs of enjoying their game.
It's easy to see the Lámh Dearg ar having fun. Well feck that. Time to take the shackles off and do our own dance.
Máigheo, off you go ?

Terrible the state saw fit to decommission the railway lines through Ulster back in the day.