Looking forward to tomorrow's games after another great football match in Ulster tonight.
I have really enjoyed this season so far and we are only getting to the crucial stages of the provincial championships and we still have the qualifiers to come.
I'm going to have a quick punt on tomorrow's games, should be the kiss of death for any side tipped but here goes.
I think that Mayo will see Sligo off fairly comfortably.
Sligo's win in Connacht last year was one of the fairy tales of the season but Sligo came back down to earth with a bump in the quarter finals and they haven't really recovered.
Under new management they have had a disastrous league campaign and I can't see them rising to the same heights again.
Despite the squander mania of last week I expect the Dublin hurlers to put Wexford away this week.
The Dubs threw the Model men a lifeline last week and may have encouraged a little self belief among the southern side that they can at least progress to the annual whipping by Kilkenny but I think the Dubs have what it takes.
Wexford and Laois should be another good game in the football.
Laois has had the upper hand over the Model footballers in recent years but look well short of the sort of form they showed under Micko earlier in the decade.
I think Wexford might just shed this one but there won't be much in it.
The game of the day has to be the Munster hurling semi final between last year's All-Ireland finalists Limerick and Clare.
Limerick have struggled to produce the goods this season and Clare will be boosted by their win against a poor Waterford side.
However, the confidence gained in that win might stand to the Banner tomorrow but one way or another we are guaranteed a new winner in Munster.
I think Clare might sneak through but their defence has to improve.
Showing posts with label Mayo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mayo. Show all posts
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Step back for Mayo
I think it is a sign of weakness that James Nallen and Trevor Mortimore have been drafted back into the Mayo side for the Connacht Championship semi final against reigning champions Sligo.
Mayo are hot favourites to win the game given Sligo's poor National League campaign.
However, although James Nallen and Trevor Mortimore have been great servants of the county their physical powers have been waning for some time.
Nallen has given Mayo great service but knows only too well the bitter taste of defeat in the All-Ireland final.
He had found it increasingly difficult to hold on to his place on the team in the last two seasons and is no longer the force he was when breaking out from centre half back in full flight.
The fact that John O'Mahoney has had to turn to Nallen again in a bid to shore up his defence suggests that the county's resources are thin enough and I think it says a lot about Mayo's preparedness for an All-Ireland campaign.
Mayo could turn Galway over if they get through this week's examination but I don't fancy them to go beyond the All-Ireland quarter finals.
Mayo are hot favourites to win the game given Sligo's poor National League campaign.
However, although James Nallen and Trevor Mortimore have been great servants of the county their physical powers have been waning for some time.
Nallen has given Mayo great service but knows only too well the bitter taste of defeat in the All-Ireland final.
He had found it increasingly difficult to hold on to his place on the team in the last two seasons and is no longer the force he was when breaking out from centre half back in full flight.
The fact that John O'Mahoney has had to turn to Nallen again in a bid to shore up his defence suggests that the county's resources are thin enough and I think it says a lot about Mayo's preparedness for an All-Ireland campaign.
Mayo could turn Galway over if they get through this week's examination but I don't fancy them to go beyond the All-Ireland quarter finals.
Friday, 25 April 2008
Sam has passed McDonald by
Was disappointed that it looks like Ciaran McDonald won't be playing in this year's championship.
The Mayo man has lit up many a game in recent years and although infuriatingly inconsistent McDonald is a class act.
At times he has been capable of sheer genius, with his passing and point taking at times breathtaking.
On other days McDonald did things a novice wouldn't have done but it never seemed to erode his faith that he could do something which could turn a game.
At times his county was too reliant on him to win big games and other sides worked hard to cancel him out.
I always felt that if he had have had at least one other player providing a real cutting edge on the Mayo side that they would have broken their half century run of All-Ireland defeats.
As well as having one of the best left foots in the game McDonald has the knack of always finding space no matter how tight the marking and he never looks rushed, the mark of a great player.
His faith in his own ability was obvious.
He tried pinpoint passes again and again and more often than not he pulled them off.
If anything he tried the difficult pass too often, always trying to open up defences.
When he first burst on to the scene I wondered would he make it, would he apply himself to match his talent with the effort needed to rise to the top?
However, McDonald did work hard at his game and he inspired his side to two All-Ireland finals in the last four years only to lose heavily on both occasions to Kerry.
It looks likely now that McDonald will join a host of other great players never to lift the Sam Maguire but he gave us all plenty to remember him by.
The Mayo man has lit up many a game in recent years and although infuriatingly inconsistent McDonald is a class act.
At times he has been capable of sheer genius, with his passing and point taking at times breathtaking.
On other days McDonald did things a novice wouldn't have done but it never seemed to erode his faith that he could do something which could turn a game.
At times his county was too reliant on him to win big games and other sides worked hard to cancel him out.
I always felt that if he had have had at least one other player providing a real cutting edge on the Mayo side that they would have broken their half century run of All-Ireland defeats.
As well as having one of the best left foots in the game McDonald has the knack of always finding space no matter how tight the marking and he never looks rushed, the mark of a great player.
His faith in his own ability was obvious.
He tried pinpoint passes again and again and more often than not he pulled them off.
If anything he tried the difficult pass too often, always trying to open up defences.
When he first burst on to the scene I wondered would he make it, would he apply himself to match his talent with the effort needed to rise to the top?
However, McDonald did work hard at his game and he inspired his side to two All-Ireland finals in the last four years only to lose heavily on both occasions to Kerry.
It looks likely now that McDonald will join a host of other great players never to lift the Sam Maguire but he gave us all plenty to remember him by.
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Football manager who needs it?
Who would be a football manager?
Last year Sligo won the Connacht championship for the first time since 1975, this season under a new manager Tommy Jordan they have been relegated to Division 4.
It must be a nightmare for Jordan, no new manager sets out to get relegated, ask Kieran McGeeney who has started his term in office with Kildare on the way down.
However, Jordan is climbing a mountain as a defeat in the first round of the Connacht championship against Mayo who have been motoring well, then Sligo will be immediately condemned to the Tommy Murphy a fate worse than death.
No one needs to tell Jordan how big a task he has ahead but to top off what has been a bad week for Sligo football, he has been given a vote of confidence by the county chairman.
Wonder what odds I would get at the bookies that Jordan will not be in charge next season unless Mayo are rolled over.
Last year Sligo won the Connacht championship for the first time since 1975, this season under a new manager Tommy Jordan they have been relegated to Division 4.
It must be a nightmare for Jordan, no new manager sets out to get relegated, ask Kieran McGeeney who has started his term in office with Kildare on the way down.
However, Jordan is climbing a mountain as a defeat in the first round of the Connacht championship against Mayo who have been motoring well, then Sligo will be immediately condemned to the Tommy Murphy a fate worse than death.
No one needs to tell Jordan how big a task he has ahead but to top off what has been a bad week for Sligo football, he has been given a vote of confidence by the county chairman.
Wonder what odds I would get at the bookies that Jordan will not be in charge next season unless Mayo are rolled over.
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