Hard work and graft get Mayo over the line

Fri, Apr 01, 2016

I have no doubt Stephen Rochford slept soundly last Sunday night after his team finally put 70 minutes together that all his hard work merited. This was a big game which attracted all the national media, Roscommon against Mayo in the 2016 national league was the main event on the GAA calender. It’s a long time since that was said about two Connacht counties going head to head in a league game, the last time probably the 2001 league final between Mayo and Galway.

The game in Hyde Park was in jeopardy right up until throw in. I arrived very early and the pitch looked fine however after a serious deluge you could see the mass of water lodging on the surface. It didn’t look too bad from the height of the press box, it was atrocious at ground level. I never remember it been so bad. Both Mayo mid-fielders found the going tough with the underfoot conditions, Seamie O’Shea’s legs wrecked after slogging his way through the mud, Tom Parson’s said it was the worst pitch he ever played on in his life, at club or county level. With The Rossies likely to be in division one for the foreseeable future they need to get their playing surface sorted out. They have no other venue capable of holding a crowd like they had last Sunday. It was almost of championship proportions. Hindsight is a great thing though, I’m glad the game went ahead now. Don’t be in any doubt I would have complained profusely had the result been different.

All on the line for Mayo on Sunday

Fri, Apr 01, 2016

Sunday will be the last time the public get to see Mayo in action on their home patch until June 18 at the earliest, when their Connacht semi-final against Galway is scheduled to take place, providing of course that Mayo get over London in Ruislip at the tail end of May. The last time a new Mayo manager faced into a game against London on their own patch it nearly derailed the James Horan project before it even got going.

Mayo back to winning ways after Hyde Park showdown

Sun, Mar 27, 2016

A piece of individual brilliance by two minutes into the second half by Evan Regan kickstarted Mayo’s drive towards their second league win of the season. Regan was picked out by Tom Parsons in the right hand corner of the pitch, the Ballina sharpshooter looked to be in trouble on more than one occasion, but he managed to create enough space for himself to beat two men and fire the ball low past Geoffrey Claffey and put Mayo into a six point lead.

Rochford happy to pick up second win

Sun, Mar 27, 2016

It was a must win game for Mayo and Stephen Rochford was a contented figure not long after the final whistle was blown in Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon. Rochford’s Mayo side had just seen off Roscommon with an impressive display and he was also able to welcome back to action one very key man whose form will be a big factor in Mayo’s chances of success this summer.

Mayo team for Roscommon clashed named

Sat, Mar 26, 2016

Mayo manager Stephen Rochford named his starting 15 for Sunday’s league showdown with Roscommon on Sunday afternoon on Friday night. The team named from one to 15 shows three changes from the side that started against Kerry a fortnight ago with Chris Barrett, Evan Regan and Conor Loftus coming into the side with Donal Vaughan, Kevin McLoughlin and Cathal Carolan making way.

Mayo entering must win territory this Sunday

Fri, Mar 25, 2016

Over the past few years, Mayo haven’t really faced a must-win game until summer had really kicked in and summer holidays were in full swing. But this Sunday in the middle of the Easter break, Mayo are staring down the barrel of a must-win game of football or Division Two next year is becoming a very real possability.

It's time for Mayo to stand up and be counted

Fri, Mar 25, 2016

In any other league campaign Roscommon defeating Mayo wouldn't bother me. We could use the usual excuses like Mayo were tired after a long campaign last season, Mayo tried out new tactics and tried to blood players while trying others in different positions. We could all tell ourselves that the game was Roscommon's All- Ireland, why wouldn't they be up for it?

Goal glut sends Mayo back into the final

Sat, Mar 19, 2016

Mayo booked their place in the Connacht u21 final for the first time in seven years in Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada on Saturday night thanks to a four goal haul in a 20 minute period either side of half time on a sun splashed evening.

Mayo held by Leitrim in Saturday showdown

Sat, Mar 19, 2016

Following on from their heavy defeat last weekend in the first round of the Connacht Minor League last Friday night, Mayo picked up their first point in this years Connacht GAA Minor Football League.

Strong team named for todays u21 clash

Sat, Mar 19, 2016

New Mayo u21 manager Michael Solan has named a very strong looking team for his sides outing against Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday evening. The majority of this years crop of u21s were involved in the All Ireland minor winning campain three years ago with a number of players making the step up to the senior side in recent years. 

GAA: National Hurling League

Sat, Mar 19, 2016

Mayo make the trip to the Athletic Grounds in Armagh today to take on the Orchard County in what is a must win game for JP Coen’s men. After winning three out of three in their opening games in the league this year, Mayo slipped into third place in the table and out of the placings for a spot in the league final and a crack at promotion to Division 2A for next year after their disappointing loss to Wicklow last weekend in Castlebar.

Ballyboden inflict capital punishment on underperforming Mitchels

Fri, Mar 18, 2016

For the second time in three years, Castlebar Mitchels dream of bringing the Andy Merrigan Cup home with them was stopped at the final stage by opposition from Dublin. Unlike this time two years ago when the Mitchels adventure came on the back of their first county title in 20 years, this was a Mitchels side who had came back again this year and saw off last year’s champions Corofin, before seeing off Crossmaglen in an epic semi-final. However, they met a Ballyboden St Enda’s side who had a game plan that worked to a tee, with runners from deep causing Castlebar all sorts of problems and the static nature of the Mitchels attack playing straight into their hands. Castlebar will be disappointed with how they performed on the day and will know they could have done much better than they did.

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