Search Results for 'James O'Donoghue'

So after much talk, speculation, and weeks of anticipation the Super Eights are finally here and ready to rock. And the tie of the weekend pits Kevin Walsh's Galway squad against Eamon Fitzmaurice's Kerry outfit this Sunday (4pm) in Croke Park.

There’s no easy way to win an All Ireland, and boy are Mayo doing it the hard way. It’s back to headquarters on Saturday for another swing at Kerry as the look to book an All Ireland final date in Croke Park in September.

Not long after Mayo rattled in their third goal in the first half of their All Ireland quarterfinal replay win over Roscommon, the thoughts of plenty of Mayo supporters wandered to what will we do to stop Kieran Donaghy, the man who has inflicted more pain on Mayo in recent years than probably anyone else on big days.

Early season predictions would have envisaged Dublin, Kerry, and Mayo making it to the semifinal of the championship with Tyrone getting a few hesitant votes because of a poor ending to their league campaign.

The groan that echoed around the ground at the 70-minute mark was perhaps the most vocal reaction inspired by this lacklustre game before an audience of 65,000.

It has often been said a week is a long time in politics - it also applies to sport.

Mayo's 2017 league opener ended in defeat to an aggressive and physical Monaghan in Castlebar last Saturday evening. Despite my declaration last week that Mayo should target the national league for silverware, the target very much now is about survival. Again applause must be given to the 11,000 or so hardy souls who turned out to support the team. The basis for this first round defeat is pure and simple, Monaghan were better prepared and had a better pre season as it was purely obvious going into the final quarter that they had spent more time on the paddock than Stephen Rochford's team.