Search Results for 'Mattie Donnelly'

This one will sting, more so than the other recent defeats in the concrete caldron on Jones Road on the biggest day of all. 

At the end of the Mayo-Dublin All-Ireland semi-final five weeks ago, as the ‘Green and Red of Mayo’ boomed out over the loudspeakers, the chorus reverberated around the ground like a war-cry signalling the end of the most hurtful oppression imaginable at the hands of Dublin for over a decade.

Nobody knows better than Mayo supporters that anything can happen once the ball is thrown in on All Ireland Senior Final day; two own goals in the first half, the ball bouncing off the ground and spinning up and over the bar, our most important player sent off after playing a minimal part in a mass brawl - all things Mayo fans can remember vividly.

Mayo have responded in the face of adversity before. When a situation looked doomed, this team somehow got inspiration from somewhere to rectify the wrongs, to produce performances when we didn't expect them and when we needed them badly.

Mayo sit proudly on the top of division one of the National Football League after a comprehensive round two away win to Tyrone in Healy Park Omagh. Mayo and Kerry are now the only two unbeaten teams in the division.

The Dubs drive for five is well and truly under way after they comprehensively defeated Tyrone in last Sunday's final to claim a record equalling fourth title in a row.

As far as Mayo GAA football days go, last Sunday in Elverys MacHale Park will probably rank as one of the worst, particularly for this bunch of players.

It all comes down to next Sunday for Mayo.

My grandfather John Francis Silke, who lived and farmed in Corrandulla, Co Galway, used to tell me when I was a youngster that as you get older the years really start to race by.