Horan: one step closer to immortality?

Horan: one step closer to immortality?

by | Jul 30, 2014 | All Ireland Championship, Guest Contributors, Mayo GAA

James Horan’s first game as Mayo manager was an FBD game in Castlebar in January 2011. His league managerial debut also took place in MacHale Park against Down a month later. He opened up his championship managerial career in West London on a bright afternoon which almost went down in the history books as a black day for Mayo football. Two further championship games in very bad conditions dictated that he brought his men to Croke Park in July 2011 as Connacht champions but with the tag of serious underdogs to face Cork, the All Ireland champions. James Horan That day he made nonsense of Spillane’s ranting about Connacht football’s “Junk Status”, ridiculed Brolly’s assertion that Cork would easily progress and set the tone for some historic Mayo days in Croke Park over the next 3 years. For many that is the day that the Horan era really started. Now the Horan era is surely coming to a close and we face Cork once again. This time Mayo will be installed as favourites and rightfully so. Cork were physically and mentally superior to Sligo in Saturday’s qualifier. In Sky Sports high definition each man looked taller and broader, and even more importantly than this, they had far better ideas when on the ball. Colm O’Neill dominated the game ably assisted by Paul Kerrigan. Sligo had a patch of dominance and took a fine goal in the third quarter but the game was never in doubt. Keeping Kerrigan and O’Neill quiet will no doubt be key to Sunday’s game plan. Cork now have a huge step up in the calibre of their opponents in the space of a week. They started brightly against Kerry but were unable to compete with them as the game progressed.  I think the match-ups will favour the Connacht champions and while we, as Mayo supporters, will never get used to going to Croke Park as favourites, the players and management seem to have no problems with it ,judging by our wins over Down and Tyrone. Regardless of our chances of lifting the blessed chalice in September, and regardless of whether he continues in the job, we cannot doubt that James Horan’s tenure has been a great success.  Let’s keep enjoying it and hope fervently that Sunday’s game will bring him one step closer to immortality.

Defensive football – the new black?

Defensive football – the new black?

by | Jul 28, 2014 | All Ireland Championship, Guest Contributors, Mayo GAA

It’s August, and we are back to a familiar scene. Our opponents were confirmed on Saturday evening after Sligo were parked up by Cork.

When Cork emerged under the leadership of Brian Cuthbert, they looked to have prowess. They had a steady league performance, and with Kerry looking at sixes and sevens in the league, it looked from early on like they were the Munster team to watch. That theory was quickly demolished after the Kingdom destroyed them in the Munster Final by 12 points. And in a flash, Cork were banished to the dreaded qualifiers. They arrived in Tullamore on Saturday for a date with Sligo. Cuthbert made six changes from their Kerry hiding and unveiled a significantly revised game plan. A game plan that is now the new wave of vogue in Gaelic Football: overpopulate the opposition’s defence and stay there. This new wave was originally designed by Jim McGuinness and now, just like tight jerseys, it’s pretty much the new black!

At times on Saturday Cork played with only one player in the opposing half of the field. This style of defensive football was used on Sligo but in reality it was being introduced for their quarter final meeting with Mayo. But they have a lot of work to do before they perfect this style. On Saturday it worked for a while, then they drifted off course and looked unsure of themselves. Colm O Neill and Paul Kerrigan, seasoned players, were their star attractions; they looked sharp and up for the challenge. O’Neill finished with 10 points and will inevitably be a handful for the Mayo full-back line on Sunday, but with Keith Higgins now firmly back there, he’ll have the measure of the rebel. With the way the game is going now, it’ll be an interesting competition for Mayo, to see how they cope with the defensive approach. Fintan Goold started from the bench but replaced debutant, 20 year old, Ian Maguire and would look to have made enough of an impression to start on Sunday. Cork are jittery though, and tend to fall away when pressure is applied.

Mayo v CorkMayo have never had a great record against Cork in championship. Horan’s men have looked slow to get going so far, maybe they are just warming up to this stage or maybe they are beginning to tire. Sunday will tell a tale. Big performances will be needed by every Mayo player. Will Mayo counteract the defensive trap? Will they need to?

James Horan’s men have shown heart and determination when needed in their Connacht Championship, let’s hope this continues through on Sunday.

Face The Ball Prediction League Week 11

Face The Ball Prediction League Week 11

by | Jul 28, 2014 | Prediction League Tables, Prediction Leagues

Face The Ball Prediction League Week 11 

Facetheball prediction league logo

Mayo Club 51 Leader board —- Start Week : 1
Your position: 

    Total Week 11 Week 10 Week 9 Week 8 Week 7 Week 6 Week 5 Week 4 Week 3 Week 2 Week 1
1 Dan 981 54 71 119 135 91 175 46 106 26 73 85
2 macdanger 971 55 75 124 105 95 180 79 102 0 73 83
3 Ciarano 962 55 70 119 83 118 161 44 102 28 73 109
4 mclouga9 947 54 79 148 76 88 165 20 128 29 76 84
5 the V-man 927 59 80 129 107 122 151 74 100 0 45 60
6 MsLaineyHughes 923 29 75 89 132 125 182 74 81 0 24 112
7 sam no.4? 914 57 74 129 49 95 188 76 80 28 50 88
8 Sinabhuil 908 60 81 154 71 103 187 48 70 27 49 58
9 nerdyfi 905 57 78 95 100 93 178 45 70 26 76 87
10 Nodlag5 894 22 35 92 131 117 169 45 103 26 71 83
11 Seamus 890 55 48 97 76 138 181 44 100 25 44 82
12 mayomagic 887 57 72 147 103 91 161 45 76 0 50 85
13 Fleadh Cheoil 878 57 48 76 84 92 189 74 72 28 74 84
14 Padraic McHugh 874 30 46 123 135 99 184 20 128 0 26 83
15 dcr22B 863 27 47 96 102 88 184 43 130 26 43 77
16 Citywest1984 858 29 47 153 74 85 193 75 71 0 44 87
17 ONeill 855 56 73 56 113 118 187 46 74 0 54 78
18 Mayor McCheese 854 56 48 97 103 90 191 45 70 27 44 83
19 RiainPierce 850 23 75 78 134 95 156 45 102 29 25 88
20 gomonaghan 845 49 47 70 105 101 176 45 100 26 44 82
21 MikeyBhoy51 843 54 80 92 75 90 150 43 102 26 46 85
22 Lar Naparka 839 56 75 92 27 116 161 48 110 28 45 81
23 Yew tree 834 26 56 124 101 94 187 20 99 26 23 78
24 digherdeepandthrowherwellback 832 22 35 92 86 95 174 46 96 0 75 111
25 mayo.mick 817 57 78 48 102 89 161 45 96 0 54 87
26 kcawley 814 57 28 95 86 70 169 73 77 29 45 85
27 Sarahf458 812 27 77 101 105 91 185 20 75 0 46 85
28 horansmen14 806 56 50 79 132 90 183 44 72 0 45 55
29 MaigheoAbu 799 26 23 95 103 96 183 46 98 29 46 54
30 Maloney74 797 56 79 121 28 103 193 44 69 0 45 59
31 Mick51 795 54 77 97 116 90 189 20 54 27 45 26
32 MickC 791 44 80 76 86 122 158 49 49 26 24 77
33 Black Cards Ahoy 782 56 46 47 111 90 186 46 74 0 45 81
34 MayoGodHelpUs 782 27 47 30 104 145 159 73 70 0 45 82
35 142 MO Sam 780 22 58 101 47 73 153 20 118 57 50 81
36 Johnnyrebel 757 29 52 122 48 92 158 44 101 0 25 86
37 Catriona 742 26 76 67 110 52 169 20 73 20 44 85
38 mayo4ever 733 27 25 95 27 115 190 75 101 26 0 52
39 currane100 727 22 35 93 86 90 162 45 74 20 45 55
40 AlanP 723 55 70 81 50 103 130 20 113 0 47 54
41 RogerMilla 717 51 35 46 43 103 169 73 73 0 44 80
42 thecailinrua 713 30 78 46 85 90 154 46 49 27 50 58
43 Newport 712 29 50 75 47 119 166 44 53 26 24 79
44 supersars 627 22 35 46 43 52 169 46 102 0 26 86
45 therocketncw 618 22 35 46 43 52 169 46 75 0 49 81
46 cafferkey 585 22 35 46 43 52 155 23 89 20 45 55
47 amayofan 503 22 35 46 43 52 85 23 45 20 50 82
48 Dooriels Finest 501 22 35 46 43 52 85 23 45 20 50 80
49 mortified 500 22 35 46 43 52 85 23 45 20 50 79
50 kaysers 418 22 35 46 43 52 85 46 89 0    



Face The Ball Prediction League Week 11

Face The Ball Prediction League Week 10

by | Jul 22, 2014 | Prediction League Tables, Prediction Leagues

Week 10 of the Face the ball prediction league.

Facetheball prediction league logo

Mayo Club 51 Leader board 
Your position: 

    Total Week 10 Week 9 Week 8 Week 7 Week 6 Week 5 Week 4 Week 3 Week 2 Week 1
1 Dan 927 71 119 135 91 175 46 106 26 73 85
2 macdanger 916 75 124 105 95 180 79 102 0 73 83
3 Ciarano 907 70 119 83 118 161 44 102 28 73 109
4 MsLaineyHughes 894 75 89 132 125 182 74 81 0 24 112
5 mclouga9 893 79 148 76 88 165 20 128 29 76 84
6 Nodlag5 872 35 92 131 117 169 45 103 26 71 83
7 the V-man 868 80 129 107 122 151 74 100 0 45 60
8 sam no.4? 857 74 129 49 95 188 76 80 28 50 88
9 Sinabhuil 848 81 154 71 103 187 48 70 27 49 58
10 nerdyfi 848 78 95 100 93 178 45 70 26 76 87
11 Padraic McHugh 844 46 123 135 99 184 20 128 0 26 83
12 dcr22B 836 47 96 102 88 184 43 130 26 43 77
13 Seamus 835 48 97 76 138 181 44 100 25 44 82
14 mayomagic 830 72 147 103 91 161 45 76 0 50 85
15 Citywest1984 829 47 153 74 85 193 75 71 0 44 87
16 RiainPierce 827 75 78 134 95 156 45 102 29 25 88
17 Fleadh Cheoil 821 48 76 84 92 189 74 72 28 74 84
18 digherdeepandthrowherwellback 810 35 92 86 95 174 46 96 0 75 111
19 Yew tree 808 56 124 101 94 187 20 99 26 23 78
20 ONeill 799 73 56 113 118 187 46 74 0 54 78
21 Mayor McCheese 798 48 97 103 90 191 45 70 27 44 83
22 gomonaghan 796 47 70 105 101 176 45 100 26 44 82
23 MikeyBhoy51 789 80 92 75 90 150 43 102 26 46 85
24 Sarahf458 785 77 101 105 91 185 20 75 0 46 85
25 Lar Naparka 783 75 92 27 116 161 48 110 28 45 81
26 MaigheoAbu 773 23 95 103 96 183 46 98 29 46 54
27 mayo.mick 760 78 48 102 89 161 45 96 0 54 87
28 142 MO Sam 758 58 101 47 73 153 20 118 57 50 81
29 kcawley 757 28 95 86 70 169 73 77 29 45 85
30 MayoGodHelpUs 755 47 30 104 145 159 73 70 0 45 82
31 horansmen14 750 50 79 132 90 183 44 72 0 45 55
32 MickC 747 80 76 86 122 158 49 49 26 24 77
33 Maloney74 741 79 121 28 103 193 44 69 0 45 59
34 Mick51 741 77 97 116 90 189 20 54 27 45 26
35 Johnnyrebel 728 52 122 48 92 158 44 101 0 25 86
36 Black Cards Ahoy 726 46 47 111 90 186 46 74 0 45 81
37 Catriona 716 76 67 110 52 169 20 73 20 44 85
38 mayo4ever 706 25 95 27 115 190 75 101 26 0 52
39 currane100 705 35 93 86 90 162 45 74 20 45 55
40 thecailinrua 683 78 46 85 90 154 46 49 27 50 58
41 Newport 683 50 75 47 119 166 44 53 26 24 79
42 AlanP 668 70 81 50 103 130 20 113 0 47 54
43 RogerMilla 666 35 46 43 103 169 73 73 0 44 80
44 supersars 605 35 46 43 52 169 46 102 0 26 86
45 therocketncw 596 35 46 43 52 169 46 75 0 49 81
46 cafferkey 563 35 46 43 52 155 23 89 20 45 55
47 amayofan 481 35 46 43 52 85 23 45 20 50 82
48 Dooriels Finest 479 35 46 43 52 85 23 45 20 50 80
49 mortified 478 35 46 43 52 85 23 45 20 50 79
50 kaysers 396 35 46 43 52 85 46 89 0    

 

Route 51 Flag Lands in Calgary Canada

Route 51 Flag Lands in Calgary Canada

by | Jul 17, 2014 | Route '51

Last week the Mayo Club 51 Route 51 flag landed in Calgary, Canada. Thanks to Mary Lynn for sending us these great photos from Lake Louise, Calgary. Photographed here is Shane Lynn from Keenagh and Luke Maloney, formerly from Crossmolina, now living in Calgary. What a stunning view of the Rockies in the background!

Mayo fans at Lake Louise Calgary Canada

Shane Lynn, Keenagh and Luke Maloney, formerly Crossmolina, now living in Calgary Canada pictured here at Lake Louise, Calgary.

route 51 canada

L-R: Michael Lynn, Luke Maloney, Shane and Gary Lynn.

Photographed above is Michael Lynn, Luke Maloney, Shane and Gary Lynn at the top of Sulphur Mountain, Banff Alberta, Canada, 2451 metres above sea level. In the background again you can see some stunning views of the Rocky mountains.

The Route ’51 flag has now traveled a total of  20,548.81 KM to date! View the Route ’51 map and read our Route 51 posts to track the journey so far. The flag is now away on its travels again to some other exotic part of the world to meet with some other far-flung Mayo natives. Who will be the next fans to have their photo taken with it?

If you’re living abroad or travelling abroad to visit family or friends and would like to help us make history by adding to the long list of locations around the world,  just get in contact with us!

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