One thing is certain, Mayo's footballers will continue to find new and amazing ways to shoot themselves in their feet, usually while said feet are deeply inserted in their mouths.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 18/12/2016 11:40:54    1940774

SuperMacs you honestly believe Connelly/Holmes give a rats about Mayo football right now? The last thing them two want to see is these Mayo players who shafted them lifting Sam.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/12/2016 11:56:41    1940779

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 18/12/2016 12:10:55    1940781

Conneely & Holmes left in a very dignified manner after being so ruthlessly shafted & having being given no clarity or answers by the players. They waited for their chance to speak on the matter & so as not to impenge on the 2016 campaign to win the All Ireland. After having their reputations & character destroyed so publicly by the players they are well justified in now having their say & highlighting some of the facts. If anyone was treated in such a manner as they were publicly, they would seek a chance to clarify their side of what happened & that is what's now unfolding. -----looked for in 2015 in dropping Clarke was the very thing that cost them Sam & an All Ireland medal in 2016 in what was one of the craziest decisions ever & heaped massive pressure on Hennelly. I think that Holmes & Conneelly deserve their chance to speak as their dedication to their clubs, as ex Mayo players & as ex managers was total & their side of the story has never being heard. Overall though it has to be said it puts massive pressure on those players to win an All Ireland & wont help matters in the camp, just like the Galway hurlers, this year it's s#it or get off the pot. Both teams choose that route, time is now running out to justify their coups. If Galway hurlers & Mayo footballers don't produce this year I don't see clubs & delegates & fans giving them one more year.

Uimhir.a.3. (Galway) - Posts: 409 - 18/12/2016 12:18:34    1940782

I suppose the lads are entitled to their right of reply as their reputations were seriously damaged last year.

Some of the reasons given for the dissatisfaction of the players seem pathetic and petty alright and reflect badly on the players.

A few players do come out of that article very badly but I suppose this is Holmes and Connelly's point of view coming across.

In saying all that though if the players aren't happy with management I still believe that they should make that known. Whether or not the Mayo players did that in the best way is another matter but that's how it happened.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 18/12/2016 12:28:54    1940785

Those goals were at least as much unfortunate, as unlucky.

* The first is a lashed out, panic reaction to seeing a ball near the goal line. A cooler head would have just let the ball roll harmlessly out of play. That wasn't bad luck, that was a lack of composure. I was delighted with the goal, but you have to feel for the chap at that moment, everyone probably winced when they watched the replay.

* The second goal is admittedly, alot unluckier. But Deano was unlucky to spill the ball too. Again, a defender who was caught out, simply belted the ball. It literally could have gone anywhere, and they were unlucky that it's path finished in the net. But allowing a forward a one on one with the keeper, 'cos you were caught napping is creating a situation that bad luck is only partly responsible for.

Jaden (Dublin) - Posts: 139 - 18/12/2016 12:42:09    1940787

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 18/12/2016 12:47:02    1940788

How about two own goals would you not describe that as incredibly unlucky?
shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts:1490 - 18/12/2016 12:10:55 1940781

Bryan Fenton first and Dean Rock getting in behind the Mayo defence was hardly down to bad luck on Mayo's part.

How the goals actually went in, particularly the first, was unlucky but Dublin cutting Mayo wide open twice wasn't bad luck for Mayo.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 18/12/2016 12:52:52    1940789

Replying To GreenandRed: "No we weren't better last year. Playing the usual gungho football that got us nowhere. Connelly and Holmes were great servants to Mayo football but we're better setup under Rochford and McEntee and hopefully will continue to improve."
Ye might not have been better last year but ye were also no better this year . Just stayed in division 1 beaten by galway n connacht and apart from the tyrone gMe didn't exactly play well n the qualifiers . Just like last year when the opportunity presented itself to beat the dubs in the first game this year (second game last year ) the players were not up for it
I don't see mayo getting as easy a route to the All Ireland in 2017 tbh

rossy15 (Roscommon) - Posts:379 - 18/12/2016 10:10:17
..................................................................
TBH don't see the Rossies doing anything in this lifetime either!

centerfield (Mayo) - Posts: 360 - 18/12/2016 13:09:43    1940791

centerfield (Mayo) - Posts: 360 - 18/12/2016 13:14:23    1940792

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 18/12/2016 13:17:37    1940793

Gavvygavgav (Dublin) - Posts: 383 - 18/12/2016 13:28:08    1940794

rossy15 (Roscommon) - Posts: 617 - 18/12/2016 13:59:59    1940797

Connelly / Holmes were entirely justified in putting there story out there at least they held fire for over a year to give mayo every opportunity in 2016 they gave the mayo camp more time and respect than they received.
Where is the county board in all this i ask the question again how could they stand back and let a few dictate and blacken the name of 2 men who have given more to mayo football than any of the players in there dressing room?

jacktheDub (Dublin) - Posts: 944 - 18/12/2016 14:02:04    1940798

We can argue all winter about whether Mayo were unlucky or not. Personally I thought the 1st day was their chance to do it. Even if they hadn't conceded the penalty the 2nd day I'm not sure they would have won it. In any event the thing for Mayo is to do absolutely everything on and off the pitch to maximise their chances. Obviously their doing everything fitness wise but that's not all. AOS believes he is able to go and speak on public media at his choosing. He may be right but its not really his call, he should be told when he can and accept it. It looks to me like some management teams were afraid to say it too him.

theduke66 (Dublin) - Posts: 334 - 18/12/2016 14:04:45    1940799

How can anyone say that Mayo was unlucky- The had little luck in 2015/14 with Ref decisions but this year they had their share of luck when a Ref gave them all the decisions to get out of Castlebar in the back door. The were well beaten in the provincial final by Galway and lucky enough against Tyrone who came to the match without a free taker. Now anybody who say the were a better team this year has not been watching the football. The had a good chance of winning the All-Ireland final replay but for another bloober- this time from the manager. Now what have some supporters/posters been watching when the say the present manager is better than the last one. Who is leading the county board - is it a couple of players from one or two clubs? Everything that the ex managers have said is well known inside and outside the county. Just for the record I would have always supported Mayo in a final.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 18/12/2016 14:06:40    1940800

Holmes and Connolly were shafted . The players did not have the decency or the courage to provide the management with a detailed critique of their management. The management consequently were in no position to publicly defend themselves . The players actions were hugely disrespectful of two great servants of Mayo football.
That was then compounded by a letter to the Mayo county board that can only be described as staggering. It was a series of demands accompanied by a deadline for the county board to accede to the demands that was only four days on from the date of the delivery of the letter to county board officials.
Holmes and Connelly are absolutely justified in giving their side of the story . They have every right to defend themselves .
That said Mayo were a better outfit this year. Tony McEntee's influence can be seen. At the risk of offending my Dublin friends there is no doubt that Dublin were very lucky to get a result the first day. Jim Gavin himself said that. Whilst the highly debatable sending off of Keegan had a huge impact on the second game the crucial and deciding factor was the impact that Dublin's bench had on the game. Every sub made a big contribution. Dublin may enjoy this one. The gap between Mayo and Dublin is closing, The Kingdom are assembling new troops and every year it gets tougher.
In summary last years events, the actions of the Mayo panel and the revelations of Holmes and Connelly reflect very, very poorly on the 2015 Mayo panel of players with a certain few of that panel highlighted for all to see.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 18/12/2016 14:10:15    1940801

http://indo.ie/xqVt307eo52


Great read.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/12/2016 14:52:35    1940802

I'm depressed reading this article. I have not posted much here since the replay. Airing dirty laundry in Public never ends well. That's said maybe it's a good thing?
I think it's worth noting the vast majority of Mayo players are great lads. It's clear there are a few not so great. EVERY team will have players unhappy with management. I think it's time we as Mayo people look inward at our own failings as to why we have not won an all Ireland rather than blaming referees, curses, bad luck, kerry, the dubs....we can only change from within. I'm very disappointed.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 18/12/2016 15:03:17    1940803

Shaggy let's say them goals didn't go in , do you honestly believe Mayo beat us by 6 points? If you cut a team open twice one as simple as a 50 yard free kick from the hands then you can't say your unlucky that's just terrible defending, Mayo for me were the better team the first day but they were the team 3 points down in injury time and to say we got all the rub of the green is just blinkered for one team.

Anyway I always say it one of the biggest problems on Gaa teams are the subs there the players always giving out and trying to bring the whole thing down.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/12/2016 15:34:37    1940807