statistics is something invented to make the stronger teams feel better about themselves.!

What a quote! Did you write that in ur leaving cert paper too?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/06/2010 18:29:04    664779

Sligonian - I forgot that you need an intense knowledge of all teams players to make a prediction and not go on previous history between the 2 sides. Remind me again the last time Sligo have beaten Mayo in the Connacht championship. I suppose I shouldn't make any prediction about the Dublin Meath match either since I don't know every player in the current Meath panel either but I suppose Meath fans will tell me that I'm miles off thinking that it will be a close game since previous games between Dublin and Meath have usually been tight affairs.
If Sligo win it, then fair play to them, all I'm saying is, based on previous history between the sides is that I'll be surprised if Sligo do win.

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 01/06/2010 18:46:24    664807

Agree with Sligonian that midfield will be crucial. Gilmartin has great potential (remember him cleaning out county minor midfielders when he was only about 15 himself), but it's a big task having to deal with McGarrity (one of the finest high fielders around IMO) in his first Championship start.
It should be a tight game, but I do fear that Mayo will be very psyched up for this one, given the stick (much of it unwarranted) that they have received since the league final.
If (and I still feel it's an if) Sligo can play well across the whole 70 minutes, then we're in with a great shout. We can't afford to give Mayo a period in which to build up a lead, but if it's still tight going into the last 10 minutes, then I reckon we'll just about come through it on top.

black&white (Sligo) - Posts: 1628 - 01/06/2010 18:56:11    664826

You'll not find a Tyrone man who'll tell you Sligo are are a push over. We have wounds from an encounter with them that have yet to heal.

caughtredhanded (Tyrone) - Posts: 602 - 01/06/2010 19:08:59    664853

Here's a quote for ye - ''statistics are like mini skirts, they give you some great ideas, but they hide the best bits'' some rugby coach said that can't remember who exactly.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 01/06/2010 19:26:38    664862

This will be no one sided affair at all. Sligo are a good team and we are not a great one. If its tight near the end our lack of leaders on the pitch will be our downfall. Seriously lads, stats and league means f all come championship. Mayo by one............hopefully.

Spuddy (Mayo) - Posts: 345 - 01/06/2010 21:48:51    665048

I know they'l be up against it but cum on Sligo!!

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 02/06/2010 08:54:13    665085

the winners of this will win connacht

mac21 (Leitrim) - Posts: 677 - 02/06/2010 10:42:11    665172

Brolly
County: Monaghan
Posts: 1401

665085 I know they'l be up against it but cum on Sligo!!

Your one sick puppy.

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 02/06/2010 10:43:05    665174

First time to post here, but felt I had to when I read one of the posts re: Mayo making easy work of Sligo and mention of a 10+ point victory. If you'll gimme odds on that mate, I'll have the plant on it plz ;)

Mayo are at best a team that were quite lucky in a couple of tight league games to squeek fortuitous results. Anyone who puts them close to the top of the food chain based on the league performances, need only look at their display in the final Cork - Mayo mediocrity at it's finest!

That said, Sligo are no all-conquering giants either. They won Div 4 & 3 respectively back 2 back, but will they stack up to the mighty Mayo? - if it was Croaker I'd back them at odds on, never mind the current 9/4. Mayo were 11/4 and a ridiculous 3/1 iirc a month back - laughable. I think the markets are still out. There's no way Sligo are a 9/4 dog to Mayo. A bigger pitch would suit Sligo far better than the confines of Markievicz Park. They'd take Mayo apart in Croaker!
Sligo for once have a group of forwards who can all score and Kevin Walsh has them well drilled. A little titbit of useless info for you all = Sligo scored the most points from play during the past league campaign. I think Mayo lack conviction up front and are too relaint a couple of players. Both have conceeded exactly the same scoring average in the League, while Sligo have outscored Mayo by an average of a point (despite having only scored a goal in half their games). LOL - should be placing all this on Betfair, but I have my bets placed. I digress....

If (and I stress IF) Mayo make it out of Markievicz on Saturday evening with a 1 point victory they should be elated! And BLESSED!

If pushed for a result, I'd say a draw and Sligo to win by 2 points after extra time.

ROFPMSL (Sligo) - Posts: 25 - 02/06/2010 12:03:26    665248

* Mayo were 11/4 and a ridiculous 3/1 (ODDS ON) iirc a month back - laughable. I think the markets are still out.

ROFPMSL (Sligo) - Posts: 25 - 02/06/2010 12:21:25    665274

ROFPMSL
So it's all down to the size of the pitch that Sligo wont beat Mayo? Mayo were lucky? In what games were we lucky?

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 02/06/2010 12:26:41    665283

Mayo should win the game by 5 or 6 pts easing down..Sligo are fairly average..biggest shock of the year if they do it!!

JGiles (Limerick) - Posts: 88 - 02/06/2010 12:33:11    665290

ROFPMSL - a point to note. there a a FEW mayo lads in here saying that mayo will win handy and most posters goung for a mayo win are from outside the county.
u say we were lucky in the league - year after year mayo have performed in the league and are one of the most consistent teams in it over the last no. of years.

now to the championship game - if you talk to any mayo person in real life on the ground there is no way they are over confident and most of the papers in mayo yesderday were predicting a very tight game. kevin mcstay eben said sligo will win if alan dillion isnt fit.

i think mayo will win but it will be tight. enough of this and if sligo win i will be the first to congratulate ye.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11691 - 02/06/2010 12:47:13    665315

weather expected good for the long weekend ! should ensure a full turn out for the game !

bitchesandhoes (Sligo) - Posts: 118 - 02/06/2010 12:54:53    665329

51longago
No, it's not down to the size of the pitch, I'm saying that an open pitch would be more conducive to Sligo's style of play and would benefit them greater than playing Mayo in markievicz Park (a decidedly tight pitch by inter county standards).
Re: Mayo being fortuitous in league games... Try Kerry, Derry and Galway (after Meehan went off). They had a few very lucky games on the road this year imho
Mayo flatter to deceive each year and lack the backbone of a serious All-Ireland winning competitor. I don't hink this year will prove anything different. They are an average Div 1 side at best. Fair enough, they pulled off a few results in the heart of Winter, but the C'ship is a different animal. The gap between Mayo and the Top 5 or 6 teams will only widen as the C'ship progresses.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that Sligo are fantastic by any stretch either. Far from. But, then again, Sligo don't realistically see themselves as serious All-Ireland contenders. Mayo DO! lol

But I will throw in as my 5/8 as this...
Unless Mayo score at least one goal and possibly two, they will not beat Sligo.
Conversely, if Sligo manage to score a goal, then it's their game for the taking!
That Varley young lad back from injury could possibly make that goal-scoring difference. Otherwise, I think Sligo will outpoint them. Simple as!
Just my opinion and delighted to hear all comments...

ROFPMSL (Sligo) - Posts: 25 - 02/06/2010 12:57:59    665338

yew_tree
And I'll certainly be the first to congratulate you too, sir!
I agree that Mayo are possibly over-reliant on Dillon. He's key to their every game imo.
I've been looking at this purely from an objective point of view and trying to establish if there was/is an informed realistic opinion here regarding the potential scoring outcome. The Mayo "easy win" and 10+ victory etc etc is complete bull! I'd say that even if I were a Mayo man tbh
It's great to see the passion in the Mayo belly, however, gambling and such subjectivity is the way to the poor house ;)
Looking like a good day in prospect so it should be a cracking game!

ROFPMSL (Sligo) - Posts: 25 - 02/06/2010 13:08:19    665353

o mahony has said something along teh lines of ' with a sat eve throw in there are logistics that need to be taken into account' (or something like that)
surely, its just a matter of telling the bus driver to be there on sat and not sun. .........there ya go- logistics problem solved.

oh ya . mayo will beat sligo by 5 points, but heres teh thing, sligo will be good this year.

voiceofreason (Mayo) - Posts: 588 - 02/06/2010 13:12:34    665361

ROFPMSL
It's all about opinion and i will respect anyones but mine will differ from yours and i will back it up. Number one: Lucky to beat Galway, not in the slightest, have beaten them everytime last 12 months, championship on their patch, fbd and league nothing lucky about it at all.

Number two: League performances against Kerry and Tyrone were outstanding form for that time of year, how you can say they were lucky is beyond my thinking.

Number three: You maintain that there is a gap between the Mayo and the top 5/6 and this will widen when the championship develops. Dear god i think that is laughable to be honest and stinks of just bitterness towards Mayo if i'm honest. Mayo have been around te top 5/6 for the last twenty years, contesting no less than 5 finals, have been Connacht champions i make nine times at least, contested q/f and s/f several times. Posters in here like to be different and try and come up with new angles especially while talking Mayo but its just childish and jealousy to slate Mayos record if you are not talking about actually winning Sam we have done everything else.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 02/06/2010 13:22:22    665388

ROFPMSL
County: Sligo
Posts: 4

"They'd take Mayo apart in Croaker! "



Its Croker!

the only "Croakers" will be Sligo!

St.Flanagan (Mayo) - Posts: 46 - 02/06/2010 13:51:44    665438