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Mayo GAA Thread

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The Mayo halfback line of Callinan McBrien and Hession were excellent on Saturday. The full back line has jelled into a strong unit then again saying full back or half back lines is a bit redundant because players are all over the place. Jack Carney once again was solid. Jordan Flynn keeps getting better every match. Livingstone was also much better with his kickouts, while he still has work to do but if he improves as much in the next two weeks as he did in the last two then things should go a lot smoother. Mayo as a defensive unit was excellent from 1 to 15 and beyond.

cluichethar (Mayo) - Posts: 638 - 13/07/2026 00:52:51    2685513

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Be nice to see you get over the line now. It will be all on the day, bring a performance and you wont be far away.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20331 - 13/07/2026 08:23:09    2685522

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Well done Saturday lads, and good luck in the final.

We will be cheering you on.

sponger (Wicklow) - Posts: 3037 - 13/07/2026 09:02:26    2685528

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Mayo will be underdogs but Tyrone and Dublin have proved kerry are beatable. They weren't fully on it yesterday and fortunate to win. That means they'll be mad to make amends in the final though.
Trying to tie down the 2 Cliffords is some conundrum

richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 141 - 13/07/2026 11:50:55    2685568

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Replying To backtooldwall:  "Well done to Mayo on an impassive performance but I wonder did you just pull the short straw with your final opponents?"
Just happy to be able to pull a straw :)
No one saw Mayo getting to a final, and most would have seen Kerry getting to a final.
If its referring to the game yesterday, Dublin are better than what people thought. Either of them would have been big favourites against Mayo in a final.

tommy132 (Mayo) - Posts: 690 - 13/07/2026 12:13:21    2685575

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Well done Mayo,well deserved win for ya.....it was an amazing day for us Louth Gaels apart from the result.. ....To hear the Green and Red of Mayo been blasted out at the end was amazing.....hopefully you get over the line in the final..........

Fkd12 (Louth) - Posts: 217 - 13/07/2026 12:43:52    2685577

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Congratulations Mayo, you were excellent and your fans are the best. Wishing you every success in the final from the Wee county. You can do it!!!

Shearer (Louth) - Posts: 944 - 13/07/2026 13:55:32    2685595

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Now that we are going to Croke Park just to practicing taking kick outs to Kerry, surely tickets will be easy to come by.

For all those neutrals who like to go to the final to enjoy a good game, there is no need to go this year - send me on your tickets.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1998 - 14/07/2026 17:30:58    2685761

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Pat Spillane reckons on Ondo podcast kerry could win by 15-20 pts

hlynch12 (Limerick) - Posts: 247 - 14/07/2026 22:22:16    2685799

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Replying To hlynch12:  "Pat Spillane reckons on Ondo podcast kerry could win by 15-20 pts"
He also reckoned it was not a square ball. I like Pat but you can't take him seriously, same with Brolly.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12218 - 15/07/2026 10:25:03    2685827

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Possible match ups from the Kerry team that started against Dublin -
Joe O Connor - McBrien, will need someone to compete with him in the air as well as track him.
P Clifford - Hession will have track him and try to disrupt him as much as he can
D O Connor - Maybe Callinan but he will need help on kickouts
D Geaney - Coyne, he has improved each game in Croke Park but will need to go up another level again.
S O Shea - McGreal, he has great pace and will stick to O Shea
D Clifford - McHugh, but will need so much help, McGreal could possibly man mark him but very young and inexperienced.

tommy132 (Mayo) - Posts: 690 - 17/07/2026 12:30:58    2686046

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Replying To tommy132:  "Possible match ups from the Kerry team that started against Dublin -
Joe O Connor - McBrien, will need someone to compete with him in the air as well as track him.
P Clifford - Hession will have track him and try to disrupt him as much as he can
D O Connor - Maybe Callinan but he will need help on kickouts
D Geaney - Coyne, he has improved each game in Croke Park but will need to go up another level again.
S O Shea - McGreal, he has great pace and will stick to O Shea
D Clifford - McHugh, but will need so much help, McGreal could possibly man mark him but very young and inexperienced."
Realistically you can only fully man mark 2 or 3 players if you want to keep some sort of defensive shape, so the two Cliffords and probably Dylan Geaney. Everyone else will be zonal.

McBrien and Callinan have won a serious amount of turnovers in the last 2 games so I'd imagine they'll be tasked with cheating off their man at times to double up on another.

MayoDan (Mayo) - Posts: 572 - 17/07/2026 13:32:53    2686057

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Mayos defense has changed from a traditional Gaelic man v man to a basketball type man v man.

The 11 defender line up around the arc in slow play, each lining up near their preferred marker.

As the ball shifts around, defenders cheat off their man so they are man on if tge ball is comong, but covering space and cheating off their marker when the ball is on the other side of the pitch.

Playing a defender in the half forward line ensures their is less chance of a breach because of a lazy/switched off forward isnt concentrating.

Kerry operate with 3 man markers, 4 defenders on the arc and 4 on the D/21.
This leaves space for 2 pointers.

Mayo operate with 4 man markers , 1 on the D and 6 on the ARC, with far less 2 pointers on offer, but more goal chances if their man markers get beaten

Kerry will man mark ROD and Kobe.
Mayo will man mark Paudie Clifford and all 3 ff line players.

Kerry have more goal scoring threat and Mayo give up goal chances

Mayo target 2 pointers while Kerry give up a lot of 2 point chances.

The winner will be the team that changes their defense best

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1998 - 18/07/2026 06:55:13    2686143

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Mayos defense has changed from a traditional Gaelic man v man to a basketball type man v man.

The 11 defender line up around the arc in slow play, each lining up near their preferred marker.

As the ball shifts around, defenders cheat off their man so they are man on if tge ball is comong, but covering space and cheating off their marker when the ball is on the other side of the pitch.

Playing a defender in the half forward line ensures their is less chance of a breach because of a lazy/switched off forward isnt concentrating.

Kerry operate with 3 man markers, 4 defenders on the arc and 4 on the D/21.
This leaves space for 2 pointers.

Mayo operate with 4 man markers , 1 on the D and 6 on the ARC, with far less 2 pointers on offer, but more goal chances if their man markers get beaten

Kerry will man mark ROD and Kobe.
Mayo will man mark Paudie Clifford and all 3 ff line players.

Kerry have more goal scoring threat and Mayo give up goal chances

Mayo target 2 pointers while Kerry give up a lot of 2 point chances.

The winner will be the team that changes their defense best"
You sound like you know what you're talking about TB. The rest of us need to go on a football course to bone up on exactly what's going on in modern day post 2012 gaa football.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4878 - 19/07/2026 10:00:34    2686229

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Maigh Eo abú! Connachta go deo!

Gaillimh_ar_dtús (Galway) - Posts: 14 - 24/07/2026 01:13:12    2686860

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Best of luck lads. Zero pressure from home and total Sense of complacency among the Kerry supporters. Have to feel this will spread among the Kerry players who would have been expecting a Donegal or Galway on the final. Blueprint is there to try and limit Clifford to 5 points and Callinan to keep up with Paidi. Will ye give them the short kick out and press up. Or will Kobe move out to 11.i don't think Kerry can handle his creativity and engine in the middle. One thing I'll be looking out for is the likes of Kobe getting smashed off the ball through a body check etc. Kerry will history of the dark arts in finals and the referee will need to be aware of this. No harm bringing it up in media the next few days.

Ros2013 (Roscommon) - Posts: 673 - 24/07/2026 09:44:59    2686872

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Replying To hlynch12:  "Pat Spillane reckons on Ondo podcast kerry could win by 15-20 pts"
If Kerry were blessed to beat an average Dublin team they are not going to beat anyone by 15 points.

Least of all a team with a forward line which if it has a going day will potentially take that Kerry full back line for 2/3 goals.

Mayo for me.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4503 - 24/07/2026 10:10:22    2686877

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Replying To Ros2013:  "Best of luck lads. Zero pressure from home and total Sense of complacency among the Kerry supporters. Have to feel this will spread among the Kerry players who would have been expecting a Donegal or Galway on the final. Blueprint is there to try and limit Clifford to 5 points and Callinan to keep up with Paidi. Will ye give them the short kick out and press up. Or will Kobe move out to 11.i don't think Kerry can handle his creativity and engine in the middle. One thing I'll be looking out for is the likes of Kobe getting smashed off the ball through a body check etc. Kerry will history of the dark arts in finals and the referee will need to be aware of this. No harm bringing it up in media the next few days."
Kerry don't just use the dark arts in finals, they do it in every game. Thee most cynical team out there.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1700 - 24/07/2026 10:28:34    2686882

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Best wishes on Sunday. You are rank outsiders but that won't deter you. All you can do is give it your best shot and see if you can rattle them

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2516 - 24/07/2026 11:51:04    2686896

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Replying To Ros2013:  "Best of luck lads. Zero pressure from home and total Sense of complacency among the Kerry supporters. Have to feel this will spread among the Kerry players who would have been expecting a Donegal or Galway on the final. Blueprint is there to try and limit Clifford to 5 points and Callinan to keep up with Paidi. Will ye give them the short kick out and press up. Or will Kobe move out to 11.i don't think Kerry can handle his creativity and engine in the middle. One thing I'll be looking out for is the likes of Kobe getting smashed off the ball through a body check etc. Kerry will history of the dark arts in finals and the referee will need to be aware of this. No harm bringing it up in media the next few days."
Kerry spent the entirety of the 2000s being beaten by teams who employed the dark arts and no one had a problem with that,funnily enough.

Perhaps they decided if you cant beat em join em?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 196 - 24/07/2026 14:48:14    2686934

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