Great win!

Congrats to Mayo

Huge amount of guts shown... and skill. Roscommon and Dublin both had them in huge trouble and even Cork tested them

The competitiveness at this level is what has really stood out... and Mayo deservedly sit at the top.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 30/04/2016 20:28:30    1851017

Well done to Mayo deserved it in the end, maybe some unfortunate keeping errors made it easy in the end but well done

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4953 - 30/04/2016 20:44:07    1851023

Why oh why are we getting rid of this age group? Every year it throws up great games with young lads who just go hell for leather , but we decide to get rid of it when everyone who loves football loves under 21 football.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 30/04/2016 20:53:22    1851025

Think "clondalkindub" nailed it for all genuine football followers. Well said sir.

ponga (Mayo) - Posts: 658 - 30/04/2016 20:56:49    1851026

absolutely right from clondalkin.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 30/04/2016 21:03:09    1851030

Why oh why are we getting rid of this age group? Every year it throws up great games with young lads who just go hell for leather , but we decide to get rid of it when everyone who loves football loves under 21 football.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts:7357 - 30/04/2016 20:53:22

+1

The powers that be within the GAA have decided it thus, despite the best games this year being in the u-21 grade. Typical GAA bureaucracy.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 30/04/2016 21:06:18    1851032

What are the reasons? Genuine question.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 30/04/2016 21:14:55    1851037

Congratulations to Mayo if this is Mayo master plan its going well! Just one more AI for this team to do the treble. Great guts and determination as they have displayed throughout the championship. Thought their 1st half wides would come back to haunt them. Those short straight kick outs may not be seen too much more - thats 3 national finals in last few years where teams have shot themselves in the foot.

theduke66 (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 30/04/2016 21:15:32    1851038

Well done May - really happy to see you winning an All-Ireland. Hard luck to Cork - great effort also.

As for getting rid of the age group - its a tough one alright. One of my finest days was standing on the gravel in Limerick in '99 watching our lads beat Kerry in the decider! Nearly brings a tear to my eye

The hurling under 21 Championship has been my favorite over the last few years - I guess there's no over analysis and players seem to be allowed to express themselves better. That said the whole GAA competition structure is a mess. The best of matches are over and its not even May. Misery and misfortune with some brambles and briers over the next few months before we land with some decent matches come August and September because teams at the same standard finally meet each other. However, its important that teams like Westmeath and Leitrim get to compete in the All-Ireland because sure thats what its all about - train like a professional for most of the year for that one or two games - pure genius! Where else would you get it? Not even Banagher

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1468 - 30/04/2016 21:17:30    1851040

Honestly can us the gaa people/members not bleeding protest against this or something? I absolutely love minor n 21 grade and for some silly reason their getting rid of it just like that .Well done again Mayo never stopped going till the end number 7 8 and 11 were very good but Coen at 9 and O Conor are the superstars of this team imo.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 30/04/2016 21:19:57    1851043

What's your solution, Ban?

If county minor is now set to become U17 (consensus is that this is a good thing) then it makes total sense to change U21 to U20. Do people really believe that's going to make such a difference???

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 30/04/2016 21:25:36    1851045

A very good game of football and the best team won so congratulations to Mayo.

I feel very sorry for the Cork goalkeeper, should have saved Mayo's 3rd, gifted them the 4th from a poor kickout and came for a corner back's ball when he should have stayed on his line which allowed the May forward (very quick thinking and great skill mind you) to flick it past him for the 5th. I hope he isn't too distraught this evening because I'm sure most of us have screwed up at times when the pressure was really on.

Anyway, this augurs well for Mayo for the summer and I hope they bring it on. If its not the boys in blue I hope Mayo finally land the big one, they have earned it by being one of the top 3 teams in Ireland for a long time.

By the way, I thought the ref did ok but he did have a couple of howlers. Mayo's second goal resulted from what should have been a free to Cork for a boot to the hand (and a hand trip straight afterward I thought) and at one stage he looked like he wasn't sure whether or not to award a free to Mayo for barging by Cork or to Cork for a body check. You could just see the indecision, players hate that.

Beacaire Gorm (Dublin) - Posts: 597 - 30/04/2016 21:26:53    1851046

Congrats Mayo ;)

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 30/04/2016 21:44:44    1851048

Well I called it along way off that Mayo would beat Cork in AI final and thats how it work out. Cork gave a decent account of themselves but Mayo were good value for their win.

Mayo will have another U21 side capable of winning the AI again they will win Connacht again but my early prediction is Kerry will win the final U21 AI.

Mr_Pundit (UK) - Posts: 677 - 30/04/2016 21:53:53    1851051

Congrats to Mayo great display the senior manager
should make the captain the senior captain he seems
to have the luck what would odds would the bookies
that he would lift Sam in the future

wfkerry (USA) - Posts: 933 - 30/04/2016 21:57:02    1851054

Oh yes!!!!!! Yew tree has a very sore head but a happy head this morning. We don't win too many All Ireland's in this county so when we do its special. Absolutely proud of our team and knowing two of da lads growing up beside me makes it extra special. They are a skilful team but also a lucky team....have you ever seen a lucky Mayo team ? ;)

Hard luck to Cork. I feel for Their goalie and their players deserve much more support than they get. Those are the breaks though and damp we know it only too well. Thanks for all the congrats here. Notable most at from da Dublin lads :) Dublin fans like ourselves get stick but in my experience are usually da first to congratulate you after a win. Now time for round 2 today...Up Mayo!

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11563 - 01/05/2016 09:19:25    1851063

Comhgairdeas do Mhuigheo.

fainleog (Limerick) - Posts: 602 - 01/05/2016 09:29:13    1851067

I didn't mean to take away from Mayo yesterday with my comments about the referee.
I extend my congratulations to Mayo a great achievement to win the minor and under 21 with this panel just hope they can bring it on at senior.

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1948 - 01/05/2016 10:03:36    1851069

UP MAYO!!!

Unbelievably courage and determination from our fellas! What an evening, what a night! Well down to the Mayo under 21 team, management and all involved. Once again, I thought our support there last night was magnificent. These boys are winners now and this is a great mentality to bring forward into our senior setup over the coming seasons. Onwards and upwards now for Mayo football!

JamesH (Mayo) - Posts: 465 - 01/05/2016 10:14:58    1851070

Well done Yew Tree, Gleebo etc. I hope ye enjoyed the celebrations. Ye have a fantastic team and great supporters so very well done on the win.

I too feel sick this morning but for a different reasons. The goals before half time were a killer. The third goal was a sucker punch too but the lads battled their way back into the game only to concede those two at the very end - all the goals were well finished and clever it has to be said and the Mayo players were intelligent and took their chances really well and all were excellent finishes in different ways. We have to look at our role in those goals. For the fourth goal (the decisive one really) the Cork defenders could have cynically hauled the player down rather than try to dispossess him. Perhaps that was naive or stupid in the modern game.

Our keeper had one of those days where nothing went right. A slip for the first goals, several poor kickouts and then those second half goals. He went to this best like all the rest but had a nightmare. We have all been there (in terms of having terrible games) but few have had them in All-Ireland finals. I hope the lad can dust himself down and move on. We lost a game of ball- nothing more than that, though it is disappointing.

The victory meant a lot to Mayo people and they celebrated as much after the game. There were great scenes (I say in hindsight as it isn't very nice to be the loser in the midst of it) at the end and these are the occasions why we are involved in the GAA. Our Club has championship today so GAA life moves on very quickly.

Heartiest congratulations again to Mayo.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 01/05/2016 10:28:42    1851073