Mayo soul searching in 'no brakes' football championship
The group stage of the football championship is barely underway, however, this year's All-Ireland campaign looks set to be one of the most open and unpredictable in recent years.
Meath have already turned Dublin over, before losing out to Louth in the Leinster final, while the hotly tipped Connacht kingpins, Galway, proved second best on Saturday, getting beaten by the rejuvenated Jacks.
And not to mention Cavan joining the conversation with an emphatic victory over Mayo at MacHale Park in their opening Group 1 encounter.
On the flip side, Kerry maintained the status quo by signalling their intent with a ten-point victory over Roscommon.
"This year, with everything that is going on, there is a freshness and uncertainty about it," said Éamonn Fitzmaurice, speaking on this week's RTE GAA Podcast.
"Where are Galway at, because of the way Mayo played, where are Meath at because of the way Dublin played, where are Louth at because they beat Meath.
"Down's performance in Clare, where does that put them? Where are Kerry at? You know you can go down this rabbit hole and wonder what it means.
"I think what it emphasises for the next couple of weeks is that it is like old-style championship football where we are just going to have to take it on its merits."
And the former Kerry boss expects the trend to continue throughout the summer, which will lead to a more competitive, and as a result, more exciting championship with teams unable to coast through the group stages.
Three out of four teams go through from each group, however, there will now be a real emphasis on teams winning their respective tables with the uncertainty of what might lie ahead in the preliminary quarter-finals, which see the second and third-placed teams going head to head.
"Teams are going to take points off each other, teams are going to beat each other, we're going to get the surprise results," added Fitzmaurice.
"It's great for the championship, it's great for us looking on that there isn't a predictability about out it, there isn't a procession about it, there isn't anything about teams pulling handbrakes or anything else because on any given weekend teams are going to beat each other, which is great and exciting."
Following Sunday's defeat, Mayo now look like they will need to take points from both of their remaining games against two of the strongest sides in the country, Tyrone and Donegal, while they also have to contend with having a worse head-to-head with Cavan should it come down to it after the round robin stage.
And while Fitzmaurice feels that Mayo have put themselves in a really tough position, he does feel that they have the experience of overcoming adversity, which could prove vital.
"From a Mayo perspective, it was a serious defeat, and their record hasn't been great in MacHale Park over the last couple of years," he said.
"It is very Mayo-like to get themselves into these situations and dig themselves out of it, but at the same time, they are away to Tyrone next and have Donegal coming in their last game, so there are no easy games.
"And just the fact that they were so far off it yesterday, there is going to be a good bit of soul searching for them.
"They are going to have to dig deep again, they are good at it but they have to dig deep."
Fitzmaurice was, however, impressed with Cavan, who he felt were a side transformed from their under-par defeat in the Ulster championship last month.
"You have to give a lot of credit to Cavan," said Fitmaurice.
"I was at their game against Tyrone and they weren't at it at all that day. Tactically, they weren't at it, they had a lot of under-par performances from the players, and they looked unfit and didn't look like they were not at the required level.
"I heard last night that they did do a good bit of fitness work over the last couple of weeks, and you could see that they were full of running and a lot of the scores came from hard running and support play higher up the pitch.
"They were impressive and deserve massive credit for righting the ship after that performance in Ulster five weeks ago."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
24 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
All-Ireland draw live updates as football quarter-finals set to be confirmed
The draw for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-finals takes place on Monday morning following an exciting weekend of action. Kerry, Dublin, Galway and Donegal all came through their respective clashes against Cavan, Cork, Down and Louth as all the favourites booked their place in the last eight of the Championship. Waiting for them in the draw are Meath, Monaghan, Armagh and Tyrone, who topped their respective All-Ireland groups and had a weekend off for doing so. The draw takes place on RTE's Morning Ireland after the news at 8.30am on Monday, with GAA President Jarlath Burns and Feargal McGill, GAA Director of Player, Club and Games Administration, presiding over them. Counties that have faced each other already in this year's Championship will not be able to draw each other. That means the following ties are not permitted: Armagh v Dublin/Galway/Donegal, Monaghan v Down/Louth, Tyrone v Donegal/Cavan and Meath v Louth/Kerry/Cork. Kerry will face Armagh. All four of the quarter-finals will take place at Croke Park this coming weekend (June 28 and 29) and the full fixture details will be confirmed by the C.C.C.C on Monday afternoon. We're really into the business end of the Championship now, with the semi-finals taking place two weeks (July 12 and 13) after this weekend's quarter-finals and the final being held a further two weeks after that on Sunday, July 27. Good morning, happy Monday and welcome to our live blog for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final draw. We had a number of cracking contests over the past two days and this draw looks set to throw up some titanic clashes for this coming weekend. Dublin and Galway had to work hard for their respective wins over Cork and Down, while Kerry and Donegal enjoyed more comfortable victories over Cavan and Louth respectively. Kerry had been favourites with the bookies for most of the year to lift the Sam Maguire for the first time since 2022 and just the third time in 11 years, but that has changed following their shock defeat to Meath earlier this month. Donegal are now the outright favourites to win their first All-Ireland since 2012 after their 2-22 to 0-12 victory over Louth at the weekend. However, that could all change again depending on the outcome of this draw. We'll keep you up to date with it right here.
RTÉ News
37 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Galway's second-half display leaves Cathal Murray purring
Cathal Murray hailed Galway's "best half-hour of hurling for a while," as the Tribeswomen cantered to a 1-17 to 0-12 victory over Kilkenny at UPMC Nowlan Park to signal that they are growing into their Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship campaign at just the right time. On a day when the Cork enjoyed a comfortable but unspectacular home win, Tipperary, Waterford and Galway also put their hands up with impressive victories that keep them on O'Duffy Cup holders' coat-tails. The leading challengers had plenty to spare in their wins over Limerick, Dublin and Kilkenny respectively, and Murray was particularly pleased to see his side move through the gears in the second half, as they went from two points up to an eight-point triumph. "Coming down to Nowlan Park is never easy, and it wasn't easy," said the Galway manager. "The first half was really tight, and we were very happy to go in at half-time a couple of points up. There was a strong breeze in it, though you wouldn't think it looking at it," he said afterwards. "The second half was different, it was our best half an hour of hurling for a while now, our play was really good and we took some good scores." Among the highlights were from some excellent moments from player of the match Aoife Donohoe, and a real poacher's goal from Niamh Niland in the closing minutes. The result means that top spot in Group 2, and the prize of a bye through to the last four, will go to the winner of next week's game in Athenry between Galway and Waterford. "This was always going to be a huge week for us. We had to come down and do our business here and we'll have to do our business again in Kenny Park in a week's time because Waterford are flying it, they're the form team in the group," Murray concluded. The Déise's 4-16 to 2-11 win over Dublin in Walsh Park, with the visitors' goals coming from Aisling Maher and Emma Flanagan in second-half stoppage time long after the result was decided, ensures that they currently top the table on score difference. Consequently, a draw will be enough for them to bypass the quarter-finals, set to be played in Croke Park in a fortnight as curtain raisers to the two All-Ireland SHC semis. That's nine majors in two games for a Waterford side that had previously been criticised for being goal-shy, three of them coming from the stick of Annie Fitzgerald. "That was massive for us to qualify for the knockout stages early enough," said Fitzgerald. "In previous years we've been chasing this, now it's a one match, winner-takes-all against Galway to see who goes straight to a semi-final. Manager Mick Boland was delighted with how his players responded after going five points down early on when playing into the wind. "The breeze was very strong, the ball was going an extra ten yards further so we just had to retreat back down the field," Boland told Off The Ball. "Then we started to collect a bit of ball then and started to work the ball through the hands. We created three or four goal chances and took two of them. "Against Kilkenny we put a lot of shots at head or stomach height. Since then, we've learned that if you hit the ball into the ground, it'll either hit the net or it'll need an exceptional save. We've worked a lot on our handling errors too." With Waterford leading 2-7 to 0-08 at half-time, the second half was one-way traffic, the winners adding 2-07 without reply in the 20 minutes after the resumption. Having already secured a first ever championship win over Kilkenny, Boland's mob are looking to break fresh ground again next week. "We're qualified, but we look at the Galway match as a match where history can be made, because we've never won in Galway. These girls have a lot of ambition, they want to win something, so we'll want to win, the same as Galway will want to win." In Group 1, Clare went to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and exploded out of the blocks with a Jennifer Daly goal after 45 seconds, but Cork methodically went about their business and were full value for their 0-21 to 1-09 victory, albeit Amy Lee had to make a couple of excellent saves late on to prevent a more nerve-wracking finale. Next week Cork will play a Wexford side that are in the relegation final against either Dublin or Derry regardless of how they fare, and it would take an unusual set of results for Tipperary to pip Cork to the top spot in the pool. Limerick need an even more outlandish result – a Tipp home win over Clare by 60 points or more – to extend their season. After succumbing to a 4-26 to 0-08 loss in Cappamore, Limerick manager, Joe Quaid's hailed his players' "remarkably good year," despite the wide margin. "This result is proof that the system is flawed," declared Quaid. "We had two outstanding matches against Wexford and Clare but were on the end of two hammerings by the two top-tier teams, Cork and Tipp. It's disheartening for the girls because they gave everything they could out there and that's all you can ask. "If anyone's interested in developing camogie they need to take a look at the championship structure countrywide because these girls train as hard as the Limerick senior hurlers, they're as committed and they don't deserve this. "To me we've had a remarkably good year. It's been a fruitful year and hopefully this bunch will stick together. That's the big problem, turnover of players. I hope all these girls will stay together next year and build on it again." Tipperary coach, Michael Ferncombe was already looking ahead but he has had some words of comfort for the Shannonsider. "Both teams managed the heat very well today, both teams worked hard, the honesty from the two teams was great," Ferncombe enthused. "We've played Limerick twice this year and it's always a challenge. The scoreboard doesn't reflect the performance and the effort that the Limerick girls put in. Their honesty, work rate and communication, they kept working the whole way through and that's a great sign for the future of Limerick camogie. "We've Clare next weekend and a quarter-final in two weeks' time so that's the next step for us now."
Irish Examiner
38 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Quillinan thrilled with Kingdom resilience
All-Ireland MFC semi-final: Kerry 1-19 ( 1–4-11) Mayo 3-10 (3-0-10) Kerry manager Wayne Quillinan praised his side's resilience after they kicked four of the final five scores to defeat Mayo in a dramatic contest in Ennis, sealing a place in the All-Ireland Final for the first time since 2020. 'They did put us under the cosh, and that's again credit to Mayo. They are a really good footballing side, and we didn't expect them to lie down, they haven't in any game. We watched them in the Connacht Final, and they never lie down at all, we expected that.' Kerry trailed by a point at half-time after an end-to-end opening half to proceedings. The Kingdom started the better and Mayo, despite a sluggish start, found their rhythm after Ben Holmes opened their account. Cian May struck for a goal shortly after, capitalising on a poor Kerry kickout to give Mayo a 1-1 to 0-2 lead. The contest ebbed and flowed and Kerry hit back through Maidhc Ó Sé, who netted after a superb David Sargent pass. Kerry manager Wayne Quillinan celebrates. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile But just before the break, Mayo won a penalty when Tony Carey was pulled down by Kerry keeper Ruairí Kennedy, who received a black card. Dara Flanagan slotted home, and the Connacht side held a 2-5 to 1-7 lead at the break. Despite conceding two goals, Quillinan was satisfied at the break. 'To be expected, and there was a nice breeze there as well. We kinda just said we're playing against the breeze. Let's be controlled, let's be measured, let's make the decisions on the ball really, really well. And after conceding two goals, I was happy going in a point behind.' With the wind at their backs in the second half, Kerry seized control. Ben Kelliher and Kevin Griffin combined for a flurry of two-point efforts, flipping the game on its head. Mayo battled back once more, with Holmes finding the net for a crucial goal to level the tie entering the final stretch. But Kerry showed maturity in a dramatic conclusion. Late points from Gearóid White, Nick Lacey, and Kelliher's stunning two-point free in the 66th minute sealed a dramatic late win. Tyrone are on the horizon and Quillinan is not looking ahead to that tie just yet. 'Not tonight. I'm gonna absolutely put the legs up when I get home and not even think about it. I know Tyrone are gonna be a huge challenge, but you know what, we'll relax tonight and think about that tomorrow morning.' Scorers for Kerry: B Kelliher (0-9, 2f, 1 2p, 1 2pf), K Griffin (0-4, 1 2pf, 1 2p) M Ó Sé (1-0), G White (0-3, 1f), J Curtin, D Murphy, N Lacey (0-1 each) Scorers for Mayo: B Holmes (1–3), D Flanagan (1-3, 1-0 pen), C May (1-0), C Hession (0-3, 1f), T Carey (0-1 each) KERRY: R Kennedy; R Sheridan, E Joy, T Ó Slatara; D Murphy, D Sargent, M Clifford; M Ó Sé, J Curtin; M O'Carroll, G White, A Tuohy; B Kelliher, K Griffin, T O'Connell. Subs: N Lacey for T O'Connell (Blood 27-29), S Sargent for T O'Connell (29), T O'Connell for R Kennedy (38), D McCarthy for E Joy (50), L O'Brien for T O'Connell (51), N Lacey for M O'Carroll (57) MAYO: T Williams; C Coghill, B Langan, C Tighe; R O'Donnell, D Duffy, E Dever; A Kelly, C May; R Neary, D Flanagan, C Jordan; B Holmes, C Hession, T Carey. Subs: P Quinn for C Coghill (Temp 20-23), B Joyce for R Neary (43), O Murphy for T Carey (43), Hoban for C Jordan (48), F Ó Cinnseala for C Hession (60) Referee: C Dourneen (Cavan)
