TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 3671 - 25/11/2020 19:34:26    2315382

Tipped Mayo back before the season restarted; what I've seen confims my belief in this crazy, unpredictable year Mayo will finally lift Sam in an empty Croke Park. Tipp will be tough but then it's a throw the kitchen sink; leave everything on the field type of performance in the final. At peak Mayo haven't been far away from Dublin the last 5 years; there is no last big performance in that team and I think this time they'll get over the line.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 707 - 25/11/2020 19:45:41    2315388

*one (obviously)

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 707 - 25/11/2020 19:46:27    2315390

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 630 - 25/11/2020 19:56:15    2315397

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 759 - 25/11/2020 20:11:07    2315402

This year really does look like it's taking shape for Mayo. Kerry beaten and they sure to be the opposition in the semifinal. Tipp beat Cork and with the best will in the world,Tipp will put it up to Mayo but certainly Mayo will have all the experience at this stage of proceedings.
Dublin having faced no real challenge and with the retirements and new management are untested. Mayo with Horgan back at the helm look a more settled outfit. This could well be their year and Dublin do find Mayo hard to beat. That along with the very odd results this year bode well for them.

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 1647 - 25/11/2020 20:38:30    2315419

Mayo have been great for a long time and I hope I'm wrong but I get the feeling last year's semi final changed the dynamic of recent Mayo Dublin championship rivalry.
If it is a Mayo Dublin final this year I think Dublin will be convincing winners.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 768 - 25/11/2020 21:18:09    2315438

Imo there will be always an asterix behind this all Ireland with no crowd it takes a major part of the pressure away! I would love to see mayo win but if the do I would like them to do it in front of a full house it would be typical if the won and they can't celebrate it properly!

ecad123 (Galway) - Posts: 68 - 25/11/2020 21:57:21    2315451

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 630 - 25/11/2020 22:01:34    2315457

Notwithstanding they have a tough matchup against Tipp, and I think they will be doing well to get over the line into the All Ireland final, let's talk Mayo:

James Horan is doing another great job bringing new fellas in to this Mayo team but in all honesty this is too soon for them. For all the talk of Conroy inside and Mayo finding their groove in attack, to be honest I think they are too wasteful - to beat Dublin you really need to be deadly accurate with your opportunities because they will kill you with their own accuracy. That's not a dig at young Conroy by the way I think he's a fantastic find for them, however just in general they need to be better with their shot selection and accuracy. Against Roscommon especially I thought they were incredibly wasteful although they had the game well won early doors.

In general I think Mayo never fear Dublin and their ability in the tackle to win turnovers is probably as good, if not better than Dublin which is really saying something. Look at the Connacht final, how many of Mayo's scores came off turnover ball? Obviously conditions play a part but dhia.

That goes on to the main reason in my view that they won't beat Dublin - kickouts. Mayo aren't good enough on their own kickout, on their own ball, to beat Dublin. And they aren't good enough to press Cluxton. The saving grace there is their ability for turnovers, because maybe apart from Dublin they are the only side in Ireland that can lump a kickout, lose it, and it doesn't matter because their backs could win the ball in a tackle no bother. However I still believe that to have any chance against Dublin, you need to secure your own ball and have options that your keeper can go to in pressure situations that you know will secure it for you. I don't think Mayo have that to be honest.

Things in Mayo's favour are, in my opinion, some of the matchups. For example with McCaffrey not there, who have the Dubs got to look after Paddy Durcan? Plenty of great, quality players, but anyone of McCaffrey's speed and quality to not only mark Durcan, but make him think about going the other way? Durcan is one of the top 5 players in the country in my view. And McCaffrey is another. Without him, whoever the Dubs put on Durcan is a losing matchup in my opinion. Keegan isn't as explosive as he was but he may be suited to pick up Kilkenny now that Connolly isn't around. And young Loftus might just be mobile enough to follow Fenton about the place (I wouldn't put Ruane on him). I know he is more naturally a forward but his mobility is the big asset there. Fenton is gonna do what he wants, is there anyone in Ireland that can really mark him out of it - no probably not. But you can put someone on him that can live with his athleticism and maybe, just maybe, get him worried going the other way.

That's all ifs buts and maybes, the Dubs are another level and I think any meeting this winter would be too early for this Mayo side. However I say it every year - it's feckin Mayo, who knows what they'll do on the day!

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1125 - 25/11/2020 22:39:07    2315469

Dubsfan28 (Dublin) - Posts: 2352 - 25/11/2020 22:54:59    2315478

I don't think there is any grass long enough to hide the gulf between the teams at this stage unfortunately for Mayo. They have clearly regressed from 2016. Any notions of them going up to Croke Park and beating Dublin at this stage are based on nostalgia and blind hope, nothing more.

Then again, after some of the shocks we have seen in recent weeks who knows.

I wouldn't rule Tipp out in that semi btw

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1957 - 25/11/2020 23:42:04    2315488

Mayo people don't know what long grass looks like, heather, ferns and rushes on the other hand....

On paper Mayo would be the only remaining team that the Dubs would fear or dare I say respect. They will hammer either Cavan or Tipp by at least 15 points. That's purely on form, however tis 2020.

My dream final would be Tipp v. Cavan.

If not then a Mayo v. Dublin final would be the best possible outcome for us neutrals. The boys from the west are not afraid of the city slickers and know that they are their match given the right circumstances and with a bit of luck. Its easy to say the Dubs will win this AI but there are still 4 teams left so all of them are in with a chance. It might be a sour tasting AI to win keeping in mind that some counties didn't get a chance to compete for it because of Covid. I'd say that 3.6 million people would be shouting for Mayo against the Dubs if they both make the final. In one respect, we want them to win so we can all move on and stop talking about this silly curse etc. I feel sorry for Mayo over the last 30 years for not winning the big one as they were at least playing football whereas counties from other parts of the country have won AIs by stopping their opposition from playing rather than trying to play decent football themselves.

Its a strange year, and one for the Westies methinks. Mayo for Sam and Galway for Liam !

Hoofhearted (Australia) - Posts: 36 - 26/11/2020 00:51:23    2315495

To be fair things couldnt be set up any better for Mayo this year.

Thanks to the efforts of tipp and cavan the media arent all 'mayo,mayo,mayo, mayo' as usual, gives them the chance to keep the head down, an extra week of rest/training is huge for them as well, a lot of the big guns have been knocked out for them already so they avoid Donegal, Tyrone, Kerry etc and now face a division 3 team in semi final, then a 1 off free shot against Dublin

They might never get a better chance again...
If they could keep the loudmouths like david brady and mchale off the airwaves and stay in the long grass that would be helpful

HuddHastings (Longford) - Posts: 77 - 26/11/2020 09:07:23    2315513

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4277 - 26/11/2020 09:16:36    2315514

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 630 - 26/11/2020 09:35:06    2315517

There's a sense of embarrassment creeping into Dublin supporters mindsets , maybe its because they know deep down that they struggled when it was competitive. The reality is plain, it's not competitive, the dogs in the street know that.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 522 - 26/11/2020 09:41:22    2315519

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 11732 - 26/11/2020 13:20:09    2315602

superbluedub (Dublin) - Posts: 2113 - 26/11/2020 13:32:26    2315608

Dublin 1/100
Draw 50/1
Cavan 20/1

Mayo 1/4
Draw 10/1
Tipperary 7/2

It's like having Bayern Munich, Sligo Rovers, Athlone Town and Bray Wanderers in the last four of the Champions League. The Germans would be embarrassed to win it. Oh the Championship is competitive alright lol.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 522 - 26/11/2020 13:45:05    2315612