The Football Final.

So here we are, the biggest day of the year in football terms. A clash of footballing teams, in the search for Sam, eschewing negativity (Guffaw) and promises of open and free-flowing stuff.

An open enough looking contest, Mayo, mainly untested, if you exclude Tyrone and Dublin arriving here on the back of poor opposition, given that Kerry ran out of gas..

The statistics/opinions are that Mayo are superior at 1-9 and Dublin can prosper from 10-15. Dublin are vastly superior from 10-20 where games are won nowadays. All in the melting pot as they say.

Quandaries on both sides:

Mayo:

Start Cillian O'Connor (Unfit surely).
Drop Andy Moran (unfit, off the pace).
Higgens on the 40', Yay or nay..

Dublin:

Start Brennan at 6 (a liability).
Drop Bernard Brogan.
Start Dean Rock ahead of Brogan.

Please add.

Drop brogan no way he owes mayo big time

**SIMPLETON ALERT**

Drop O Carroll and Dublin are home and hosed
Weak link all year but corner backs have been called ashore with ROC enjoying 100pc green time despite chaos surrounding him. 
Just because he is supposed to be great white hope does not mean he is
Brennan is an easier call.

55/45 Dublin. They have enough forwards even if the right ones don't turn up, I'd play Brogan give the benefit cometh the hour etc. 
big name players win All Ireland's - 

Mayo have won plenty all Ireland's on August form.
Their forwards need to be better this time when history shows they are worse. 
My money follows precedent so ill keep backing Mayo to lose until they win. 

Dublin 1-16 , Mayo 1-13

I'd be surprised if Dublin make any changes to the starting XV. Gavin likes using Rock as a sub so I reckon he comes in with 30 minutes to go.

i'd be leaving Brennan on the bench and the full back line would need looked at.

O'Connor is a big loss to Mayo but how often have the marquee forwards been so well marked they dont feature on the big stage anyway.

Time for the others to step up to the plate.

Question is will both teams continue with the open flowing football or is it a safety first approach for a game neither team will want to lose.

Boxtyeater wrote:**SIMPLETON ALERT**

This is why this site is dead.

You could just as easily argue that Dan the Dauber and all that stuff is the work of a simpleton.

A couple of posters here just dismiss others. That is why this place is dead. No loss. Close it up.

I'm really looking forward to sun day like no other.have 't being excited about a game like this since the 70s..can't see us losing this. We have gone through a lot of pain too get to days like this. I always said once team and city started believing it was always going to be onwards and upwards

Believe

champers wrote:I'm really looking forward to sun day like no other.have 't being excited about a game like this since the 70s..can't see us losing this. We have gone through a lot of pain too get to days like this. I always said once team and city started believing it was always going to be onwards and upwards

Believe

in fairness Mayo have gone through a fair bit of pain too alot more than Dublin !!!!

In an odd kind of way, the spectre of The Mort has loomed into mind. I know, I know, he can be a bit of a luxury, but he's playing good football with Parnells and may have fulfilled a role on Sunday.

McMahon for O’Brien is the only change i expect from Dublin. Brennan will also be lucky to keep his place however no Cooper on the Mayo line up to mark. Mayo will keep the same starting 15 if O'Connor is past fit if not Conroy will come in for him. The Dublin forward line and bench will prove the difference i expect similar match to league games between the two this year e.g a 5 or 6 point win for Dublin.

Boxtyeater wrote:In an odd kind of way, the spectre of The Mort has loomed into mind. I know, I know, he can be a bit of a luxury, but he's playing good football with Parnells and may have fulfilled a role on Sunday.

Not sure where he fits in to Horan's plan though, even if all was right in the world between both parties. Could see him being used off the bench but he's not the type of forward Horan would want to start.

emmetryan wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:In an odd kind of way, the spectre of The Mort has loomed into mind. I know, I know, he can be a bit of a luxury, but he's playing good football with Parnells and may have fulfilled a role on Sunday.

Not sure where he fits in to Horan's plan though, even if all was right in the world between both parties. Could see him being used off the bench but he's not the type of forward Horan would want to start.

so far this year Horan has used Keegan,Feeney and Higgins all defenders in the forward line while question marks still remain over the fitness of Dillion,Andy Moran on top of that McLoughlin isn't in the form of last year and it looks like like they are going to risk O'Connor. The Mort in the form of years ago would have walked onto that Mayo forward line.

Dublin have no such problems just a few selection headaches for Gavin and would have another one if Alan Brogan was fit.

Dublin 2-11 Mayo 1-19

Best of luck to all supporters. Enjoy it all lads and lassies and make sure you all come home safe.

Both sides are a credit to their families, clubs, counties and the wider GAA population. Everyone involved has worked so hard to be part of All-Ireland Final day - a testament to what can be achieved with hard work. An example to one and all.

Mayo's journey has been an incredible one. In Horan's first game in charge, London almost beat them. Not long after they shocked the reigning All-Ireland champions when nobody gave them a hope. Thinking back to 2011, they have improved so much since.

Dublin's trip to Sunday's decider has been a little more predictable. Nevertheless there's a noticeable difference in this Dublin team and others we have seen arrive into Croke Park for big games.

You think to back to all the dark days, the 2004 final, the 2006 final and the 2012 final in Mayo's case. The Kerry and Tyrone collapses by Dublin. It's remarkable to think guys like Alan Dillon, Keith Higgins, Andy Moran, Stephen Cluxton, Dermo Connolly and Bernard Brogan have come all through those disappointments to make it to Sunday.

Maybe it should be Mayo's day. Dublin won one in 2011. Is it Mayo's turn at last?

The game itself should be end-to-end and high-octane, the supporters will have to plenty to cheer about and there'll lots of talking points post-match. I'm looking forward to it.

some big calls to be made by gavin today brennan and o'brien out,sullivan to 6 bastick in the middle,and philly in the corner,what a game to change your team.personally i think he should leave it the same if its not broke don't fix it.

bronco wrote:some big calls to be made by gavin today brennan and o'brien out,sullivan to 6 bastick in the middle,and philly in the corner,what a game to change your team.personally i think he should leave it the same if its not broke don't fix it.

going by what they conceded against Kerry i think its fair to say something was broke and needed fixing    

bocerty wrote:

bronco wrote:some big calls to be made by gavin today brennan and o'brien out,sullivan to 6 bastick in the middle,and philly in the corner,what a game to change your team.personally i think he should leave it the same if its not broke don't fix it.

going by what they conceded against Kerry i think its fair to say something was broke and needed fixing    

True and once they fixed it they held Kerry to 0-6 in that 2nd half.

Gaa_lover wrote:

emmetryan wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:In an odd kind of way, the spectre of The Mort has loomed into mind. I know, I know, he can be a bit of a luxury, but he's playing good football with Parnells and may have fulfilled a role on Sunday.

Not sure where he fits in to Horan's plan though, even if all was right in the world between both parties. Could see him being used off the bench but he's not the type of forward Horan would want to start.

so far this year Horan has used Keegan,Feeney and Higgins all defenders in the forward line while question marks still remain over the fitness of Dillion,Andy Moran on top of that McLoughlin isn't in the form of last year and it looks like like they are going to risk O'Connor. The Mort in the form of years ago would have walked onto that Mayo forward line.

The Mort is a loser, and symbolises the 'happy-to-be-here' ghosts of AI Finals past. He is the antithesis of the type of player for which Horan is looking. Horan has built a strong, fast, consistently ruthless side. They have reasonable forwards, not great ones, but I don't think that Horan would trade the effort that he gets from the likes of Freeman and Moran for the odd neat point he might get from the Mort.

On championship form, this game is Mayo's to lose. They have been more impressive than Dublin, who have had struggled for long periods in their last 3 games. Dublin have more dangerous inside forwards, but that may be somewhat negated by Mayo having the better fullback line. Mayo's strength lies in the half backs and midfield - if they can dominate those areas, Dublin's defence will be under a lot of pressure.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Both sides are a credit to their families, clubs, counties and the wider GAA population. Everyone involved has worked so hard to be part of All-Ireland Final day - a testament to what can be achieved with hard work. An example to one and all.

Mayo's journey has been an incredible one. In Horan's first game in charge, London almost beat them. Not long after they shocked the reigning All-Ireland champions when nobody gave them a hope. Thinking back to 2011, they have improved so much since.

Dublin's trip to Sunday's decider has been a little more predictable. Nevertheless there's a noticeable difference in this Dublin team and others we have seen arrive into Croke Park for big games.

You think to back to all the dark days, the 2004 final, the 2006 final and the 2012 final in Mayo's case. The Kerry and Tyrone collapses by Dublin. It's remarkable to think guys like Alan Dillon, Keith Higgins, Andy Moran, Stephen Cluxton, Dermo Connolly and Bernard Brogan have come all through those disappointments to make it to Sunday.

Maybe it should be Mayo's day. Dublin won one in  2011. Is it Mayo's turn at last?

The game itself should be end-to-end and high-octane, the supporters will have to plenty to cheer about and there'll lots of talking points post-match. I'm looking forward to it.

A fine post Loyal.

"Yerra" I just thought of the inflection of "The Mort" as a fun thing.

As part of my re-location project, I'd seen him for the full 70 mins for Parnells last week in an inter-club challenge, club football I'll agree, club standard, but highly competitive, he was excellent. **

** I'd have grave reservations about him when the chips are down. James Horan thinks likewise.

KerryKatriona wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:**SIMPLETON ALERT**

This is why this site is dead.

You could just as easily argue that Dan the Dauber and all that stuff is the work of a simpleton.

A couple of posters here just dismiss others.  That is why this place is dead.  No loss.  Close it up.

You had ample time, as had others, between my last post(on Nordie football per se), prior to the one that antagonised you, 14 days in fact, to contribute to the forum in a meaningful way. This leads me to conclude that you have not, as yet, taken your beating in your former alias.

You're veiled snipe in your second paragraph is unwarranted.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Gaa_lover wrote:

emmetryan wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:In an odd kind of way, the spectre of The Mort has loomed into mind. I know, I know, he can be a bit of a luxury, but he's playing good football with Parnells and may have fulfilled a role on Sunday.

Not sure where he fits in to Horan's plan though, even if all was right in the world between both parties. Could see him being used off the bench but he's not the type of forward Horan would want to start.

so far this year Horan has used Keegan,Feeney and Higgins all defenders in the forward line while question marks still remain over the fitness of Dillion,Andy Moran on top of that McLoughlin isn't in the form of last year and it looks like like they are going to risk O'Connor. The Mort in the form of years ago would have walked onto that Mayo forward line.

The Mort is a loser, and symbolises the 'happy-to-be-here' ghosts of AI Finals past.  He is the antithesis of the type of player for which Horan is looking.  Horan has built a strong, fast, consistently ruthless side.  They have reasonable forwards, not great ones, but I don't think that Horan would trade the effort that he gets from the likes of Freeman and Moran for the odd neat point he might get from the Mort.

On championship form, this game is Mayo's to lose.  They have been more impressive than Dublin, who have had struggled for long periods in their last 3 games.  Dublin have more dangerous inside forwards, but that may be somewhat negated by Mayo having the better fullback line.  Mayo's strength lies in the half backs and midfield - if they can dominate those areas, Dublin's defence will be under a lot of pressure.

moran conroy dillon have being there since 04,so half the ghost are still there

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Gaa_lover wrote:

emmetryan wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:In an odd kind of way, the spectre of The Mort has loomed into mind. I know, I know, he can be a bit of a luxury, but he's playing good football with Parnells and may have fulfilled a role on Sunday.

Not sure where he fits in to Horan's plan though, even if all was right in the world between both parties. Could see him being used off the bench but he's not the type of forward Horan would want to start.

so far this year Horan has used Keegan,Feeney and Higgins all defenders in the forward line while question marks still remain over the fitness of Dillion,Andy Moran on top of that McLoughlin isn't in the form of last year and it looks like like they are going to risk O'Connor. The Mort in the form of years ago would have walked onto that Mayo forward line.

The Mort is a loser, and symbolises the 'happy-to-be-here' ghosts of AI Finals past.  He is the antithesis of the type of player for which Horan is looking.  Horan has built a strong, fast, consistently ruthless side.  They have reasonable forwards, not great ones, but I don't think that Horan would trade the effort that he gets from the likes of Freeman and Moran for the odd neat point he might get from the Mort.

On championship form, this game is Mayo's to lose.  They have been more impressive than Dublin, who have had struggled for long periods in their last 3 games.  Dublin have more dangerous inside forwards, but that may be somewhat negated by Mayo having the better fullback line.  Mayo's strength lies in the half backs and midfield - if they can dominate those areas, Dublin's defence will be under a lot of pressure.

Whatever you make of the Mort he was still better scoring forward than most of them Mayo forwards starting on Sunday. As for Dublin struggling in long periods well two of those games were against Cork,Kerry and the Munster men would have caused Mayo plenty of problems also.

Philly McMahon replaces Kevin O'Brien is the only change to the Dublin team i was spot on with that anyway

only i change for the dubs philly in kev out